The Last Rifle Sling You’ll Ever Own

I know we invest a lot of money into our rifles, scopes, mounts, stocks, and barrels. We take pride in taking the time to pick out exactly what piece of gear we like best and doing our due diligence to make sure our hard-earned money is well spent. At least I know that’s the case for me, and I think a lot of you reading this might agree (after all this is a magazine with one of its focuses on gear). However, I feel like most of the time we don’t pay as much attention to the rifle sling that we opt to use with them.

It wasn’t until this past rifle season that I found myself wanting more out of my rifle sling. I’d always carried a nylon sling of some sort from varying brands, but over the years I’ve discovered that each time I use them I’m less and less impressed, and I’m left wanting more. Although I didn’t have any failures from my sling, the comfort and the feel were far less than desirable. I know this may seem like a small thing to some of you, but I believe every detail matters and if you have a quality product you’re much less likely to have a failure in the field. In a world full of plastics, I’m much more old school and prefer the look and feel of quality leather.

If you’ve ever had a plastic holster, you know what I mean. While they perform fine, there’s just something about a high-quality piece of leather that resonates with me. Maybe it’s because it develops more character over time, maybe it’s because it contours to your body better, maybe it’s the feel and the scent of leather, or maybe it’s because it reminds me of the American West. I don’t know that it’s one of those things specifically, but rather it’s all of them combined.

I decided it was time to not only find a good rifle sling but also make it my mission to find the best rifle sling that I could. I did my research and came across the Teton Leather Company, a family-owned and operated Idaho-based company committed to premium craftsmanship in the USA. I reached out to them to learn more about their handmade Teton Sling, and the owners Francesca and her husband Zach told me about their goal to make the very best rifle sling. I learned of their extensive experience working with various leather and exotics over their entire lives. Their company story embodies the American dream, a hard-working family doing things for their business the right way, without shortcuts. They had been working on developing this Teton Sling over the last year and a half, determined to find a product they could proudly stand behind as the best rifle sling.

I chose to try out their Teton Sling, which is a stuffed American Steer hide with hand-shaped shoulder padding. It features an anti-slip backing which has been thoroughly weather and abrasion tested. It’s stitched with the highest premium braided polyester thread, meant to handle anything you throw at it. Francesca and Zach hand-dye each sling and it’s offered in brown, black, and another option I’ll get to in a moment. A lot of other slings on the market either don’t come with swivels or sell them separately (and a lot of the time they are low-quality swivels causing failures). The Teton Sling comes with solid cast swivels already attached, and you get to choose between standard swivels or QD mounts.

There’s also a more premium Teton Sling option available with a North American beaver tail. One of my favorite parts is that they decided to call it the “Dam It”. The North American beaver tail is hand-dyed and stitched on top of the Steer hide in a way to represent the Teton Range in Wyoming. From the moment I received my rifle slings, I was blown away by the quality. First and foremost, opening my package was the best-smelling package my house has ever received. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is far beyond any leather item I’ve ever purchased, and certainly any rifle sling I’ve ever imagined. The quality of the leather and stitching is top-tier, and the swivels are extremely well-made. I can’t explain how beautiful the “Dam It” beaver tail truly is, but the contrast in color and material between the beaver tail and the steer hide is stunning. I immediately put these slings to work and they’ve been on my rifles since the day I got them. I’m excited to see the character and stories these slings will start to show and tell in years to come. It’s refreshing to see a company create a product like this in the USA, and while I set out to find the best rifle sling on the market, I didn’t think I’d find one that was made to pass down to the next generation.

In my opinion, I believe I completed my mission to find the best rifle sling, but don’t just take my word for it - try it out for yourself. For those of you looking to upgrade your rifle slings, I highly recommend the Teton Sling options from Teton Leather Company. Whether it’s an upgrade for yourself or as a gift for your dad, grandfather, or spouse - you won’t be disappointed with these premium rifle slings. 

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