In 2012, Kurt Racicot set out on a mission to build a strong, simple, ultralight pack that met the demands of the backcountry hunter. At the time, no hunting-specific pack existed that withstood the abuse of hunting and could transform into a load-hauling machine. Built tough with no fluff, Stone Glacier packs deliver everything the backcountry hunter needs in an ultralight package. From the original Sky Solo to the newest Terminus Series featuring an ultra high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric, there is a pack to fill every hunter’s niche whether you’re on a 10-day Dall Sheep hunt or cruising the prairie for speed goats.
Stone Glacier offers two load-hauling frame options: the Krux and the Xcurve. Both frames integrate with all SG Bags and include an integrated Load Shelf designed to carry quarters and other game meat.
Which hunting frame is right for you will depend upon the shape of your back. The XCurve has a carbon fiber frame that anatomically matches the curvature of your lower-back and torso for unmatched load-bearing comfort. More contact with your back equals more surface area contact and load displacement resulting in a more comfortable packout. For those who have a straighter back, the Krux will likely match your back better. The best way to determine which frame is right for you is to try the frame on without 30+ pounds of weight in it. Adjust the fit according to the video in the “Proper Pack Fitting” section below. If the frame is not comfortable, you may need to try a different frame, which SG Customer Service can help you with.
In addition, Stone Glacier offers several internal frame packs without a Load Shelf for those who are looking for a streamlined, ultralight option. The Terminus Packs feature an internal frame, which is also capable of hauling more than you can physically carry. Even the largest Terminus Pack (8700 cubic inches) weighs in at 4 lbs. 4 oz. For missions like scouting that don’t require load-hauling capability, the Tokeen 2600, Kiowa 3200, and Avail 2200 are all great options depending on your needs.
No pack in the world will feel right if not properly fitted. In general, many people often wear their pack too low on their hips. The waistband of our belt should wrap around the center of your iliad crest (top of hip bone). The shoulder straps should come into complete contact with your chest, shoulders, and back with no gaps in between your body and the pack. A good place to start is to align the shoulder strap where the color transitions with your collarbone.
Part of the ingenuity of Stone Glacier packs is modularity and adjustability. Not only can you adjust the shoulder straps by moving them up and down, but you can also angle them to fit your body’s contours to really get a precise fit. Additionally, you can adjust the lumbar pad in your belt by sliding the foam insert up or down to adjust points of pressure. When loading up your pack, the heaviest items should be snug against your back. This is why the Load Shelf is located tight against the frame so you can comfortably pack meat out after a successful hunt. When packing for overnight trips, start by placing your sleeping bag at the bottom of the bag. Avoid placing heavy, dense items at the very bottom or very top of your bag.
Once outfitted with the proper frame, you can own several packs without having to start from ground zero. From the Approach 2800 for day hunts to the voluminous Sky Guide 7900, you can be outfitted for literally any hunt. With several bag options that fit both the Krux and Xcurve frames, you can swap bags for whatever endeavor you embark on. This innovative system is designed to be malleable for any hunt or situation. Attaching a new bag is simple; in only a few minutes, you can transform your pack system without having to break the bank.
If you want to keep it simple or if you’re on budget and only have one bag, even the largest SG bags can compress down like an accordion. When using our Sky Series packs, you can pile gear up high or scrunch it down for a streamlined pack. You can even ditch the lid, employ Bivy Mode and go ultralight and sleek for the hunt. The modularity and versatility of Stone Glacier packs is unmatched, setting you up for literally any hunt or scouting trip.
Stone Glacier packs are built with a minimalist mindset. Extra pockets and zippers all add ounces, and ounces make pounds. We let you customize your storage as you see fit and offer a variety of accessories to suit your needs. Swing Out Pockets are the perfect accessory for all of those smaller, miscellaneous items that you need quick access to. They are perfect for a backcountry med kit, which we now conveniently offer already fully equipped. Camp Pockets are great for larger items, including a kill kit. With two sizes of hip pockets equipped with internal elastic bands that work great for bullet organization, you can really customize your setup for the hunt. There are a variety of water storage accessories to fit your preference, whether it is a water bladder inside your pack or a Nalgene bottle at your fingertips outside the pack.
With Stone Glacier packs, carrying your bow or rifle on your pack no longer has to be a hassle. Being hands-free and putting your mind at ease that your weapon is safe and secure is critical during hunts. During archery season, there are times when you will be hiking in the dark to your coveted spot or no longer need your bow readily available. Attaching your bow to your pack is simple by using the two front compression straps to secure your bow to your pack.
For rifles, you can attach your firearm securely while still being able to access it within seconds if the occasion arises. The Quick Release Weapon Sling allows you to carry the weight of your rifle distributed on your pack, making it tremendously more comfortable to carry. No more sore shoulders as the weight is transferred directly to your pack, and you don’t have to worry about your rifle slipping off of your shoulder as you charge up the mountain. Attaching the Quick Release Sling only takes a few minutes, and you will be thankful you did. All SG Frame packs, including the Xcurve, Krux, and Terminus frames can be equipped with a sling.
After you connect and ride the emotions of a successful kill, it will be time to put the Load Shelf to work. Start by separating the bag from the frame to unveil the Load Shelf. The shelf is strategically positioned against the frame so that the heaviest weight is carried tight against your back and vertically in the middle or upper two thirds. Once the meat is loaded into the shelf, start by tightening the Load Shelf itself. Reattach the bag starting with the bottom straps and work your way up to the top of the pack. Once you are wearing the pack, the last step is to tighten those load lifters. When adjusting your shoulder straps and hip belt, try keeping the bulk of the weight on your hips. A good frame of reference is to keep 60% of the weight concentrated on your hips and 40% on your shoulders. However, you will find yourself wanting to constantly shift weight from one to the other during long pack outs to help relieve tension, which is typical.
Pro Tip: Carry your kill kit tucked away in the Load Shelf, sandwiched between your frame and bag. This creates less clutter in your bag during your hunt and it will be accessible when you actually need it.
If fortunate enough to get a bull elk down, you can lash the antlers on top of your Stone Glacier lid a couple of different ways. A preferred method is to carry a couple of Compression Strap Extender Kits in your kill kit. First, attach the extension straps to the tag end of the bag-to-frame straps so you have enough strap to work with wrapping around the base of the antler and crossing over to the opposite top/side compression strap tag end where you will secure it. Following the same steps for the other side. This method is the most secure way to attach the skull and provides plenty of adjustment/tightening points so you can comfortably position it in place while making the slog back to camp or the truck. You can accomplish nearly the same goal by using the lid of your pack if you have one or by using your frame-to-bag straps to wrap around the antler and back over to the opposite side and attach to the bag.
Maintaining your gear is important. Once you’re home and you've off loaded the fruits of your labor, give your pack a good cleaning. Keeping your pack clean will help maintain its integrity and extend the life of your pack. All you need is warm water, mild soap, a stiff bristled brush, and a tub or container. If your significant other or roommate finds the aroma of ungulate scent glands and freshly cut meat unpleasant, then we suggest using a large tote and moving your cleaning operation outside.
Start by detaching the bag from the frame and opening all of the zippers and compartments on your bag. Clear out all debris from those nooks and crannies before you begin soaking your pack in the tub or container. Use the brush to remove any grime from noticeably soiled areas. We recommend soaking your bag for a couple of hours before you begin your final cleanse and rinse. Rinse with clean water, repeat as necessary until the water comes out clean, and hang upside down to dry.
From fit to rinse, Stone Glacier is here to help you on your hunting journey. Do not hesitate to reach out to our awesome customer service team if you have any questions.
About the Author: Justin Helvik is a fourth generation Montana native who lives for adventure in the outdoors. He and his family live in Bozeman, MT where he is currently an educator. His passions are his family, working with students, and exploring the great unknown.
]]>Photo by David Frame.
Our complete shed hunting system prioritizes keeping your pack weight low without compromising performance during inclement spring conditions. The weather can change drastically in mere minutes in the mountains. Even if you get a perfect high-pressure window, you're likely to deal with significant snowpack, ice, and mud if you're looking in the right places.
There is a ton of room for customization and personal preferences in a backcountry shed system, but going in as lean as possible will help you to come out heavy with a pack full of brown gold.
Choosing the right shed hunting pack is critical for a few reasons. First, if you're heading into the backcountry, you need a pack with the capacity to carry all your gear. Second, you're going to want a light and comfortable pack to carry with you when you scour the hills after dropping camp. Lastly, if you pick a pile of mature antlers — and we hope you do — you're going to need a pack that can handle the weight when you have to carry your haul and camp back to the truck.
The Terminus 7000 carrying a full day's worth of fresh elk sheds. Photo by Lyle Hebel.
The Terminus 7000 is a perfect shed hunting pack. It has enough capacity to get you into the woods for a week, it's tough as nails and highly water-resistant, and it's ultralight (3 lbs. 15 oz.) while still being more than up to the task of carrying a heavy load due to its bomber internal frame system featuring four carbon stays.
Either our Krux Frame or Xcurve Frame will crush any shed packout. When it comes to the bag, it just depends on the length of your trip and the packability of components going into your bag. The lean-and-mean system we're outlining here can fit in our Col 4800. If you're expecting colder temps and will be packing warmer and bulkier gear, you might step up to the Sky 5900 or Sky Archer 6400. It goes without saying that any of our Expedition Hunting Packs will be more than capable of handling a backcountry shed hunting trip.
Like always, you'll want to make sure you're staying hydrated out there. If you're a bladder guy, you can't beat the one-two punch of the Platypus Big Zip Evo 3L water bladder carried in the SG Hydro Sleeve, both of which integrate with SG Packs. If you're more of a water bottle, run a Nalgene water bottle in our Hydro Holster, which integrates on the outside of SG Packs.
The modular SkyAir ULT is an absolutely perfect shelter for shed hunting season.
The SkyAir ULT serves as an exceptional backcountry base camp during shed hunting season. Photo by David Frame.
Weighing in at a mere eight ounces and virtually undetectable in your pack, the SkyAir ULT is a one-person shelter designed to pitch with two trekking poles. We always carry our trekking poles with us shed hunting, so you're essentially eliminating the extra weight of tent poles. Even on day trips, trekking poles are clutch for crossing creeks, busting through snow banks, and helping to shoulder the load of a heavy pack full of horns.
Because bugs aren't typically out during shed hunting season, running the SkyAir ULT with only the fly means you can get rid of even more weight by not carrying a mesh insert. If you think you'll encounter bugs or just prefer an enclosed shelter, the SkyAir ULT Mesh Insert weighs 10 oz. and easily integrates with the fly.
The SkyAir is a three-season shelter and can definitely stand up to an impressive amount of nasty weather. If you're expecting significant precipitation and wind, you can also consider the Sky Solus 1P or Skyscraper 2P.
The Chilkoot 32° Quilt can save you significant weight while still keeping you plenty warm in early spring for a solid night's sleep.
The Chilkoot 32° Quilt under the SkyAir ULT. Photo by Zack Boughton.
At 1 lb. 6.6 oz., the Chilkoot Quilt is substantially lighter than traditional sleeping bags and packs down to the size of a water bottle. This space savings allows you to potentially take a smaller and lighter pack, and it also will help to mitigate fatigue due to your overall lower system weight.
When carried inside a compression sack, the Chilkoot Quilt can save significant space inside a pack. Photo by Zack Boughton.
The unique construction of the Chilkoot Quilt features an open bottom to eliminate unnecessary weight in milder conditions. Like our traditional Chilkoot Sleeping Bags, the Quilt features a Pertex® Quantum shell for water and wind resistance to protect the 850+ Fill power goose down HyperDRY™ insulation.
The Quilt boasts an articulated foot box and a differential cut to provide warmth and maintain loft around the body regardless of sleeping position. A snap closure on the collar help to hold in your body heat on chilly nights. Four adjustable straps on the bottom of the quilt allow you to regulate your body temperature and keep the quilt secured to your sleeping pad. During colder nights, fully tighten these straps to maximize heat retention.
The Chilkoot Quilt is designed to use with a sleeping pad. Use an ultralight sleeping pad like the Thermarest Neoair XLite NXT in mild conditions, or add a few ounces by packing a pad with a higher thermal value like the Thermarest Neoair XTherm.
Crossing a creek under a solid load of brown gold. Photo by David Frame.
This system is made for early spring conditions on the mountain. It could be 70° and sunny one day then 30° and sleeting the next. The idea is to know the forecast and then be as light as possible without sacrificing protection from the elements. You're going to be very active covering ground to get into good zones, but you're also going to experience long static periods as you sit stationary glassing for antlers. Pack accordingly.
The SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are indispensable tools for springtime shed hunting. Photo by Zack Boughton.
Photo by David Frame.
]]>At season’s end, some of the sweat, dirt, blood, and guts from those days and weeks you spent in the backcountry hitched a ride home on your gear. Before you pack it all away, take some time to clean it, and be sure that you clean it properly. Not every piece of gear gets the same treatment.
Clothes like base layers and mid-layers should be washed in their own load, preferably in a washing machine that has been cleaned of residual detergent. To wash, simply use a fragrance-free, technical gear-specific cleaner like Revivex or Grangers. You can also simply use a ½-cup of baking soda. You don’t want to use sweet-smelling detergents, especially if they have UV brighteners. Once clean, hang the gear outside to dry or use a drying rack away from the kitchen and that pan of frying bacon.
Don’t be afraid to wash your M5 and M7 series rain gear. Dirt and oils can contaminate the waterproof membrane, and a proper wash and dry reinvigorates the DWR treatment. Check out our short video tutorial for the specifics of washing M5 and M7 gear:
For down products like the Grumman Down Series and Chilkoot Sleeping Bags, we do not recommend washing them unless it’s absolutely necessary. Excessive washing can permanently damage the down insulation. We recommend spot-washing your bag and your Grumman down products with a rag and down-specific cleaner.
If you need to wash an item from the Grumman series, we produced a video for that. If you need to wash your down sleeping bag, watch that multi-step process here. NOTE: DO NOT WASH ANY DOWN GEAR IN A WASHING MACHINE WITH A CENTER AGITATOR AS IT CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE PRODUCT.
If you notched a tag or two, your pack will likely have a bit of a funk to it, which is normal. But you don’t want your pack to marinate in that blood and dirt until spring bear season. The process of cleaning a pack is simple and straightforward, and it will also help your pack perform better (especially the zippers) as well as extend its life. We put together a quick pack-cleaning tutorial to help you scrub the stank out of your SG pack:
Don’t neglect other gear in your arsenal, like rifles, bowstrings, knives, and boots. Clean your rifle until the patches come out clean, and run one last lightly oiled patch through the barrel to prohibit rust. Store it with the barrel pointing to the floor so any excess oil runs out the end and not into the action. To clean your optics, don’t use the bottom of your shirt. Use an air duster to lightly remove debris, then use an optics-grade cloth to polish and clean the glass.
Clean your knives and sharpen them so they’re always ready for action. Scrub your boots, dry them, and give them a nice coat of oil before putting them away. If you need new inserts or laces, buy them now while you have the time. We all know how busy spring, summer, and fall can get. Replenish your kill kit with new rubber gloves, fresh blades, and anything else you used in the field. Hopefully, you didn’t throw your bloody game bags in a pile in the garage. If you did, put them in a five-gallon bucket of water, add a few drops of Dawn or other degreasing soap and a small capful of bleach then let them soak for a few hours or even overnight. With fresh water, rinse all the hair, blood, meat bits, and soap from the bags and let them air dry.
Last but not least, give that bowstring some wax before the spring archery league begins.
Gear is going to break occasionally. Our advice is to fix it ASAP. Don’t wait until next fall to fix a broken buckle, busted tent pole, or gash in your down coat. Chances are, you’ll be more focused on getting out of town than repairing your gear, so fix it now. We already put together a how-to on gear repair, and you can check it out here. In it, we line out how you fix broken poles, patch holes, and maintain your zippers for uncompromising performance.
You invested in your gear, and it just makes sense to pack it away safely. Ideally, you have a dedicated gear room or closet in the basement. If you live somewhere humid, the garage is not an ideal spot to store your gear. Moisture is the enemy. Make sure everything is dry before you pack anything away for the next eight months.
Rubbermaid storage bins are a great way to store technical hunting apparel. Take it a step further and store your clothes in vacuum-sealed garment bags. While it might help with scent elimination, vacuum sealing is a huge space saver, allowing you to really pack those bins. If you have the space, hang up your down sleeping bag — that’s why there are loops at the foot of the bag. If space is tight, put it in the large sack that came with it. Whatever you do, don’t leave it in a stuff sack or compression sack for a long period of time, which compresses the down and can create permanent damage.
After you get everything cleaned and tucked away for those long winter days, spring bear season will be here before you realize it. When you head to the gear closet to load up for an impromptu weekend in the mountains to chase the snowline, your gear will be clean, repaired, and up to the task.]]>Stone Glacier was born from a culmination of backcountry hunts that left our founder Kurt Racicot cursing his pack and thinking there had to be a better way. Years later, he built his first run of 60 Stone Glacier packs and set the company in motion to serve a growing number of hunters committed to pushing their limits in the mountains.
With the company and a full line of ultralight, load-hauling packs firmly established, Stone Glacier expanded our offerings to meet other demands of mountain hunting. Tents and shelters were the natural next progression. You just don’t go into the mountains, especially in dicey weather, without a shelter you can rely on. Tents are must-have tools for our core consumer: the backcountry hunter.
We knew we wanted to build tents that were as strong, lightweight, and practical as our backpacks. Similar to packs, tents are highly technical pieces of equipment. Early on in the process of designing and building our first tent prototypes, we decided not to go it alone.
Kurt Racicot in the SG Dome 6P base camp tent on an Arizona elk hunt. Photo by Sam Averett
“We have lots of experience living in a tent,” Kurt explains, “but why wouldn’t we partner with someone who has been doing it for decades? We set egos aside and became brutally honest with ourselves. We knew what we wanted in a tent, but we also understood that partnering with an experienced tent designer would lead to a better product for our customers.”
