Our friends at Mystery Ranch have given us the task of showing you guys the new packs they are releasing. Specifically, some new assault packs. We will be detailing one of the new packs each month for the next several months so you can see what they are all about. In this feature, we’ll be showcasing the Mystery Ranch Gunfighter 14. Although designed with a military end user in mind, it is imminently suitable for use as an EDC bag or daypack on the daily.
The Gunfighter 14 is a small go anywhere assault daypack designed to be lighter than its competitors and still take a beating.
BLUF: You can get a Gunfighter 14 now if you’re willing to take our word that they’re worth it.
We talked a bit about them during SHOT Show this year but will finally be going into a bit of a deep dive on them with oodles (yes oodles) of pictures so you know what’s out there. Starting off we will be talking about the smallest of the new assault packs: the Gunfighter 14.
The front of the Mystery Ranch Gunfighter 14 is streamlined. It has just what you need and nothing more.
Mystery Ranch Gunfighter 14 Daypack / EDC Pack
The Gunfighter 14 is one of the smallest packs in the Mystery Ranch military line but is designed with lots of organizational features crammed into it for EDC bag use or specific mission work.
To start off we will talk about the outside of the bag and what you can expect. The bag has two stretch water bottle pockets one on each side. Water is life, so it’s nice having two. Up to you whether you use one for a second canteen or dedicate one to quick access snacks, smokes, snuff, bugfuque/sunscreen, whatever. The back of the bag has a small admin pocket on the outside. It contains four mesh pockets within, giving you ample compartmentalization to organize extra batteries, writing utensils, and other quick-access items you need to secure but still have at hand. The pouch is secured with a reinforced zipper.
The four mesh interior pockets of the small admin pouch on the back of the bag can keep your gear organized, This is way better than the grabasstic garbage heap you’re used to – both in your EDC bag and your ruck!
Above the water bottle pockets on each side of the pack is a section of two columns of laser-cut PALS webbing where you can attach a knife, multitool, or any small pouch.
Webbing like this is also great for attaching carabiners and other clips or tying gear off of it. They also work well for stuffing a permanent marker in for dealing with maps. Just above the PALS slots is a loop on each side to tie off gear that you store internally. i.e. down in the bag so you don’t lose it (because otherwise, you know damn well you will).
The minimal amount of PALS webbing is just enough for some of your smaller items. It doesn’t unnecessarily cover every bit of the pack’s exterior terrain.
The main flap of the bag has a 2″x2″ Velcro square for slapping on a morale patch, IR patch, or just a flag. The flap itself opens with a snap at the bottom center and a tug upwards will pull the flap open similar to how the Mystery Ranch RFAK opens. This provides speedy access to the internals.
Insert (well attach) your choice of hilarious morale patch here.
Before we get to the internals let’s talk about his strap situation.
At the very top, you get a grab strap. This makes it easy to pull your bag out from between seats in a vehicle or to act as a drag handle if you’re trying to move someone whose rig doesn’t have one.
The grab handle is made of doubled-over webbing for extra strength and some comfort in the hand.
The actual pack straps on the bag are shaped straps. In my and my wife’s experience (there are many Mystery Ranch bags at my house), these are supremely comfortable.
These are not your straight childhood pack straps. Nor are they a callback to loadbearing designs from half a century ago. These are contoured around the neck and shoulder. At the top of the straps is an elastic band to run your hydration tube or a comms cable through.
Speaking of the comms and hydration, the Gunfighter 14 has a zipper at the top to open to run cables and tubes through should you need to do so. The shoulder straps have a sternum strap which I personally think every pack should have. There is also a thin removable waist strap if you want to use it (though that’s not as often necessary on a pack of this size).
The pack straps are the contoured sort you have come to expect from Mystery Ranch. Very comfortable on any sort of pack, from smallish EDC bags to full-blown carry-all-your-stuff-across-the-place-you’re-invading rucks.
Now we get into the inside of the bag where most of your All The Things will be crammed.
Topmost inside is a cord with a plastic toggle used to hang your hydration bladder.
Literally, every military bag should include a toggle of some sort for hanging a hydration bladder from. Every. One.
Just under that is a zippered document slot for things like a passport if you are traveling, ID cards or field notes you might need, or even a photo of that single dancing mom you spent too much of your paycheque on.
Not that we’d judge. Hell, depending on who is reading this, we might have a picture of your mom in our pack.
Each side of the bag on the inside has a zippered mesh pocket allowing for easy identification of the contents. There is also a pocket running on the backside of the main part of the bag to stuff some other items in.
The Gunfighter 14 has a fair amount of storage pockets on it for its small size. It’s a compact but well-organized combat EDC bag. Or Assault Daybag. Or whatever the current cool term is to call them.
The bags come in a plethora of colors as long as you like Coyote Brown or MultiCam. You can snap one up when they release by heading over to Mystery Ranch’s Website or your local dealer (like Rampart if you are north of the border like me).
More to follow! Meanwhile, read other articles, including some reviews of various Mystery Ranch packs.
RH
Mystery Ranch Gunfighter 14 assault pack: he’s probably NOT looking back at an explosion.
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The last photo of the pack on the back of the dude walking to his vehicle with the binocs in his hand is wearing the Gunfighter 24 not the 14.