Behind the Making of the Superset 30, Mystery Ranch’s Latest Gym Bag

Mystery Ranch builds backpacks for the most extreme users. Every pack is “built for the mission,” as the company says, but how a Mystery Ranch pack comes to life is often a soulful and organic process. There is no greater example of that journey than the making of the new Superset 30—a unique and multifaceted urban work-life-gym bag conceived and built by Mystery Ranch employee Mark Genito for his own use. What started as an “off-the-clock” pack project has become one of the most exciting products for the Fall 2022 season. 

To understand the making of the Superset 30, we start with the unique culture and manufacturing capabilities at the Mystery Ranch headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. The HQ’s “open forum” ethos sparks new design ideas, and it’s not unprecedented for a personal project like Mark’s to make it from prototype to mass production. All materials, machines, and patterns are available to all employees, and everyone is encouraged to be creative and express themselves as individuals. Every employee learns to sew on the production floor, instilling appreciation for the quality and craftsmanship of Mystery Ranch packs across the team. 

Genito, an avid climber who worked as a product developer when he designed the pack, stayed after hours to design and build a gym bag that he could drop at the base of the route in the climbing gym, splay wide open, and belay right out of. He also wanted optimal organization and a bag that was easy to wear on bike commutes to the office. The silhouette mirrors a climbing haul bag with both top-loading and full duffel-style access to the main compartment. It features a bonus compartment for a change of clothes, shoes, or for stashing post-gym funk. The carrying capacity is enhanced with stretch-woven bottle pockets, internal panel organization, and an external shock cord for a rain jacket or yoga mat. The bag, available today, has also been fine-tuned with brand ambassador feedback from Becky Switzer, a professional climber.

“I climb at the gym several nights a week,” said Genito. “The winters are long in Bozeman, and I wanted a fitness bag that really fit my lifestyle. I built three prototypes before I showed it to anyone, but the design team loved it and moved it into the formal development process.” 

Genito exemplifies just how seriously Mystery Ranch invests in its people from the inside. Genito has worked at the brand since 2008 and has worn many hats—production sewer, fabric cutter, foam stuffer, quality inspector, product developer, designer, and now creative coordinator focusing on photo and video content.

“The Superset 30 is a full-circle project for me,” said Genito. “It’s the first product I ever designed and the first video I directed on the marketing side. This kind of organic creativity could only happen here at the Ranch. How cool is that?”

Founded in 2000, Mystery Ranch is committed to making the best load-bearing gear in the world. A product-driven company from the beginning, Mystery Ranch designs packs for the job that needs to get done, for the people committed to doing it, with the best materials available and the most durable construction methods that exist. Visit mysteryranch.com for more information. #BuiltfortheMission