Dragon Slayer Tri-zip design

I’ve had my Dragon Slayer pack for over 9 months now, and had a chance to take it on a week-long mountain bike trip from Colorado to Utah. I’ve also used it for a few hikes as well. I was looking for a pack in the 2000 c.i. range and that was hydration bladder compatible. I wanted something bomb-proof and that could be used on a variety of bike and hike missions. Think a jack of all trades day pack, extended range hydration pack, and military patrol ruck.  My search led me to the Mystery Ranch Dragon Slayer (DS) pack. It’s identical to the 3-day Assault pack, but with an additional 300 c.i. of storage.

Good waist belt and narrow profile make the pack comfortable.

Right out of the box I could see that the quality of the DS was top notch. Having served in the Marine Corps Infantry, I know the value of good gear. The pack has a unique method of opening, via the tri-zip. The design allows you to top load the pack or fillet the entire thing open to access everything. That made it easy for me to load and unload the pack with pulling everything out. Internally, each side of the pack had a long sleeve pocket and a zippered mesh pocket, ideal for organizing your goods. The back panel had MOLLIE attachment points, although my hydration bladder covered them when hung. The lid of the DS has two zipper pockets. The top has an organizer portion and the lower pocket is mesh. I’m very familiar with the MOLLIE system, so having them on the exterior of the pack was a must. In case you’re not familiar with MOLLIE, it’s a system of attachment points that easily allows you to add pouches and accessories to gear. Examples of this would be: camera bags, water bottle pouches, sheaths, etc. I also liked the fact that the belt also had MOLLIE points, which allowed me to put commonly used items (knife, flashlight) within reach. The sides of the pack each had a pocket, which worked well for a nalgene bottle or stuffing a rain jacket into. Behind those pockets are pass through pockets, but I’m not sure how to utilize those.

Internal zipper and open pockets, and MOLLIE attachment points.

Futura harness and live wing belt.

I was somewhat concerned that the fully loaded pack may be too bulky or hinder my movement on the bike. After following the frame adjustment instructions, I loaded up the pack and began using it on training rides. I upgraded to the live wing belt when I ordered my pack, as I knew it would be supporting the majority of the load. Good idea, because the belt was very comfortable. I was impressed at how comfortable the pack felt, and how well it stabilized the approximate 30-40 lb load. There was no side to side sway when hammering down a rough trail or climbing out of the saddle. I also found it did not creep up toward my helmet during steep descents, the pack stays put! The width of the pack was also very well suited for bike riding, as it did not hinder my arm or leg movement. I would have liked some type of strap management system for the shoulder straps. I had to tuck the loose tails in after tightening down the shoulder straps. Not a big deal, but a top tier pack like this should have them.

Lid pockets. Top has organization sleeves, bottom is mesh.

Overall I give the pack an excellent rating in craftsmanship, design, and function. The DS also looks cool, which in my opinion is important in a product. I would definitely recommend it to my riding and military buddies. The DS was an outstanding choice for my trip, as it held up to heavy daily usage, a couple bike crashes, and made hauling the gear comfortable. Moral of this review: You won’t be disappointed if  you get your hands on a Mystery Ranch pack. www.mysteryranch.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.