Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400 vs Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900
Quick take: The Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900 carries more (113 vs 105 liters); the Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400 is lighter (5.18 vs 5.29 lbs).
Which one to buy
Stone Glacier's two big Sky bags share a $750 price, the Krux or Xcurve frame, a 150+ lb rating and a 2,500+ ci load shelf, and their complete weights sit 1.8 oz apart. They differ in one idea each: the Sky Archer 6400 is built around reaching your gear with a bow strapped to the front, and the Sky Talus 6900 is built around pockets.
The Archer's 26 in side zipper gives full access to the bag while the bow stays strapped down, and owners who came from the Talus say it ends the unpack-your-bow routine. It holds 105 L with the lid and compresses to about 4,000 ci for day hunts. It has limits: rifle hunters gain nothing from the side zip, owners note the access and internal spotter pocket get tight when the bag is stuffed full, and its PFAS-treated fabric means Stone Glacier can't ship it to California or New York.
The Talus is the generalist and the best seller. It holds 113 L, compresses to 4,750 ci, and its four external side pockets are the best organization in the Stone Glacier line, though one owner found them too short for a full-size spotter. A long-term owner found it comfortable from 20 lb day loads to 80+ lb hauls with the weight kept on the hips. The trade-offs are a real learning curve with the straps, a hip belt that's hard to snug under load until you add power pulls, and lower side pockets too shallow to hold a Nalgene securely.
The sticker isn't the final price on either: hydration sleeves, belt pockets and organizers push either build to around $850. For a rifle hunter, or anyone who values pockets over bow access, the Talus is the better pack.
Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400
For backcountry bowhunters who want to get into the bag without unstrapping the bow, and who live where Stone Glacier can ship it.
Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900
Best for rifle hunters and anyone who wants one Stone Glacier pack with the most organization, from day hunts to long Alaska trips.
| Spec | Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400 | Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $750 | $750 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 105 L | 113 L |
| Weight | 5 lb 2.8 oz (Krux) / 5 lb 6.8 oz (Xcurve), complete with medium belt | 5 lb 4.6 oz (Krux) / 5 lb 8.6 oz (Xcurve), complete with medium belt |
| 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 | Hook-and-loop harness with continuous height and angle adjustment; S/M/L belts (28"-37"+); Krux Short frame option for shorter torsos |
| Material | 500D Cordura + X-Pac laminate, YKK #10 Aquaguard zippers, 1" Duraflex military-spec hardware, made in USA | 500D Cordura + X-Pac laminate, YKK #10 zippers, 1" Duraflex military-spec hardware, made in USA |
| Back Panel | Foam-padded carbon-stay frame panel (Krux or Xcurve frame) with nitrogen-infused foam harness | Foam-padded carbon-stay frame panel (Krux or Xcurve frame) with nitrogen-infused foam harness |
| 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 warranty against defects in materials and workmanship |
Pros & cons
Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400
- ✓The 26-inch side zipper is the killer feature no competitor matches at this weight: full-height internal access with the bow still strapped to the pack face — owners who switched from the Talus 6900 say it eliminates the unpack-your-bow dance entirely.
- ✓Purpose-built bow carry using the top compression system and integrated storm flap holds the bow tight against the bag, keeping weight centered rather than swinging off one side like universal bow slings on Kifaru or Exo packs.
- ✓At 5 lb 2.8 oz complete on the Krux it is 1.8 oz lighter than the Sky Talus 6900 while carrying nearly identical volume, a spec that got long-time 6900 owners to switch.
- ✓The 2024 refresh directly answered the old 6250's minimalism complaints: external-access spotting scope pocket, 8-inch zippered stow pocket, and 14-inch stretch side pocket for a tripod or Nalgene.
- ✓500 ci Sky Lid is included in the price, unlike the Solo and Col where lids are extra or unsupported — and Bivy Mode compresses the bag to a legitimate 4,000 ci day pack.
- ✓Full 150+ lb load rating with the 2,500+ ci expandable load shelf means one pack covers scouting trips, week-long elk hunts, and the heavy pack-out.
- ✓YKK Aquaguard water-resistant zippers plus X-Pac construction give it the best weather resistance in the Sky line without a rain cover.
- ✓Made in Bozeman with Stone Glacier's lifetime defect warranty, and the bag swaps onto any existing SG frame if you already own a Krux or Xcurve.
- ✗Only 6 reviews at 4.3/5 on stoneglacier.com — the lowest-rated and least-reviewed bag in the current SG lineup, so the redesign has a thin track record compared to the 220-review Sky Talus 6900.
