Stone Glacier Col 4800 vs Stone Glacier Terminus 7000
Quick take: The Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 carries more (115 vs 79 liters); the Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 is lighter (3.94 vs 4.44 lbs).
Which one to buy
How your meat comes home sorts these two $699 Stone Glacier packs. The Terminus 7000 sews its bag to a fixed 26 in carbon-stay frame and carries meat in a 2,200 ci internal load cell that holds boned-out meat against the frame, with drain holes so blood doesn't pool. That works well for sheep, goats and deer, but Stone Glacier itself points bone-in elk quarters to its modular frames. The Col 4800 rides one of those frames, the Krux or Xcurve, with a 2,500+ ci expandable shelf that sandwiches quarters between bag and frame.
The Terminus is the expedition pack. It holds 115 L with its lid and weighs 3 lb 15 oz, half a pound under the Col on its lighter Krux frame while carrying 36 L more. Its ULTRA and X-Pac fabrics are waterproof, and owners report dropping their rain covers. They rate its denser hip-belt and shoulder foam above Stone Glacier's standard Krux suspension, and one says it carries 70-120 lb better than any previous Stone Glacier pack he's owned. The catches: the bag can't be swapped, fit comes only from the yoke and belt size on a single frame height, and there's no hydration sleeve, which owners name as their most-repeated request.
The Col is the more flexible all-rounder for 3-5 day hunts. Its harness adjusts continuously, a Krux Short frame covers shorter torsos, and Stone Glacier says the Xcurve adds extra vertical adjustment for shorter torsos. Owners also call roughly 5,000 ci the sweet spot for day hunts through five-day trips. Its limits are no lid option at all and an internal-only spotter pocket reached through the 3/4 zip, plus extras like hipbelt pockets and a hydration sleeve that cost more. The Terminus is lighter and roomier, but the Col is the one that adapts to your body and to whatever kind of meat comes home.
Stone Glacier Col 4800
For elk hunters who expect bone-in quarters, and for anyone who needs torso adjustment or a shorter frame.
Stone Glacier Terminus 7000
Right for sheep, goat and fly-in hunters who bone out meat, want 115 L at under 4 lbs, and fit a 26 in frame.
| Spec | Stone Glacier Col 4800 | Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699 | $699 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 79 L | 115 L |
| Weight | 4 lb 7 oz (Krux) / 4 lb 11 oz (Xcurve), complete with medium belt | 3 lb 15 oz |
| Max Load | 150+ lbs | 150+ lbs |
| Torso Fit | Hook-and-loop harness with continuous height and angle adjustment; S/M/L belts (28"-37"+); Krux Short frame option for shorter torsos | 26 in fixed frame with adjustable shoulder yoke; belts S (28-30 in), M (31-36 in), L (37+ in) |
| Material | 500D Cordura + X-Pac laminate, YKK #10 zippers, 1" Duraflex military-spec hardware, made in USA | SG ULTRA (UHMWPE/Challenge Sailcloth laminate) main bag + X-Pac frame and suspension |
| Back Panel | Foam-padded carbon-stay frame panel (Krux or Xcurve frame) with nitrogen-infused foam harness | Foam-padded X-Pac panel over 4 straight carbon-composite stays (bag sewn directly to frame) |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | Yes |
| Hydration sleeve | No | No |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | Lifetime against defects in materials and workmanship (excludes normal wear and tear, accidents, misuse and negligence) |
Pros & cons
Stone Glacier Col 4800
- ✓Fills the gap owners begged for between the Solo 3600 and Sky 5900 — owners of both call roughly 5,000 ci the sweet spot for everything from day hunts to 5-day backcountry trips, and several say they'd have skipped the 5900 had the Col existed.
- ✓Solves the Solo's single biggest complaint: dual front pockets plus an external side stuff pocket give real organization, and Solo upgraders specifically praise having a dedicated spot for a bugle tube or Nalgene instead of one overstuffed pocket.
- ✓Internal spotting-scope pocket plus tri-slide attachment points for Swing-Out and Camp Pockets let you build out the interior — a modularity approach closer to Kifaru's without the weight penalty.
- ✓Complete system is only 4 lb 7 oz on the Krux frame yet keeps the full 150+ lb load rating and 2,500+ ci expandable load shelf shared with Stone Glacier's biggest expedition bags.
- ✓Thoughtful weight distribution for carrying a rifle or bow alongside a tripod and spotter — the layout was designed around glassing-heavy Western hunts rather than adapted from a backpacking bag.
- ✓500D Cordura and X-Pac construction with YKK #10 zippers and Duraflex hardware, sewn in Bozeman, MT with a lifetime defect warranty — the same materials story that wins Stone Glacier cross-shopping against Mystery Ranch and Kuiu.
- ✓4.9/5 across owner reviews on stoneglacier.com, and field reports from elk-hunting owners rate it more practical than the 3600 for multi-day use.
- ✓Same $699 price whether you choose the lighter Krux frame or the load-focused Xcurve, so you can match the frame to your typical pack weights instead of paying for an upgrade.
