New Stone glacier Col 4800

[slowelk]

I returned this pack. I didn’t like the inability to not compress the top end of the pack, and the unnatural way to attach racks to the top. The options for rack attachment require you lose even more top-end compression capability.

The additional exterior pockets are a nice idea, but not at the expense of key load hauling functionality.

 

[cornfedkiller]

Your 5900 is the same size in bivy mode and you can still attach the hood unlike the col, I’m still confused by this bag, but want it at the same time.

I thought the same thing when I saw it.. I love the zipper configuration, the placement of the tri-slides for swing outs, etc, but the 5900 is smaller than the 4800 when in bivy mode, with the ability to expand to larger than the Col with the lid or top expanded.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I’m not sure it’ll make a difference or be satisfactory, but having owned a solo, and a 5900 I think I can explain a “why” - at least for me.

I took my solo and loaded it up with lid and access bag back a while ago - it worked for a 5 day trip but was strappy/heavy for the total cubic inches. I eventually went to a sky 5900 on release and loved it. As others noted, perfect multi day size, and sky mode has always been nice. I used that bag a ton, longest of any pack I’ve owned. But I eventually didn’t love the full beaver tail, center zip back pocket, and ran it 99% of the time in bivy mode with a lid, rarely needed more volume.

I’ve always wanted a “bigger solo” (so have a lot of other people which is why they said they built this bag) and they did exactly that. I think their 5 day archery season, multi day later season description is spot on for the volume. The reduction in straps is noticeable, and simple.

For the record, I’d be cool with a lid attachment capability w/this bag like the solo. But on the flip side, I like a clean easy to get to top this bag offers, and the zipper configuration is my favorite of all their packs. Still plenty of compression, and adding extender straps to attach heads up top is easy.

Not trying to convince anyone with that ramble, but I think it likely explains the “why.” They already have all kinds of different bags covering a lot of size ranges, and it’s cool they finally did the “big solo” which is more of a niche thing, at least to me.

 

[BrodieBC]

A bigger solo is probably the best explanation of this pack. I do love my solo more than any other pack ive ever owned. So maybe the big brother might not be a bad addition to the family after all. I can get away with the solo for 3 day trips in the early season maybe a little longer if I stretched it out or packed in some extra food in the load shelf.

 

[cornfedkiller]

I’m not sure it’ll make a difference or be satisfactory, but having owned a solo, and a 5900 I think I can explain a “why” - at least for me.

I took my solo and loaded it up with lid and access bag back a while ago - it worked for a 5 day trip but was strappy/heavy for the total cubic inches. I eventually went to a sky 5900 on release and loved it. As others noted, perfect multi day size, and sky mode has always been nice. I used that bag a ton, longest of any pack I’ve owned. But I eventually didn’t love the full beaver tail, center zip back pocket, and ran it 99% of the time in bivy mode with a lid, rarely needed more volume.

I’ve always wanted a “bigger solo” (so have a lot of other people which is why they said they built this bag) and they did exactly that. I think their 5 day archery season, multi day later season description is spot on for the volume. The reduction in straps is noticeable, and simple.

For the record, I’d be cool with a lid attachment capability w/this bag like the solo. But on the flip side, I like a clean easy to get to top this bag offers, and the zipper configuration is my favorite of all their packs. Still plenty of compression, and adding extender straps to attach heads up top is easy.

Not trying to convince anyone with that ramble, but I think it likely explains the “why.” They already have all kinds of different bags covering a lot of size ranges, and it’s cool they finally did the “big solo” which is more of a niche thing, at least to me.

I've said it before, but I think the zipper configuration and layout of the bag would be sweet in smaller solo. 4800 is a little big sometimes, and I know they compress down nicely, but sometimes its just too much bag. A 3300 in the Col layout would be sweet for those lighter loads.. I don't love the spotting scope pocket location on the 2800 or the lack of any external pockets on the 3300. Maybe I'm just too picky.

 

[mattflint]

I ordered the new col4800 and xcurve. My krux is 7 or so years old and I was in need of a bigger bag than the 2200 I had on it.
The newer hipbelt is a huge improvement to the old style. I think Ill need some swing out bags for first aid kit and the sort. Going to start loading it up tomorrow and get some weight in it to set everything up. This should make multi day hunting much more doable.

