Mystery Ranch Stein 62L Backpack Test in the Teton Mountains | Photo Mountain Weekly News
With the ability to carry all your gear, tons of pockets and bunch bells and whistles, the Mystery Ranch Stein 62 will easily work for all your backpacking needs.
Stein 62 Weight
Weighing only 4.7 lb the Mystery Ranch Stein 62L full-frame backpack can be worn for days without feeling the full weight of the pack. Keep in mind there are other much lighter backpacks on the market, however, most lack the support of an internal frame system.
The Mystery Ranch Stein 62 Pack is a smaller, lighter version of the companies popular Glacier Pack which is available in 70 L size.
Pros: Lightweight carry, comfortable shoulder straps, lots of storage, ability to attach bear spray to chest area/shoulder strap.
Cons: Backpack can be noisy on the trail, water bottle pockets are tough to access.
Backpack Features
Pockets, pockets and more pockets. The only thing this backpack is missing is a set of hip belt pockets. Otherwise, the 2 large pockets on the top of the Stein 62 work great for storing things you may want on the fly like a camera, headlamp, compass, and lots and lots of snacks.
Moving down the pack are 2 large front pockets that run vertically allowing for easy storage of large toiletries like sunscreen bottles, mosquito spray, and more snacks.
One the inside of the backpack is 3783 cu-in volume or 62 L. This size is perfect for camping up-to about a week. If going for longer be sure to have someone pack in your food or look for a larger capacity pack.
Added Bonus: The top panel can be taken off and converted to a smaller daypack by removing the backpack’s straps. Making the Mystery Ranch Stein two backpacks in one.
Typically I bring along the following which all fit inside the main compartment of the MYSTERY RANCH Stein 62 backpack:
What’s Inside my Backpacking Backpack
- Sleeping Bag
- Tent
- Stove
- Canteen
- Canister of Fuel
- Down Layer
- First Aid Kit
- Repair Kit
- Extra Clothes
- Lots of Food and more snacks.
With plenty of room to spare.
One thing to keep in mind with this backpack is its ability to attach additional more gear via daisy chain webbing on the front and 2 additional ice axes loops at the bottom which can be rigged to hold your tent.
The Stein Backpack was built with serious R&D time and shows in it’s well thought out features. One of my favorites is the zippered sleeping bag compartment with compression straps that help alleviate pressure against the bottom zipper. This bottom access makes it easy to pull out a sleeping bag, or in my case, I prefer to have a first aid/repair kit handy.
With a top drawstring entry, 2 large side pocket entry’s and a bottom sleeping bag access panel, getting the gear you need out of the Stein 62 is pretty darn easy. Heck, you can even do what I mentioned above and place the items you may want to access to like a rain jacket near the zippers.
Overall Impression
The Mystery Ranch Stein Backpack has a load limit of 75 lb, so if you find yourself going out on week-long plus expeditions sizing up is a must. For anything under a week, especially places with access to freshwater the Stein 62 L is a great backpack to consider.
For only $299 the MYSTERY RANCH Stein 62 L Backpack is a bargain for something that can easily be worn year-round for all your expeditions and adventures in the mountains. MYSTERY RANCH has taken over were Dana packs left off, need we say more?
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