Exo Mountain Gear Color options vote

[tipsntails7]

Foliage, I will never buy another camo pack again... Well maybe. I've actually lost a pack I've dumped on a stalk, and damn near lost my Kuiu bag this year. ASAT would probably be easier to see but my vote is for solid color bags from here on out. Losing the bag is bad enough, start adding up all the gear in it and it's enough to make a grown man shed a tear.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

Fantastic info thanks Steve. I think at your price point you guys are going to kill it! Very stoked to see another potential high quality pack company out and hitting the niche you are aiming for! And made in Idaho is just awesome as well!

Any plans on how to carry a bow or rifle on the pack?

Mike

Thanks Mike, we are really excited to get this project going. We have a bow carrier prototype in the works right now that I am testing. Not a quick release system but holds the bow really well for when you're hiking. For a rifle we really haven't done anything special, the stretchy side pockets work great for holding the butt and use the two side compression straps to lock the rifle in place. It works really well but again is not a quick release. Once we get the pack out there we plan to spend a lot of time working on accessories for mounting different things.

Steve

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

Foliage, I will never buy another camo pack again... Well maybe. I've actually lost a pack I've dumped on a stalk, and damn near lost my Kuiu bag this year. ASAT would probably be easier to see but my vote is for solid color bags from here on out. Losing the bag is bad enough, start adding up all the gear in it and it's enough to make a grown man shed a tear.

I would have to agree with that, dumped my pack back this September on a mule deer stalk that I thought was going to be quick and ended up hiking around in the dark without my headlamp for over an hour looking for it. Of course in the dark camo or not I was pretty much SOL.

 

[Mike7]

I am in the ASAT and Foliage camp here (and in that order for me).

I would use my Kifaru gunbearer for a rifle, but would definitely need a way on the pack to carry a bow (my Grabit works great currently).

Steve, have you thought about offering in the future a light weight back panel with or without lid option to be used with the frame only (i.e. without using the Exo pack bag)...where a guy who is packrafting could just use a Sea-to-Summit dry bag for the main pack bag. Basically creating a light weight ULA Epic type of pack but with much more hauling capacity, so that meat could be hauled back to the raft with the pack?

 

[Mike7]

For the guys that lose their packs (I did that once with mulitcam when my GPS screwed up...bad experience), try putting a 2-3 ft long piece of reflective orange flagging in an outside back pocket, leaving just the end barely sticking out where the zipper closes. Then as you drop your pack just tug it up to the nearest branch/shrub and wrap it around (while the other end remains secured in the zippered pocket). Has worked really well so far for me.

 

[stephen b]

Good luck with the choice on colors. The packs look to be light weight and from what I can tell so far, another quality pack offering for us to choose from. And that is a good thing.

I certainly understand the merits of sticking to have a niche with in a market and do one thing & do it right. A lot to be said for that way of doing business. Heck- as far as color choice limitation, SG packs only do foliage. I have one of their Solo packs and love it. Even Kifaru started off with just a black color offering and gained a lot of followers with their quality packs.

Color is one of those things that are somewhat personal preference for sure. For example I have a Hilleberg tent in green ( they used to only offer green and red) and really like it. If I only did mountaineering in the winter I would maybe get their red. But their desert tan they now offer- does not do it for me- but it is another choice that will appeal to some.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

I am in the ASAT and Foliage camp here (and in that order for me).

I would use my Kifaru gunbearer for a rifle, but would definitely need a way on the pack to carry a bow (my Grabit works great currently).

Steve, have you thought about offering in the future a light weight back panel with or without lid option to be used with the frame only (i.e. without using the Exo pack bag)...where a guy who is packrafting could just use a Sea-to-Summit dry bag for the main pack bag. Basically creating a light weight ULA Epic type of pack but with much more hauling capacity, so that meat could be hauled back to the raft with the pack?

I'm not too familiar with the gunbearer system, can that attach to most packs?

Funny you mention the load panel, was just testing out the first prototype of it yesterday. We are definitely going to offer it this summer as an option to just use the frame panel without the bag. Would weigh in at something like 2lbs 8oz (2lb 4oz for frame/suspension - 4oz for load panel) for the whole package. Going to be great for meat hauling, shed hunting, dry bags etc.

Steve

 

[JNDEER]

No FB page...but ASAT and foliage.

 

[Scotto]

Steve,
ASAT and Coyote.
ASAT because none of the other top pack makers offer it.
Coyote for the solid color because we all have seen it and it looks good.

 

[Rizzy]

From what I saw, the universal gun-bearer should fit.

Tough choice on colors, I like them all. ASAT would be unique.

 

[Mike7]

The Kifaru Gunbearer system is simply awesome I think. Kifaru has a Universal Gun Bearer that is specifically designed to attach to any type of pack that a person already owns, and it works just fine. A pack does need to have webbing over the top of the foam shoulder straps for the shoulder portion to attach I think. It is also very helpful if the webbing on the shoulder straps is bar tacked at 1-2 inch intervals so that one can adjust the Gunbearer's position without it sliding down.

There is also an Ultralight/non-universal model model of Gunbearer that Kifaru makes that only attaches to PALS type webbing present on Kifaru's and some other manufacturer's pack hip belts and also present on most Kifaru packs I believe. This is a handy way to carry a rifle on the hip belt of a pack or on the side of the pack itself, and in an adjustable but generally lower profile where the barrel does not get caught on overhead limbs.

 

[AK Shane]

Is the brown pack shown in the videos coyote brown? Either way, I would vote coyote brown and foliage. I just don't see the ASAT looking very good on a pack. I also get a feeling that the solid colors would be better sellers and would appeal to a wider variety of outdoorsmen/women. Sure you're designing the pack for hunting and that would be my primary use but I would use the pack for alot of other activities as well. I see the solid colors as much more appealing and versatile for general backpacking and traveling.

 

[Mike7]

2 lbs 8 oz would be pretty amazing (that would put a guy under 3 lbs after adding 3.5 to 6 ounces of dry sack depending upon whether a guy wanted one 70-90 L sack or two 35 L sacks).

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

Is the brown pack shown in the videos coyote brown? Either way, I would vote coyote brown and foliage. I just don't see the ASAT looking very good on a pack. I also get a feeling that the solid colors would be better sellers and would appeal to a wider variety of outdoorsmen/women. Sure you're designing the pack for hunting and that would be my primary use but I would use the pack for alot of other activities as well. I see the solid colors as much more appealing and versatile for general backpacking and traveling.

Yeah the pack in the video is Coyote Brown. We will definitely always have solid color options for that very reason, a lot of guys want to use the pack for other things then just hunting.

 

[Archelk]

No FaceBook here. My vote is Coyote and ASAT! Nice looking pack design. What is the pricing looking like?

 

[elkeaterco]

Coyote Brown

 

[Hard Knocks]

Im more worried about the availability of 5000ci + pack,than I am the color.Anxiously awaiting

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

No FaceBook here. My vote is Coyote and ASAT! Nice looking pack design. What is the pricing looking like?

Price for the pack is going to be $449-Solid $499 Camo.

We will have the big pack ready by early July. Want to make sure its designed right and not rush it out the door. Its going to take a few tweaks other than just making the existing 3500 bag larger, we really want to make sure it compresses up nice.

 

[Justin Crossley]

This pack looks like it is going to give us another great option. I'm excited to see one.

 

[Elkfitness]

I vote foliage. Love that color.