Shooting sticks hold up the fore-end of the rifle and a rear bag holds up the butt, so the choice between them depends on terrain and position, and you can use both. Sticks suit standing, kneeling and seated shots, and a rear bag under the stock suits any position where the back of the rifle needs support.
What sticks do
Shooting sticks put a rest under the front of the rifle, at a height you choose. They let you shoot from a standing, kneeling or seated position when there is no flat ground for a bipod. FHF Gear lists a TAC MTN Rifle Rest that wraps onto a tripod leg or trekking pole at $40.00 as of 4 Nov 2026. It is not a bag.
What sticks do not do is support the butt of the rifle.
What a rear bag does
A rear bag sits under the toe of the stock. It takes the job of holding up the butt away from your hand. In some positions it rests on the ground, and in others on your knee or thigh.
It works with whatever holds the front: sticks, a bipod, a pack or a rail. The geometry is the same each time, with the front supported by one thing and the butt by the bag. A rear bag does not replace any of them. It covers the end they leave open.
Choosing by terrain and position
Open ground, room to lie down. A bipod or a pack at the front and a rear bag under the stock cover both ends. Sticks are optional here.
Timber, broken ground or tall cover. Prone is often not possible. Sticks give you height. Kneeling or seated, the rear bag goes on your knee or thigh under the stock.
Moving between spots. Sticks are carried in the hand or on the pack. A bag that rides on the sling does not take a hand.
Using both
Kneeling behind sticks, a right-handed shooter puts the right knee up and the left knee down, and the bag rests on the raised knee under the stock. Seated, it rests on the thigh the same way. The sticks hold the front and the bag holds the back.
Practice the full set-up at the range before the hunt, so each step is automatic. Our post on field positions for hunters walks through where the bag fits.
Height, slope and cover
Sticks set a height, so they help where cover or slope puts the rifle higher than a bipod would. A bag under the stock can be squeezed to raise or lower the butt a little without moving the sticks.
Before the hunt, rehearse three things on the ground you will hunt:
- Setting the sticks at the height you need for each position.
- Getting the bag from the sling to the knee or thigh under the stock.
- Setting the fill. Hook-and-loop ports let you add or remove SteadyFill until the bag feels right.
What we could not find
We searched for a reputable measured comparison of a rear bag against shooting sticks and found none as of 4 Nov 2026. We do not claim one is better. They support different ends of the rifle.
Carrying them
Sticks are an extra item in your hand or on your pack. The Sling Steady bag is a rear shooting rest bag that sits under the stock. It rides on your sling or attaches directly, so it adds no pack item. It comes in two sizes at $89.99, both shipped filled with SteadyFill: the Pro 9" (9" × 2.5", 9.5 oz) for bolt-action, sport and hunting rifles, and the Sport 7" (7" × 2.5", 6.3 oz Black, 6.8 oz other colors) for AR-platform rifles. Sling Steady is a veteran-run company, and the bags are made in the USA.
In our testing, shots landed 28% closer to the bullseye with Sling Steady under the stock, and muzzle rise was about 75% lower. It also helps manage recoil.
To pair a bag with your sticks: Pro 9" or Sport 7".
Related reading: Field positions for hunters · Prone hunting: getting steady when the shot comes fast · The backcountry rifle support bag
Sling Steady is Ready When You Are.