With this in mind, we began the search for a partner. All roads led to outdoor gear pioneer (and legend) Martin Zemitis. Martin is known throughout the mountaineering community as the best brain in the tent business, and we had a direct connection to start a conversation with him thanks to Stone Glacier President Jeff Sposito’s stepdad Jack Gilbert. Jack worked in the outdoor industry since the 1960s. After two decades working with The North Face, he co-founded Mountain Hardwear in 1993 and eventually worked with Martin. Jack put us in touch with Martin, and we floated him the idea of collaborating on a tent program. He was open to the idea, and we began the conversation about what the collaboration could look like.
Kurt Racicot describes the decision to collaborate as a reality check that became the catalyst for innovating tent systems that are specialized for mountain hunting.
“We try to provide the best product for our customers,” he says. “Can we design the best of everything, or are we going to be honest and realize that no one is the best at everything?”
Martin Zemitis has spent the lion’s share of his life designing and building outdoor gear for extreme mountain athletes. Since 1977, he has designed technical sleeping bags, packs, and tents. He started in high school with a sewing machine, pattern paper and fabric. He sewed accessories for backpacking and cross-country skiing, and he began dabbling in tents then too. The experience touched off a lifelong quest to create and improve outdoor gear.
Martin spent the first phase of his career designing gear for The North Face, Sierra Designs, and Mountain Hardwear. He designed packs and sleeping bags but found his calling in designing the most bombproof tents in the mountaineering world. Most notably, he designed the Trango Series of tents. He also designed the tent Babu Chiri Sherpa used to camp at the summit of Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen in 1997 — a feat that has not been repeated.
Babu Chiri Sherpa with a client on the summit of Mount Everest in 1999.
“I am passionate about improving products and solving design problems that will benefit serious users,” Martin says. “I’ve spent my life making gear for many of the most extreme mountaineers (and Sherpas) in the world. A Mountaineer friend of mine, Robert Link, always said ‘You have to get it right because in the mountains you are only a millimeter of fabric away from freezing to death.’”
Martin spends several months every year in the woods and on the river testing gear — a commitment to both understanding and being the end user that fit perfectly with Stone Glacier. In short, Martin knows how to design and build some of the strongest tents in the business in part because he lives the lifestyle of his target customer.
“After talking with Martin and seeing the designs, I told my team we needed to work with them,” Kurt says.
The feeling was mutual.
“My decision to work with Stone Glacier was based on the Stone Glacier crew being gearheads, the fact that they make high-end packs — and my trust in Jack,” Martin says. “And their customers are very serious users and understand our technical designs.”
Martin Zemitis in his product studio. Photo: Todd Kerr, Berkely Times
Martin was working on a new design at the time — the patented WebTruss™ system — and he sent Kurt a prototype tent to use that fall.
“When I first saw the WebTruss™ design, that’s when it clicked for me,” Kurt says.
Since 2017, the SG team has been working with Martin and his team to create ultralight tents and shelters for backcountry hunters. This includes incorporating the modular mindset that allows hunters to pick and choose gear based on the hunt, terrain, and weather, as well as reinforcing stress points and using quieter fabrics.
“We bring our ideas, from a hunting perspective, to Martin,” Kurt says. “From a production standpoint, Martin puts the ideas into the tent.”
When Martin’s team designs a shelter, they do so with the most extreme environments in mind. Snow loads, moisture management, and high winds are all challenges faced by mountaineers — and hunters who live for challenging pursuits. That’s why a number of Martin’s design features are found in Stone Glacier tents.
At the heart of Martin’s tent designs is the WebTruss™. This system uses both clip-style and pole-sleeve tent technology, which creates a versatile and incredibly strong shelter framework that evenly distributes force across the tent. The WebTruss™ design significantly increases a tent’s strength, allowing it to withstand heavier snow loads and high winds. The WebTruss™ also allows users to set up the tent’s frame before pitching the actual tent, which can act like a kite in high winds and is a drawback to traditional clip-style tents. Throw the flysheet over the WebTruss™ and you can finish installing the tent body underneath while being protected from the elements. The WebTruss™ system enables a quick and easy pitching process, and once fully pitched, makes the tent virtually impervious to wind.
Kurt Racicot securing the guy lines of a Stone Glacier Sky Solus 1P tent. Photo: Sam Averett
The complete separation of the rainfly and the main body from the tent minimizes condensation and also allows the two components to be set up and taken down separately. If the tent is dry, you can pack it up by itself and keep it dry. When it’s time to set up and it’s still raining or snowing, you can set up the fly first and then set up the tent underneath to stay dry.
Martin’s expertise in creating bombproof backcountry tents meshes perfectly with the Stone Glacier approach to hunting gear, which is why his tent designs are so integral to Stone Glacier tents and shelters. Every thoughtful feature helps to enhance a hunter's experience and safety. Our tents and shelters systems give hunters a wide array of modular choices that can be adapted to any hunt and ultimately help them push their limits in the backcountry.
“It’s been an awesome collaboration,” Kurt says. “Martin’s knowledge, experience, and his openness to learn about mountain hunting and our customers truly advanced innovation in tents for backcountry hunting.”
What might appear as a mild-mannered tarp is a versatile, waterproof, windproof shelter that offers a countless array of shelter configurations. The only limiting factor with the SkyTarp 10 is your imagination.
The SkyAir system is a marvel of modularity, offering multiple setup configurations adaptable to your hunt. The base shelter is an 8 oz. sil/sil tarp tent, and it can be combined with the 10 oz. Sky Mesh Insert, 4 oz. clip-in style front vestibule, and 3 oz. footprint to create an ultralight, ultra-packable 3-season shelter.
For solo hunters who don’t let terrain or weather beat them back from the pursuit, the Sky Solus 1P is a weatherproof 4-season shelter designed to fit just about anywhere on the mountain.
The Skyscraper’s roomy design and ultralight package create a perfect 4-season system for two backcountry hunters. With a minimum of four setup designs, the Skyscraper 2P pairs a bomber strength-to-weight ratio with modularity that can be tailored to nearly every hunt imaginable.
The SG Dome 6P is a spacious, weatherproof hunting base camp without all the cumbersome and heavy materials of a wall tent. Two doors, a pole-supported vestibule, an integrated stove jack, and a removable floor that can be rolled back for a cooking area or completely eliminated allow the tent to functions as a living space, cook tent, or both.
This story originally appeared in the 2024 Stone Glacier catalog.]]>We take hunting seriously, without question. Whether it’s becoming skilled with our weapons, going into the field confidently and safely, or having the utmost respect for wildlife and hunting ethics, there is much to be taken seriously about hunting. With that said, it’s also a hell of a lot of fun.
Granted, it’s not always fun. Hunting can be frustrating to the point that it just about breaks your spirit, and just about anything can go sideways in the mountains. At the end of the day — through all the frustration, failure, nasty weather and absolute boondoggles — it’s important to remember you’re supposed to be having fun.
The best hunting buddies always lift team morale in good times and bad. When you’re beat down, bleary-eyed, stir-crazy, cold, exhausted, delirious, and downright desperate, a little horseplay and humor can go a long way to buoy spirits and quicken resolve.
Here’s to those buddies and to all the laughter and smiles that always make a good hunt great.
From left to right, Stone Glacier Warehouse Manager Chris Lawerence, Logistics & Operations Manager Matt Lacko, and Guide/Outfitter Coordinator and Customer Service Representative Ryan D’Agostino on a late-season deer hunt on the prairie.
Photo: Sam Averett
“By the time we got the wall tent set up, it was midnight. By the time we had a couple beers, it was 2 a.m. Then it was 4 a.m. Sunrise came early that morning, but we still got after it and got a few deer. Watching my buddies succeed is always my favorite part of the hunt.” -Phil Churchill, SG Military/Government Sales
Isaac Orth taking his role as spotter a little too seriously. "Impact!"
Photo: Sam Averett
“We sat on our sacks for three days in Alaska, waiting for a break in the wind and rain to fly into our camp. Spirits were still high with anticipation, but punchy doesn’t begin to do justice to what our mental states were. Closer to delirious, we eventually decided ‘Let’s go check our guns.” -Isaac Orth
A rare sighting of the Prairie Luchadore, AKA Ryan D’Agostino. “Beneath the clothes, we find a man. And beneath the man, we find his...nucleus.” -Nacho
Photo: Sam Averett
When they’re not roommates, Zack Boughton and Logan Summers can be found enjoying long drives in the Murderburban and adventurous stomps in the great out of doors.
Photo: Philip Vaughan
Stone Glacier’s Taylor D’Agostino on a high-country Colorado neature walk. “You can tell it’s an aspen tree because of the way that it is. How neat is that?” -Lenny Pepperbottom
Photo: Colby Adamek
Buck Reese demonstrates a good old-fashioned mountain game face.
Photo: Zack Boughton
Sloane Brown staying down to earth in the sideways rain on Kodiak Island.
Photo: Sam Averett
Mess with the bull, get the horns. Mess with Jed Wood, bucks get got.
Photo: Philip Vaughan
So how does one gain the confidence and the skills to be comfortable with those shots in the field? For one, find a shooting range with longer shooting bays. And two, test your skills (or lack thereof) as a competitor in a precision rifle match.
“You will undoubtedly become a better shooter with competition,” says Caylen Wojcik, a Marine Corps Scout Sniper and co-host of the Modern Day Sniper podcast. “You’ll be exposed to other people’s problems. Every event will have a new set of variables.” As a cool side note, Stone Glacier worked with Wojcik to design the Kiowa 3200, a versatile tactical shooting pack and frontcountry daypack.
The growing number of hunters who want to hit targets at 500, 600, and even 1,000 yards is growing every year. Some simply want the satisfaction of hearing that “thwack” far downrange. Others want to push the limits of their skill and their gear. Others want to perfect their long range skills as a way to refine their technique for shorter shots on live animals in the field.
And there’s no better way to become a better shooter than by a little friendly competition. That’s where this article comes in. We’re going to focus on two of the main precision shooting competitions: Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and NRL Hunter Series. Then we’ll give you some resources on how you can get involved at your local range.
In a nutshell, both events will test a shooter’s ability to engage targets from 100 to 1,200 yards. Over the course of one or two days, you will be expected to shoot from field positions, which might include a fence post, tripod and even the emptied hull of a Huey helicopter. And to add to the fun, you are expected to get your shots off under a certain amount of time, and it’s not a lot of time. Keep in mind, these are not benchrest shooting events. They will test your ability to shoot at long range from a wide array of field positions.
Safety is paramount in all matches. Shooters keep the bolt open unless in position and ready to engage—only then are they allowed to close the bolt. The bolt stays open as competitors move to the next stage and position. As always, muzzle control should be second nature to competitors. Ideally, keep the barrel pointed to the sky.
Your skills as a shooter will be tested. Miss a target? Okay, why did you miss? Did you not read the wind downrange correctly? Did you manage your recoil and follow the bullet’s vapor trail as it sailed six inches left? Was your position steady enough for the distance and target size? Understanding misses here will help you grow your skillset and in turn make more quality shots in the field during your next hunt.
The PRS is broken down into two main events: the PRS Pro Bolt Gun Series and the PRS Regional Series. As to the former, this is a series of two-day matches for the skilled shooter. The PRS Regional Series features nearly 400 one-day matches across the country.
PRS competitors are classified as pro, semi-pro, marksman, or amateur. They can enter a number of categories including military/law enforcement, ladies, seniors (55 and up), junior (18 or younger) and international.
Competitors travel to different shooting stations in a squad, receive a briefing, and the shooters will then come up with a gameplan. Unlike the NRL, which we will talk about next, you get to watch competitors shoot. This is key if the wind is squirrelly downrange. The distances to the targets are known and the targets are generally easy to see. You will be given two minutes to complete a station, and targets are typically between 400 and 1,200 yards.
There are some restrictions on the kind of rifle you can use in PRS matches, and for a full break-down of that, check out the rule book. There are three bolt gun divisions: open, tactical and production. All have specific parameters. For instance, in the production category, your factory rifle can’t exceed $2,500 value. Same goes for the glass on top of it.
Founder of the NRL Hunter Series Travis Ishida says this series started out as a way for people to become better hunters. With the NRL competitions, you can come out and compete with your hunting rifle. “Our matches,” says Ishida, “will help you learn how to use your gear properly and how to harvest your animal ethically.”
One match will consist of 12 or more stages, and unlike the PRS, shooters in the NRL Hunter Series go into each stage blind. That means you don’t get to watch other shooters before you shoot. You are expected to find, range and engage targets within four minutes. You don’t get to chit-chat about wind. You don’t even get to see the target until the timer starts. Targets could be from 100 to 1,200 yards. “We have that 1,200-yard target out there to show people how hard it is to hit that,” says Ishida.
Each consists of four target engagements, and those engagements will vary. As for scoring, a first round hit is two points. A second round hit is worth one point. A shooter can get up to eight points per stage. Whereas in the PRS you move as a squad, the NRL is way more individualized, says Wojcik.
The NRL isn’t the place for your custom 25-pound shoulder cannon because these are hunting scenarios, and few people want to lug a heavy rifle around all day. There are a number of different divisions including factory, open light (rifles up to 12 pounds), open heavy (rifles between 12 and 16 pounds), ladies, young guns (between 8-16) and a skills division, which is for brand new shooters who just want to experience an NRL course. All rifles must meet a “power factor” of 380,000. Find this key number by multiplying bullet weight by muzzle velocity.
If you’re curious about either competition series, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that will put you right in the middle of a shoot. Aside from actually competing, those videos are going to be your best bet at understanding what a real match is like.
The PRS and NRL Hunter Series aren’t the only gigs in town. There’s the Rifleman’s Team Challenge and the Guardian Long Range Competition, which is structured like a pro-am, says Wojcik. Plus, all the proceeds go to charity.
If you don’t feel like taking a road trip to compete, then check with your local shooting range for upcoming club matches. Look for flyers, check the range’s website (if they have one) and track down the range official and simply ask. Shooting clubs on Facebook abound. The Sniper’s Hide website has a mind-blowing amount of information and a forum. The next time you’re in a sporting goods store, head to the gun counter and ask about shooting clubs. Actual gun stores and gunsmiths are an even better option.
“If you’re going to get into this, know that it’s not easy. It’s hard,” says Wojcik. “It’s very easy to show up and get discouraged. You have to set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t go into it with any expectation other than you are going to learn a lot. Or you’re going to give up. ”]]>
Each year our small team tackles the wild with cameras in tow, finding unique glimpses into the world of hunting. The men in front of the camera are dedicated hunters, eager to embrace the grind, willing to put in the work even when the odds are stacked towards failure. The men behind the camera, hunters themselves, are able to help and not hinder as the shutter clicks and the hunt unfolds. With every calendar year, tens of thousands of edited images get uploaded and reviewed.
Photography is an art. The perspective, angle and lighting are to be admired or despised by those who view it. With so many images, picking a favorite or favorites is tough. But narrowing it down helps refine the eye, looking for the small details that hold the gaze a minute longer or pull an extra string in our soul.
The following are ten of my favorite images from last year, in no particular order. Picking ten feels a bit cheap given the depth of the work provided us, but I figured a small glimpse into some of the brilliance is worthwhile.
📷 Philip Vaughan | @philip.vaughan
From the second I saw this image, I loved it. To me it speaks to the whole hunt. All the time, the energy, the work, the patience, and it ends here. Posted up, eyes closed, soaking up the sun and reflecting on a successful hunt. Popular trailheads are usually a bit active, high paced and frantic as people circle up kids and dogs and head up trail. This is the opposite, calm and quiet, similar to what hunting is much of the time.
📷 Sam Averett | @samaverett
Finding angles this unique and eye-catching can be a challenge but Sam has always had an eye for the quirk of a unique piece of the wild, in this case a beaver pond. For me this image forces a pause and makes the eye wander. To understand what you’re looking at takes a minute, and this was provoked not only by the image but also the edit. The photo was taken in a flipped version, but the best way to view it is as you see it. We see the image the way Sam intended us to see it, and it kicks some serious ass.
📷 Travis Boughton | @tjboughton
It’s not often a top 10 image for me isn’t hunt-focused, but this one breaks that mold. We all know a hunt is more than just the pursuit, it’s the entire experience. For me this image captures the grit of the people and lifestyle of SE Alaska. It’s wet, a bit grainy, and badass. It has a “headless horsemen” vibe, and I love it.
📷 Daniel Vastyan | @transientoutdoorsman
I’ve seen some images like this over the years, but this one does it better and holds a true “connection” feel to it. Man at the top, a wild landscape in the background, the animal pursued, and the basics of life below, fire and food. The framing is solid and there’s enough going on here to make the viewer spend a minute and take it all in.
📷 Philip Vaughan | @philip.vaughan
To me this is one of those dream moments in hunting. A big buck on top of a full pack, a glimpse back onto the mountains that provided, and the day fading with a last burst of light and energy. A fitting send-off and a moment we all look forward to.
📷 Sam Averett | @samaverett
This photo doesn’t jump off the screen at you, but I love the image. It’s a sort of a nod of the cap to the hunt and the landscape. The elk is really just the attractant that brings us here and makes us appreciate wild places. It’s a different style of trophy photo and one that better reflects the bulk of the experience.
📷 Daniel Vastyan | @transientoutdoorsman
There’s a lot of staged “feel the pain” photos in the hunting industry. You can sniff them out easy, and for me this is why I love this photo. Our hunter is packing a ram back to camp, but you can barely see it. The lighting isn’t amazing, there’s no epic backdrop; it’s just a frame capturing the pain we all know too well. Our camp or truck in sight but one more break forces us to stop, to breathe, and to find that last bit of energy despite only a short distance left before us. There’s not a lot of struggle photos I like, but this one I can feel.
📷 Philip Vaughan | @philip.vaughan
This was the goal of this shoot: capture an archer at full draw on a high-country buck. Only a very deadly duo has produced as often as these two, and again they made magic. A true DIY giant, inside 50 yards, an arrow about to take flight. It’s a testament to the quality of hunters we get to call friends and colleagues and part of what makes working at Stone Glacier a dream. Unfortunately, this image requires a large space to view it best but it’s an easy top 10 for any year of images.
