Stone Glacier Pack System – Solo

It was the summer of 2008 when I dropped into Mystery Ranch in Bozeman to look at a pack system that would meet my needs for  hauling a lot of weight out of the backcountry. Mark Seacat and Andrew Crow were both working for MR at the time and sold me on the Crew Cab on the NICE frame. The pack served me well for five years, hauling a number of elk quarters and mule deer out of some way back in places. As a plug for MR, after a lot of miles and a lot of weight, the pack still looks almost new. My only complaint has been the weight. The Crew Cab with a couple of accessory belt pouches weighs in at 8 lbs.

Last fall I dropped in to Prolite Gear here in Bozeman to chat with my two gear gurus Brad and Shane. If you ever need to know what the best new gear is on the planet in any genre, just ask these guys: http://www.prolitegear.com  With so many packs out there catering to the backcountry go-light guys, I wanted their professional opinion. They didn’t hesitate to tell me that a pack from Stone Glacier was what I needed. I hadn’t even heard of Stone Glacier at the time and was a little dubious. “Trust us”, they said and sent me off with Kurt Racicot’s phone number.  I called that day and left Kurt a message. He spends a lot of his time in Alaska so it was a few days later when we had a chance to connect. We chatted a bit about what I was looking for and I listened to Kurt talk about his hunting experiences and his desire to create a pack that was lighter but could handle the weight of an elk quarter. It all sounded good and I hung up planning to commit to a new pack system.  But as the winter months passed I began re-thinking whether I needed to spend another $600 on a pack when the Crew Cab could get it done.

I was walking down Main Street in Bozeman in May and decided to check on an old LC Smith 12 gauge that had been lingering on the shelf at Schnees for a couple of years. I kept hoping the consigner would lower the price. He hadn’t, but I was surprised to see a new addition to the gun room; a display of Stone Glacier packs and accessories. I found out that  Kurt has selected Schnees as the sole distributor for Stone Glacier packs.  I tried the Solo, loading it with about 40 lbs of weight. It fit and felt great. Although ultra light at 3.6 lbs, I could see that the pack was well constructed. Being able to see and try the pack made the decision to purchase a lot easier.

With the hunting season fast approaching, I was convinced that this was the pack system I wanted to hunt out of in 2013. I made plans to meet with Schnee’s marketing director and Stone Glacier pack expert Pete Muennich. Pete is an avid hunter and took a mountain goat in 2011 in the same unit that I am drawn for in 2013. Pete spent an hour showing me how the pack system works and fitting the frame to my 5 10″ height.

Yesterday I loaded the pack with 15 lbs of gear and water and did a nine mile round trip hike up to 10,000 feet to scout a likely area for goats. The waist belt was very comfortable and rode perfectly above my hips. The pack is so light it will serve as both your load pack and day pack. I hardly noticed it on my back. It was over 80 degrees when I started up the trail and I found that my back didn’t seem to sweat as much under the pack frame as usual.

That said, its only been one day and a little too soon to tell how this pack will hold up under a lot of use. Between now and December 1st I will use it for over 75 days in the  backcountry of Montana, Idaho and Utah. I will be writing an update on the pack in December.

Meanwhile, here is a review of Kurt and the pack’s development that you might want to read: http://www.captivatemoutdoors.com/

You can find out more about the entire Stone Glacier line at www.stoneglacier.com. Here is a description of the Solo;

An ultralight backpack using no ultralight materials…at 3.63 pounds, it is capable of 130 pound plus loads and expandable to 5000 plus cubic inches. Inspired by solo sheep hunts in Alaska, the Stone Glacier Solo makes an ideal minimalist backcountry multi-day backpack.   A 3300 cubic inch bag fits all your ultralight 4-season gear and week of food.  For longer trips expand the bag from the frame and add 2100+ cubic inches of storage for your food in the load shelf.  After you notch your tag, use the load shelf and the 2100+ cubic inch load cell that is sized to carry an entire boned sheep or mule deer.  In elk country the load shelf is sized perfect for elk quarters.  An ultralight pack made with the toughest technical materials, the Solo is a versatile pack built for North America backpack hunts from the Beartooths to the Brooks.  Made in USA.

If you are interested in a Stone Glacier Pack I highly recommend talking with Peter Muennich at Schnees. He is an expert on the pack line and can help you get set up with the right Stone Glacier pack for your needs.

http://www.schnees.com/product/STONE-GLACIER-Solo-3300-Pack/Backpacking

SPECS –  SOLO

Weight 3.63 Lbs (complete with frame)

-130+ pound load rating (check Design page for load rating info)

-3334 cubic inch main bag

-2100+ cubic inch   plus expandable load shelf

-Hydration   compatible

-Full zip for gear   access

-Ice axe and gear   loops

-Belt   attachments

-Heavy duty YKK #10   zipper

-Cordura 500 and Xpac fabric

-Heavy duty, 1″ Duraflex military approved buckles and webbing

-Double layer re-enforced bottom

-1 exterior pocket, 1 interior pocket

-Made in USA