Customer Reviews Mystery Ranch Catalyst 26

Another great pack from Mystery Ranch, can't wait to use and abuse it on adventures

Excellent quality and great organization. I would recommend to anyone looking for a great edc bag.

The Mystery Ranch Catalyst 26 Backpack is a teacher's best friend, offering durability and ample storage in a sleek design. Its rugged build with high-denier nylon and reinforced stitching ensures it can withstand the demands of a school year, whether you're carrying textbooks, lesson plans, or a laptop. The weather-resistant coating is a practical touch for those sudden rain showers during your commute. Comfort is key for teachers, and the Catalyst 26 delivers with its adjustable harness system and padded shoulder straps. The ergonomic design ensures the backpack stays comfortably on your shoulders, even when fully loaded. The top-loading design and multiple internal pockets help keep you organized, making it easy to find what you need between classes. For a teacher, having a dedicated laptop compartment is crucial, and the Catalyst 26 provides just that. The secure laptop sleeve keeps your device safe from bumps and scratches, while the main compartment offers plenty of space for binders and other materials. Exterior stretch pockets are perfect for a water bottle and other quick-access items, ensuring you're always prepared for a busy school day. The Catalyst 26 does come with a higher price tag compared to other backpacks, reflecting its superior quality and durability. While the cost might be a concern for some, the investment is worth it for a backpack that can withstand daily use and still look great. If you're willing to pay a bit more for a reliable and long-lasting backpack, this is an excellent choice.

I have been carrying mine daily for a little over a month. I love the quality definitely the nicest backpack I've owned. The laptop sleeve is a little small for my laptop but because it's a rugged laptop with a permanent handle that doesn't fold out of the way. If it was a normal laptop it would fit perfectly. I use some of the mystery ranch pouches and they go perfectly in the bag and help keep you organized. I have black which looks awesome but it does get dirty quick. That would be my only complaint.

Excellent design overall. Very durable. The upgraded pockets are a value add.

This is the second Catalyst bag that I've had. the first was a 22liter which was tough to get everything I needed into for a full day of work and travel. This updated 26liter back is just right. laptops, lunch, water bottle and all the EDC stuff I usually carry fits. The side pockets have been enlarged too so they actually fit a nalgene/other 20oz bottles. the pack is a little bit taller than the 22 liter but it still fits my back and is comfortable.

First time using my new pack. Been traveling for nine+ days with this backpackhotel to hotel. It holds all my regular gear, but also makes everything VERY easy to access. The little pocket on top has a quick stash pocket for keys, phone, earbuds, etc., could be slightly bigger, but great when walking through airports and quickly storing your items that will set off the alarm bells at tsa. The back pouch for my laptop and iPad are seamless, plus easy access while crammed into an airplane seat. The main storage pocket holds it all, plus organizes things a bit. My only gripe is that the main zipper of the three tends to stick, but I'm hoping that will loosen with more use. Also, my regular size Nalgene water bottle fits easily into the water bottle pouch. My previous pack had to many compartments, which sounded good, but was a huge pain when you had to open the entire bag to find something and can't remember which zipped compartment it's in. This bag simplifies everything, wish I had it years ago. For work/vacation travel, it's ideal. Thanks for thinking of the end users needs and producing a quality product that checks many boxes!

Bag is designed for its role. The role was a 3dap pack, which is tfsa compliant and has enough load suspension to be used as a E+E or executive travel bag. In this situation the bag has worked as designed and intended. I've used it at full capacity for 1 year of intensive work in Ukraine and the middle east, and I have issued this to my key employees for their work use. No failure, no stress points and outlasted MR 3 competiors for the role. Cheap enough to be mass issued, durable enough to be used in field conditions and does not stand out unlike the assault line of bags or hiking color palates. Hope this bag configuration continues on with the recent acquisition by Yeti. Thanks D3 for approving this design and getting it out to field before the acquisition

I bought this pack to haul some things home from my dad's. I was hesitant to buy it because of the price but quickly decided I had made the right choice. First off I love it stands up on its own, second the laptop sleeve is awesome and an absolute must have. The water bottle pockets work great, and I like the fact they are easy to access ie: no elastic to deal with. The interior of the pack has very useful pockets and places to pit pens and what not. Overall a very well thought out and well built pack.

I bought this right before a trip to the Dominican and it worked great for all of our excursions. Usually carried the day's essentials for 4 couples. I also received multiple compliments on it as well.

Impressed with the overall build quality of this pack. Love how spacious it is. Works great for me as an everyday pack as I always have my laptop, iPad, and associated chargers/docks. Plenty of room for a couple days worth of clothes and a toiletry bag as well.