📷 Sam Averett | @samaverett
It’s not so much that this image is unique, more so that it’s so relatable. It’s a fire in camp after a successful hunt. Looking at the image, it pops. The clean sharpness embodying the presence needed to fill the tag. The second part, the smoke, the floaty feeling — partially beer-induced — of being successful and happy.
📷 Philip Vaughan | @philip.vaughan
I like this image because you can feel the brush. It wants to snap free of the antlers and hit you in the face. If you hunt elk long enough, you’ll have success and getting a rack through certain terrain can require some extra effort and language. This image captures the feeling well.
]]>As GOHUNT co-founder Chris Porter watched his friend go through the difficult process, it got him thinking.
“I watched Lorenzo go through this and saw how stressful it was,” Porter remembers. “When it clicked it was in 2013, and there was a lack of digital destinations aggregating this data. We knew we could create a community that could share this knowledge in an efficient, user-friendly way.”
The two friends came from online gaming backgrounds, and they started applying their software development savvy to the application process. The work was tedious, technical, and required significant research and coordination with state wildlife management agencies. Eventually, they began to merge the public data with proprietary systems that organized and presented comprehensive wild game data and hunting application information in a digestible format. It took two years altogether.
GOHUNT President Chris Porter and Founder Lorenzo Sartini on a Colorado mule deer hunt. Photo by Luke Dusenbury.
They launched the first phase of GOHUNT in 2015 and it immediately met a massive demand from hunters, especially hunters applying in multiple states.
“We identified our core customer early on,” Porter explains. “We serve all hunters who are seeking new adventures, whether just in their home state or across the west. GOHUNT unlocks those opportunities and shows you what's available. It's exactly like Zillow if you're looking for a house”
Using GOHUNT’s Insider planning tools, those hunters are able to research draw odds, track points, find data on individual game species, and learn about state regulations — all in one place.
“GOHUNT grew relatively quickly because there was nothing else like it,” Porter says.
As they built on GOHUNT’s success they identified two parts of a hunter's journey where they could help in similar ways: a gear shop filled with field-proven products and a digital mapping solution focused around hunters.
They launched the GOHUNT Gear Shop in 2017. While they were confident in the new venture’s business model — selling technical hunting products that their team had intrinsic knowledge of — they soon realized they were in uncharted territory.
“It was a really pivotal move at first,” Porter says. “They were foreign waters. Suddenly, we were dealing with all the complicated moving parts of a retail operation.”
Porter describes the business as “very boutique” at first. There was no brick-and-mortar location. They did not sell boots or apparel and only had limited optics.
“We were a very bootstrapped, scrappy team of eight people,” he says.
They also tied the retail business to a GOHUNT membership, offering members a rewards system for money spent in the online store. This model offered loyalty incentives and gave their customers an insider experience with a direct line to hunters who obsessed over great gear.
GOHUNT Founder Lorenzo Sartini breaks down an elk at night in New Mexico. Photo by Cam Henderson.
“Our inventory is very curated,” Porter says. “We are using and testing as much gear as possible to find out what works and why. Our customers really appreciate being able to ask our knowledgeable staff that uses what we sell and has a ton of knowledge about all our gear from a hunter’s perspective.”
As the retail business grew, GOHUNT grew their staff and inventory. Today, they offer virtually every technical product a hunter needs: packs, apparel, tents, sleep systems, footwear, optics, archery equipment, and a wide array of other technical gear.
In 2020, they shifted their focus ahead once again.
“We looked at the business and saw that we were helping hunters to prepare for hunts and helping to equip them with the gear they needed for those hunts, but we weren’t helping them in the field.”
With this in mind, they launched GOHUNT Maps in 2021.
“That’s when we really became a tech company,” Porter says.
Using the same membership business model, the app offers a robust mapping tool that gives private and public land boundaries, detailed and interactive 3D satellite imagery, hunting unit profiles, waypoints, and many other advanced mapping tools in both a web version and a smartphone app with downloadable maps for offline use.
“GOHUNT Maps really completed what we call the ‘GOHUNT Ecosystem,’” Porter says. “Every aspect of it identifies customer problems, solves them, and keeps going.”
As they keep going, the GOHUNT team is venturing into new areas fueled by their passion for hunting. Their growing media platforms include written stories on nearly every aspect of hunting as well as podcasts and films.
“We love storytelling and inspiring people,” Porter says. “It’s part of our community marketing strategy, but it’s also something that we’re just super passionate about. Our guys live to hunt. Personally, I just think everybody should try hunting. It’s primal, it reduces all the noise of the modern world, and challenges you in a really healthy way. It’s such a positive activity, and it’s great to be able to celebrate it in an inspiring way.”
Their “Big Hunt Guys” and “Game Trail” podcasts have nearly a million total downloads since launching last year. GOHUNT has also created more than 40 original hunt films that feature their staff and friends on a wide variety of hunts. Porter says their storytelling is meant to empower hunters and advocate for hunters.
“Our team is focused on being passionate about our customers, helping them to succeed, and sharing in their success,” he explains.
Today, GOHUNT employs nearly 60 people. Their Las Vegas headquarters includes a new brick-and-mortar store chock full of premier technical gear and equipment, including Stone Glacier products. In some ways, Porter says it’s simply a reflection of their love of hunting and hunters.
“We love this community and we love our customers,” he says. “We say we’re empowering people to live a more adventurous life. Whether it’s hunting for ourselves or helping our customers with their hunts, we love what we do.”
GOHUNT's Las Vegas showroom.
As the winter chill sets in and the forests quiet down, the hunting season comes to a close. While the gear may be packed away, for the committed hunter, the season never truly ends. Just like a professional football player doesn't hang up his cleats after the final whistle, a hunter's preparation for the next season begins as the current one concludes. The MTNTOUGH Post Season Strength Program is where the parallel paths of hunters and athletes converge in pursuit of off-season excellence.
Ready to Start Your MTNTOUGH Journey? CLICK HERE and use code SG30DT to get your first 30 days free of MTNTOUGH after your 14-day Free Trial.
Acknowledging the physical toll of the hunting season, it's evident that a period of recovery and strength rebuilding is crucial. Many hunters lose significant strength after hunting seasons. That's where the MTNTOUGH Backcountry Hunter Postseason Program steps in. Designed with the understanding that hunters are athletes in their own right, this program is tailored to restore and build upon the muscle and strength that may have waned during the exhaustive hunting season. Alternatively, if your fitness goal is simply to build functional strength and pack on muscle, this is the ticket.
Great gear is game changing. Great gear is game changing. However, your mindset and physical ability are the most important factors when it comes to repeat success in the backcountry. Whether it's ensuring you can climb the next mountain, calm your heart rate down for the shot, pack out the bull or maintain a constant state of fitness, having that always ready mentality is your most important piece of “gear.”
Hunting, much like high-intensity endurance sports, demands a unique blend of strength, endurance and mental fortitude. Each season, hunters navigate treacherous terrain, endure brutal elements and engage in the kind of sustained physical activity that rivals the most grueling athletic pursuits. It's a test of wills where the hunter must be as resilient as the game they pursue.
Hunting is more than a seasonal activity; it's a year-round dedication to the pursuit. MTNTOUGH isn't just about getting fit; it's about becoming an all-around, unstoppable force in the backcountry who trains year-round. This scientifically-backed regimen eschews the superficial in favor of what truly matters for a hunter: functional strength, power and the ability to handle anything the wilderness throws your way.
While the world slows down in winter, a dedicated hunter's resolve should not. These quiet months are an opportune time to engage in a specialized strength program. The MTNTOUGH Post Season Strength Program is not a mere stop-gap, but, rather, a comprehensive plan to ensure that your body regains the exceptional strength it may have lost during the hunt and to prepare you for MTNTOUGH’s Spring Training Program before taking it up a notch with Pre-Season 2.0 training in the late spring/summer.
MTNTOUGH programs are the answer for those who live by the ethos that preparation is the key to success. It’s for the hunter who seeks to mirror the dedication seen in professional sports, where offseason is a misnomer and every day is an opportunity to become better. MTNTOUGH programs are for those who with a focus on packing on muscle and enhancing functional strength — all while building endurance.
Stay Dangerous this winter! And we’ll see you in the MTNTOUGH Postseason Strength program.
Ready to Start Your MTNTOUGH Journey? CLICK HERE and use code SG30DT to get your first 30 days free of MTNTOUGH after your 14-day Free Trial.
]]>Then again, there are certain hunting units around the country that take a pile of points or a pile of cash to hunt. For the former, those hunts are typically a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If one of your goals in life is to shoot a large, maybe even a record-book bull, you’ll either need a guide or you’ll need to learn how to field judge.
Field-scoring a bull is a true skill. It takes knowledge of elk antler structure and how antlers are scored using the Boone and Crockett system, a solid understanding of elk anatomy and aging, and some good old-fashioned math.
To help us break it down into layman’s terms, we turned to our good friend and veteran elk guide Ryan Carter for expert advice.
Based in southern Utah, Carter has been guiding elk hunters for 20 years. He’s owned DC Outfitters since 2007 and specializes in big bulls. He guides a handful of clients each year, all holding top-dollar auction tags in limited-entry units.
“I just do big elk,” he says.
His hunters are not looking to take home just any public land bull, and he shared some insight on how choosy elk hunters can identify the caliber of bull they’re dreaming of.
There are ultimately four main factors to consider when scoring a bull: main beam length, tine length, mass, and inside spread. Tine length makes up 40-45 percent of the total score on older bulls, but don’t be consumed with tine length at first glance, Carter says.
“You need to consider the overall frame and main beam length,” Carter explains. “Those two factors can kick a bull out of the 350s and into the 375+ really quickly.”
To become more familiar with elk antler scoring, Carter recommends that hunters spend a good deal of time practicing on elk sheds or elk racks. Boone and Crocket Club has a great online resource to help you accurately score an elk. Then apply those learnings to the field.
To quickly and accurately judge a bull elk in the field, Carter says to focus on three steps: identifying the bull’s age class, sizing up the bull’s body, and estimating tine and main beam length.
AGE CLASS AND BODY SIZE
Older bulls are physically larger than other elk. Identifying the largest bodied bulls will help to give you an immediate idea of a bull’s age class, which in turn will help you to estimate the elk’s score.
“Sizing up elk, in general, is hard but really important,” Carter says.
Like a mature grizzly, a mature bull’s face will appear fatter than a younger bull's. Mature bulls have a barrel chest and sometimes walk with the swagger of a muscular pit bull, Carter adds.
A common practice in field judging any animal is to use various body parts as reference. Carter's point of reference is an elk’s ear (Figure A), which is always eight to nine inches on a mature bull. If you recall our piece on field judging mule deer, their ears are around eight inches long. Some hunters will use other features, such as the distance from ear tip to ear tip or top of the back to the base of the belly. Carter doesn’t like this approach.
“Elk are built differently depending on where you’re hunting,” he says. “Their ears are always the same size though.”
One way to get a quick, rough score of a bull is to use the 50-50-40 rule (Figure B). Let’s assume you’ve glassed a big-bodied bull across a steep canyon. It’s well after first light, and the bull is rounding up its harem to duck back into the timber for the day. You don’t have long to decide if you want to hike five miles around the rim to set up for an evening hunt. You need to get a rough score on that bull fast. Enter the 50-50-40 rule.
For general units in Colorado, Montana, and Idaho for example, you can score mature elk relatively quickly by calculating a base number. This average “on the fly” calculation represents 50 inches of main beam (x2), 50 inches of mass, and 40 inches of inside spread. That gets you a relatively conservative estimate of 190 inches. From there, you can start measuring individual tines.
Carter says the 50-50-40 rule will fall short for elk in limited-entry units. To better estimate these older, record-book bulls, you’ll need to use an elk’s anatomy for comparison. The same holds for calculating tine length on any bull.
With this in mind, he rounds the ear measurement up to 10 inches and breaks down each tine based on its length relative to the ear. This lets him roll through all the tines for a quick calculation. Multiply that number by two and add it to 190 for a rough score. You'll have to adjust the score if there are broken tines or non-typical features, but keep in mind this is all just a gross estimate. For typical elk, any asymmetry will be a deduction for a net or final score.
MAIN BEAMS & TINE LENGTH
Once you know that you’re looking at an older age-class bull and have sized up his body, study the antler frame. The antler frame is the length of the main beam length and width. The main beam and inside spread measurements comprise around 40 percent of the overall score. A bull with a wide rack and long main beams will likely score high.
“The beam will make or break your entire field judgment,” Carter says.
When Carter first started guiding, he rarely studied a bull’s mass (Figure C). That was a mistake, he says. Mass is difficult to judge on any animal, but because there are eight total mass measurements, mass makes up around 20 percent of the total score.
“Under judging mass is a pretty big deal,” Carter says. “A bull with a lot of mass can create an optical illusion.”
Mass on big bulls tends to hide extra inches. Tines are measured from the medial (center) edge of the main beam, and it’s hard to tell where that base is when field judging. If you’re off by one or two inches for each tine, that’s 12-24 inches that you’re missing.
When Carter judges big bulls for his clients, he is usually familiar with the age class of the bulls they are hunting. He knows that most G4 tines (daggers) sit at 27 inches on the main beam (Figure D), and then he counts by tens past that tine.
The only way to get better at field judging is to practice. Guessing scores on sheds is one way. If you have a spotting scope with a phone or camera adapter, use the digiscope to your advantage. Take pictures and video. Make your educated guess in the field, and then check it against the video at home. You can also dig into the online field photos at the Boone and Crockett Club or any hunting magazine.
The reality is that most of us aren’t elk guides. We’re not putting glass on 380-class bulls and wondering if we should let them grow a little bit. That doesn’t mean we can’t be ready if our name gets drawn.
Ryan Carter, owner of DC Outfitters.
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If your spotting scope is buried in your pack, chances are you won’t dig it out every time you see a speck of white among the talus. That could cost you the animal of a lifetime, which is why we design most of our packs with designated spotting scope pockets that are strategically placed for ease of access. Even the zippers are designed with access in mind. Knowing exactly where your scope is located in your pack saves time when seconds count in the field.
We broke down our pack list into three categories to help you find the right pack for your hunting style.
The Approach 2800 is a streamlined day pack with a designated exterior spotting scope pocket that fits up to a 115mm objective.
The Solo 3600 features a built-in, differential cut spotting scope pocket that creates more room in the bag for gear while still providing easy access to the spotter from the large horseshoe zipper.
The Col 4800 includes a designated internal spotting scope sleeve and full main zipper for easy access to the spotter.
Compact spotting scopes can be carried in the front pocket on the Sky 5900 and quickly accessed by a 22" vertical zipper.
The design of the Sky Archer 6400 enables easy access to the internal spotting scope pocket without removing a bow or rifle ffrom the pack.
The Terminus 7000 includes a designated internal spotting scope pocket that can be easily accessed from the main side zip.
The Sky Talus 6900 features two large side pockets with full-length, heavy-duty #10 zippers with dual sliders to access the internal spotting scope pockets on either side of the bag.
The spotting scope pocket on the Sky Guide 7900 can be accessed by an external side-zip pocket. Compact spotters can also be run on the front pocket accessed by a 22” center zip.
The Terminus 8700 includes a designated internal spotting scope pocket that can be easily accessed from the main side zip.
A long-haul day pack worth a look is the Kiowa 3200, which features a big horseshoe main zipper that provides access to an internal pocket sleeve large enough to carry any high-end spotter. And we’d be remiss not to mention the Avail 2200 for a solid, all-around sport-utility pack. It has plenty of internal organization to make your spotter right at home.
We know a spotting scope is a significant investment and a key piece of gear for serious hunters. Stone Glacier packs are designed to protect your gear and help you focus on the hunt so you don’t waste time fumbling when every moment can make or break your hunt.
]]>There's no more important tool for a fall hunt than your rifle, and we rounded up our five favorite rifle hunting accessories based on three key criteria: protection from the elements, secure carry, and quick access.
This one may seem obvious, but a quality optics harness is absolutely essential for mountain hunting. If your binos or rangefinder flop around in your harness, get wet and dirty, or drive you nuts because they're not riding correctly, it will inevitably distract from your hunt.
The Skyline Bino Harness is designed to be a minimalist system for effortless, nearly unnoticeable carry under a pack while you navigate rugged terrain. It's also designed to maximize secure, weatherproof protection for your binos and rangefinder. Our patent pending OptikFit™ technology ensures a true custom fit for your optics, and a 3-layer HydraShield™ waterproof laminate provides a shield from rain, snow, and debris. The harness also features a magnet-free, forward-opening lid that can be quickly and quietly opened or closed with one hand.
Whether it's finding game on an immense mountain landscape or getting an accurate range before a shot, the Skyline Bino Harness will be an indispensable asset for closing the deal.
Even with today's ultralight rifles, lugging a long gun for days on end in the mountains can take its toll. On the other hand, if your rifle isn't readily accessible, you may miss a fleeting opportunity to take a shot.
The Quick-Release Sling integrates with Stone Glacier hunting packs to securely and safely carry a rifle while giving you instant access to free the gun for your shot. The sling weighs a mere 1.4 oz. but is capable of carrying nearly all big game hunting caliber rifles. Securely stowed out of your way on the hike, the sling disengages with one simple motion.
If you've ever had an action freeze up or a scope fog up in the moment of truth, you understand the value of protecting your rifle system from the inevitable abuse and elements you'll encounter in the mountains. Put simply, you work too hard for opportunities to not get a confident shot because your scope or action were compromised in the field.
Whether it's precipitation, abrasion, freezing temps, or wear and tear from packing it through rough terrain, our rifles go through the wringer chasing big game. We created the Skyline Quick-Release Scope Cover to mitigate every possible malfunction to the scope and action while also ensuring the cover does not add unnecessary bulk or weight to your system.
