EXO K4 Now or Wait for the EXO K4X

[SkunkCabbage]

Packraft, supporting accessories, and 10+ days of food on the way in. Take out food and add a goat meat+cape for the exfill and I’ve stuffed a 7800 cu inch bag without room for fart. Packrafts really eat up space and I want mine internal to the bag to keep wear and tear limited.

7-10 days as a big guy really eats a 7000ci main bag up. Food as an example. I’ve been there too without any room to spare, with everything that can be unpacked at the bottom to try and fill every void. Hell even 7200ci of just the main compartment where it’s not including factor of the spitting scope pockets would be a good start. My current Kifaru dall and previous muskeg are 7000ci main bag, throw in a guide lid at large/med belt pouch that goes to 8700.

Throw in cold weather/winter hunting space gets burned up fast.

I get some of the mountain hunters in BC/AK are probably a way smaller market compared to the majority of sales and requirements of the lower 48. I talked to kifaru a worker from a few years back asking why they were discontinuing the larger packs and gravitating towards smaller bags. They said sales dictated everything and the amount of people in the market for an expedition sized pack didn’t make financial sense for them.

 

[BRTreedogs]

It’s not a knock on the exo meat shelf. My issue is the stuff that happens because of it.
I’d rather not smell like a bloody animal all down my back and pants on a multi day hunt and including to soaking the bag material or contents where you can’t get out for a few days and are forced because of logistics to camp.

I’ve tried multiple different kinds of bags like thick contractor garbage bags, Kuiu, sea to summit and landed on an overly heavy Sealine bag as it’s the only one that hasn’t leaked mainly due to the welded seams and essentially rubber.

I got tired of having wash every single thing down to my tent inner, sleep bag, pad, spare clothing and the pack system itself as it’s been soaked in blood.

The dry bag meat in the bag approach gives a better ride as it keeps the load higher up on your back depending how you load it and way closer to your center of gravity without jacking the pack with your existing gear further away from the cog.

A few more Cu in of bag for me simplifies it. Not to mention being a big human at 260/6’7” when you have everything in XXL or XLT the size of everything eats up bag space. Sleeping bags/quilts /pads are generally alot bigger.

What do you do with your gear if the bag is full of meat?

 

[SkunkCabbage]

What do you do with your gear if the bag is full of meat?

Day hunts are a non concern.
Sheep hunting we put 8 days worth of kit in the bag. I shot a ram day 2. Stayed an additional few days in search of another ram for a friend but we backed out to not spoil the meat.

Essentially I unpack my tent and any layers I don’t think I need quick assess to and stack my compressed synth bag at the bottom with tent and layers filling the void all around and on top. This builds a bit of a shelf. Game bag(s) in the dry bag go right down the middle of the hatch. Fit anything I can disassemble or squeeze in with any bit of free space around it.

I’ve always managed to just make it work.

 

[snowcamoman]

I have never been able to fit 12-14 days of food and all my gear into a 5k. I might be able to this year with even lighter and more compact stuff, but I'm not going to hassle with it for half an ounce. Being that I have done later season Alaska hunts, the volume can get bigger easily. I refuse to strap stuff to the outside of my pack, minus rifle and tripod.

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[sheepaholic]

What’s the benefit of a huge pack size? To carry all your gear and the meat back in one load? Can’t see why you’d ever need a 8-9k size pack unless it was a super cold hunt and you had lots of extra gear or it’s like a 15+ day hunt or something.

Come to British Columbia do a 12-day backpack sheep hunt you would be hard press to get it done with a 5k pack. The very bare minimum and the very top of the line lightweight year maybe and eat light. Hahaha

 

[fatlander]

I’ve got a 7200 k4. All of my hunting partners have a 5k. I got the 7200 because the price was right. In hindsight I’m happy with the larger pack. It’s nice when I’m camping with the family to have the extra room or packing in for extended fishing trips with a bunch of extra gear bulky gear in the bag. I don’t notice the few ounces differences, and I can’t tell the difference between my packs and theirs in day pack mode. They both pack down the same size.


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[Hatchet]

Come to British Columbia do a 12-day backpack sheep hunt you would be hard press to get it done with a 5k pack. The very bare minimum and the very top of the line lightweight year maybe and eat light. Hahaha

I think the problem is you Canadian guys have a hard time packing those delicious Tim Hortons donuts with out crushing them. 3 uncrushed donuts a day for 12 days takes up a lot of room. Can’t say I blame you.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

I think the problem is you Canadian guys have a hard time packing those delicious Tim Hortons donuts with out crushing them. 3 uncrushed donuts a day for 12 days takes up a lot of room. Can’t say I blame you.

No gluten free options.

 

[MDX8277]

This thread is like Christmas in June. I can not wait till the 2nd run and wyoming mulies in October. Has anyone used a 5000 for hauling turkey dekes? I think it would be cool to use it for turkey hunting this spring. Might have to just attach my deke bag.

 

[sheepaholic]

I think the problem is you Canadian guys have a hard time packing those delicious Tim Hortons donuts with out crushing them. 3 uncrushed donuts a day for 12 days takes up a lot of room. Can’t say I blame you.

You nailed it especially the big bulky cardboard boxes they come in hahahaha

 

[sheepaholic]

I got in on the first run this is going to replace my Kifaru Reckoning, British Columbia Stone sheep goats moose and Elk this year. I Love living in British Columbia