I've been using this as my every day commuter bag for a month or so. This was a huge upgrade from my generic backpack I love the organization built in as well as the storage space for additional items. This works well for a last minute camping/outdoor items as well. Highly recommend

So... As a disclaimer, I am a longtime MR tester and user. I have been using the wildland fire line gear since it was in the prototype stages (early 2000s) and it's all I will use. I have also had the briefcase and for my medical work each year in remote areas of Nepal I use the 3-Day Assault Pack, 2-Day Assault Pack, my large backpack (can't remember the name), several beanies and the Med Lid. The Catalyst 26 (C26) is weather proof, the zippers might be stiff at first, but that's normal and they lighten-up with use. The laptop sleeve is perfect for my MacBook with a cover on it as well. Everything I need to hop on my scooter, bike, truck or feet in Kathmandu, Some people complain about the external water bottle pockets not being stretchy and I can see that. However they hold my two water bottles. I might opt to (since I have an industrial sewing machine) add some room to the pockets and attach a strap to contain a bottle. Otherwise it does everything I need, maintains low profile in comparison to packs that have external billowing pockets. I've had for extensive time in drenching rain and ZERO issues with water leaking inside - although I put sensitive items in additional waterproof bags. I do, and have recommended this pack to many and have had nothing but positive feedback. I also operate a guide business in Nepal and this is a staple staff and customers.

First, the drawbacks. The color of the Tiger Eye is a little more subdued than the image on the computer in person. Also, the side pouches have no elasticity which means some things don't fit and small things are not as secure. The zippers are pretty stiff at first pull and the fabric feels starched. So now you're asking, "Why the heck would you give this five stars?" The quality. I have been carrying Dana's products since the mid-'90s and I know this bag will last for a long time. The rigidity of the fabric and stiff zippers give this bag a bit of a break-in period, but I'm sure the fabric will become supple and the zippers will ease with time. The organization on the inside is fantastic and there's enough cargo room for a fair amount of travel gear. I'm a teacher and Scoutmaster, and I travel internationally each year with students and scouts. I think this bag has checked all the boxes for my needs. The 26L option as the separate compartment for a large laptop

This is the best backpack I have ever purchased. quality materials, quality fit, lots of carrying capacity without feeling bulky. has served me well so far at the office and on the trail equally.

This is a great backpack! I use it for commuting but I also plan to use it for outdoor adventures and travel. At first I wasn't sure about the color as displayed online. In-person, it's a brownish-grayish shade of orange (like rust). I have attached photos taken outdoors and indoors to give you a better idea of the color. Here's what I like about this backpack: *It seems very tough and durable so far. I believe I will get many years of use out of this backpack. *I love it that it's made of recycled material. *Since it's 100% nylon, I've been able to use DEET bug spray without worrying about damaging the backpack. *The main compartment is very spacious and can hold all my stuff. *There are lots of useful little pockets, which helps me stay organized. *The laptop sleeve works well and was my top priority in a commuter backpack. *The backpack has a vertical central zipper that is way, way more helpful than I realized it would be. No more digging around to find stuff lost at the bottom of the backpack! *The cup holders are working just fine for me; I found bottles that fit, and the nylon will last much longer than elastic materials would. *The backpack is comfortable to carry. I don't know anything about correct backpack fit, but I was able to adjust the straps to make the backpack comfortable for me. *The covered zippers seem useful to keep rain, dirt, and bugs out, and give a unique look to the backpack. *The Tiger's Eye color is great. I've received compliments on it, and it's unique enough not to get mixed up with others' backpacks (important during air travel). Here are some things to watch out for: *If you put a lot of stuff into the top pocket and not in the main compartment, the backpack can be a bit top-heavy. (You can see this in my photos) *It took me forever to figure out that the laptop sleeve has its own zipper at the very back of the backpack. D'oh! Overall I'd recommend this backpack as an excellent multi-use backpack for commuting, travel, and/or outdoors.

Had this for about a month. Use it for daily carry of work computer, personal iPad, assorted EDC items. Love the traditional tri-zip features with the increased internal organization.

Recently purchased this pack, so far it appears really durable. Definitely holds to the mystery ranch quality.

