Sky Talus 6900 VS Sky Guide 7900?

[Elite]

Hello, So I will be buying a new back pack this year and have been eying up these 2 packs. I will Ben mainly using it for sheep hunting 5-7 day trips. I do own a large Kowa 883 spotting scope so to have a pocket on the side of the pack that fits it would be ideal and some where to hold a rifle and army tripod. Has anyone used both of these and had any experience with them both? Would probably buy a smaller bag for day trips


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[JeffRaines]

The weight difference is negligible - I ended up going with the 7900 and calling it a day.

As far as smaller bags - while its not a ton of trouble switching them out, I'll just use the 7900 for day trips. They compress down well(by design) and like I mentioned, the weight difference is negligible. Its not worth the cost of a smaller bag to lose maybe a pound of pack weight.

 

[Kotaman]

I've owned almost all of the SG Bags with the exception of the 7900. That thing is a BEAST. If you are a DIY guy, carrying food and water, that is the way to go. If you're splitting your load with someone generally, I'd go 6900. For me, personally, the 6900 did/does everything I need it to and will carry as much as I want to carry. With that said, these Stone Glacier packs go in to daypack mode so nicely, that the extra size isn't usually an issue.

Most of the time I find myself using the 5900 and lashing stuff to the outside if I need to. The 5900 gets TINY in daypack mode.

 

[Elite]

Thanks for the reply’s so far. Ya I think the weight is only 6 OZs more. I do however like the dual side pockets on the 6900 tho. I have found a brand new 7900 and frame for sale locally for $850CDN new it would be close to $1100 with shipping. It does also look like the 6900 compresses down a lot more for the bivy mode


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[sr80]

Thanks for the reply’s so far. Ya I think the weight is only 6 OZs more. I do however like the dual side pockets on the 6900 tho. I have found a brand new 7900 and frame for sale locally for $850CDN new it would be close to $1100 with shipping. It does also look like the 6900 compresses down a lot more for the bivy mode


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If your in canada, check out precision optics webpage. They are th canadian distributor for stone glacier now. $15 flat fee for shipping too.

 

[ljalberta]

If your in canada, check out precision optics webpage. They are th canadian distributor for stone glacier now. $15 flat fee for shipping too.

No kidding. This is fantastic. Thanks.

 

[JFKinYK]

I’ve carried out rams in both. 7900 wins easily.

 

[Elite]

I’ve carried out rams in both. 7900 wins easily.

Any reasons why the 7900 wins to pack out? Figured both would be close with the load shelf


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[JFKinYK]

Well I guess I should have said I’ve done 10-14 day sheep hunts with both and the 7900 wins. I found the 6900 to have a thin main bag that wouldnt accommodate a big food bag or my sleeping bag well. Also the side pockets in the 6900 BARELY fit my angled 65mm spotter. The 7900 side pocket is much bigger.

You are right that packing out, when food is mostly gone, that they performed about the same. I hate strapping things to my pack and was still doing that with the 6900. I don’t have all ultralight tiny gear though.

I just got back from ice fishing and was carrying two sleeping bags, a 3 man tent, two down mats, extra clothes, two camping pillows, two days of food, fishing gear, pots and a few other things in the 7900. The extra space is very nice. I’m not sure how it’s only 1000 more cubes than the 6900.

 

[Mike 338]

I have a 6900. It seems strange but I always wish I had a bit more room for long trips. It compresses down as a day pack just fine after I offload the camp gear. I'd go with the 7900 if I had to do it over again but I'll just stick with what I got.

 

[madcalfe]

I have been using the 6900 for 2 years now. 10-14 day hunts it gets tight but defiantly doable as i do have all light weight gear and only pack the things i need when i go. i personally wouldn't go to a 7900, just because i think id find myself taking more stuff but thats just me. when i first got it i was using the load shelf for my dry bag full of food while hiking in, but have refined my gear and what i take on hunts so that everything fits in the main bag.

 

[JeffRaines]

I have a 6900. It seems strange but I always wish I had a bit more room for long trips. It compresses down as a day pack just fine after I offload the camp gear. I'd go with the 7900 if I had to do it over again but I'll just stick with what I got.

One of the reasons I went with the 7900 is because my SG pack is my hiking backpack. I do backcountry fishing trips and trips with my wife and toddler starting this summer. With that said, its nice to have extra room for food or in the toddlers case, gear.

I can see how someone who doesn't have a refined system might start trying to carry the kitchen sink with 7900 cubes, but I'm pretty well disciplined in what I need vs. what I don't, so it works great for me.

 

[Mike 338]

I can see how someone who doesn't have a refined system might start trying to carry the kitchen sink with 7900 cubes,

Ha ha,

I resemble that remark!

 

[Elite]

Well I guess I should have said I’ve done 10-14 day sheep hunts with both and the 7900 wins. I found the 6900 to have a thin main bag that wouldnt accommodate a big food bag or my sleeping bag well. Also the side pockets in the 6900 BARELY fit my angled 65mm spotter. The 7900 side pocket is much bigger.

You are right that packing out, when food is mostly gone, that they performed about the same. I hate strapping things to my pack and was still doing that with the 6900. I don’t have all ultralight tiny gear though.

I just got back from ice fishing and was carrying two sleeping bags, a 3 man tent, two down mats, extra clothes, two camping pillows, two days of food, fishing gear, pots and a few other things in the 7900. The extra space is very nice. I’m not sure how it’s only 1000 more cubes than the 6900.

Thanks for the response, I call SG and they said the pockets of the 2 bags are the same size? I have a kowa 883 so I am worried it will not fit at all!


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[JFKinYK]

They told me that over email too. It almost made me not buy the 7900 and go with a different company. All I can give you is my experience. I can fit my spotter and my tripod in the 7900 pocket. Could barely get my spotter in the 6900. Wish I’d taken some photos. Didn’t own both at same time. All I can figure is that it’s sewn differently giving it more useable volume when the bag is full? It was a huge relief when the 7900 showed and I saw the size of that side pocket.

 

[JFKinYK]

You can pick up a spotter pocket for not much if you go with the 6900 and it doesn’t fit.

I thought of it this way. They claim their lid is 500 cubes so the 7900 is like two extra lids of space. That’s not that much so what’s the harm. As I said before I think it’s more than that though which I was thankful for.

At least it’s not a kifaru AMR. Now there is a bag that is too big!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Im getting the guide, I’ve been using the solo on the x frame and I’m ready to commit to using an SG for everything this year and move on from other brands.

 

[Rican0624]

They told me that over email too. It almost made me not buy the 7900 and go with a different company. All I can give you is my experience. I can fit my spotter and my tripod in the 7900 pocket. Could barely get my spotter in the 6900. Wish I’d taken some photos. Didn’t own both at same time. All I can figure is that it’s sewn differently giving it more useable volume when the bag is full? It was a huge relief when the 7900 showed and I saw the size of that side pocket.

I’m interested in getting this pack in addition to my 40/56 for more room since I have found myself running out of room on longer trips. I didn’t like how the spotter pocket fit on the bag and I had to have the bottom strap go over the pocket to keep it from moving around as much. I was worried about the size of the pockets as I haven’t seen any pictures of the 7900 pockets open or with a spotter in them. Not even the front pocket for that matter. Do you happen to have any pics of the 7900 loaded up with gear, including the spotter in the pocket? Would be very helpful if you do. If not no worries.