Our scope cover is constructed with hydrophobic foam padding encased between two layers of waterproof SG 3L HydraShield™ fabric. It comes in three adjustable sizes to fit all rifles and scopes, and it can be instantly removed using an innovative, adjustable attachment system for quickly engaging a target in the field.
The Blaze Orange Sky Lid is compatible with every SG Sky Series bag and instantly adds 500 cubic inches of high-visibility storage to the top of your pack. Made with a durable 500D cordura and featuring a hydration port, the Sky Lid can also be used as a fanny pack for quick missions from camp.
The Large Accessory Pocket integrates with the waist belt on all Stone Glacier Frames to add easily accessible storage for a wind meter, phone, GPS device, headlamp, snacks or just about any small essential you can think of. It also includes built-in elastic webbing to carry six extra rounds of ammunition.
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A serious load-hauling pack starts with a solid foundation. Many of our customers own one SG frame with a smaller bag for day hunts and a larger expedition-sized bag for backpack hunts. Once you have a frame, you can shop our bag-only options to add options to your pack system.
We’ve spent more than a decade testing, designing, refining, and building our pack frames that meld ultralight, ultra-quiet, and highly durable materials. The result is a nimble, versatile workhorse that can be used interchangeably with any Stone Glacier pack to comfortably and efficiently haul everything a mountain hunter needs.
We make two frames to fit distinctively different body types: the Krux Frame features straight carbon stays and generally fits shorter torsos (19” and under) and flatter backs better while the Xcurve features curved carbon stays and generally fits people with a more pronounced curve to their back. If you're unsure of which frame will fit you best, we highly recommend contacting our customer service team for assistance. If you bought a pack and the fit doesn’t feel right, no problem; contact customer service and we’ll get you taken care of.
We know that hauling gear and meat can be enjoyable misery, and we design our packs to be lightweight, comfortable, and as strong as an ox. Our frames are constructed using four carbon composite stays that provide an ultralight, ultra-strong combination that transfers the load evenly to the hip belt. This engages your legs, which increases your efficiency. It also relieves strain on your lower back, which increases your comfort level. With increased efficiency and comfort, you’ll be able to hike farther and hunt harder in rugged terrain.
When we tested our final pack frame design, we loaded more than 300 pounds into a pack. No signs of stress, damage, or failure were detected. Every SG frame is rated to 150 pounds, and we have complete confidence that our packs are capable of hauling as much as you can pack.
At the heart of the Krux and the Xcurve is the integrated Load Shelf, which allows you to expand the bag off the frame to pack gear or meat in between the bag and the frame. Because our packs are modular, you can remove the bag entirely and use just the pack frame and Load Shelf to haul meat off the mountain. The Load Shelf and back of all of our bags are also made with durable X-Pac fabric, which has a waterproof layer built into it. This means that blood won’t seep from the meat into the bag and all over you and your gear.
The Xcurve and Krux frames are compatible with every Stone Glacier bag (with the exception of our R3 Military Pack line), from a 2800-cubic-inch day pack (Approach) to a 7900-cubic-inch expedition pack (Sky Guide). And there are plenty of packs that fall between. We want you to pick the right setup for your hunting style.
Swapping out bags on a frame is a cinch:
The Terminus Series includes the only packs in the Stone Glacier fleet with the bag sewn directly to the frame. It was designed specifically for ultralight, expedition hunts and features a Load Cell (not a Load Shelf), which is used to pack out the boned-out meat on sheep, goat, and mountain mule deer hunts. The 2200 cubic inch internal Load Cell positions the meat next to the frame and closest to your center of gravity. The design leaves 4800 cubic inches of usable space on the Terminus 7000 and 6500 cubic inches of usable space on the Terminus 8700 to load your gear for the pack out. Two drain holes in the bottom of the main bag prevent blood from pooling inside the load cell.
We took the concept of a modular gear system and made it even more adaptable by adding numerous compression straps and buckles to both the frames and bags. These straps allow you to adjust the size of any pack based on your load. For instance, if you have a multi-day pack like our Sky 5900, you can use it as a daypack or a 4,300-cubic-inch overnight pack. If you’re heading into the backcountry for a weeklong hunt, extend the pack to full volume at 5,900 cubic inches with the Sky Lid. For the pack out, extend the Load Shelf straps and add another 2,500+ cubic inches.
We know our customers have a wide array of hunting styles and hunt across a broad range of environments and terrain. Because our bags and frames are interchangeable, you don’t need to look any further than our website to build your pack system to suit your hunts. Find the frame that fits, and over time, you can add bags to your pack arsenal—or use just one bag for everything. Either way, you can hunt with absolute confidence in your pack’s ability to excel on any hunt you haul it on. ]]>Sometimes, gear breaks. When you’re on day five of a two-week hunt, this means you need to fix it. To get you back in the game, we’ll walk you through basic gear repair and the products we use.
We have a rock-solid warranty and repair program. Our products have a lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship. Repairs associated with normal wear and tear are repaired at a minimal and reasonable charge. All repairs and warranty work are done at our headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. We don’t ship your gear to a third party. When you call customer service, you’ll speak to one of reps whose goal is to get you and your gear back on the trail ASAP.
Two common reasons Stone Glacier packs return to Bozeman for repair are entirely preventable. Imagine you killed a nice bull miles away from the trailhead. On your last 80-pound load, you reach the truck and slam down your pack on the ground, anticipating flip-flops and a cold one. You look over at your pack and see one of the vertical carbon stays sticking through the top. Two sheets of tough X-Pac fabric holding those stays can take plenty of abuse, but 80 pounds of elk meat creates a lot of force. No worries. Give us a call. We’ll fix it for you.
Another reason packs come back to the warehouse is because of your dog. Our packs get bloody because customers haul meat in them. When left on the garage floor, a bloody Load Shelf entices Fido. Hang your pack up until you can clean it. But if your dog does rip into it, call us, and we’ll do our best to fix it. Most times, you can patch up minor issues yourself.
Simple maintenance can prevent a lot of issues with technical gear, but stuff happens. Here’s a simple guide to maintaining and repairing Stone Glacier gear.
Replacing a broken buckle on your Stone Glacier pack with our Repair Buckle Kit is easy, but there is one thing to remember: one side of the buckle is ribbed, and the other is smooth. Be sure to route the webbing so it contacts the ribbed side of the buckle. Otherwise, it’s going to slip. When properly routed, the buckle will bite into the webbing.
All Stone Glacier tents come with a tent pole repair kit. If you snap a tent pole, the repair kit comes with a piece of titanium or aluminum that is a bit bigger in diameter than your tent pole. Slip this right over the break, and it acts as a splint for your tent. To reinforce it, you can also wrap each end with Tenacious Tape or electrical tape to help the splint stay in place.
Holes happen. The good news is, they’re easy to repair with the right tools. If you get a tear in your tent, patch it with Tenacious Tape and then seal the edges of the tape with Seam Grip. Same process goes for our waterproof apparel, which we detail in the following section. Tears in other technical apparel products, with the exception of our Grumman Down products, should be sewn.
If you rip a substantial hole in your Chilkoot Sleeping Bag or Grumman Down Jacket, don’t stitch it yourself. Doing so shuts off the baffle and compresses the down, making it less effective at insulating. Use Tenacious Tape and do your best to patch the hole.
Using a heat gun can also help to seal the Tenacious Tape, but be very careful to use the heat gun sparingly so that you do not melt the garment fabric. This is especially true of down products.
To fix a hole or tear in our M5 or M7 waterproof rain gear, you’ll need Tenacious Tape (applied to the exterior) and Seam Grip and more Tenacious Tape (applied to the interior). The process is simple, and it’s going to keep your rain gear waterproof. Check it out in the video below.
While you might wonder why a zipper needs maintenance, consider a 30-mile drive down an old two-track to reach your destination in the wilds of Utah. At the trailhead, your pack is covered in a half-inch of the finest red dirt known to man. An untreated zipper will not work properly. A little Zipper Cleaner & Lubricant before your hunt for a desert-dwelling mule deer will prevent stuck and broken zippers.
Our pack stays are a carbon-fiber composite and strong as an ox. They don’t break often. If they do, call us, and we will walk you through how you can replace them. You can also return your pack to us and we'll replace them for you.
We offer a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee for purchases on StoneGlacier.com and the SG Mobile App. You have 30 days from the date of purchase to return any of our products for a refund of the cost of products purchased or an exchange for a different size. Products must still be new with original tags, unused, unwashed, and without any physical damage, stains, etc.
We provide free exchanges for purchases on StoneGlacier.com and the SG Mobile App. Initiate an exchange here.
We also offer gear repair, and you can initiate a repair here.
]]>Our friends at The Mountain Project launched a great new film on their South Island tahr hunt in New Zealand, and you can watch it below.
The boys debriefed us on their hunt and how their gear performed in the field. They saw a fair bit of weather in big mountain terrain, putting a bunch of our products through the paces. The team compiled their reviews, and we’re sharing them here to give insight into their system and how it can apply to your own mountain hunting.
We call our channel The Mountain Project — which is odd considering we're based in Arizona. The state isn't exactly known for its mountains (though we do have them). We chose that name because the mountains are where our hearts always are. A few years into making YouTube videos, we got to Alaska to hunt Dall Sheep. A year later, we were in the Northwest Territories hunting rams and caribou. And a year after that, we were hunting tur at 13,000 feet in the Caucasus Mountains of Azerbaijan. We've always loved the thin alpine air and the animals that call the mountains home.
Our last mountain hunt was in 2019. So when we drew a coveted landing permit for a West Coast Tahr block on the South Island of New Zealand, we immediately set to work scouring Google Earth. Luckily, our friend Joe Fluerty, an experienced New Zealand guide, would be hunting with us. This removed any pressure to arrange logistics. All we needed to do was book the long international flight from LAX to Queenstown and show up in shape to get up the mountains where the tahr live. Joe handled everything else.
When Joe strongly suggested we bring ice axes and crampons, we knew this would be a legit mountain hunt. The question now was, what else should we pack? What would be the essential gear we couldn't leave behind? And what would be superfluous?
We each packed differently. We each learned a lot. Below are our top 3 gear suggestions for hunting the Southern Alps, based on our trip. However, the gear isn't specific to New Zealand. It is helpful inspiration for what to pack regardless of which alpine mountain hunt you're packing for.
Packing for New Zealand was particularly tricky for me. I needed to pack my mountain gear, my camera gear, and I was the only one bringing a rifle onboard two international flights. Complicating this, I would extend my trip by a week to visit my kids, who live on the North Island with their mom. This meant an additional 2 domestic flights on Air New Zealand, which is strict on baggage limits and weights for checked bags and carry-ons. So I need to pack as minimalistic as possible while still having enough gear to pull off a successful trip.
My most essential gear on this trip was my footwear — socks, boots, and gaiters. If we weren't being rained on, we were crossing meandering rivers multiple times throughout the day. Early in the hunt, I stepped in the river above my gaiters, but my feet did not get wet. The trip would have been very different if I had to do it with cold wet feet. The Stone Glacier SQ2 Alpine Gaiters may be the most significant improvement to an ordinary piece of gear that I've ever used. They’re excellent. And the Stone Glacier socks paired perfectly with insulated boots, so my feet never overheated.
Next most important was having the Access Bag attached to my main pack. I spent some time custom-fitting durable foam to the bag's interior to securely carry our Mavic drone camera and extra lenses for the Sony cameras we run. As our principal videographer, having these tools accessible without opening my backpack is critical to capturing important moments. Thanks to the Access Bag, I captured remarkable images of Chase and Joe on the recovery of Chase's bull.
And the third item I was glad I took on the trip was an Aeropress. This inexpensive, small, lightweight press makes a good cup of coffee in the morning. And a good cup of morning coffee, especially on a cold rainy day, helps get me going, whether at work or on the mountain.
I always obsess over taking the proper gear when packing for a big mountain hunt. I never want gear to limit my experience. Over the years and a few big hunts, I worry less about these things. Because when you find what works, you keep it; when it doesn't work, you try something different. Here are 3 things I think will be around for a while.
1) The Chinook Merino Boxer. If I plan a 7-14 day hunt, I am not taking 7-14 pairs of underwear and socks. It takes up too much room and weight. With the assistance of a couple baby wipes, the Chinook Merino Boxer is suitable to support you for several days on the mountain. Good undies are a must. The SG Ram Wool Socks are great too.
2) The Chilkoot 15° Sleeping Bag has been my go-to for many years now. I choose the 15° because when you add a puffy top and bottom, the range of temps you can sleep comfortably in is wide. I have slept in the same bag for over 100 nights, and it still keeps warm like the day I bought it. With a small amount of care and maintenance, it holds up great.
3) A GoPro. Capturing the moment has always been a priority for me.
I bought my first camera before I bought my first gun. The GoPro is an excellent option because it is small, rugged, and can carry several batteries. It's a great option if you want to bring those memories home with you.
When I was in New Zealand, I realized I'd over-packed, something we often do. Throughout the trip, I learned a few things are more important than others. Here are my top 3 picks.
First and foremost, The SG Dome Basecamp tent is a must to sleep in with your homeboys and keep all your gear out of the elements. I had no idea how cool it would be to have a house that big. It would've been crap being stuck in a tent solo for two days with bad weather. Some of our best memories, we're "stuck" in front of that fire in our "house." Also, using a lightweight stove to heat the tent meant we could dry our rain-soaked gear each day. It was crucial.
A close second would be a rangefinder with angle compensation. Going to a place like this, with such drastic elevation changes…mandatory for me. A 2' high, clean-miss opened my eyes to this.
Third — and this will always be in my top three — my puffy. If you don't know, ask your friends. They are excellent at keeping warm and pack down to nothing. I've rolled it into the hood and used it as a pillow. The Grumman Down Jacket is pretty much always in my pack.
]]>Hunters can be key players in preventing and reporting wildfires.
]]>It was another unseasonably warm September afternoon as Zack and I hiked up a long drainage into a beautiful section of famed Western mule deer habitat. It had been a wet spring, and record rainfall across much of the West had wreaked havoc on many communities, blowing out bridges, flooding towns, and destroying entire sections of highway. Consistent rain had continued into the early summer months, loading the mountains and low country alike with thick brush and tall grass. As summer progressed, the rain slacked and temperatures climbed steadily into the 90s through July and August, turning much of the Western U.S. into a tinderbox of dry, fine fuels.
As we rounded a corner in the trail, we paused to reference the map. Across the drainage and partially obscured by a low, sloping ridge, white smoke billowed into the bright blue sky. We exchanged glances.
“That’s not good,” Zack said, “I wouldn’t think any hunters would be having a fire out here right now.”
“I hope not,” I agreed.
After a quick discussion, we elected to hike a short distance to get eyes on the source of the smoke. We rounded a bend into a meadow, and orange flames came into view. The fire was creeping through dry grass and brush on the far end of the meadow, occasionally climbing and torching the stunted firs surrounding the opening.
With no cell service, we reached out to several friends via InReach hoping they could report the fire to the proper authorities and get boots on the ground to keep it from spreading. An hour later, the unmistakable thundering of rotor blades came into earshot as a helicopter arrived on scene to scout the fire and take appropriate action. That evening in camp, we watched the helicopter shuttling buckets back and forth from a high mountain lake, dousing the fire.
The U.S. Forest Service reports that nine of every 10 wildfires are human-caused, and hunters are certainly a contributing group.
Hunters heading into the field when the fire danger is high should do several things to prevent a wildfire. First, check the burn restrictions for the area you’ll be hunting in. Are campfires allowed or is there a burn ban in effect? Most National Forests have current fire conditions available on their website. If not, a quick call to the area ranger station can provide the information necessary to know before you go. Check the weather for your area, too. Unpredictable mountain winds can turn a small campfire into an uncontrollable wildfire in minutes.
Late season in the mountains can be cold and brutal, and having a fire is great for warming up and as a moral boost. The early season can be a different story though, and warm daytime temperatures often make having a fire an unnecessary risk. If it is necessary to have a fire, the U.S. Forest Service advises hunters to ensure their campfires are fully extinguished before leaving the area. Clearing fuel and creating a sufficient fire ring in the immediate area around your fire can help to stop campfires from becoming wildfires. Kick away duff and debris until the fire sits on mineral soil, then stack rocks around the perimeter to keep coals in place. When finished, use water, and mix coals until they’re cold to the touch. Before using a portable stove like a Jetboil or MSR, be sure the area is clear of fine fuel like grass and use caution to prevent the stove from tipping over. If using a wood stove in a wall tent or tipi tent, attaching the spark arrester to the chimney pipe can keep hot embers from landing in dry grass and creating a start. Hunters should also use caution and avoid operating vehicles, ATVs, and UTVs in tall grass and sagebrush; hot exhaust pipes and dry grass have been the cause of many wildfires in recent years.
Reporting an existing wildfire can be accomplished in several ways. Most states and National Forests recommend calling 911 or the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) at 208) 387-5512. Many emergency dispatch centers in the U.S. now accept text-to-911 emergency messages. If you are in an area that offers text-to-911 reporting, make sure to include the latitude and longitude coordinates with your message. Texting detailed information to friends or family like Zack and I did is a great failsafe if you don’t know whether the dispatch center in the area accepts text-to-911.
The U.S. Forest Service asks members of the public to not attempt to extinguish wildfires by themselves and to use extreme caution when in an active fire area. When reporting, it’s important to communicate the precise location of the fire to dispatchers and provide basic information about fire activity if possible. Landmarks and drainage names should also be provided. If hunting in an area without cell phone service, a satellite communicator is a critical piece of gear for personal safety and reporting other emergencies. These devices enable hunters to relay a message with GPS coordinates from anywhere on the planet, and they can come in very handy for reporting wildfires like Zack and I found. Size estimates of the fire can be helpful, but it is often difficult to assess this accurately. Overall, the more information hunters can provide, the quicker the responding agency will be to assess and allocate resources to stop the wildfire.
