Stone Glacier Sky 5900 vs Stone Glacier Terminus 7000
Quick take: The Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 costs $26 less; the Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 carries more (115 vs 96 liters); the Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 is lighter (3.94 vs 5.09 lbs).
Which one to buy
The Terminus 7000 is the rare upgrade that costs less: $26 cheaper than the Sky 5900, about 1.15 lbs lighter (against the Sky on its Krux frame), and 19 L bigger. Both are rated for 150+ lb and both cinch to about 4,300 ci in bivy mode for day hunts. So why would anyone buy the Sky? Because of how each carries meat and how each fits.
The Sky 5900's bag separates from its Xcurve frame to open a 2,500+ ci load shelf, so bone-in quarters ride between bag and frame and stay off your camp gear. A GearJunkie test with 110+ lb elk loads backs the rating, and several owners agree. The Terminus sews its bag to the frame and uses a 2,200 ci internal load cell that holds boned-out meat against the stays, with drain holes so blood doesn't pool. That works well for sheep, goats and deer, and Stone Glacier itself points bone-in elk hunters to its modular frames. If elk is your main hunt, that settles it.
Fit is the second split. The Terminus has one 26 in frame with straight stays, fitted by the yoke and belt size. One owner who couldn't wear Stone Glacier's straight-stay Krux found the Terminus only okay, not quite as good as the curved Xcurve. The Sky 5900 comes on either the curved Xcurve, whose straps Stone Glacier says add vertical adjustment for shorter torsos, or the straight-stay Krux that flat-backed hunters often prefer, with a 23 in Krux Short as well.
The Terminus wins on weather. Its ULTRA and X-Pac fabrics are waterproof and owners report leaving rain covers home, while Sky 5900 owners say its Cordura and X-Pac shed weather but its unsealed seams send them to liners or dry bags in sustained rain. Terminus owners also rate its denser belt and shoulder foam above Stone Glacier's standard Krux suspension. Neither has a hydration sleeve, and Terminus owners call that their most-repeated request.
Stone Glacier Sky 5900
For elk hunters packing out bone-in quarters, and for hunters who want a curved Xcurve fit or the option of a Krux frame.
Stone Glacier Terminus 7000
The better fit for sheep, goat and fly-in hunters who bone out meat, hunt wet country, and want the most volume for the least weight.
| Spec | Stone Glacier Sky 5900 | Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $725 | $699 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 96 L | 115 L |
| Weight | 5 lb 1.4 oz (Krux) / 5 lb 4.5 oz (Xcurve), complete with medium belt | 3 lb 15 oz |
| Max Load | 150+ lbs | 150+ lbs |
| Torso Fit | Hook-and-loop micro-adjustable yoke on a 26 in frame (23 in Krux Short available); Xcurve straps add vertical adjustment for shorter torsos; belts S 28-30, M 31-36, L 37+ in | 26 in fixed frame with adjustable shoulder yoke; belts S (28-30 in), M (31-36 in), L (37+ in) |
| Material | CORDURA 500 and X-Pac laminate, YKK #10 zippers, Duraflex hardware; made in USA | SG ULTRA (UHMWPE/Challenge Sailcloth laminate) main bag + X-Pac frame and suspension |
| Back Panel | Xcurve carbon-stay frame with curved profile, adjustable lumbar pad, and integrated fold-out load shelf | 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 | Yes | 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 Sky 5900
- ✓The 150+ lb load rating is real-world verified — GearJunkie packed 110+ lb elk loads and said it 'carries like a dream with heavy weight', a claim several owners back up.
- ✓Bivy-mode compression is the party trick owners cite most often: the bag cinches from 5,900 ci with the lid to 4,300 ci with 'zero wiggle', so it genuinely replaces a day pack.
- ✓The fold-out load shelf adds 2,500+ ci between bag and frame (8,000 ci total), keeping bloody quarters off your camp gear entirely.
- ✓Full front-panel horseshoe zipper gives duffel-style access to the main bag — a major livability win over roll-top-only rivals like the Kifaru 357 Mag.
- ✓The 22-inch vertical front pocket swallows a full-size spotting scope, and glassing-heavy hunters call it the best stock optics solution in the category.
- ✓At 5 lb 1.4 oz complete on the Krux (2 lb 4.2 oz bag), it undercuts most 150 lb-class haulers — one common owner summary is 'lighter than the competition but extremely tough'.
- ✓Stone Glacier's fast shipping and lifetime defect warranty draw consistent praise from owners.
- ✓Hook-and-loop harness micro-adjustment lets you fine-tune torso length continuously instead of in fixed half-inch steps.
- ✗Hipbelt pockets cost extra, and owners say Stone Glacier's accessory hip pockets run small and 'fight back' when zipping them mildly full.
- ✗Organization is deliberately minimalist — one big cavity plus a few externals — so hunters coming from pocket-rich Mystery Ranch designs face a packing-cube learning curve.
- ✗The Sky Lid is the most common gripe in reviews: floppy when open and fiddly to reattach, with GearJunkie calling it the only thing they 'don't really love'.
- ✗$725 before add-ons (lid pockets, hip pockets, rifle sling) — real-world builds push $800, roughly $200 over a complete Metcalf 75.
- ✗The 5,400 ci main bag is 'just barely big enough' for cold-weather multi-day hunts; several owners steer week-plus trips to the Sky Guide 7900.
- ✗The Xcurve's pronounced curve suits some backs better than others, and flat-backed hunters often prefer the straight-stay Krux, so remote fit selection is a gamble.
- ✗Stone Glacier's rifle-carry solution trails Kifaru's Gun Bearer in reviewer preference, so many owners bolt on third-party weapon carry.
- ✗Dropping the bag to deploy the load shelf means unbuckling and re-tensioning straps — slower meat-mode transitions than Exo's flap-style shelf.
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 Sky 5900 vs Stone Glacier Terminus 7000: common questions
Why buy the Sky 5900 when the Terminus 7000 is lighter, bigger and cheaper?▾
For bone-in meat and fit. The Sky's load shelf carries quarters between bag and frame, while Stone Glacier sends bone-in elk hunters away from the Terminus to its modular frames. The Sky also comes on the curved Xcurve, which some backs need.
Does the Terminus 7000 need a rain cover like the Sky 5900?▾
Terminus owners say no: its ULTRA and X-Pac fabrics are waterproof and they leave covers at home. Sky 5900 owners say its fabric sheds weather but its seams aren't sealed, so they use a liner or dry bags in sustained rain.
Can both packs work as a day pack?▾
Yes. Both cinch to about 4,300 ci in bivy mode, and Sky 5900 owners describe its compression as having no wiggle. That's why so many Sky 5900 owners run it as their only pack, and the Terminus compresses to the same day size.