Mystery Ranch Urban Assault 21L Backpack for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

Got a bargain on this bag during a sale on Backcountry. Got the peppercorn color, which I was slightly disappointed by. On the website, it appeared to be a brown-shaded color but in hand it appeared somewhat purplish. Not a big deal but I was expecting a slightly more masculine color. The bag has an internal frame sheet which helps keep its shape and rigidity. It's comfortable. Interior organization is good, being not too much or not enough. Quality is great, and features water-resistant YKK zippers. Overall a great bag.

This backpack literally saved my life. I am a 25 year old female, 5'3", 125lbs. I use this pack for my EDC to and from the university where I teach. One evening I was getting out of my car and my neighbor's 135lb german shepherd lept the fence and came at me teeth bared, growling and snarling --- just like in the police TV shows. I used this bag to beat the dog back and keep the dog off of me. If I had not had this bag with me, I would likely still be in the hospital, or worse. Several hours later after things had calmed down, I checked the contents of the bag. Everything in the bag was completely unharmed and my MacBook Pro was still in pristine condition. There were no holes or scuffs on the fabric, everything was just as it was before. This bag is beyond Excellent. I recommend it to everyone I know, especially after the experience I had. Mystery Ranch is the best of the best and I'm so glad I took the leap and got this bag. I absolutely love the "autopsy zip" style of the bag. It's perfect and holds SO MUCH stuff.

I see reviews that are all over the place with this bag. I love it. But I am honest about what it is and what it is not. I have a pack "problem" as my wife puts it, however, I know their utility. I carried several different varieties in the Marine Corps and many different ones afterwards. I have dedicated packs for many different purposes from travel, every-day-carry, range time, moto-adventure, etc. I know what size pack I need for which activity and I know what quality is. I am not a "gear whore" and prefer a thing's utility over brand name, however, some brands simply shine. Mystery Ranch makes a high quality pack. That is all there is to it. -I have no gripes with the zippers, they are all YKK, and while some waterproof/water-resistant zippers can be more finicky than others, I haven't noticed anything about these that would be considered sub-par. -There is not a single frayed thread or visible cut end anywhere on the pack (that's a clue you're dealing with a quality nylon goods manufacturer). -The straps are ergonomic and have just the right amount of padding for having the pack almost empty or weighted down. -The strap suspension system is nice and takes the strain off the upper seam of the shoulder straps, which is a common fail point in packs that are put through their paces. -I can't imagine why someone would want more pockets or accessories for an "every-day-carry" (edc) pack, unless you hike 50 miles a day to work. It has plenty of storage for daily routine. (I can fit a laptop, tablet, notebook, jacket, water bottle, phone charger, pens, keys, gym clothes, and STILL have room for more if necessary) -As many people have stated, the three-zip system is great. Being able to get to the bottom of the pack if you are going to pack it for a trip is a huge plus. -One of the major concerns is that it has no external water bottle pocket. I am not using this as a hiking pack and therefore haven't seen this as an issue. If I'm carrying coffee to work it usually stays in my hands. If I have a water bottle, same thing, but if I need to put it inside the pack, it's easily accessible. Non-issue in my humble opinion. -The top pocket is great if you are on a plane or bus and need access to your phone or chapstick or a pen. The mesh pockets are a plus as you can identify what's inside easily. -This pack is low-profile and relatively snag-free. It doesn't have a lot of webbing or external pockets to get hung on things and is more aerodynamic if I want to wear it while riding a bike or my motorcycle. -These packs have a firefighting/military provenance but this particular pack (aside from the multicam version) doesn't scream "tactical". Keeping a low profile is a good thing these days. -Finally, it looks good. It's a cool looking pack that you'll get compliments on. The tri-zip is unique and if you're into packs for the aesthetics, you can't go wrong here. Overall, it does what it's supposed to do. Don't let naysayers tell you that you need an 80L pack for daily pursuits. This has plenty of room, is sleek, and utilitarian. If you don't know what a liter measurement is on a pack, go to a local store (even Walmart) and check out the packs to get a better idea of what size the Urban Assault Pack will be in comparison.

It seems Mystery Ranch should stick to making technical bags for actual work because this item as a commuter bag fails miserably. The zippers seem cheap compared to other Mystery Ranch products and they constantly are hard to open. For a daypack it lacks any real storage and the main pocket is hard to get too. For Mystery Ranch supporters I get it but unfortunately this bag just sucks.

This is my first bag from Mystery Ranch and I'm completely sold on the 3-zip design. Makes it super easy to both pack and access everything in your bag no matter where it is. Additionally the straps are super comfortable, only 'Con' is just how small the bag is. Would love to have a slightly bigger version (Like the 3-Day assault bag, but without all the tacti-cool features) for weekend trips.