I purchased this pack in the black colorway about a month ago and took it on a two-week family trip, as well as a visit to the library. My kids and I came out of the library with 20 lbs of books of different sizes and the Catalyst 26 swallowed them right up and carried like the load wasn't there. I'm upgrading from another premium brand's 10-year-old 26L that pulled on my shoulders/back so this was a welcome change. During our two-week trip, I stuffed various loads in the Catalyst in different scenarios found it able to handle a LOT: multiple towels and pool accoutrements, water bottles, hiking gear, road trip essentials, and more. It was impossible to overstuff, as the suspension feels like it can handle more weight than you can fit in the bag. Due to the single cavity, it felt amenable to oversized/bulky items like wide library books and pool towels, while still retaining enough organization in the pockets, laptop sleeves, water bottle pockets, and top pocket. I'm relatively new to the three-zip design and rip-open top and I'm really liking it--it makes for fast access to anything in the bag and just works better than the U-shaped traditional options I've used in terms of ease. The durability feels excellent so far and is way beyond any backpack I've used. I also have a Coulee 20 that I've used for work and while that works fine, the Catalyst 26 feels like it'll be superior for that purpose due to the padded laptop sleeve and internal organization pockets for pens, pads, charging cords, etc.

Bought this bag as soon as it released (26L in Stone and Shadow). I had been looking at getting a new bag for quite some time and have used it everyday since buying. My largest complaint like other's is the lack of stretchy material in the water bottle side pockets, I would like to see a stretchy material with a drawstring for smaller objects to secure them or keep them from falling out. I can fit a 34oz Orca bottle but it's a squeeze especially with the main compartment being full. Other than that I love this bag through and through. The laptop sleeve in the back is spacious and suspended from the bottom of the bag so you don't have to worry about banging around your laptop/tablet on the ground. The internal mesh organization pockets and the top lid lends to a good level of organization for smaller things like cords, headlamps, portable chargers, etc. The load lifters are nice to keep the bag close to the back and adjust the fit to exactly how you want it. For an everyday bag in and out of the office this just about as versatile as it gets.

I purchased this bag for three uses and found that it fits all of my requirements. I use this bag for EDC (around town and work), personal bag on flights, and day trip bag for hikes. I really like the laptop compartment and side bottle holders. You can easily fit the Nalgene bottle in either side. The quality is spot on with no defects. The zippers so far are a little more difficult to pull compared to a pants or jacket zipper. I got the all gray color and wished they offered some different colors that what they currently have. Maybe some earth tones.

It's a great gray man bag if you are looking for a nice concealed carry pack but also good for travel and everyday use. Love all the features, has everything I was looking for and then some. Built like a tank.

I'm a long time fan of the Coulee series, owning both a Coulee 25 and Coulee 30. I've often felt that the two things that would make the Coulee even better are 1) adding a laptop sleeve, and 2) adding some internal organization. So when the Catalyst 26 launched, it appeared my wishes were answered and I jumped on it. It added both of the features I'd been wishing for the Coulee, but unfortunately it doesn't have the two additional exterior pockets which the Coulee has and I find very useful. I've only had the Catalyst for a week but so far I'm highly impressed. For all intents and purposes, it's basically a Coulee with a laptop pocket so I recommend reading Coulee reviews since at the time of this writing there are no Catalyst reviews but plenty of Coulee reviews. If you like what you're reading about the Coulee and you need a laptop pocket, then the Catalyst is probably the bag for you. I will mention a couple of minor quibbles I've noticed so far: 1. I wish the material for the water bottle pockets was the same stretchy material that the Coulee uses. (I'll add for reference that my 26 ounce Yeti tumbler fits fine in the water bottle pockets). 2. I wish it had the 2 extra exterior pockets that the Coulee has. (I also realize some people prefer a sleeker look without those pockets). 3. The upper brain compartment pocket on the lid is not as spacious as the one on my Coulee 25. It feels like there's less material on the lid and the pocket doesn't expand upwards as much. 4. I wish the vertical zipper of the 3-zip opening extended all the way to the bottom of the bag. The Catalyst doesn't open as wide as my Coulee's. Having said that, the Catalyst will stand up on its own and the Coulee doesn't, so perhaps the design of the bottom of the Catalyst and the slightly shortened zipper are what allows it to stand up on its own. 5. I wish the main pocket had some Zoid attachment loops like the new Coulee 30 does. And frankly I wish ALL MR bags had those loops. It should just be a standard thing that all bags have internal attachment loops and offer several size Zoid bags that can attach to them. But all things considered the Catalyst will probably completely replace my Coulee's, as well as probably replacing the other laptop bag that I use for work, becoming my single "do it all" bag for travel, work, and EDC.

Clean, high speed and low drag. Whatever the Urban A 24 was lacking, the Catalyst 26 improves on. Seamless dual duty for edc and smart travel.

The only thing I wish this bag had was some sort of stretch material for the water bottle pockets. A UHMWPE grid mesh with a spandex blend would be nice to replace the cordura pockets. The design is well thought out and very functional for every day carry.