Mystery Ranch Pop Up 38 or Sawtooth 45

[scarte81]

Put in for my MT General tag yesterday and I'm starting to buy some of the gear needed for my trip. I'm interested in buying a pack second hand and have 2 options on FB marketplace. I'm looking at a MR Pop up 38 and a Sawtooth 45. The sawtooth is approx $100 more than the Pop up.

This year it'll be primarily used as a day pack in and out of a base camp, but I'm not opposed to getting something bigger that could double as a day pack.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have owned both and commented here before.

I love my pop up 38 but it spends 95% of the time as a day pack. I have hauled #70 in it in relative comfort. It is compact and has enough capacity for a long day hunt.

sawtooth is a great smaller pack on a full size frame. It does well as a day pack but it won’t be as small as the pop up.

if I was going to camp out of my pack I would say sawtooth. If I was looking for a daypack that can haul meat back to my truck, the pop up gets the nod. For general use and versatility or if I could only have one it would be the sawtooth.

 

[bruceleroy]

I got my hands on both at our new Sceels. The Sawtooth is better, in my opinion, in every way.
I really wanted the pop up 38 to be it...it wasnt.

 

[eaglemountainman]

I own both, and they're both great packs. You won't go wrong with either one. If I could only have one, I would choose the Sawtooth 45. But I sure would miss my Pop Up 28....

 

[RichC64]

Good discussion here on both MR daypack options I’m looking at. A question for those that have the Sawtooth, will the Forager pouches fit on to the waist belt and function ok?
MR website lists them as fitting “expedition” packs.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Sorry, I have no experience with the Foragers. I did pick up the 700ci Hunter Daypack Lid, and pleased with it. It comes with it's own shoulder straps, and can be used stand alone as a minimalist day pack, though I haven't done so yet.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Good discussion here on both MR daypack options I’m looking at. A question for those that have the Sawtooth, will the Forager pouches fit on to the waist belt and function ok?
MR website lists them as fitting “expedition” pouches.

They fit fine on my Sawtooth 45.

 

[jharrell12]

Love my pop up 38. Great day pack

 

[RichC64]

They fit fine on my Sawtooth 45.

Thanks for that.

 

[Beezy]

I have a Sawtooth. I think I could do a 3 to 4 day hunt early to mid season hunt out of that pack. If I bought the lid I could possibly squeeze 5 day out of it.

 

[hammer0419]

Love my pop up 38. Great day pack

Pop up is so nice as a day pack because it is so compact. But can be extended to carry some weight. I love my 38. But I live on the East Coast and mostly do all day trips and it has served me for a weekend backpacking as well.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Camofire.com has the Sawtooth 45 and the Pintler on sale today for $315 each. All colors and sizes available, though maybe not in all combinations. Also, Metcalf, Beartooth 80 and others at great prices.

 

[justinspicher]

I just picked up the sawtooth for day hikes and have only used it for a couple of weeks. It is an awesome bag, lots of organization. I really feel I could do a few days out of it with no problem in our early seasons here in colorado. Late seasons would be a bit more difficult, but worth a shot. My favorite feature is the buckle to get the upper pack off the frame. Simple design and you dont have to take the entire bag off like the older models.

My only gripe is that I had to get a set of older buckles and replace then on the pack so it would fit my frame.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Junkie that I am, I just ordered a Pintler (bag only) from BlackOvis.com on sale $150 free shipping. I know it's a bit of overlap with the Sawtooth, but I want to compare the Yzip/trizip with the 270* U zip on the Sawtooth. Plus the Pintler might be a bit better fit in the airline overhead bins.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Junkie that I am, I just ordered a Pintler (bag only) from BlackOvis.com on sale $150 free shipping. I know it's a bit of overlap with the Sawtooth, but I want to compare the Yzip/trizip with the 270* U zip on the Sawtooth. Plus the Pintler might be a bit better fit in the airline overhead bins.

any feedback on the pintler vs sawtooth? It looks like it's mainly the Y-zip vs standard U-zip. I have no clue which I prefer

 

[handwerk]

The sawtooth has proven to be a good pack for a day or 2, I've packed out a bunch of deer and 1 elk with mine w/o issue. If I needed more then I'd take my SG 5900.

 

[eaglemountainman]

any feedback on the pintler vs sawtooth? It looks like it's mainly the Y-zip vs standard U-zip. I have no clue which I prefer

Yep. After using the Sawtooth for another Wyoming muley trip a few weeks ago, I have decided that I definitely prefer the Sawtooth's U zipper configuration and internal organization over the Tri zip and internals of the Pintler. The Sawtooth also has almost 10% more capacity while still maintaining it's smallish overall form.

Not that the Pintler isn't a great pack...it certainly is. It's just that the Sawtooth seems to be everything that I want and need, when and where I want and need it.