I purchased the Beartooth 80 because i had become addicted to backcountry mule deer hunting. My previous hunting trips usually only lasted 3-5 days before refitting or having a large camp to come back to. In those days the MR Metcalf or Crewcab was always good enough and great options for meat hauling.
In 2019 I flew into the Frank Church, in idaho and hunted for mule deer for 6 days. I loaded down my Crewcab, but I had a hell of a time carrying everything I needed. So in 2020, when I went back for an 8 day trip, I took the Beartooth 80. The pack performed perfectly.
It was a great size and I was able to carry enough food, water and gear for both hunting and backpacking. I carried in about 80 pounds of gear on my back and from the landing strip, I hiked about 5 miles to where I set up camp on a ridge top at about 7K feet. I had to carry a lot of water because there was no water source near where I was camped.
Having the Beartooth was essential to my success, especially when it came to carrying enough food and water. The guidelite frame was very comfortable and did not wear out my shoulders. The adjustments were simple and durable. The load shelf system is easy to use and has tons of room. I put both hind-quarters, backstraps and the head+hide on it in addition to about 40 lbs of gear. It sinches tight. Zero issues.
The pack is water proof and kept my gear dry in snow and rain. Weather conditions were about 10-30 degrees F throughout my trip and i never had an issue with water/moisture leaking inside.
Once I dumped my gear and camp I was able to sinch down the pack so it wasn't so big. It is a heavy pack for day hunting from camp, but for me the advantages were worth it. The water bottle pouches on the sides fit my large water bottle easily and i never had one fall out. The medium sized pocket on the back was perfect for puffy pants/jackets when I stopped to glass and the day pack lid is great for a kill kit and snacks. My favorite feature is the main pack zipper. It opens like a suitcase and is awesome for packing.
I highly recommend this pack for trips more than five days and it's load-shelf performs beautifully. You can put as much weight in there as you can fit and it won't break on you.
The only downside I have with the pack is the lack of interior pockets for organizing. This is more of a personal preference then a performance issue so just keep that in mind if you're looking at getting the Beartooth. All in all, five stars. I highly recommend this product from Mystery Ranch.
2020 deer. Easier pack out thanks to the Beartooth 80
2 hind-quarters, both backstraps and the hide/head
Water bottle pouch is a great fit for a rifle stock. Tons of straps lock it in tight.
Beartooth 80
Beartooth 80