To be honest, the basic design of hunting firearms has not come a long way over the past century. Most bolt-actions owe their pedigree to the 1898 Mauser, and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns are more than a century old at this point. It’s beyond the firearm where hunting gear has revolutionized, from the high-tech material in boots and clothing, to optics that yield a quality and clarity unprecedented even a few decades ago, to electronic and digital equipment from game cameras to thermal drones.
Among a hunter’s most basic equipment is their sling. The Saltstone Integrator Rifle Carry System and Modular Hunting Vest seeks to revolutionize this. The name is a mouthful, so I’ll explain how the system works.
At its basis, the Integrator is a load-bearing harness. A padded “yoke” that crosses the shoulders divides into two straps. The straps attach to a belt in the front and the yoke and belt attach to a lower back pad. This system distributes weight evenly across the shoulders (what the company calls its “Patented 5-Point Load Balance Structure”) and serves as the platform for attaching all of Saltstone’s gear management accessories.
The Integrator is manufactured in Germany using Cordura 1100 material with mil-spec stitching and buckles. The surface of the vest that touches the user has a breathable liner made of premium 3D mesh. Saltstone covers the Integrator with a three-year warranty against material and manufacturing defects.
The basic task of the Integrator is to carry your long gun securely. In a world of shooting tripods and bipods, the sling has become less important as a shooting aid. In addition to this reality, the simple strap over one shoulder isn’t the best way to carry a firearm. The more secure and versatile a sling is, the more complicated and expensive it is.
The Integrator comes with a long-gun “holster.” The butt of the long gun fits securely in a holder, while a quick-release loop secures the fore-end. A scoped rifle can be carried scope-forward, and shotguns are carried trigger-forward. The holster carries the firearm securely and comfortably, even when bending over (muzzle control!) or using both hands to complete a field task or traverse difficult terrain. A quick pull of the release strap with the support hand drops the firearm into position, while the firing hand grasps the grip and removes the gun from the holder.
With a little adjustment and practice, the Integrator deploys both hunting rifles and shotguns quickly. As advertised, it takes about a second to go from gun secured to gun on target.
There is no comparison when it comes to the speed and security between the Integrator system and a traditional sling setup. For a shotgun that is normally carried without a sling, the Integrator is an epiphany for situations where you would otherwise lay your gun on the ground or pass it off to a buddy. Re-securing the firearm in the holster is just as easy. The holster can be set up for right or left-handed use, and you can even purchase a second holster so that a firearm can be carried on both sides.
The basic carry vest and long gun holster retail for $350. Designed to be modular and customizable, Saltstone currently offers six additional accessories for the Integrator. These include a game pouch, an anti-spill shotgun shell pouch, a tripod holster, a 5-liter pack, a radio holster, a hands-free flip-down GPS holster and a water-bottle holder. Saltstone also offers the basic Integrator “bundled” with specific gear for certain types of hunting, such as a “Big Game Bundle” with tripod holder and 5-liter pack (MSRP $530), and an “Upland Bird Bundle” with the game pouch and ammo pouch (MSRP $620).
Additional accessories attach to the basic vest with either the quick-detachable polymer buckles or by fixing it to the vest’s PALS/MOLLE webbing. Setup is easy, with the use of the included manual and the company’s online tutorial videos. According to Saltstone, additional accessories, from larger day packs to archery carry solutions, are planned for the future.
The Integrator is available in size Small through XX Large. Saltstone has a convenient sizing chart on its website to help you determine the size you need. The company recommends you take your measurements over a T-shirt, as the Integrator has adjustments to “grow” two sizes larger to compensate for use with heavy hunting apparel. Lightweight, the basic Integrator weighs a mere 1.5 pounds. Fully set up with rifle holster, tripod holster, and 5-liter pack, it weighs 2 pounds, 6 ounces. The vest, and most of the accessories, are available in blaze orange, brown, green and coyote colors.
I thought the Integrator was one of the most innovative hunting accessories at SHOT Show 2026 and decided to try one for myself. In my field testing, in addition to the Integrator’s long gun carry system, I used the tripod holster, 5-liter pack, game pouch and shell pouch. After years of using these types of accessories in separate forms, the “integration” of them into a single carry system, was simpler, more streamlined and handled the weight and bulk better over long hours in the field. The tripod holster securely carries a tripod in the horizontal position, but deploys it instantly with a quick-release buckle. The 5-liter pack mounts to the front or rear of the Integrator. On the front, it can function as a binocular pouch or a chest holster for a handgun.
For the upland setup, the shell pouch has a non-collapsing profile that holds up to 30 12-ga. shells. The top of the case has a “one-way” opening that allows quick access to extra shells while preventing any from falling from the pouch when you lean over or negotiate rough terrain. The game pouch attaches like a backpack and has 12 liters of capacity to handle several upland birds or adjusts large enough to accommodate a turkey. Switching between a big game and a bird setup was quick and easy. Outside the hunting realm, the Integrator adapts to other outdoor activities, from hiking to wildlife photography.
Because so much hunting gear hasn’t changed in a century, there are many hunting gadgets on the market that try to re-invent the wheel. They offer very little advantage at the price of complication and expense. The Saltstone Integrator is not one of these. It’s a modern and outside-the-box solution to the age-old problem of carrying your firearm and gear in the field all day safely and comfortably, and it works.
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