Mystery Ranch

Catalyst 26 Backpack

High hopes. Disappointed.

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Bottles fall right out of the pockets. Zippers have too much resistance so it’s a pain to open and close. The back panel has deformed after 7 months and now pokes me in the upper back and rubs, making the bag now essentially unusable. I suspect this is due to a design flaw of some of the inner organization pockets being too tight to actually put anything in them without bending the panel.

love how it opens from top or front

Bought this bag for travel and also as a baby bag. I felt it was the perfect size, had good compartments and can be opened from the top or front so if I need a specific item I don't have to dig everything out to get to it. It's multi use is great and it's a good looking bag as well. I would recommend. Also shipped within the same week!

Good travel pack

I brought this to replace another back pack from a different company where the straps weren’t sewn on correctly and tore. The mystery ranch bag looks much nicer and more solidly made. The contrasting interior is nice and it’s a good size for the plane and taking to a class. I travel a lot for training so this is ideal for me

Should bought it earlier

I have tried a lot of backpacks for my daily commute, this one is the best so far. It looks clean, not having bunch webbings or cords on the outside of the bag is a key. It doesn’t look “tactical”, so it is kind discrete. I have a 16inch laptop, which fit in the there perfectly.

This one stands up!

I have the urban assault 24 and I love it. There are two features on that pack that I’m not a fan of. The water bottle holders and it won’t stand… well they did make some upgrades the bottle holders are a little better. Wish they would expand though. And the main feature upgrade I noticed. It stands on its own. I do think the top pouch is slightly smaller. It seems like a little taller and narrower design with works well. All around love the pack. I think even better than thr urban assault.

Amazing Quality!

I bought this pack before a long vacation with a couple of intended uses: * Carry-on backpack for air travel * Day pack for city tourism * Day pack for light hiking I think that it nailed all 3 of these uses perfectly; after weeks with the pack I have zero complaints about its function. I kept it with me at all times during my trip and there were many occasions where I was happy to have my rain gear, water bottle, or a book so close. Some of my favorite features were: * The large admin pouch and 2x left/right internal zipper pockets were great for keeping a large quantity of smaller items like chapstick, snacks, small electronic devices, etc. close at hand. * The tri-zip main compartment was awesome for stuffing rain gear, cold weather clothing, a travel pillow, and other bulky items. * The center internal zipper pocket was good for keeping my passport and other important items in a secure location deep within the pack. * The non-stretch water bottle holders were the perfect size to securely hold a 1 L Nalgene. This water bottle has over time stretched out the elastic on several other backpacks that I own, so I personally LOVED the non-stretch design. I was additionally really impressed by how well the pack carries weight; even when loaded up to capacity it distributed weight extremely well across my shoulders and back. I do think that if I were going on longer hikes then I would want a pack with a hip belt, but for shorter ~5 mile hikes this was more than sufficient. Since returning from my vacation I have used the pack several times as my only bag for short weekend trips, its size is perfect for carrying a couple changes of clothes and other essentials like toiletries and chargers. Lastly, the build quality seems to be outstanding. After throwing this pack around for several weeks I can't see even a speck of wear on it. This was a great for purchase and I will be getting a lot of use out of it hopefully for the rest of my life.

Durable and Efficient Design

Durable for travel and as a bush pack. Smart and versatile design to accommodate various types of uses

Organization

My previous pack for work was top heavy and super annoying. This pack is very well built and has pockets inside that keep everything organized. The laptop sleeve even holds a dell tough book. This is definitely more of a commuter pack than daypack for hiking.

Great size and organization. Robust construction.

I’ve had the Catalyst 26 for a few weeks now, and overall have been loving it. I use it as an EDC and for weekend travel. Pros: -Size is great -Love the internal organization -Water bottle pockets fit 40 oz Hydroflask and 48 oz Nalgene -Love the narrow profile of the bag -Construction feels robust/bombproof Cons: -When there isn’t much in the main compartment, the brain and base of the bag keep their integrity, but the middle of the bag sags inward toward the laptop compartment. This makes the bag look weird. Perhaps this could be remedied with slightly stiffer/different fabric in that area. -Bag tends to lean/pull to one side significantly when only one of the water bottle pockets is used. This may be due to the physics/weight distribution of the bag itself, but I have a slightly larger bag that is able to stay even on the bag with one full water bottle in the side pocket. Overall, I love the bag and am confident that it will last for years to come. This is my first MR product, but I would not hesitate to purchase another!

Excellent update to the UA24

I had previously owned an UA24 and recently updated to the Catalyst 26. Everything previously familiar with the UA24 is back with a few minor pros and cons. Pros - If you pack it appropriately without being top heavy, the Catalyst stands upright on its own. I couldn't do it with the UA24. This is a really big deal especially if you have to air travel. Standing upright just makes your commute easier. - Some users may not like it, but the recycled Cordura is more crinkly than the UA24. Other than the crinkly sound, I like it as it feels smoother and higher quality. It won't catch as much lint. - interior colors are now brighter- it's like a floodlight now in your bag and finding your gear is so much quicker. ( I'm using the Black Catalyst 26) - top grab handle. It's a real upgrade from the flimsy single band of nylon in previous UA24. Now its double wrapped and it just feels good in your hand. - internal organization now comes with a very handy mesh zippered pocket in the top half of the bag. Very useful for stashing your EDC that you may need access often. Now for some cons. - due to the new panel design, the water bottle holders don't allow your bottles to sit as securely. The bottles are angled towards your body ( I suppose for easier access) but unless you are using the right sized bottle, they may slide out pretty easily. - the inner 2 water bottle pockets are no longer in the Catalyst 26. It's not a deal breaker for me. - interior organization has been improved ,but the layout may not be suitable for everyone - top brain pocket can be bigger. It's purely for your essentials. I managed to fit a long passport wallet, keys, and a phone in there. - I liked the stealthy Double Black colorway of my precious UA24. The Catalyst 26 in black comes with orange accents. Again, may not be to everyone's taste. - new zippers are S T I C K Y. Needs quite a bit of effort to open. All in all, a great EDC pack and I love using it for airport commutes. It rides tall and sleek and it's so easy to glide around public spaces. Love this piece of kit.