 

[slowelk]

Still plenty of compression, and adding extender straps to attach heads up top is easy.

You literally have to undo the top main bag compression strap to use the extenders to attach a rack. Or you have to forego the frame to bag compression.

Glad you like your pack, I hope it does as well for you in the field as you think it will, I just don’t see it.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

You literally have to undo the top main bag compression strap to use the extenders to attach a rack. Or you have to forego the frame to bag compression.

Glad you like your pack, I hope it does as well for you in the field as you think it will, I just don’t see it.

Sure, that makes sense.

You may already know this, but you can use tension locks on tag ends to attach extended straps like in video below - if you are using a full strap set you can land the other tension lock on front/side compression tag end (thus not losing compression straps), but needing that much strap is only likely in a big bull. For a deer it’s quicker to use the bag front compression buckles to clip into (ie losing the front like you said, but you’re compressing across the front so still covered there).

That looks like below, which is putting a tension lock on the tag end of the top bag to frame attachment when separated to use the load shelf. The strap extended is the green tension lock, and the bag one is black. Then land the other side on a buckle, or strap tag end with tension lock, depending on your load.

I’ve primarily done heads with the lids, or just used the bag to frame top straps to park one above a meat bag in the shelf. Those methods were always a bit wobbly, so I started carrying the compression strap extenders (even when I had a lid) because they just work a lot better for me.

 

[Teetoa]

Sweet looking bag!

 

[orelkaddict]

So I'm curious if anyone has gotten much field time with 1 of these yet? Maybe a good spring bear hunt with it? My 14 year old son is really liking everything he can find on this but of course he hasn't got his hands on 1 yet so his views might change after he does. I'm considering ordering 1 for him but would like some feedback from guys who had it in the field. He's narrowed it down to this, or a K4 or possibly a Mystery Ranch Metcalf.

 

[wnelson14]

So I'm curious if anyone has gotten much field time with 1 of these yet? Maybe a good spring bear hunt with it? My 14 year old son is really liking everything he can find on this but of course he hasn't got his hands on 1 yet so his views might change after he does. I'm considering ordering 1 for him but would like some feedback from guys who had it in the field. He's narrowed it down to this, or a K4 or possibly a Mystery Ranch Metcalf.

Get a K4 and don’t look back. You can’t even attach a lid easily to this pack

 

[orelkaddict]

Thanks for your response but honestly not to concerned about the lid. I hardly ever run the lid on my Stone Glacier R3.

 

[aachey]

Here is my irrelevant opinion, owned and hunted out of a solo 3600. Bought the col 4800. I really liked the double pockets on the front. Helps with organization since the solo just had the one pocket that tended to get piled full of stuff. Also has an extra pocket on the outside which is nice for securing a bugle tube or nalgene bottle. Overall size wise i think around the 5000 ci is perfect for day hunts or 3-5 day hunts or possibly 7 day depending on your gear. A nice happy medium on size. Flip side is the exo marketing got me and i now have a k4 5000 with zero regrets. OCD wanted better built in storage/organization which the 5000 really hits.

 

[Gar]

So I'm curious if anyone has gotten much field time with 1 of these yet? Maybe a good spring bear hunt with it? My 14 year old son is really liking everything he can find on this but of course he hasn't got his hands on 1 yet so his views might change after he does. I'm considering ordering 1 for him but would like some feedback from guys who had it in the field. He's narrowed it down to this, or a K4 or possibly a Mystery Ranch Metcalf.

I recently purchased the Col 4800 for shorter hunts/ fishing trips. I put it to the test the other day hiking approximately 24 miles over a three day period, with a total elevation gain of approximately 4000 feet. The pack had 42 pounds in it to start.

The pack was plenty big enough for everything I needed. I liked how easy it was to get to the things i needed while hiking with it full. When used as a day pack, with less weight (20#) it performed well. We spent one day bush wacking and it stayed in place and did not move around. I beat this pack up somewhat and it held up quite well. No hot spots, or hip pain (sore spots) while using this pack.

I don’t think you‘d be disappointed.

 

[orelkaddict]

Awesome!!! Thanks so much for the feedback!!