Stone Glacier SKY 5900 Review
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
If you haven’t already tried a frame pack you should! Frame packs have changed the game when it comes to carrying heavy loads in & out of the the bush.
I bought this Stone Glacier Sky 5900 last year when they were finally available from a retailer in Australia. I’d wanted to try one for a long time & when Mansfield Hunting & Fishing got their hands on them I raced in store to put one on. The team got me to try two types of frames & I settled on the Xcurve which felt better loaded up. They helped fit the pack to the frame and adjusted it roughly for my torso shape, a couple of minor tweaks when loaded for a hunt was all that was needed for comfort. This service was exactly what I was waiting for before purchasing.
Pros
Size - I carry a lot of gear when photographing a hunt & even more when hunting for myself, so it’s important to have a pack that can fit it all in.
Comfort - it’s surprisingly comfortable to carry when the pack is loaded heavy & correctly fitted.
External meat shelf - keeps the inside of the pack clean when successful on a hunt.
Surprisingly water resistant - the first time I used this pack it rained quite heavily for the walk out. My rain cover was packed deep in the bag & instead of stopping to get it out, I risked wet gear (after all we were going home & didn’t need dry hunting gear). After 4 hours of intermittent rain we got back to the car & the inside of the bag was dry. I wouldn’t bank on this fact on future hunts but it was nice to get this level of field testing done early!
Cons
Comfort - because it’s comfortable to carry, there is a tendency to pack things you may not necessarily need on a hunt!
Accessories - its great to have a pack that can be customised to your needs but in saying that, there are accessories galore & you can get overwhelmed with choice. I went for the basics first, you can always add more as you require.
Frame not included - you need to purchase a frame for the pack. You can fit the different size packs to that same frame so you only need to buy once.
Overall
I absolutely love this pack, it’s perfect for what I need & hasn’t let me down. I haven’t once regretted purchasing it. I like the accessibility of the front zip which allows regularly accessed items to be found without rummaging through the main pack compartment & how comfortable it is when loaded heavy.
Where to get it
If you’re looking for Stone Glacier gear in Australia Mansfield Hunting and Fishing has everything you need. The gear is popular and often sells out but touch base with the team there if you have any gear requirements. You’ll find all the details you need about this bag on their website.
My set up
Frame - Xcurve
Extras - regular accessory pocket, quick release rifle sling, hydro holster, camp pocket x2, rain cover, load cell dry bag