- ✗Not compatible with the Sky Series Lid at all — unlike the Sky 5900/6900 there is no lid option, which caps flexible overflow storage on longer trips.
- ✗One owner's detailed review returned the pack over limited top-end compression and awkward antler/rack attachment — lashing a rack to the top costs you even more compression, a task the Sky bags handle better.
- ✗The spotting-scope pocket is internal-only with no external zipper access, so unlike the Sky Archer 6400 you have to open the 3/4 main zip to grab your spotter.
- ✗Still no stretch side pockets for a Nalgene or trekking poles — a common Stone Glacier gripe among owners applies here despite the added stuff pocket.
- ✗Hipbelt pockets, hydration sleeve, and interior organizer pockets are all sold separately, so a fully built-out Col runs well past the $699 sticker.
- ✗3/4 zip access falls short of the Sky 5900's full front-panel zip for digging out gear at the bottom of a loaded bag.
- ✗Released in 2023, so it has a fraction of the long-term track record (and only 19 site reviews) compared to the hundreds behind the Sky Talus 6900 and Sky 5900.
- ✗At $699 complete it costs meaningfully more than a Mystery Ranch Metcalf or Exo K4 4800 system on sale, and the frame-plus-bag price advantage only materializes if you later swap bags on the same frame.
Stone Glacier Terminus 7000
- ✓Class-leading weight-to-volume: 7,000 cubic inches at 3 lb 15 oz is roughly one to two pounds lighter than comparable Kifaru or Exo bag-plus-frame combos, which is exactly why owners cross-shop it against packs they already love.
- ✓The 150+ lb load rating holds up in the field — one owner reports 55 lb carried 'quite comfortably' and 85 lb training loads with no squeaking or torquing, while another says it carries 70-120 lb better than any previous Stone Glacier pack he's owned.
- ✓SG ULTRA fabric (UHMWPE blended with high-tenacity polyester, 15x stronger than steel by weight) posts abrasion numbers well above SG's older Cordura/X-Pac builds — GearJunkie concluded it 'will likely last longer than most hunters.'
- ✓The 2,200 ci internal load cell puts boned-out meat directly against the frame and close to your center of gravity, with two drain holes so blood never pools inside the bag.
- ✓Waterproof ULTRA and X-Pac fabrics mean owners report ditching their rain covers entirely, and the fabric is quieter than expected — 'not loud or crinkly' per Terminus owners.
- ✓Denser hip-belt and shoulder-strap foam than SG's standard suspension — multiple owners call it more comfortable under load than the Krux frame, approaching Xcurve comfort.
- ✓Compresses to 4,300 ci in bivy mode, so one pack covers training hikes, day hunts, and 10-day expeditions — several owners run it as their only pack for a full sheep season.
- ✓Made in the USA with a 30-inch side-zip access panel, internal spotting scope pocket, Power Pull belt closure, YKK #10 zippers, and mil-spec Duraflex hardware.
- ✗No hydration sleeve or dedicated bladder hanger — the most-repeated owner request is 'I wish it had a sleeve inside for a water bladder.'
- ✗The bag is sewn to the frame, so unlike SG's Krux EVO/Xcurve system you can't swap to a different bag — Stone Glacier itself points bone-in meat haulers to those modular frames instead.
- ✗The internal load cell is sized for boned-out meat of medium game; bone-in elk quarters ride better on a true load-shelf frame like the Xcurve or a Kifaru duplex.
- ✗$699 is premium money — more than an SG Krux frame plus day bag, and GearJunkie flagged the price as the main deterrent for hunters without a once-in-a-lifetime tag.
- ✗Significant learning curve: GearJunkie's testers needed real time with the many straps and buckles before it was field-ready.
- ✗No dedicated quick-access rifle carry — owners lash rifles to the compression straps and were still waiting on SG's promised sling solution.
- ✗Fixed 26-inch frame sized only by waist belt: one owner who couldn't run SG's straight-stay Krux says the Terminus fits 'ok' but 'not quite the XCurve' for his back.
- ✗Volume anxiety on long trips: with the 2,200 ci load cell full of meat only 4,800 ci remains for gear, and owners actively debate whether that's enough for a 10-day sheep hunt.
Stone Glacier Col 4800 vs Stone Glacier Terminus 7000: common questions
Can the Terminus 7000 haul bone-in elk quarters like the Col 4800?▾
Not as well. Its internal load cell is built for boned-out meat, and Stone Glacier itself steers bone-in elk quarters to the modular Krux or Xcurve frames. The Col rides those frames and sandwiches quarters on its expandable shelf.
Will the Terminus 7000 fit me if the frame is fixed?▾
It has one 26 in frame, so fit comes from the shoulder yoke and belt size. Most hunters dial it in, though one owner who couldn't get along with the straight-stay Krux said the Terminus fits only okay. The Col offers a continuously adjustable harness and a Krux Short frame option.
Is the Terminus 7000 worth it for the waterproof fabric?▾
If you hunt wet country, it helps: its ULTRA and X-Pac fabrics are waterproof and owners report leaving rain covers at home. The Col uses 500D Cordura with X-Pac laminate and comes without a rain cover, so plan your own wet-weather protection.