With 2026 officially here and most hunting seasons well and finished up, most of us are reflecting on lessons learned. Inevitably, gear deficiencies that were discovered throughout the season are waiting to be addressed. To give you a look at my process, I’m doing a pack dump from my 2025 mountain goat hunt. This list has only minor changes compared to previous backpack hunting gear lists. A full lighterpack breakdown of my gear is below:
Carrying Gear
Before we get to the pack dump, let’s talk about the pack. For all of my backpack hunts in 2025 I was using a Stone Glacier Sky 5900 with the hydro sling and rifle sling attachments. This pack has served me for the past four years. This summer, I had had the opportunity to play with the Exo K4, which is another excellent pack. I found the K4 slightly more comfortable with heavy loads. Ultimately, I am already invested in the Stone Glacier ecosystem with multiple bags and attachments and decided to stick with the Sky 5900.
My bino harness was the Alaskan Guide Creations Classic. This harness has been around for a long time and isn’t as modular as newer designs. However, it has many secure pockets and is very durable. The harness does ride forward on my neck and I plan to experiment with other designs in 2026.
Optics
Critically, to kill game you have to find game. In 2025 I was running a few different optics. For binoculars I continued to use the Zeiss Conquest 10x42s that have served me well for many years. For a spotter I ran the Swarovski ATS 85. The ATS 85 is an optical powerhouse and the wide field of view, excellent clarity, and ability to cut through weather was very useful. However, I had a hunting partner to help with the weight. In the past when going solo I brought the much lighter but still excellent Kowa 553.
A new addition this year was the Vortex Razor 4000 GB ballistic range finder. It worked excellently, pulling atmospherics and integrating with the Geoballistics app, which I already used. The instant ballistic solution proved invaluable when the goat we ended up killing came in from 550 yards to where he was finally taken at 315 yards.
For a tripod I was using a Vortex Carbon Summit with their factory pan head. While not terrible, I didn’t love the lack of positivity on the twist locks on the legs and I found the levers that controlled the angle of the legs were easily flipped accidentally. This made this tripod slow to set up. The Carbon Summit is less enjoyable to use than the Vortex High Country II, although the High Country II is a full pound heavier.
Weapon
Next, for a rifle I brought a custom rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The action was from KS Arms, with a 20 inch carbon fiber IBI barrel, 3-round MDT magazine, MDT HNT26 chassis, and a Triggertech Special trigger. For glass, I went with the Nightforce NX8 4-32×50 F1. Overall, I was very happy with this setup, although the rifle balanced slightly rear heavy with the larger NX8 as the optic. The HNT26 chassis was perfect for folding up during the climb to the alpine and the full length ARCA rail made shooting off of a tripod simple. For ammunition I brought 13 cartridges loaded with 129 Nosler Accubond Long Ranges.
Sleep System
My sleep system has remained unchanged for several years now. The Stone Glacier Chilcoot 32 degree quilt is perfect for a stomach sleeper like myself and also helps to cut weight. I’ve also been impressed with the down’s ability to tolerate wet weather. I run a Thermarest NeoAir Xtherm. This pad is overkill for summer weather. However, it is relatively lightweight at 15oz and allows me to run the 32 degree quilt even below freezing. Finally, I’m using a MEC inflatable pillow that also doubles as a rear bag for shooting prone.
New for 2025, the Argali Absaroka was our shelter of choice. This tent is relatively lightweight at 66oz and has more than enough room for two guys and all their gear. Due to the bugs we opted for the half insert, although on other trips this year I ran it without it, dropping the weight to 41oz. We also brought a lightweight siltarp. While this is definitely a luxury item, it helps keep your optics dry for glassing in the rain, keeps sun and wind off of you while glassing, and helps keep rain off of the kill during processing.
Cook System
The cook system is the next portion of my 2025 pack dump. Due to the minimal amount of boiling I do, my cook system is fairly spartan. For a stove I’m running one of the original MSR Pocket Rockets. Mine has served me well for 17 years and counting. My pot is a Toaks titanium 750ml pot paired with a titanium spoon. All my water is carried in two Nalgene bottles, and any extra is in Smart water bottles. This entire setup with fuel is less than 2 lbs.
Kill Kit
Admittedly, carrying two knives is redundant. That said, due to the light weight of the Havalon, I carry a Havalon Piranta in addition to my North Arm Lynx. The Havalon excels in small detailed work such as caping, but the Lynx is a better knife for skinning and splitting rib cages. If I could only take one it would be the Lynx as it is also a decent camp knife, but for an extra 2oz I’d rather have both.
Another useful piece of my kill kit is contractor grade garbage bags. Up in the alpine these allow you to bury your game bags in the snow without soaking your meat. This allows you to keep your meat cold should you have more tags to fill.
Clothing
The final portion of my 2025 pack dump is my clothing. Notably, my clothing system varies a lot depending on expected weather but there are some constants. The Stone Glacier Dehavilland pant is my favourite hunting pant. The adjustable waist, large side zips, and ability to add kneepads all are excellent features. Next, those who’ve hunted BC for long will know that top quality rain gear is a must. I have yet to find anything that better balances durability, breathability, and water proofing than the Arctery’x raingear. Finally, the Kuiu Super Down LT puffy layers provide a lot of insulation for very little weight.
Closing Thoughts
There are always spots to cut weight and new gear that can increase your comfort or capabilities. However, after a few seasons of backpack hunting my gear list changes minimally from hunt to hunt. For 2026 I have small changes I’d like to try, but many items have been in my gear list for years. If you’re getting in to backpack hunting this pack dump is a great place to start and build your own set of gear ideal for your hunting style.