Taking the proper steps to avoid causing a wildfire can be relatively simple. If the situation doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Zack and I were able to find and report the fire before it spread. A quick text from the InReach brought adequate resources to the fire immediately, and we were able to continue our hunt. That’s not always the case. September is often a busy month for wild land fire crews, and a careless campfire can easily turn thousands of forested acres into a charred jumble of burned timber and scorched earth. When it comes to campfires, caution is always the best practice.
This story first appeared in the 2023 Stone Glacier catalog. If you want a paper copy of the catalog delivered to your mailbox, consider joining our catalog mailing list.
]]>We launched a full quiver of new products in 2023 — each one meant to help you go further in pursuit of whatever you’re chasing. From gloves and packs to pants and jackets, you’ll find highlights of our 2023 hunting gear here.
]]>If you’re like us, you can’t go on a summer backpacking trip to an alpine lake without hauling your fishing gear, spotting scope, and tripod. Summer trips are the perfect way to get your legs and gear in shape for hunting season, so consider this a friendly reminder that it’s time to start dialing in your gear for fall.
We released a full quiver of new products in 2023—each one meant to help you go further in pursuit of whatever you’re chasing. From gloves and packs to pants and jackets, you’ll find highlights of our 2023 hunting gear below. As always, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
We launched a full gloves system in 2023, integrating the same systems-based philosophy we use in all of our products. Knowing full well the need to balance dexterity, warmth and performance, we created a complete system of gloves designed to fit every hunt and every hunter.
The ultimate shooting companion, our new Mirka Gloves offer durability and dexterity in cool conditions. With a breathable nylon/spandex back, synthetic suede palms, and articulated knuckles, these gloves provide a seamless connection to rifle or bow. Additional features include conductive fingertips for touchscreen use and strategic seam placement for improved dexterity and durability. The adjustable velcro wrist strap and pull loop ensure a secure and easy fit, and premium goat skin reinforcement in the palm adds to their durability in the field and on the range.
The Chinook Merino Gloves are a versatile, ultralight base layer suitable for ever-changing weather conditions. Weighing just 1.7 oz., these gloves can be worn alone in cool and dry conditions or as liners under other gloves (like the Altimeter Gloves and Mitts) when it gets colder and wetter. The gloves feature our proprietary Merino6™ fabric, silicone dot grip in the palms, conductive fingertips for touchscreen use, and convenient pull loops for easy on/off.
The most versatile gloves we make, the Graupel Gloves are guaranteed to go on every excursion into the backcountry. Water- and wind-resistant, they weigh a mere 2 oz. and serve as the perfect midweight layer under the Altimeter Gloves and Mitts. The silicone dot grip enhances grip and conductive pointer fingers allow you to check your map app while wearing the gloves.
A versatile and weather-resistant glove system designed for cold and wet conditions, the Altimeter Gloves will become your nasty-weather go-to. They feature waterproof and breathable 3-layer shells and a removable PrimaLoft® Cross Core insulated liner. When conditions allow, you can remove the liners and use the shells with lighter gloves (like the Chinook Merino Gloves). Additional features include one-handed wrist collar adjustment, removable wrist tethers, hang loops for drying, and convenient pull loops for easy on/off.
Designed for extremely cold and wet conditions, the waterproof and insulated Altimeter Mitts can match any late-season hunt. Crafted with waterproof 3-layer HydraShield™ shells and removable PrimaLoft® Cross Core synthetic insulation liners, these mitts allow you to face any cold front with confidence. They feature MELCO™ taped palms and thumbs for enhanced grip, strategically placed seams for improved dexterity and durability, extended wrist cuffs, one-handed operation of the wrist collar cinch/release, removable wrist tethers, and pull loops for easy on-off.
Experience lightweight, quick-drying perfection with the 206 Pant, the perfect choice for stealthy hunting in hot conditions. Designed for early season hunts, this pant eliminates unnecessary features to prioritize functionality. The streamlined fit minimizes fabric friction noise, while the lightweight 4-way stretch material keeps you cool and agile. Inner thigh zips provide additional heat release when needed. Weighing just 15.4 oz., the 206 Pant is the lightest in our collection. It also includes the Patented Contour Waist™ System for a precise fit. Additional features include tapered boot cuffs, multiple pockets, and a durable water-repellent treatment.
The Cirque LITE Jacket is the definition of versatility. A highly breathable, synthetic, and active insulation layer, this jacket adapts to changing conditions on the mountain, serving as a primary insulation layer in mild weather or as a mid-layer under other insulation or a shell in cold conditions. The hybrid fabric construction combines synthetic insulation and a weather-resistant face fabric in the torso for core warmth, while breathable micro-grid fleece side panels effectively wick away sweat. With its ability to regulate temperature and manage moisture, the Cirque LITE excels in dynamic hunting scenarios. Featuring PrimaLoft® Gold 60g/m2 insulation, a 15 Denier Pertex® face fabric, an adjustable hood, elastic waist, stretch wrist cuffs, strategically placed pockets, and an extended tail for pack compatibility, this jacket packs in a lot of features into a 15.2 oz. package.
The Cirque Vest is the ideal synthetic insulation layer for cool and variable conditions. This weather-resistant vest can be worn over base and mid-layers or as insulation underneath a shell. With its breathable and mobile design, the Cirque Vest provides targeted warmth without compromising breathability. Featuring PrimaLoft® Gold 133 g/m2 synthetic insulation and a 15 Denier Pertex® face fabric, it performs above its paygrade. The adjustable articulated hood, premium YKK zippers, adjustable elastic waist, extended tail for pack compatibility, and purpose-built hand and internal pockets add to its utility.
The Grumman LITE Down Jacket is the ultimate combination of ultralight, packable insulation and functionality. Whether you’re glassing from a ridge on a cool morning or layering up beneath a shell in wet weather, this jacket has you covered. Packed with 850+ fill HyperDry™ DWR-treated goose down insulation and protected by a 15 Denier weather-resistant Pertex® Quantum shell, it offers exceptional warmth and performance without the weight. The jacket features an articulated adjustable hood, YKK zippers, and weighs just 11.1 oz.
With full-leg zips and a velcro waist closure, the Helio Zip-Off Bottoms are the updated version of their predecessor, the Helio Bottom. They allow easy on/off without removing pants or boots. These cold weather mid-layer bottoms feature front-forward side zips that eliminate hot spots under pants and a pack. Compatible with our Stratum™ Layered Zipper System pants, they provide instant ventilation from skin to shell. A zippered fly ensures hassle-free restroom breaks. Crafted from breathable microgrid fleece fabric, they weigh just 10.2 oz. With Polygiene odor control and premium YKK zippers, these bottoms offer unrivaled comfort and versatility for cold-weather hunts.
Synthetic fleece insulation provides stealthy warmth and breathability, making it perfect as outerwear or as a layer underneath a shell. Crafted from 100% polyester high-loft fleece, it provides optimal comfort and insulation. The raglan sleeves ensure seam-free comfort when wearing a backpack, while strategically placed hand pockets are designed for easy access even when wearing a pack. With its zippered wind flap, the Zenith Fleece Hoody effectively holds in body heat, keeping you comfortable and quiet.
The Terminus 8700 is an alpine hunting pack engineered to be the lightest and strongest large-capacity load-hauler for sheep and goat hunters. By sewing the bag directly to the frame and incorporating an internal Load Cell for hauling boned-out meat, we've created an insanely beefy pack that weighs just 4 lbs. 4 oz. With 2200 cubic inches dedicated to meat hauling, the pack leaves 6500 cubic inches for gear organization. The innovative Stone Glacier ULTRA fabric is laminated with a waterproof film, providing exceptional abrasion and tear resistance while maintaining an ultralight profile. The 26" frame height, carbon composite stays, and 150+ pound load rating ensure durability and support. For added convenience, the pack boasts a 26" side zip access panel, belt attachments, heavy-duty YKK® #10 zippers, and military-approved Duraflex® buckles and webbing. Please note that while the internal Load Cell is specifically designed for hauling boned-out meat of medium-sized game, those who prefer to carry meat bone-in or like the versatility of swapping different bags on a frame may find the SG Krux and Xcurve options more suitable.
Derived from our renowned Solo 3600, the Col 4800 is a highly versatile hunting pack built for a wide range of hunts and conditions—from five-day spike camp archery hunts in the backcountry, multi-day backpack hunts in cooler weather, or a late-season day hunt with bulky cold-weather gear. Its thoughtful design ensures even weight distribution and accommodates rifles, bows, tripods, and spotting scopes. The internal spotting scope pocket provides secure storage and quick access, a hydration port accommodates water bladder hoses, and multiple internal tri-slide points offer adaptable storage configurations. Standard SG durable construction includes Cordura 500 and X-Pac fabric. Like all of our packs, the Col 4800 is proudly made in the USA and integrates with our frame system for a a load rating of over 150 pounds on the expandable 2,500+ cubic inch Load shelf
Built for big hunts in tight spaces, the Sky Solus 1P is a burly yet lightweight four-season tent that can withstand the worst alpine storms while remaining nimble enough to easily pitch in rugged terrain at the end of a long day hunting. Shop now.
The SkyTarp 10 is the Swiss Army knife of backcountry shelters. Its versatile and ultralight design provides essential protection from the elements. It features 10 stakeout points, enabling numerous configurations like the A-frame, lean-to, and modified A-frame setups. Weighing just 13.5 ounces, this compact tarp is built from durable Nylon 66 10D Sil/Sil fabric. Its adaptability makes it suitable as a standalone shelter, awning, glassing shelter, or emergency refuge.
]]>When it comes to hunting, there is process. To find and kill an animal takes a series of steps, determined by experience, by the present moment, and by the animal. It’s a concept we can articulate, but it has an identity without boundary, constantly evolving. For me, drawing a deer tag that got me excited was the driver of my dedication back to a process, one that I felt could end in standing over an exceptional deer. I’ve committed to hunting mountain bucks for years. It’s here that a mule deer shines. No offense to the prairie, but there is something about a smart, old, big-bodied, swollen-necked mule deer high on a ridgeline deep in the embrace of jagged mountains. It’s beauty and the beast all wrapped into one.
My legs were burning. I was climbing 1,500 feet to a main ridge that would serve as my camp and glassing location. It was July and this would be my first scouting trip. This was step one of the process. As I set up camp, my imagination tingled at what might be lurking in these high alpine expanses. Bucks are more visible in summer in this country as velvet antlers push them away from thick timber and bugs keep them in the high basins and on windswept ridges. I figured some hard miles would give me intel that hopefully would be valuable in filling my tag. I hadn’t called anyone, didn’t have any hot tips, and didn’t try to nab anyone’s spot from a YouTube video or Instagram post. This was my chance to see what I was made of as a mule deer hunter. Look at a map, make a gameplan, and get your ass up on the mountain and behind the glass. After seven days and six nights on the mountain, I had looked over about 120 bucks in four different areas. I saw a lot of nice deer but nothing that struck me as a hammer. My return would be focused on the buck that had the most dominant look: a straight four with a good frame and some swagger.
It was two days before the season, and I caught a tan body sliding between cliffs above the trail. A big left four in the spotter flashed through small pines as the late morning sun illuminated the velvet rack. My heart sped and a small shot of adrenaline hit me. It had been a month, and I hoped this was my buck. So far my process was delivering. As daylight slid down the canyon rims on opening day, my spotter swept across a rocky stretch of mountain. A lone deer was feeding here, and as I zoomed in the spotter I was quickly looking at one of the largest deer I’d seen on the hoof. This was the deer I scouted. The look was unmistakable, and what I thought would finish as a 180-class buck was now much larger. This would be my target.
For three days I sat sunup to sundown observing this buck and looking for a chink in the armor. There was no obvious one. By day four, I knew we had to try something. If we didn’t, another hunter surely would if they spotted this buck. Around 4 p.m. we crossed the canyon and side-hilled in to within 150 yards of his bed. Our plan was an ambush on an evening feeding route down the mountain. With no visual on the buck, we had to commit to sitting until dark. Nothing showed and switchy winds felt like the easy culprit. With light fading we retreated, gnawing on whether we’d see this deer again. For two and a half more days we tried to beat this old giant. We could not get an opportunity. It was time to head home, and I hoped we might cross paths again in a little over a week’s time.
Dawn again broke with me seated back in a familiar place, glassing east at the rocky face. It was once again two days before season opener, this time for rifle. My plan was working up to this point; scout a nice deer, relocate him and archery hunt him, and if that failed to produce, come back with a rifle and hope to put a final stamp on the hunt. I only saw one deer that morning. He was my number #2 deer, which was a good start, but no sign of “the one.” The next morning the big buck showed. He was alone but back on his pattern. On this day, the night before the season opened, he elected to make a potentially fatal mistake. He got up around 5:30 and fed across the hill in sight of the saddle up canyon, a common glassing vantage. As I panned my Leica up to the saddle, a figure hunched behind a spotter. Did he see the buck? My mind raced and I cursed the buck across the drainage. Why couldn’t today be the opener? He would have been dead hours ago. But no, the cards we are dealt are outside our control. Tomorrow I would be ready.
The rain had been going for hours as I crawled from my tent. I hoped this would be to my advantage. Maybe the rain would keep some guys in tents for the morning. As I glassed through the rain, I hoped for just a glimpse. This would allow us to make a quick plan and then burn 15 minutes across the canyon to get in position. Thorough glassing that morning failed to turn him up. If he was across the canyon, he wasn’t on his feet long. Around 10 a.m. we saw two hunters walk out onto the small ridge below where the buck had been calling home. They walked in the wide open before plopping down and glassing up onto the rocky face. Frustration at this point was an understatement. I had worried about other hunters pushing the topic and going into his bubble. Now they sat in open sight below him with a thermal shifting the wind up towards the buck’s core area. Awhile later, they walked back to their horses and out of sight. The hope that had returned was soon shattered when two guns shots rang out four hours later, sounding as if they had come from where I saw the two hunters. My gut wrenched. A third shot echoed as the hunters neared the buck, ending my hopes for this deer. One of the men walked down from above the buck. In his hand was the right antler busted just above the brow tine. All the time, the work, the patience, and this would be how it would end. I did my best to be sensible about the whole thing, but my emotions ping ponged around my head. My process had proven it could work until it didn’t. I couldn’t control other hunters; it’s public land and they have the right to hunt the way they see fit. It wasn’t “my” deer, but damn it had felt that way in my head. Years of experience brought other failures when opportunity was right in front of me, and if I’ve learned anything from those it’s that you need to find closure and move the hell on. The process would need to continue.
I hadn’t planned on needing more days, but there I was returning a final time. Rain hammered the windshield as I switched into 4WD and climbed towards the trailhead. The weather would be less than ideal. After three hours of climbing, I finally reached my glassing perch. Sitting there, the fog pushed in and out, revealing parts of the mountain in small windows. As an opening presented itself, I saw a bedded buck. The spotter showed solid forks on his right side and my heart sped a bit. Over the next four hours I slipped into as close as 100 yards. In the end a group of does I hadn’t seen blew up the party and frustration boiled. It seemed nothing could go right.
I loaded my pack the next day and pushed across to the next basin. That night as I side-hilled back towards the tent, I saw a solid-framed deer bound off below me. I quickly moved above the deer and watched as two bucks bounced through aspens before stopping. The spotter revealed a solid four-point with a frame outside his ears. This wasn’t the giant that filled my daydreams, but this was a damn nice deer and my excitement told me all I needed to know. The shot wouldn’t be easy. A downhill, sidehill rest across the backpack would force my trained skills to focus and execute on a process. As my crosshairs dipped before raising straight up on target, I slowly pulled the trigger. As the gun recoiled my scope returned to the buck. He looked hit hard and ran downhill out of sight. I grabbed my gear and started my descent to see if I could find my buck before the dark consumed the valley. As I neared where I’d last seen him, I saw a deer piled up just a hundred yards down the ridge. I smiled and walked down to lay hands on a great deer, one I had wholeheartedly earned.
In the end, the process worked. I grew as a mountain mule deer hunter, learning much along the way. What I thought could provide an opportunity did, but what stuck with me most was something I had told myself before the hunt started: the experience of the hunt is the most important part. If it’s not fun, even if the fun is challenging, then why do we do it? Moments of this hunt had brought despair, anger, and frustration. Things that I was mad at had worked their way into my heart, but it was that struggle that illuminated the things that bring me back. The beauty of God’s creation, the challenge of living on the mountain with animals that continue to amaze me, the friendship crafted through hard days on the mountain, the mental struggle that forces us to inspect our own motives and heart, and the blessing that we get the opportunity to hunt in the first place.
We all want to shoot the big one, but if that’s our only focus hunting will never provide lasting happiness. Only by embracing the journey and the process of being a hunter — by understanding that highs come with lows and by being grateful in the days we spend on the mountain — will we truly find happiness in hunting.
This story first appeared in the 2023 Stone Glacier catalog. If you want a paper copy of the catalog delivered to your mailbox, consider joining our catalog mailing list.
]]>Stone Glacier hunting tents and shelters feature multiple, modular configurations that allow you to head into the mountains with confidence and with as light a pack as possible. Our hunting shelter systems can accommodate your style and allow you to adapt to dynamic mountain conditions, whether you prefer using trekking poles, sticks, tree branches, or any other suitable objects for tie-offs and shelter support.
We’ve included our primary configuration options below for the SkyTarp 10, SkyAir ULT, Sky Solus 1P, and Skyscraper 2P. It’s important to note that while the following setups are recommended, you can use them as a baseline to customize your own favorite configurations.
The SkyTarp 10 — our lightest hunting shelter — gives hunters the freedom to choose their preferred pitching method. Use it as your primary shelter, cook tarp, or sunshade. The options are endless, and whether you’re using trekking poles, sticks, branches, or tying off on rocks, the SkyTarp 10 can provide a base level of shelter at a virtually unnoticeable weight and size in your pack.
It’s crucial to bring an adequate number of stakes based on the terrain you'll be camping in.
Above, an improvised SkyTarp 10 setup. Below, the standard A-frame tarp setup.
