Eberlestock X2 vs Stone Glacier Avail 2200
Quick take: The Stone Glacier Avail 2200 costs $9 less; the Eberlestock X2 carries more (40 vs 36 liters); the Stone Glacier Avail 2200 is lighter (3.05 vs 5.5 lbs).
| Spec | Eberlestock X2 | Stone Glacier Avail 2200 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329 | $320 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (82) | 4.9★ (221) |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 40 L | 36 L |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs | 3 lb 0.8 oz |
| Max Load | Not rated (~80 lb practical) | ~40 lb day loads (no official rating) |
| Torso Fit | One size with adjustable shoulder harness; fits short-to-average torsos best | One size; fixed Avail suspension with adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt |
| Material | Microsuede-face nylon (Dry Earth/Loden); Multicam version in IR-compliant 500D CORDURA | 500D Cordura + X-Pac |
| Back Panel | Integrated Intex aluminum frame with FlexChassis fold-down seat and padded foam back panel | Foam-padded back with internal frame and dedicated Avail suspension |
| Adjustable torso | No | No |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | Eberlestock Lifetime Warranty | Lifetime against defects in materials and workmanship (tears/punctures excluded) |
Pros & cons
Eberlestock X2
- ✓Rokslide users call it 'bomber' and a fantastic pack for the money — one owner packed out 12 animals over 3 seasons and reported the bag itself never faltered.
- ✓The brushed microsuede exterior is genuinely brush-quiet, a hallmark Eberlestock trait that still-hunters prefer over the crinkly laminate fabrics on modern ultralight packs.
- ✓MOLLE on the body, sides and bottom accepts Eberlestock's Bolt Action Scabbard for fully enclosed rifle carry — a system no mainstream competitor (Kuiu, Exo, Mystery Ranch) offers.
- ✓The integrated Intex aluminum frame plus oversized compression straps will genuinely move an elk quarter — Hunt Talk posters rank it among the few real meat-hauling day packs.
- ✓The V2 adds a FlexChassis fold-down seat, so glassing sits on wet or snowy ground no longer require a separate pad.
- ✓It holds a 4.84-star average across 82 verified owner reviews on Eberlestock's site — 90% of them five-star.
- ✓Owners consistently praise the organization: dedicated compartments, zippered stretch pockets, elastic side pockets and interior MOLLE keep day gear sorted without pouches.
- ✓At $329 with a lifetime warranty and 15% military/LEO discount, it costs roughly half of a Kuiu ICON 6 or Mystery Ranch Pop Up 40 setup.
- ✗No load lifters — Rokslide reviewers report the shoulders bear nearly all the weight once meat goes on, unlike hip-loading frames from Exo or Stone Glacier.
- ✗The waist belt is widely called 'marginal'; one Rokslide owner said the frame 'needs to be about 6 inches longer so you can actually use the waist belt for its intended purpose.'
- ✗One-size suspension with no torso-length adjustment means taller hunters routinely report a poor fit — forum consensus is it suits shorter torsos best.
- ✗At 5.5 lbs for 40 liters it's heavier per liter than nearly everything in its class — Kuiu's complete 98 L ICON 6 6000 frame kit weighs only 10 oz more.
- ✗The frame bar is known to squeak under load; the accepted owner fix is wrapping it in moleskin.
- ✗Owners who pushed 100 lbs of elk meat through it say it 'gets the job done' but is genuinely uncomfortable versus a dedicated external frame hauler.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets, no rain cover and no removable lid — the feature set trails similarly priced modern day packs.
- ✗The microsuede face fabric absorbs water in sustained rain and dries slowly, adding carry weight on multi-day wet-weather hunts.
Stone Glacier Avail 2200
- ✓The most-reviewed pack Stone Glacier sells — 4.9 stars across 221 on-site reviews — and even Rokslide owners who ultimately sold theirs concede it is 'VERY well built' with no durability complaints.
- ✓Genuinely multi-sport: internal organization sized for a spotting scope or avalanche probe and shovel, ice-tool attachments, and A-frame or cross ski carry make it one pack for hunting, skiing, and climbing — GearJunkie's tester used it for everything from shed hunting to glacier hikes.
- ✓TSA carry-on dimensions (20.5 x 12 x 8 in) plus a slim laptop-friendly front pocket — many owners run it as their daily commuter and travel bag between seasons.
- ✓The external compression panel swallows a shed layer, rain shell, or tripod in seconds without opening the main bag.
- ✓The bag detaches from its suspension and mates to SG's Krux/Xcurve frames — one Rokslide elk hunter runs his on a Krux so a day hunt can end with a meat haul instead of a second trip.
- ✓500D Cordura and X-Pac with YKK #10 zippers is a far burlier fabric package than mainstream day packs like Osprey Talons at a similar weight.
- ✓At $320 it undercuts comparable Kifaru and Mystery Ranch day packs while being made in the USA.
- ✓Five-pocket organization is enough for most day hunters — an Iowa saddle hunter reported plenty of room and good organization for all-day whitetail sits.
- ✗No external water-bottle pockets — the single most repeated complaint on GearJunkie, Rokslide, and Archery Talk; there is no way to securely stash a Nalgene outside the bag.
- ✗Hydration is 'compatible' only — the Hydro Sleeve is sold separately, and several owners actively dislike SG's Hydro Holster bottle solution.
- ✗One-size suspension with no torso-length adjustment, unlike SG's frame packs — fit is take-it-or-leave-it for very short or tall hunters.
- ✗No load shelf or meat-hauling ability standalone — packing out even a deer means buying a $399 Krux frame or making a second trip.
- ✗Eastern treestand hunters found it awkward next to an Exo K3 1800, whose drop-bag frame carries a stand and sticks — more than one Rokslide whitetail hunter switched away for that reason.
- ✗Cordura and zipper noise is noticeable in quiet late-season settings — a saddle hunter noted getting gear out is 'a little noisy' without care.
- ✗36 L is 'barely big enough' as a do-everything pack per Rokslide owners, several of whom wished they had bought the 52 L Kiowa 3200 instead.
- ✗Kuiu's Venture 2300 regularly undercuts it on sale (~$160) with better bow and stick carry features, making the Avail a harder value case for archery hunters.