- ✗A multi-year owner concluded 'I'd rather have a few more pockets and just unbuckle my bow' and preferred the Talus 6900's organization — the side-zip advantage matters less than it seems for some hunters.
- ✗Contains PFAS-treated fabric and cannot be shipped to California or New York, an unusual restriction competitors like Exo and Kifaru don't carry.
- ✗Availability has been spotty since the original 6400 launch, with Krux-frame and Xcurve size/color combos often back-ordered.
- ✗Still fundamentally a minimalist single-compartment bag — the Talus 6900 offers four external side pockets at the same $750 for hunters who prioritize organization over bow access.
- ✗Hydration sleeve, Swing-Out Pockets, Camp Pockets, and hipbelt pockets are all sold separately, so a fully rigged bag costs $850+.
- ✗The bow occupies the front of the pack, so rifle hunters get no benefit from the signature feature and are better served by the Sky 5900 or Talus 6900.
- ✗When the bag is stuffed to its full 6,400 ci, owners note the internal spotter pocket and side-zip access get tight — the design shines most at partial loads.
Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900
- ✓A frequent owner pick — 'every year I try something new (mostly Kifaru) but always come back to the 6900' is how one owner put it, and it carries a 4.9/5 across 220 reviews on stoneglacier.com, by far the most of any SG bag.
- ✓Unmatched range for one pack: 4,750 ci bivy-mode day pack to 113 L expedition rig, with the load shelf pushing total capacity past 8,900 ci — one owner packed a bear out of the Idaho backcountry with it.
- ✓Best organization in the Stone Glacier line: four external side pockets, two with full-length dual-slider #10 zips, all offset from the frame so a strapped tripod or rifle never blocks pocket access.
- ✓One owner's long-term test found it comfortable from 20 lb day loads to 80+ lb hauls, with the frame keeping rifle-carrier weight on the hips rather than the shoulders.
- ✓Allen Outside's reviewer cross-shopped Mystery Ranch, Kifaru, Kuiu, and Eberlestock and reported Stone Glacier 'kept coming to the top' among experienced Western hunters before choosing the Talus.
- ✓X-Pac/500D Cordura build passed one reviewer's dedicated water-resistance test, and that reviewer highlighted hook-and-loop harness adjustment that dials in both height and strap angle for a precision fit.
- ✓Swing-Out Pocket and Camp Pocket attachment points inside the main zip give Kifaru-style modular organization at a fraction of the weight.
- ✓Lifetime defect warranty, US construction, and legendary customer service — Allen Outside rated support 'extremely responsive' through multiple pre- and post-purchase walkthroughs.
- ✗The zippered side pockets run too short for full-size spotting scopes — one owner wanted them longer and ended up stowing his spotter inside the center zip instead.
- ✗The rifle carrier's top quick-release strap sits above/behind the shoulder strap where it's genuinely hard to reach with the pack on, per a long-term field reviewer.
- ✗The hip belt is hard to snug under load until you add power pulls, which reviewers argue should be standard at this price rather than an add-on.
- ✗The perforated foam lining on the belt and shoulder straps collects pine needles, burrs, and lichen — a small but commonly cited Stone Glacier annoyance.
- ✗Fussy for newcomers: Allen Outside (4/5 stars) needed Stone Glacier staff to walk through the strap configurations twice, calling it more complicated than his Osprey background prepared him for.
- ✗Real-world cost balloons past the $750 sticker — belt pockets, internal organizers, and a rifle sling took one reviewer's build to roughly $850.
- ✗The main compartment is intentionally thin to accommodate the load shelf, so it packs differently than a traditional backpacking bag and frustrates hunters expecting Osprey-style stowage.
- ✗The lower open-top side pockets are too shallow to hold Nalgene bottles securely, pushing you toward the extra-cost shoulder-strap bottle holster that a long-term field reviewer found annoying under the arm.
Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400 vs Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900: common questions
Is the Sky Archer 6400's side zip worth giving up the Talus 6900's pockets?▾
Only if you carry a bow. Archer owners who switched from the Talus say the side zip ends the routine of unstrapping the bow to reach gear. The Talus's four external pockets are the best organization Stone Glacier makes.
Can the Sky Talus 6900 hold a spotting scope as well as the Sky Archer 6400?▾
Not in its side pockets. One Talus owner found they run too short for a full-size spotter and stowed his inside the center zip. The Archer has an external-access spotter pocket, though owners say it gets tight when the bag is stuffed full.
What will each pack really cost once it's set up?▾
Around $850 for either. The hydration sleeve, belt pockets and organizers are extras on both, and the Talus's hip belt is hard to snug under load without add-on power pulls.