For an A-frame tarp setup, 12 stakes are recommended. However, if you don't anticipate strong winds or precipitation, you can always reduce the number of stakes. The recommended minimum trail weight of the SkyTarp 10 is a mere 13.5 oz. (including the tarp and six guylines). With 12 stakes, extra guys lines, and stuff sacks, your shelter weighs just 1 lb. 3.5 oz.
The SkyAir ULT is our lightest three-season, one-person hunting shelter. This bivy style tent offers exceptional adaptability with multiple setup configurations. The setup options below require stakes, and each stake weighs 0.4 oz. While tree branches can be used to pitch the SkyAir ULT, we highly recommend bringing two trekking poles.
Minimum Trail Weight
With just the fly, this setup features a minimum trail weight of 10.3 oz. and requires 10 stakes and a pair of trekking poles. If the stars are out and the bugs are not, it’s ideal. This is a great option for August scouting and early season archery hunts.
Fly with ULT Flat Footprint
This is similar to the above setup, with the addition of a 3 oz. footprint for protection from ground moisture and dirt. (13.3 oz. total)
Fly with ULT Vestibule
To seal off the front of the fly for added protection for your pack or boots, clip in the 4 oz. vestibule. No additional stakes or poles are needed. (14.3 oz. total)
Mesh Insert and Fly
When the bugs are intense, you’ll be glad you packed along the 10-oz. Mesh Insert. Total setup weight with the fly and 10 stakes is 1 lb. 4.3 oz. Don’t forget trekking poles.
Mesh Insert, Fly, and Vestibule
For total protection from the bugs and weather, use the mesh insert, fly, and vestibule for a total weight of 24.3 oz. Add or subtract 0.4 oz. stakes as needed.
The Sky Solus is a versatile four-season, one-person tent designed for camping in tight spots. Its unique WebTruss™ construction offers easy setup in challenging conditions and makes it impervious to wind, rain, and snow. The dual-vestibule system lets you place a pack or other gear within easy reach just outside of the tent body thanks to unique vent/vestibule ports that still maintain a small footprint. There are a number of setup options for the Sky Solus, allowing you to design your shelter to fit your needs.
Minimum Trail Weight
We recommend packing the rainfly, tent body, WebTruss, two poles, and eight guy lines,
which brings the combined minimum trail weight to 3 lbs. 11 oz. This setup assumes you will have rocks and tree branches to guy out the tent and secure stake lines.
Footprint and Fly
If you want to run a bare-bones shelter, combine the Flat Footprint and the fly. You’ll still
need to include the WebTruss, two poles, 14 stakes, and 14 guy lines. The total weight of this setup is 3 lbs. 14.6 oz.
Tub Footprint with Fly
Turn the Solus into an ultralight, early-season shelter when the bugs aren’t out but the snow and mud are still in play. This setup includes the Sky Solus Tub Footprint, rainfly,
WebTruss, poles, stakes, and guy lines. Total weight: 3 lbs. 6.4 oz.
Full Solus System Setup
When you know the weather will get nasty above timberline, the Solus is your shelter from the storm. The complete system includes the rainfly, tent body, WebTruss, poles, stakes, and guy lines for a combined weight of 4 lbs. 6 oz. Additional accessories like repair sleeves, DAC clips, and stuff sacks add 3.3 oz.
The Skyscraper 2P is an ultralight, low-profile, four-season tent designed for two people and their gear. Each hunter has their own side-vestibule space for boots and other gear, which is within easy reach while inside the tent thanks to two side vestibule ports. It offers exceptional protection against wind, rain, bugs, and snow. Plus, the low profile and bombproof construction make pitching on ridgelines easy. With numerous options, you can customize your setup for every hunt, trimming weight or adding options.
Minimum Trail Weight
We recommend packing the rainfly, tent body, WebTruss, two poles, and eight guy lines,
which brings the combined minimum trail weight to 4 lbs. 6 oz.
Flat Footprint with Fly
To use the fly without poles, you’ll need to utilize trekking poles to complete this setup. The setup weight is 3 lbs. 13.6 oz. and includes the Skyscraper Flat Footprint, rainfly, WebTruss, poles, 14 stakes, and eight guy lines.
Tub Footprint with Fly
This setup includes the Skyscraper 2P Tub Footprint, rainfly, WebTruss, poles, 14 stakes, and eight guy lines. Total weight: 3 lbs. 5 oz.
Ultralight 4-Season
Few tents can offer this level of protection in such a lightweight package. This setup includes the tent body, fly, poles, and eight guy lines. Keep in mind, this excludes the WebTruss, saving 6.3 oz. The total weight for this setup is 4 lbs. 10.7 oz.
Ultimate 4-Season
When you know that snow and cold will be factors on your hunt, you need bombproof protection. Even though you’ll need every component of this system, it’s only a hair over five pounds. This option includes the tent body, rainfly, WebTruss, three poles, 14 stakes, 10 guy lines, and additional accessories like stuff sacks, buckle kit, and pole repair sleeve.
In addition to the tents and shelters mentioned above, Stone Glacier also offers the SG Dome 6P, a durable and spacious four-season option that provides excellent protection across the spectrum of weather conditions. Although it doesn't offer multiple setup options, it's a tent worth considering for larger hunting parties. At 27 pounds in a compact package, the SG Dome is a great alternative to heavy and cumbersome wall tents.
Like Stone Glacier’s packs, apparel, and sleep systems, our tents and shelters are lightweight and durable, built for the rigors of mountain hunting. We design everything—especially tent systems—with versatility in mind so you can customize your setup based on your preferences and the conditions you expect to encounter on the mountain.
]]>When you shoulder a loaded pack, gravity wants to win. Everything on your back is pulled down to the trail at your feet. You are the only thing keeping it upright. This tension creates leverage, causing us to lean forward and engage our core to maintain balance. The more leverage you endure, the more energy and effort it takes to move down the trail.
While you are not going to eliminate gravity or the actual weight of your pack, you can manage the amount of leverage (i.e. strain) the weight puts on your body. There are three key factors to address for carrying a heavy load efficiently with a Stone Glacier Pack, which we'll detail in this blog: load placement, load lift, and load migration.
We can’t pack out those elk quarters for you, but with a little applied physics, we can show you how to make your load feel lighter.
Years ago, I built a pack load simulator to illustrate that how you load your pack makes a huge difference in how heavy it feels on your back. By simply packing the load properly, you can cut the amount of leverage in half.
In this simulation, I used six sandbags for a combined weight of 76 pounds to represent a healthy load of meat. The platform on which the bags sits measures 12 inches wide by 11 inches deep, roughly the size of many 6,000 cubic-inch bags, and it represents your pack. The vertical pole is your back.
Kurt's original load simulation setup.
Simulation one represents a load that spans the full dimension of the bottom of a backpack. This simulates loading all the meat, the heaviest and densest portion of the load at the bottom of the pack not using a load shelf. As a result, this load generated around 32 pounds of constant force (leverage) tugging at your torso, shoulders, and neck. The only way to compensate for this leverage is to lean forward and engage your core while trying to navigate terrain.
In simulation two, notice how the weight is stacked higher along the back. This simulates loading meat or heavy gear onto the Load Shelf featured in every Stone Glacier Frame and cinching it to the frame using compression straps. In doing so, the amount of leverage is reduced to just over 14 pounds.
When packing, I place the lightest gear on the bottom, farther away from my torso. The heaviest items are packed as close to the pack frame as possible. I typically place dense loads such as sheep horns or any skull with a cape under the pack's lid, as close to the frame and my back as possible.
Load placement is a large part of the hauling equation, but it’s not everything. Stone Glacier packs are built with integrated load lifters, which are the straps that leave your shoulder strap and climb to the top of the frame. Stone Glacier frames have a load lifter height of 26” and provide a mechanical advantage that reduces leverage of the load that pulls you back. The secondary function of the load lifters is to stabilize the load, which is key when traveling tough terrain under a load.
Check out this video to see how to adjust a load lifter properly:
After you’ve taken the time to pack the load, the last thing you want is to have that load wiggle itself free. Hiking off a mountain with a heavy load that is unstable is a recipe for injury. The terrain is uneven, but your load shouldn’t be. Load shift is an easy risk to mitigate thanks to compression straps.
Stone Glacier packs feature enough straps and buckles to secure any load. The best way to understand how these compression straps work is to see them in action. This meat packing tutorial walks you through the process.
The next time you’re about to pack out a heavy load, keep in mind that you’re never going to escape gravity. Be smart about how you pack. Reduce the amount of felt leverage by packing heavy items close to your back and go up, not out. And remember to utilize load lifters and compression straps.
It’s not exactly rocket science, but there is a science to efficiently packing out those heavy loads so you can hunt confidently in the backcountry and safely get the goods off the mountain and onto the tailgate of your truck.
]]>“A once in a lifetime opportunity” is the only way I can describe the bull bison permit I drew for Wyoming last year. Hunting one of America’s most iconic animals in the wild was a true dream, and for me as a bowhunter, this was also my chance to get my ninth big game animal out of the Wyoming Big Ten with archery equipment. No pressure at all, right?
Summer flew by with lots of family time, vacations, and also a career change. I did a ton of e-scouting, called numerous biologists and past tag holders, and felt as ready as I could be for opening day.
Everyone told me it would be a tough hunt because you are playing by the bison’s terms and they spend 95% of their time in Grand Teton National Park. Every so often, they stray across the imaginary line onto National Forest lands where they are on the hunt table. This definitely turned out to be the case.
The hunt opened August 15, so my hunting partner Zach DeWitt and I headed west on the 13th to meet up with Stone Glacier’s Zack Boughton who was going to film the whole hunt. Like I said, no pressure right?
We set up camp that afternoon and got the horses settled in. We covered a bunch of ground on Sunday in the pickup just to get a feel for road access and glassing knobs. We also rode the horses in to get a lay of the land where would be spending almost all of our time hunting. It was a great scouting mission, and we found one old bull right on the border. I couldn’t wait for the opener the following morning.
Opening morning was full of excitement and also four other groups of hunters diving into the same valley we were in. The bison, now a herd of around a hundred or so, sat safely inside the park far from any legal border. After riding out that afternoon, we talked to an older local gentleman and he told us to just keep doing what we did the first day and it would eventually pay off. It was hard to ride in five miles in the dark, wait for daylight, then cover a couple miles of boundary just to discover the bison were playing it safe inside the park. For four days we did just that though, sticking with the plan in the hopes that our persistence would pay off.
On day three, the herd of around 220 bison had moved within about four hundred yards of the boundary. This time they stayed high on the ridge watering out of a small spring within eyesight of the boundary. We were getting closer.
Morning four came with high anticipation of getting an opportunity at one of these giant rutting bulls. Daylight broke and excitement grew. As we reached the top of the last big ridge with the first vantage, I could hear the bulls grunting and bellowing from almost a mile away. It was on! As we slipped through the strings of aspen stands, we could start to see down the ridge towards the boundary where the grunting was coming from. I was in the lead, and as I rounded the last patch of trees I could see a bull standing on the knob we glassed from the past three days. We quickly tied the horses up and grabbed our gear. The bison were still about 800 yards out, so we slipped around them to the north to get the wind right.
I slipped right up to the park boundary and started working my way south with the wind in my face directly at the herd of rutting bison. As I eased up the last sagebrush finger, I was able to slide into the shade of a lone pine. When I reached the top, I could immediately see bison well within range, straddling the boundary. We waited for what seemed like hours as bulls pushed past each other to get to the hot cow about 46 yards from me. As we waited for the big bull to cross the line, I looked through my binoculars at each boundary marker to make sure I knew when he was legal. The cow suddenly bumped left, crossing well into the National Forest. The big bull followed.
I took my last range, came to full draw, settled and released a perfect arrow just as he stopped. Within seconds he spun a half circle and went down. That once in a lifetime opportunity had just presented itself, and I was able to capitalize on the moment and kill a giant old warrior. I couldn’t believe it.
After some emotional celebrations and gratitude given to the animal, the work began to get this huge beast out of the sagebrush and up to camp. With three experienced big game hunters on hand, we broke the buffalo down into packable pieces in just over an hour. From there, it was onto the horses and back down the trail to camp.
A few hours later, we had meat hanging in the shade in camp with the horses fed and watered. We were tired but ecstatic to get an opportunity and then take full advantage of it. The next morning, we broke camp at daylight, loaded up, and hit the road back towards home. The six-hour drive gave Zach and I plenty of time to relive every detail of the trip – an adventure like none I have experienced!
-Sam Davis (@sdavis2506)
]]>Author / Justin Helvik, Avid Outdoorsman
A few years ago, we launched what soon became one of our most popular apparel layers: the Grumman Down Jacket. With 5.3 oz. of premium 850+ Fill Power Goose Down encased in an ultralight and weather-resistant Pertex® Quantum shell, this insulation piece became a staple in many mountain hunters' arsenals. This puffy will keep you toasty well into the late season while sitting on that windswept knob waiting for a recluse bull to come out and feed.
Weighing only 11.8 ounces (size large), it is easy to see why it is so popular. However, for much of the year, the Grumman Down Jacket is a bit much for early and mid seasons or in areas with a milder climate. Our team is always pushing the envelope and applying the minimalist mindset to everything we make. Kurt Racicot founded Stone Glacier out of necessity on his quest to make hunting equipment both lighter and more functional. The concept is simple: take what you need and nothing more.
With this in mind, we launched the Grumman LITE Down Jacket in 2023. This lightweight puffy features 3.1 oz of 850+ fill HyperDry™ DWR-treated goose down insulation and features the tried and true 15 Denier weather-resistant Pertex® Quantum shell. The down fill equates to about 40% less insulation as compared to the original Grumman. This is more than enough insulation for those summer scouting trips and early season hunts, plus it weighs in at a featherlight 11 ounces (size large).
The sleek design of the LITE enables it to layer incredibly well underneath an outer layer. Typically, puffy jackets should be worn as an outer layer. However when that drizzle turns torrential as the temp plummets, it is best to place the puffy underneath a hardshell. When paired with a M5 or M7 jacket, the result is a dynamic and versatile system. With less volume, the LITE compresses less, losing little of its loft when placed under a hardshell. Loft is ultimately what creates warmth in down insulation pieces. The Grumman LITE acts as an effective mid-layer, sliding easily underneath an outer layer to allow greater freedom of movement and outstanding warmth.
Another added benefit of the streamlined Grumman LITE is its slimmer hood. The LITE is primarily designed for the early season, which is archery season for many hunters. Hearing that distant bugle or snapping of a twig can mean all the difference on a successful setup or stalk with the bow. The hood on the Grumman LITE has less down fill, meaning sound will reach your ears better than through the original Grumman hood.
If you’re counting ounces in your pack, the Grumman LITE is going to be a great fit for your warmer weather hunts. Perhaps even more importantly, the LITE takes up less space in your pack. When used with a small compression sack, this puffy will compress to about the size of a grapefruit. I nearly always carry a hardshell like the M5 in my pack when in the backcountry. Pairing this with the LITE makes for a formidable system that will be more than adequate for the majority of the year in the mountains. From collecting sheds in the spring to archery elk hunting and everything in between, you will find the Grumman LITE does the job without the extra fluff.
While the weight difference between the Grumman and the Grumman LITE is minimal, the space savings, layering, and packability of the LITE make it a highly versatile piece. Odds are, you will find yourself wearing the LITE more than any other insulation piece. While the original Grumman provides superb warmth, it is built for colder conditions. As with any backcountry system, the more you can specialize your kit based on the hunt and conditions, the lighter and more efficient you’ll be throughout your trip.
About the Author: Justin Helvik is a fourth generation Montana native who lives for adventure in the outdoors. He and his family live in Bozeman, MT where he is currently an educator. His passions are his family, working with students, and exploring the great unknown.
]]>Like our packs, we build our outerwear systems from the ground up. Our softshells and hardshells are designed specifically to fit the needs of hunters for every kind of hunt. This blog dives into the design, technology, and intended product uses to help you understand how to pick the best softshell or hardshell for your hunt.
]]>There are two primary outerwear pieces: softshells and hardshells. What’s the difference? Softshells are designed to be worn in moderate and variable conditions. Because they’re made of highly breathable materials with a durable face fabric, you can wear them during high-exertion, abrasive activities. Hardshells are your go-to when the weather gets really nasty. They are completely waterproof and windproof, providing dependable protection from the elements.
Stone Glacier outerwear systems include a softshell jacket (De Havilland Jacket) and two hardshell systems (M5 and M7). Each shell has its strengths, which you can apply to different scenarios to leverage each piece’s strengths in the field, depending on the hunt and conditions.
Like our packs, we build our outerwear systems from the ground up. Our softshells and hardshells are designed specifically to fit the needs of hunters for every kind of hunt. This blog dives into the design, technology, and intended product uses to help you understand which shell is right for your hunt.
Whether you’re hunting Roosevelt’s elk in the jungles of western Washington or Dall’s sheep on an exposed ridge in Alaska’s Chugach Range, you need to know you can stay dry when a soaker sets in. That moisture usually comes with plenty of wind, and the combo can quickly send you packing if you don’t have the right gear to weather the storm. This is hardshell weather.
Our hardshells keep you bone dry and block the wind. Period. Like everything we make, we designed them to be lightweight and packable for mountain hunting. The M5 Jacket and Pant is constructed with a mechanical stretch 3-layer HydraShield™ laminate, a quiet and soft face fabric, and a protective Tricot backer. These features allow extended range of motion (think drawing a bow or navigating technical terrain) and keep weight to a minimum. The M5 Jacket and Pant weigh less than two pounds combined. Plus, the M5 jacket packs into its hood.
The M7 Jacket and Pant are designed for colder, extreme conditions where the weather is just as tough as your resolve to stay on the mountain. Because we built the M7 with an insulating fleece interior, it’s designed to lock in body heat and block out wind and rain. While the M7 Series will accommodate layers underneath, it is designed for very cold conditions and slower activity levels, so you don’t need to constantly take layers on and off.
