Exo Mountain K4?

[Rob5589]

#truth.

Wouldn’t compare myself to a killer like you. But - got to make some noise in hopes of being heard and maybe getting a shot and providing some input- either way they would get my money on a K4.

Get that rifle, pack and good luck up in the sierras.

I'd bet Steve had used/tested/changed the pack well before handing it out to be field tested. He talks about being generations ahead of the current offerings quite a bit on the podcast.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

A couple things stand out to me in the photos. Shoulder strap attachment to hip belt and not frame like k3: this is huge for larger chested guys and is a vary good change for comfort. Hip belt is much wider to hug and grab your hips. Frame is not continuous across top for better head clearance. Load lifter straps appear to attach to webbing and be pulling off the frame a little which is vary weird. I’m also hoping the lumbar pad fabric is little more sticky. My biggest complaint with any pack is slipping. I’ve had slipping problems with Exo in past and finally got the k3 to work well after several try’s. Finally one shim with the denser foam worked well but I think little less stretchy fabric or little stickier fabric would really make it rock solid.

 

[Juan_ID]

A couple things stand out to me in the photos. Shoulder strap attachment to hip belt and not frame like k3: this is huge for larger chested guys and is a vary good change for comfort. Hip belt is much wider to hug and grab your hips. Frame is not continuous across top for better head clearance. Load lifter straps appear to attach to webbing and be pulling off the frame a little which is vary weird. I’m also hoping the lumbar pad fabric is little more sticky. My biggest complaint with any pack is slipping. I’ve had slipping problems with Exo in past and finally got the k3 to work well after several try’s. Finally one shim with the denser foam worked well but I think little less stretchy fabric or little stickier fabric would really make it rock solid.

I too seem to have the same issue with the lumbar pad material causing slippage. I’ve tried the denser foam and shims and it seems to cause a little soreness on my lower back when hiking longer distances. (I’m generally a road hunter) so having a sore back when pounding the forest service roads day after day is just unpleasant. The material on the stone glacier pad seems about the nicest I’ve felt to help it “stick” and not slip. I’ve debated trying to find a similar material and paying a seamstress to redo the lumbar pad but haven’t committed to that yet…

 

[sr80]

Looks like someone is a little butt hurt he wasn't a "chosen one" You look hardcore to me though!

 

[BroccoliRob]

A couple things stand out to me in the photos. Shoulder strap attachment to hip belt and not frame like k3: this is huge for larger chested guys and is a vary good change for comfort. Hip belt is much wider to hug and grab your hips. Frame is not continuous across top for better head clearance. Load lifter straps appear to attach to webbing and be pulling off the frame a little which is vary weird. I’m also hoping the lumbar pad fabric is little more sticky. My biggest complaint with any pack is slipping. I’ve had slipping problems with Exo in past and finally got the k3 to work well after several try’s. Finally one shim with the denser foam worked well but I think little less stretchy fabric or little stickier fabric would really make it rock solid.

I found this tip from another Rokslider, but he suggested flipping the hip belt "wings" (moving & flipping the right side over to the left and vice versa). I tried it out recently and it made a big difference for me! Previously I had more of an issue with the hipbelt slipping rather than the lumbar pad, but now neither seem to move on me at all. I also found I needed less shimming in the lumbar pad to get it to stay, which reduced some pressure on my lower back as well.

 

[dreamingWest]

Love my K2. I use it all year long and have had great success with it in the field. It's still got a lot of life in it, but I will consider adding a K4.

One thing I noticed on my latest hunt with "moderately heavy" loads; while on horseback, the bottom of the frame would pinch my ass with the back of the saddle. I'd tried to cinch the pack extra high to mitigate, but I never completely solved it. May have been user error. Curious is others have this issue.

This was packing out moose backstraps and tendies and grizzly cape and skull. [/brag]
: )

 

[Lxhuntinpa]

Appears to be lot of views of these packs on the Born and Raised YouTube channel from their last hunt on Kodiak Island.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I too seem to have the same issue with the lumbar pad material causing slippage. I’ve tried the denser foam and shims and it seems to cause a little soreness on my lower back when hiking longer distances. (I’m generally a road hunter) so having a sore back when pounding the forest service roads day after day is just unpleasant. The material on the stone glacier pad seems about the nicest I’ve felt to help it “stick” and not slip. I’ve debated trying to find a similar material and paying a seamstress to redo the lumbar pad but haven’t committed to that yet…

yeah I have used Exo and Stone Glacier for the majority of my trips and training for the 6 years. I have used SG more purely due to it not slipping under load even over 100lbs. With that said, the Exo does feel a little more plush and comfortable whereas the SG feels little stiffer/harder. However, the SG still is very comfortable and I have never felt the need to want to take the pack off after a long hike due to it being uncomfortable.

Also, the SG has the best load shelf in the business, but the exo has much easier access to the load shelf.

 

[Dioni A]

Appears to be lot of views of these packs on the Born and Raised YouTube channel from their last hunt on Kodiak Island.

Those were last years version of the proto packs. There's been a lot of changes since then.

 

[Wilderlife]

These sound really cool and I'm keen to see how they go but I haven't really kept up with the new Exo stuff since I bought my K2 5500. It hasn't skipped a beat and it's been well and truly abused. Found a new (unused) 2000 so I'm going to put that on my frame and give it to my wife to use as I have some Kifaru gear arriving in a couple of days.

Love that some of these companies have such insane R&D. We the consumer are getting some fantastic products. I can't imagine putting many other packs through what I've put my 5500 through over the last 4.5 years.

 

[camping1601]

I probably missed it somewhere in this thread but does the new k4 still have the adjustable frame height?

 

[Markwondi]

Can’t wait. The belt has been my only complaint on the K3 and the pictures posted appear to address the slippage issue many/me have experienced.

 

[sivart]

I really wish we could get some type of release date?

 

[500000KV]

Looking good. Started with the K1, went K2, now run the K3. Ready for the K4 when Exo is.

 

[wind gypsy]

I probably missed it somewhere in this thread but does the new k4 still have the adjustable frame height?

This was the prior response to the same inquiry:

Any questions asking about specific components are going to have to wait. Things are still subject to change and I don't want to misinform anyone.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I really wish we could get some type of release date?

Steve won't give a date until he's satisfied with all the testing. It could wait as long as early 2024 if needed.

 

[Sadler]

I’ve only been able to hunt with it for six days and pack out one elk so far this season but I gotta say, it’s everything I love about kifaru and exo in one package.

 

[ZDR]

I’ve only been able to hunt with it for six days and pack out one elk so far this season but I gotta say, it’s everything I love about kifaru and exo in one package.

I think you’re just rubbing it in now
Wow that’s some serious praise and really good to hear.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I’ve only been able to hunt with it for six days and pack out one elk so far this season but I gotta say, it’s everything I love about kifaru and exo in one package.

Maybe i missed it in earlier post, but are you referring to the K4?

 

[Sadler]

Maybe i missed it in earlier post, but are you referring to the K4?

Yes