In extreme conditions where staying dry is vital, a hardshell outer layer like our M5 and M7 series is your go-to. Both lines incorporate HydraShield™ technology with 33,000mm (M7) and 31,000mm (M5) waterproof ratings. Seams are fully taped throughout, and we employ #5 YKK Aquaguard Vislon zippers to ensure that moisture and wind stay completely out. The articulated hood is designed for maximum protection with two shock cord lockers to close gaps around the face and neck easily.
When you know the weather will be cold and wet for the entire hunt, combine the M5 or M7 series jacket with an insulating layer like the Grumman or Cirque Jacket. The Grumman Down Jacket, with its 850+ fill goose down, is the ultimate in packable warmth. Combine it with the M7 jacket, and you can wait out anything. The Cirque Jacket features breathable Primaloft insulation with pit zips. Wear it with the M5 to stay warm and dry inside and out as you hike drainage after drainage.
Hardshells provide durable protection in variable conditions. They don’t excel in every hunting scenario, but a softshell can make all the difference when the right conditions are encountered. While our M5 and M7 series are made with an industry-leading breathable fabric, no hardshell breathes as well as a softshell. If you’re hopping over deadfall in an old burn or hauling a pack through the brush under overcast skies, a softshell is a better option because the fabric is more breathable and durable than a hardshell. That’s why we designed and built the De Havilland system.
Our softshells are built to be comfortable, highly-breathable protection from the elements. With a durable 4-way stretch and an articulated, athletic fit, the De Havilland line is built around performance—whether you’re hunting bears in spring with camp on your back or chasing elk at timberline in the fall. Wear the De Havilland Jacket as protection from light moisture and wind. If you have to gain 500 feet in a hurry, simply open the pit zips to instantly dump heat.
Softshell jackets generally have a light fleece interior to provide comfort and insulation, which also makes them less packable than hardshell jackets. Because they breathe better than a hardshell, softshells excel when you’re hunting in variable conditions with intermittent wind and rain, busting brush, or experiencing varying levels of activity. Likewise, the De Havilland Pant and De Havilland LITE Pant are built with durability and breathability in mind for the most active part of your body during a hunt.
We design our softshells to be breathable, weather-resistant workhorses. The material is a blend of polyester, nylon, and spandex that is DWR treated to resist water and wind. The De Havilland Jacket features chest and hand pockets that allow easy access while wearing a pack. With an extended back hem and a lightly brushed fleece backer, this jacket excels under a backpack. Integrated pit zips are a must for ventilation.
De Havilland pants, which feature our Stratum™ Layered Zipper System, allow you to keep cool while on the move and retain body heat when you slow down for a stalk. Our Patented Contour Waist™ System lets you adjust the waist size of the pants up to three inches, which is ideal for layering. The De Havilland Pant’s 4-way stretch and weather-resistant fabric is the perfect all-mountain choice. For early-season hunts and desert environments, the De Havilland LITE Pant features more nylon, more stretch, and less weight. It has all the features of the De Havilland Pant but weighs five ounces less.
Because you’ll likely be on the move when you’re wearing a softshell jacket, wearing the right insulating layers underneath is critical in cool conditions. The Grumman Down Vest takes up little room in your pack and weighs next to nothing. If you like to run a bare-bones kit, the Grumman LITE Down Jacket is a solid option. Or try the Cirque Vest, a breathable insulator that won’t impact mobility.
Softshell systems are going to check most of the boxes for most hunts. They’re comfortable, durable, breathable, and warm, especially when paired with an active insulating layer underneath. But when the wind and rain strike in earnest, a stowable hardshell is your only option for staying on the mountain. Depending on the conditions, each system serves a purpose. Luckily, there’s a system for every hunt and every hunter, regardless of what mother nature has in store.
]]>Few moments compare to crawling into a sleeping bag with a full belly after hunting hard from dawn to dusk. Being warm and comfortable for a few hours of sleep allows muscles and mind to recharge. To hunt hard everyday on a backcountry hunt, you need a solid night’s sleep. It’s that simple. To help you choose the best ultralight sleeping bag, pad, and layer combo, we’ve put together this guide to help you choose the best Stone Glacier system for any hunting situation.
Before we delve into specific Stone Glacier Chilkoot bags, let's start with the basics. The first thing you need to consider is the temperature rating of the bag. This rating tells you the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep you warm. It's important to note that ratings are a guide, and your comfort level may vary based on factors like your metabolism and the clothing you wear to bed. Not all bag ratings are the same either, and they can range broadly between manufacturers.
“We know that your sleeping bag can mean the difference between a good night’s rest on the mountain and a downright miserable or dangerous one,” says Kurt Racicot, Stone Glacier’s founder and lead designer. “That’s why we take our temperature ratings seriously and get the most accurate ratings in the industry.”
Stone Glacier Chilkoot Sleeping Bags are built for backcountry hunters with best-in-class ultralight, packable, water-resistant materials.
You can read more about how we test our bags to achieve our ratings, but the bottom line is that you can trust our ratings as highly accurate baselines for how your bag will perform in the field.
The next thing to consider is the insulation type. There are two main types of insulation: down and synthetic. Down insulation is lighter and more compressible, making it ideal for backpack hunts. That’s why we only utilize premium goose down in our Chilkoot Sleeping Bags. Down can lose superior insulating properties when wet, which is why we use water-resistant HyperDRY™ 90/10 grey goose down and incorporate Pertex Quantum fabrics in the exterior shell and interior liner.
If you really want to break down the tech in our sleeping bags and learn how to properly care for a technical bag, read our How to Get the Most Out of Your Sleeping Bag blog post. We also put our bags through a water cooler test to demonstrate the water-resistant properties of the technical materials that go into every Chilkoot Sleeping Bag, and you can watch that test below.
Sleeping pads are an integral part of your sleep system and provide important relief from the the ground. They also serve as an insulation layer based on their R-value, which describes how well a material insulates against heat transfer. For sleeping pads, the R-value indicates the pad's ability to resist heat flow through its thickness. The higher the value, the better the insulation factor.
Stone Glacier carries two Thermarest sleeping pads that will fit any hunt. The Neoair® XLite is a versatile, ultralight pad that provides insulation in every season thanks to its 4.5 R-value. For extreme winter conditions, the Neoair® XTherm is three inches thick and provides a 7 R-value. Weighing just a few more ounces than the Neoair® XLite, the Neoair® XTherm has the best warmth-to-weight ratio in its class.
Stone Glacier Chilkoot Sleeping Bags come with a mesh storage sack and a smaller stuff sack. Bags can also be compressed to save space by using a compression sack. In this photo, the Chilkoot 32° Quilt is shown in an SG stuff sack on the right and in a compression sack on the left.
At Stone Glacier, we believe in the systems approach when it comes to choosing gear for a hunt. Our apparel line allows you to customize your kit to match the hunt. This same philosophy applies to our sleeping systems.
Similarly, backpack hunters should also consider the apparel layers they will carry with them as part of their system. Sleeping in base layers, mid-layers, or insulation layers can boost the temperature rating of your system without adding additional weight, meaning you can pack a lighter sleeping bag knowing that you can increase your warmth by wearing layers you already plan to carry with you. For example, sleeping in our Grumman Down Series can add up to 15 degrees of warmth to your sleep system.
The following are general guides for choosing a Chilkoot Sleep System to stay as light as possible while also having the peace of mind that you will be warm and well rested for the hunt ahead.
The Chilkoot 32° Quilt is the best bag for staying ultralight in milder conditions. It's a quilt-style bag that weighs just 16 ounces, making it ideal for backpacking trips. The quilt design allows for more freedom of movement while still keeping you warm, and it’s designed to be extremely versatile. The quilt can be adjusted for the conditions as well as how you sleep. Pair this with the Neoair® XLit pad, and your entire sleep system weighs just a hair over two pounds—or the average weight of one hunting boot.
The Chilkoot 15° is our most versatile bag that excels in most conditions as an ultralight but warm bag. It's filled with 850-fill power down, making it lightweight and compressible. The mummy design ensures maximum warmth retention, and the 15-degree rating makes it suitable for most hunting scenarios. If the forecast calls for temps below 15 degrees, use the Neoair® XTherm pad and wear base layers from the Chinook Merino line.
For the most frigid conditions, we recommend the Chilkoot 0°. This bag is filled with 850-fill power down, making it the warmest bag in our lineup. The mummy design ensures maximum heat retention, and the 0-degree rating makes it suitable for extremely cold conditions. Use it with the Neoair® XTherm pad for maximum insulation from the ground. Wear the Grumman Jacket and Pant at night to lower the temperature rating of your bag even further, making it suitable for the most extreme environments.
At Stone Glacier, we know that some of our customers hunt sheep above timberline, and others chase elk in Arizona during the rut—and sometimes they do both in the same year. That’s why we create versatile, ultralight sleeping bags and systems that keep you warm in any situation.
Feature | Chilkoot 32° Quilt | Chilkoot 15° Bag | Chilkoot 0° Bag |
---|---|---|---|
Weight | 1 lb. 6.6 oz. | 2 lbs. 3 oz. | 2 lbs. 11 oz. |
Insulation | 12 oz. of 850+ Fill Power HyperDRY™ 90/10 Grey Goose Down | 22.4 oz. of 850+ Fill Power HyperDRY™ 90/10 Grey Goose Down | 29.1 oz. of 850+ Fill Power HyperDRY™ 90/10 Grey Goose Down |
Fabric | 15 Denier Pertex® Quantum Shell | 15 Denier Pertex® Quantum Shell | 15 Denier Pertex® Quantum Shell |
Articulated Foot Box | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Neck Baffle System | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Primary Use | Mild conditions | Moderate conditions | Cold conditions |
I was knocking on 40, an age that many place on a pedestal as some pivotal moment in life. How does one stay young and wild at heart? By planning an uncompromising backcountry hunt on the emergence of their perceived mid life crisis. Unpredictable spring weather, rugged mountains, and a raging river were placed on the docket. A souped-up cast and blast; seeking to paddle whitewater in search of bruins in the heart of some truly wild country. This was going to be my way of giving the proverbial middle finger to the Old Man.
]]>Author / Justin Helvik, Avid Outdoorsman
The Old Man’s steel, gray eyes peered inside as he looked to get comfortable. The warrior within me that had driven me for years was tired and battered. An accident, requiring surgery on my foot rendered me crippled for the majority of the previous fall. My tenacity withered as my waistline grew.
In hunting, as in life, we experience the highest mountains and lowest valleys. It wasn’t long ago when I was packing a 380 inch bull elk off of the mountain. Soon after, I was packing two surgical screws in my midfoot. It’s in these valleys where the Old Man will try to stake his claim. It is easy to stay positive when the trail is smooth and the going is good. However, when the path gets rocky, self-doubt, insecurity, and excuses pave the way for complacency and apathy. Something had to change. The wise words of a sage hunting comrade reverberated through my soul, “Don’t let the Old Man in.”
Easier said than done; there is no slowing father time.
I was knocking on 40, an age that many place on a pedestal as some pivotal moment in life. How does one stay young and wild at heart? By planning an uncompromising backcountry hunt on the emergence of their perceived mid life crisis. Unpredictable spring weather, rugged mountains, and a raging river were placed on the docket. A souped-up cast and blast; seeking to paddle whitewater in search of bruins in the heart of some truly wild country. This was going to be my way of giving the proverbial middle finger to the Old Man.
After months of planning and preparation, the crew was whittled down to four adventurers. A young river rat, Matt; a maniacal hunter, Andrew; and a superbly talented content guy (and hunter), Zack. That left me: a hefty, crippled, soon-to-be 40-year-old shell of a man. Unlike the young guns that accompanied me, a family and tenured career factored into my mindfulness. Too often, many hide under the veil of adulthood to avoid exploits that are inherently dangerous. However, it is imperative for one’s spirit to embark on these savage endeavors to keep the old man from manifesting. Without challenges, we lose heart to the mundane cycle of civilization and mediocrity.
The time finally came when the shuttle dropped us off geographically in the middle of nowhere but exactly where the soul yearned for me to be. As we prepped our gear, self doubt converged with confidence at the confluence, creating a river of turbulent emotions. We shoved off the river bank, leaving the facade of acculturation behind us. I could feel the seasoned warrior inside me stir from his long slumber. It didn’t take long before a torrential rapid reached up and slapped me in the face. The warrior, now roused, whispered, “It’s about damn time!”
We floated down the beguiling river dodging massive boulders, dancing with wave trains and eddies. With each turn of the paddle, I became more connected to the river. One moment she would lull me to sleep with a two-step. The next, a ruckus jive would ensue as she would toss me, twirl me, and dip me. A sharp reminder that she was in the lead.
After several river miles we glided into our first camp mid afternoon. Before our drysuits were stripped, Andrew spotted our first pursuable bruin rummaging through the pines and firs. It was game on as we hastily jockeyed for position. After thirty minutes of the bruin playing hide and seek in the timber, an ethical shot materialized. Andrew sent 143 grains across the river and bear one was down. Matt and Andrew retrieved the bear as Zack and I made a dash up a steep finger ridge in hopes of catching another unsuspecting bruin before the moon chased the sun away. No critters caught our eyes, but the craggy country did and summoned a primal emotion buried deep inside of us all. There is a mystique amidst rivers and mountains. We are drawn to these wild places despite the implicit risks they pose. It’s in our DNA. For centuries, we humans have sought them out as we chased angels or fled demons.
The following day we scratched and clawed through dense underbrush up 2,000 feet above the river. The river appeared to be nothing but a small trickle carving its way through the canyon walls. Our team split up so we could cover more country. Matt and I took pursuit of a jet black bear we spotted from down canyon. Patience yielded me an opportunity at the unsuspecting bruin, but I missed. Plain and simple, I came up short. Missing a shot bruises the ego more after working so hard to get that one opportunity. We decided to make our way back to base camp instead of spiking out. After four hours of crossing deadfall, crawling on our hands and knees through thick underbrush, and scaling crumbling, precarious cliffs, we returned to base camp around midnight. Perhaps it was better we couldn’t see exactly what we had just traversed.
The next morning on the eve of my 40th birthday, our hunting comrades returned. Zack had punched his tag on another beautiful bear and then spiked out to avoid navigating the callous terrain in the dark. Next, the crux of the river run laid before us. No time for hunting; as our time and energy was focused on the whitewater ahead. The hydraulics capacious, the holes engulfing; the once-soothing flow was now an angry deluge cascading downstream. One wrong maneuver or picking the wrong line could mean serious consequences. The Old Man checked out as the warrior was now at the helm.
Some lines were smooth and graceful. Others, not the case. One lateral curler caught our boats and flipped us like rag dolls, careening us down the cataract. A yard sale of epic proportions followed as we all tried to swim to safety and salvage our gear. Despite one’s best laid plans, the river often does as she pleases. Upon capsizing I was launched downriver, flailing towards a house-sized boulder. As my head emerged from one hole, the granite pillar was upon me with only a split second to react. I tried to position my feet downstream to absorb the impact but was no match for the surge. Quickly ducking my head, I collided with the rock. The hydraulic pulled me under and like laundry in a spin cycle, the river violently whirled me around. As quick as she pulled me in, she spat me out river right. Somehow my paddle emerged simultaneously, hitting me square in the face. I caught an eddie and escaped the turbulent water. Luckily Matt survived the carnage as he rode the rapid like a bronc rider before helping to gather our astray gear.
This was the moment of truth. My body was tattered along with my confidence. Throwing in the towel or letting self doubt take hold of the psyche would be detrimental at this juncture. Knowing what many considered the most fierce rapids still laid ahead, we had to rally. A strong mind is far more critical than a strong body when it comes to overcoming adversity. Drawing upon past experiences, we were able to conjure the mental fortitude to finish running the remaining rapids relatively unscathed. Having made it to our next camp, there was no time or energy for an evening hunt. We surrendered our exhausted bodies to rest. No birthday cake or candles for me; just a crackling campfire and a freeze dried meal. Fitting for an old soul with a flair for adventure.
It would have been easy to hit snooze and stay in the friendly confines of the nomadic abode. However, the warrior was raring to go. The sleeping giant was awake. This time Zack and I raged up the mountain. In short time we were rewarded with yet another opportunity: a chocolate phase grazing on the ridge across from us. I set up, took aim and…squandered another opportunity. I watched the mature boar lumber over the ridge and out of sight. A battle of emotions waged on internally. Once again, perseverance trumped surrender as we continued our arduous march up the escarpment.
We arrived at our glassing knob and within short time spotted a few brown and black ursids foraging across the landscape. Spotting bears wasn’t the challenge; cutting the distance in this vast, sheer country was another matter. Zack and I would reposition every so often to examine folds and crevices from different angles. Eventually we found a bear within striking distance. The jet black bear had decided to take a siesta behind a large tree. We started a mad dash down the backside of the ridge, closing the expanse, when Zack caught a glimpse of another bear moving through the thicket nearby.
We quickly shifted gears and focused our attention on what appeared to be a solid boar. A short, stealthy stalk brought us within my comfortable rifle range. The .300 WSM barked and within moments we recovered the fallen bruin. The complexity of emotions felt in that moment are difficult to describe. Zack and I took our time as we broke down the bear. We reveled in the moment. The warm, spring sun grew the tranquility within me just as it nurtured the sprouting flora around me. The success of taking a bear was not what defined this hunt. Yes, backstraps and bear grease are satiating, but the reckoning within is what truly defined this voyage. After overcoming failures, pitfalls, and fears, the warrior was once again galvanized.
The next day we floated the final stretch to our takeout. Upon arrival, a sense of melancholy hung in the air. After five days of unadulterated, wild adventure we had to return to civilization. While excited to see my loved ones back home, a part of me is still floating on that wild river and chasing bruins in those enchanting mountains. One thing is for certain, I returned a better man. Perhaps I cannot stave off the gray hairs, but I sure as hell can stop the Old Man from coming in. It’s not his time.
About the Author: Justin Helvik is a fourth generation Montana native who lives for adventure in the outdoors. He and his family live in Bozeman, MT where he is currently an educator. His passions are his family, working with students, and exploring the great unknown.
]]>Pants are a perfect example of this. Although often underappreciated, pants are nonnegotiable necessities on mountain hunts. You may have a good pack, jacket and boots, but if your pants don't fit right or don’t stand up to abuse in the field, you’ll forget all about the rest of your system as you curse your britches.
Pants get put through the ringer more than any piece of apparel, which is exactly why it’s so important to have a great pair; chasing big game requires a lot from our legs. Whether you’re busting brush, crawling through cactus, or picking your way across a 60° scree slope, the right pant will resist abrasion, wick sweat, keep the elements out and move with your body as you close crucial distance on prey.
Like any piece of gear, picking the best hunting pant requires a few considerations. Stone Glacier hunting pants are designed and built around three priorities: fit, function, and lightness. Our pants are designed to excel in rugged backcountry terrain and challenging conditions while fitting perfectly no matter what the weather conditions or your other layers might be.
We broke down our three primary pants below and how best to fit them in your system. As always, feel free to give us a shout at the shop if you have questions.
The 206 Pant is our most minimal pant, made for hot conditions and active hunts. Think run-and-gun hunting for antelope in archery season or hot weather backpack hunts when weight and breathability are key.
The 206 features our most streamlined and athletic fit, leaving almost no excess fabric to create noise from friction or to get caught on branches. The 88% nylon / 12% spandex 4-way stretch fabric is incredibly thin and stretchy without compromising durability. Two simple zippered thigh vents add extra cooling properties, and minimal pockets provide ample storage without impeding your agility. Like all of our pants, the 206 features our Patented Contour Waist™ System to ensure a perfect fit.
Also, because it’s such a lightweight and packable layer, the 206 Pant can work great as an extra layer of insurance on any backpack hunt. If you get caught in the rain and your slacks get soaked, you don’t always have time to let them dry before your next hunt. Having a pair in your backpocket will keep you in the game as your primary pant dries.
As the season progresses and cooler conditions start to creep in, the De Havilland LITE Pant will pick up the baton and hit its stride through the bulk of the midseason.
The De Havilland LITE is our most versatile pant and is designed to perform across the bulk of hunting conditions. This pant’s adaptability and lightweight-yet-durable fabric have helped to make it a customer and staff favorite.
An athletic fit enables mobility and stealth in rugged terrain, but the design also leaves enough room to add layers like the Chinook Merino Bottom and Helio Zip-Off Bottom underneath as temps cool. If you need to hightail it to the ridge, instantly dump heat by venting through the Stratum™ Layered Zipper System. As you add layers and lose (or gain) weight through the season, the Patented Contour Waist™ System gives you instant adaptability to customize the pant’s fit. This system also rides seamlessly under a pack without create bunching or hot spots under a heavy pack.
When rain and flurries turn to persistent snow and ice, enlist the original De Havilland Pant to go to work on your coldest hunts.
The De Havilland Pant was the first pant we built and still holds its own for its ability to bust brush, post-hole through snow and ice, and provide warmth and weather resistance while also allowing instant ventilation during periods of high activity. If you’re going to be burning the boot leather in cold conditions, this pant will meet and exceed your expectations.
The De Havilland and De Havilland LITE pants share the same cut, which allows the wearer to add base layers and mid layer bottoms as needed. The De Havilland Pant also includes our Patented Contour Waist™ System and Stratum™ Layered Zipper System for ultimate adaptability. The De Havilland’s thicker fabric will also provide added thermal value and water resistance to extend your range and performance in frigid conditions.
Feature | 206 Pant | De Havilland Lite Pant | De Havilland Pant |
---|---|---|---|
Weight | 15.4 oz. (L) | 1 lb. 3 oz. (L) | 1 lb. 8 oz. (L) |
Fabric | 88% nylon / 12% spandex 4-way stretch blend | 89% Nylon, 11% Spandex Double Weave | 50% Polyester, 43% Nylon, 7% Spandex |
Durable water repellent treatment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hip Pockets | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Thigh Pockets | 1 right leg zippered pocket | 2 quiet-button cargo pockets | 2 quiet-button cargo pockets |
Ventilation | Two Small Inner Thigh Zips | Two Large Side Zips | Two Large Side Zips |
Knee Pad Compatible | No | Yes | Yes |
Primary Use | Hot conditions | Moderate conditions | Cold conditions |
“That’s when I started to get into the gear,” he remembers. “I started doing these big trips and remember sitting around a campfire with our clients who had nice jackets from Barney’s. I was wet and cold and remember thinking, ‘Holy shit, my gear is heavy.’”
With a pocket full of cash, Kevin returned to town and headed to Barney’s Sports Chalet for a new jacket. He eventually got to know the owner, Bob Hodson, and before he knew it was working part time at the store. Bob became a mentor to Kevin, cultivating the youngster’s passion for hunting and guiding into sporting goods salesmanship. Six years later, Kevin came to a crossroads. It was a fun job, but not necessarily a career.
“I was living check to check and needed to make a decision,” Kevin explains. “I offloaded everything I owned and made an offer to buy the store.”
In 2015, not yet 30 years old, Kevin Dana purchased Barney’s Sports Chalet and has never looked back. Barney’s had been in business for just over 50 years at the time – since 1963. While Dana takes pride in carrying on the small shop’s long-standing traditions, becoming the owner brought new opportunities for him, the business, and its tight knit community of customers. As the owner, Dana was able to begin pursuing his own vision for the store. At the forefront of that vision was expanding the store’s offerings.
The entrance to Barney's Sports Chalet.
When Dana took over, he inherited a unique sporting goods store model: Barney’s had been producing several of the key products it sold under the Frontier Gear of Alaska banner, namely small batch runs of pullovers, pants, and packs. While Dana has kept the iconic Barney’s products alive, he sought to expand his inventory to carry more of the best hunting gear available. Kevin knew firsthand that hunting in Alaska demanded nothing less, and so he began Barney’s first wholesale product integration. First up were the big game packs.
“I didn’t want to take away from one brand or the next, but when you have all those packs you capture everything,” Dana says. “I never wanted to be a one-brand shop. We’re a small store, but you can see every big brand in the hunting industry that’s worth a damn. I just wanted to carry the best gear and let it sell itself.”
As small brick and mortar sporting goods shops like Barney’s continue to decline, Dana has hung the Barney’s hat on offering his customers exceptional gear and customer service, both of which are informed by his and his staff’s real world experience and passion for big game hunting. At the cornerstone of his business model is trust.
The trophy room at Barney's.
“This is why we exist: these guys put their trust in us,” he explains. “It’s one of the biggest things I try to instill in my employees. You can access this stuff anywhere, so why should they buy from us? They have to have confidence in our knowledge, and they have to trust us. It’s all about relationships.”
Hunting in Alaska requires a level of knowledge and preparation that many hunters are not accustomed to. As Kevin says, “Alaska is a place that informs excellence, and you need it here. It’s one of the few places left where it’s truly an adventure.”
Hunters invest tens of thousands of dollars of hard-earned money into Alaskan hunts. Kevin understands that quality gear should be an integral part of those investments, and he approaches his customers with both a knowledge of what’s required and an appreciation for the high cost of these hunts.
“When I talk to hunters who have a trip planned, I start by asking them what they’ve done and what gear they already have,” Kevin says. “Then I can build off that by explaining the things they’re going to want to pay attention to.”
That often means he has intrinsic knowledge of the hunt and the places people are pursuing.
“A lot of times, I’m saying, ‘Man, I’ve been there before. This is what you’re going to need.’”
Kevin also prides himself on the relationships he has built within the Alaskan guide and outfitter community.
“If we don’t get these guys and their clients set up properly, they just won’t do business with us,” Kevin says. “We want them going into the field prepared. We have to take responsibility for their success and safety.”
Kevin particularly likes talking to young hunters – guys not unlike himself as he sat shivering around a campfire in the Alaskan backcountry as a young hunting guide.
“I really enjoy talking to young guys who either don’t think they need technical gear or can’t afford the gear they want,” he adds. “I like dissecting it for them and helping to build their system one piece at a time. Eventually, a light bulb goes off and they come to trust you. That guy might be coming back to Barney’s for the next 20 years.”
Kevin Dana and his family.
Barney’s Sports Chalet proudly carries a full line of Stone Glacier Packs, Apparel, Sleeping Bags, and Gear. Learn more by visiting their website.
]]>We did our best to destroy every inch of these gaiters for three years. From the deserts of Sonora to the peaks of the Chugach, we put them through the wringer. The result of this constant abuse is the burliest, longest-lasting gaiter we’ve ever used. We’re also proud to say the SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are made right here in the USA.
When we designed the SQ2 Alpine Gaiter, we looked at everything wrong with gaiters. Why do they fail, and how do we prevent the failure? In the process, we identified four failure points common to gaiters on the market today.
The first step in building a better gaiter started with sourcing new materials and understanding that one of the biggest problems is the need for a replaceable bootstrap. Then we looked at stress points, high-wear areas, and adjustable calf sizing. With a crew of hard-hunting staff and a big whiteboard, we picked apart every problem and built plans to solve them.
Ultra-high strength Dyneema rope has a breaking strength of 1,600 pounds. For perspective, that's about as much as an adult moose weighs. Dyneema also has the wear resistance of steel, and it’s just as tough to cut. You’re going to subject bootstraps to the same abuse your boots experience, and Dyneema proved to be the most durable and flexible material we sourced for the SQ2 bootstrap.
Moving parts, especially under strain, are weak, so we eliminated buckles using pins. We incorporated a pinless buckle in the SQ2, and when combined with the Dyneema bootstrap, produced the Contrail Bootstrap system. In the unlikely event that you will ever have to replace it, the Contrail Bootstrap is entirely replaceable.
A common failure point on any gaiter is where the bootstrap connects to the gaiter on the instep. To spread the tension, we designed a “V” webbing attachment that distributes the pressure across more of the gaiter’s area. In addition, we moved the bar tacks away from the high-wear area of the instep to reduce the likelihood of wearing out the webbing.
We know hunters aren’t cast from the same mold. Some have calves the size of baseball bats, others the size of footballs. That’s why we incorporated a Velcro adjustment design that allows our SQ2 Gaiters to adjust to the exact size of every calf. Once properly fitted, the gaiter has a nylon webbing strap with integrated elastic, which provides constant tension, keeping the gaiter in place while keeping snow and debris out. The adjustable Velcro design allows you to adjust the gaiter size based on the number of layers you wear for the hunt.
Rounding out the SQ2 is a waterproof, breathable upper with an incredibly abrasion-resistant lower. The uppers feature HydraShield® RS, which is part of our proprietary line of waterproof/breathable textiles. The RS stands for rip-stop, and we use it in high-wear pieces like SQ2. The lower is built from X-Pac material, which is waterproof and insanely durable.
We mean it when we say you’ll likely never buy another gaiter. From the replaceable Contrail Bootstrap to the rugged uppers and lowers, the American-made SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are built for decades of backcountry abuse.
]]>
Author / Justin Helvik, Avid Outdoorsman
The Cirque Jacket, the origin of the Cirque insulation family, was created to meet the demands of the backcountry hunter who needed a jack of all trades jacket to tackle anything Mother Nature could throw at it. It quickly became a bestseller and for good reason.
The benefits of synthetic insulation are clear: providing warmth, breathability, and weather resistance in one complete package. The Cirque Jacket’s 133 g/m2 PrimaLoft® Gold insulation has the most robust insulation in the Cirque family, making it suitable for mid-to-late season conditions. The integrated pit zips allow you to vent those hot spots and keep your jacket on during high-exertion activities. It can serve as a standalone or as a layer underneath a hardshell when the weather turns nasty. Its warmth and versatility make it a critical mid-to-late season piece of gear.
While the original Cirque Jacket serves the needs of many hunters, the Stone Glacier team saw a need for other synthetic options to help ensure the backcountry hunter was prepared for every situation in any environment. The Cirque family tree has grown, and hunters stand to benefit from it.
For the hunter who wants to keep their core warm while enjoying true freedom of movement and ventilation, enter the Cirque Vest. Using the same synthetic insulation fill as the Cirque Jacket (133 g/m2 of PrimaLoft® Gold synthetic insulation), the vest fills a niche for hunters who appreciate the simple functionality of a vest. What sets it apart from most other hunting vests on the market is its integrated hood. At first glance, the hood may seem out of place, but experiencing this vest’s functionality in the field will win over any skeptic.
Hoods add significant warmth and protection to any apparel. Combining the warmth and weather protection of a hood with the breathability and mobility of a vest allows hunters to tackle variable conditions comfortably and without having to layer as often. Wearing the Cirque Vest over a mid-layer or even a base layer creates a perfect setup for those cool, early season mornings. In colder temperatures, place the Cirque Vest under a puffy piece to really stave off the chill. When layering up, there are only so many layers a guy can place on their arms. This holds especially true for the archery hunter; too much bulk on your forearms can interfere with your bowstring as you let the arrow fly. The Cirque Vest adds true warmth and protection while allowing the freedom of movement the backcountry hunter needs.
Looking for a jacket that you can wear any time of year and use in any climate? The Cirque LITE Jacket is essentially the love child of the Cirque Jacket and the Helio Hoody. This hybrid jacket strikes the perfect balance of warmth and breathability. It is the ideal jacket for the active hunter. The Cirque LITE is body-mapped, allowing heat and perspiration to escape hot spots. The side panels feature a microgrid fleece (think Helio Series), maximizing ventilation and breathability in these key areas. The remainder of the Cirque LITE uses PrimaLoft® Gold 60g/m2 synthetic insulation to add just enough insulation to keep you warm during active pursuits on cold days or act as a stand alone jacket in the early season. The LITE’s insulation is about 45% of its predecessor, the Cirque Jacket, melding the perfect balance of breathability and warmth.
The LITE is cut and sized perfectly to serve as a mid-layer insulation piece as well. Without all of the fluff, it fits perfectly under a Grumman Down Jacket, Cirque Jacket, and the M5 or M7 jackets to keep you warm and dry. The Cirque LITE Jacket shines in any season and in any environment, making it one of the most dynamic pieces we offer.
The entire Cirque family of synthetic insulation is built to handle the elements in any environment. The PrimaLoft® Gold insulation breathes extremely well and holds up in wet conditions. All Cirque pieces feature an articulated, adjustable hood – a true life saver – drastically increasing warmth and protection against the elements without impeding peripheral vision. In addition, all members of the Cirque family feature internal pockets, perfect for stashing gloves to dry out or items that need to be kept warm by placing them next to your core (think electronics, snacks, etc.). All of the Cirque pieces also feature a 15 Denier weather-resistant Pertex® face fabric, allowing them to hold up to light moisture and resist abrasion.
No matter the location or situation, there is a Cirque piece for your hunt.
About the Author: Justin Helvik is a high school principal, avid outdoorsman, mountaineer, and trail runner. Justin live in Bozeman, MT with his family.
Growing up hunting in Montana winters meant being cold. We would hike and trudge until we were too wet and cold to go any farther. That’s when the requisite mountainside fire would start to crackle. It was an endless cycle of hiking from one pine tree fire to the next in 50-year-old, olive drab, military surplus “woolies” bought at the Rescue Mission.
Those woolies were the technical pant of the day. I remember walking into the hardware store and seeing some plaid overall woolies on display and thinking “Now, those would be practical and stylish.” The reality was that they were only slightly warmer than the buckskins that hunters 100 years prior had used. Technical? Yeah, I mean they had belt loops and pockets, what more do you want? Quiet? Yup. Insulating? A little. Waterproof? Decidedly not. Great at collecting large snowballs? You bet!
Fast forward to 2022 A.D. For the past three seasons, I have practically lived in my Stone Glacier (SG) De Havilland LITE Pant, and they have yet to fail. With the abundant snow this year, however, I gravitated to the more robust M7 Series. While I had sporadically used them in the past, I finally committed some serious time to wearing them. They now rank at the absolute top when it comes to winter pants.
What sets the M7 Series apart?
Bomproof Shell – Let’s get this part out of the way first. Winter pants should seal out the elements, full stop. With the materials and technology we have at our disposal, there is no need to compromise on warmth vs. weather protection when speaking of a devoted cold-weather pant. The M7s have you covered. A HydraShield™ textile blocks snow from entering while allowing sweat vapor to escape, keeping you dry from the inside out.
Versatile weather protection – I was mountain goat hunting in late September with my father-in-law at 11k feet in 15- to 40-degree weather where sun, wind, rain, sleet, and snow were all factors. The M7s were versatile in every situation. Sunny and warm: run that ¾ zip down and dump heat. Moisture coming from any direction: not an issue with the HydraShield holding it at bay. I stayed dry and warm or cool and ventilated as needed through 10 days of mountain weather swings.
Accessory pockets – November found me chasing mule deer with temps in the negative teens on days that never found a positive digit. Unlike their cousin the M5, the M7s are not a zip-on, zip-off garment; they are meant to be a “stay on” pant. As such, they are equipped with oversized pockets and storage that come in clutch in these frigid scenarios when removing your gloves to rifle through your pack to find something is a painful proposition. Easy access to necessities in your pockets and careful placement of the pockets is a huge plus.
Fleece backer – By Thanksgiving weekend, the temps had risen slightly but the chill was still present. Highs in the 20s and strong wind were constant, making hikes and tree stand sits less than appealing. When mobile, I gravitated towards a simple merino (Chinook) base layer and the M7s. When sitting in the stand waiting on whiteys, I sported a thicker fleece (Helio) mid layer and the M7s. I was comfortable in either scenario. The level of heat provided by that small layer of fleece in the M7s is astounding.
*Bonus: Durability – From September through December, the whole gambit of terrain and ground materials were encountered. Scree fields and shale above tree line, cacti and mud in the prairies, and deadfall for days on end in the mountains. I truly put my M7s through the ringer and they performed admirably in every environment.
About the author: Isaac Orth is a born-and-raised Montanan who resides in Billings with his wife and four boys. In his free time he chases any critter that's in season.
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