Exo Mountain K4?

[bwp]

I was looking into packs for spring backpacking and hunting next year. Crossing my fingers that the k4 comes out soon!

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Interesting that people are touting their R&D process. Hopefully the R&D on this frame is better than the K3 was. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original K3 frame had issues with the aluminim stays cracking and snapping and they went back to the titanium stays shortly after release due to insufficient field testing. I do really like my exo bag tho.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Interesting that people are touting their R&D process. Hopefully the R&D on this frame is better than the K3 was. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original K3 frame had issues with the aluminim stays cracking and snapping and they went back to the titanium stays shortly after release due to insufficient field testing. I do really like my exo bag tho.

Some of the frames did crack and some broke. Could be part of the reason Steve insisted on a ton of testing before releasing this one to the public.

 

[Marbles]

Interesting that people are touting their R&D process. Hopefully the R&D on this frame is better than the K3 was. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original K3 frame had issues with the aluminim stays cracking and snapping and they went back to the titanium stays shortly after release due to insufficient field testing. I do really like my exo bag tho.

A very small number (1 in 150) of them had the problem, so all of the frames were replaced. https://exomtngear.com/pages/k3-frame-replacement

Exceptional R&D can easily miss events that rare as the sample size needed to find it is large, statistically, you could test 1,000 packs and still miss it. The flip side, is crappy R&D could get lucky and find such a problem in the one item that is picked up and inspected for 10 seconds.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Fair points, but just pointing it out. And don't get me wrong, exo is a great company, I love my bags. Currently loading mine up for the muzzy opener this Saturday.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

Long post here but I wanted to jump in and give some clarification / answers since this thread it out there now. I've been actively working on the K4 frame since fall of 2019. After hundreds of prototype variations and countless miles hiked along the way from 2019 to 2021 I was finally confident that for me / my body shape the frame design was superior to K3 in every way. Once I got to that point I built 40 packs last August and spread them out among some of the hardest hunting guys I know. Among many other things, I wanted to confirm what I was feeling in the new design held true among other body shapes. They were tested for a full season and the overall performance feedback was exceptionally positive. I took all the small notes down from every user and went back to the design table to continue the small details refinement of the frame. That leads us to the generation everyone is using right now. There are currently 105 of them out there with guys all over the world putting them to use. So long as everything goes smoothly; feedback continues to be overwhelmingly positive and zero issues arise the plan is to launch around February of 23'. If any unforeseen issues pop up that I feel will need more testing, I will pause everything and delay the launch until 2024. I think that situation is highly unlikely based off how much testing the frame has already been through but it's certainly not off the table if I have any significant concerns.

The bags themselves are very easy to design and tweak so I am awaiting feedback from what is out there right now before I finalize anything there. Overall you'll see very similar layouts to the K3 bags with some small design changes. Current K4 bags are 3600, 5000 and 7200 in size, those seem to be good numbers for everyone’s wide range of uses. We will make a smaller 2000 ish bag but that would probably be a summer of 23’ release.

One note is that K4 will not be compatible with K3 and prior generation designs. When I started working on the K4 design I didn't want to be married to design concepts that were in my head when we first started working on Exo back in 2013. The frame dimensions, bag attachment to frame and buckles are all different from K3.

The K4 frame will come in 4 height configurations (22", 23.5", 25" and 26.5"). It features two vertical compression molded carbon fiber stays that can easily be swapped out to change the frame height. It doesn’t have the height adjustment built into it like the K3 does so you have to pick which stays / frame height you want before entering into the field. We'll sell them on the website as an accessory if you want the option of multiple frame heights. I certainly can see some guys hunting with shorter stays and having taller ones in the truck for your following trips packing out meat. I looked for ways to make it height adjustable in the field but wasn't happy with any of the solutions I came up with, they all got too complicated, compromised performance or risked durability issues. Head clearance is also better on the K4 so to me it’s not as sensitive to which frame height you have. One bonus with this new system is you can cut down a taller stay to get a specific desired height, say you want 25.75”, you can just cut off ⅜” from each end of a 26.5” stay.

The hipbelt will now come in 5 different sizes instead of 3 so we can get a perfect fit for a wider range of people. It doesn't have the micro adjustability like the K3 does but with the 5 sizes just about everyone will be able to get a perfect fit. In chasing pure performance of the hipbelt / lower design I wasn't able to keep the micro adjustability option in there. Overall vs K3 this is where everyone is going to see the greatest improvement in comfort. The hipbelt, lower and lumbar design are all a significant improvement and that has held true among every single tester I have talked to regardless of how the K3 performed for them.

A new feature will be laser cut Molle panel attachment points on the hipbelt and harness. I am especially excited about the angled one on the hipbelt, it was designed specifically for great access to a Nalgene and is everyone's favorite new accessory by far. The Molle panel there is sewn to a plastic wing that extends out from behind the lumbar pad so the weight of a full Nalgene can’t be felt and does not affect the performance of the hipbelt at all. It’s converted me from a water bladder user to a Nalgene fan.

Locking buckles will also be an option, we are using a new design that YKK has just come out with. The plan is to include 2 with every pack and we’ll sell a kit to swap all the buckles on the pack if a customer wants. The weight penalty to do this is 2 ounces.

The K4 frame is coming in about 2-3oz lighter than K3 as well, roughly 2lbs 14oz with a small belt.

Way too many other things to list in one post so any questions I will do my best to check back frequently and answer.

Here are a few unedited pics of the current K4 that everyone is running and also some field pics from my recent AK hunt packing meat and horns.

Steve

 

[AlpineAssassin907]

Long post here but I wanted to jump in and give some clarification / answers since this thread it out there now. I've been actively working on the K4 frame since fall of 2019. After hundreds of prototype variations and countless miles hiked along the way from 2019 to 2021 I was finally confident that for me / my body shape the frame design was superior to K3 in every way. Once I got to that point I built 40 packs last August and spread them out among some of the hardest hunting guys I know. Among many other things, I wanted to confirm what I was feeling in the new design held true among other body shapes. They were tested for a full season and the overall performance feedback was exceptionally positive. I took all the small notes down from every user and went back to the design table to continue the small details refinement of the frame. That leads us to the generation everyone is using right now. There are currently 105 of them out there with guys all over the world putting them to use. So long as everything goes smoothly; feedback continues to be overwhelmingly positive and zero issues arise the plan is to launch around February of 23'. If any unforeseen issues pop up that I feel will need more testing, I will pause everything and delay the launch until 2024. I think that situation is highly unlikely based off how much testing the frame has already been through but it's certainly not off the table if I have any significant concerns.

The bags themselves are very easy to design and tweak so I am awaiting feedback from what is out there right now before I finalize anything there. Overall you'll see very similar layouts to the K3 bags with some small design changes. Current K4 bags are 3600, 5000 and 7200 in size, those seem to be good numbers for everyone’s wide range of uses. We will make a smaller 2000 ish bag but that would probably be a summer of 23’ release.

One note is that K4 will not be compatible with K3 and prior generation designs. When I started working on the K4 design I didn't want to be married to design concepts that were in my head when we first started working on Exo back in 2013. The frame dimensions, bag attachment to frame and buckles are all different from K3.

The K4 frame will come in 4 height configurations (22", 23.5", 25" and 26.5"). It features two vertical compression molded carbon fiber stays that can easily be swapped out to change the frame height. It doesn’t have the height adjustment built into it like the K3 does so you have to pick which stays / frame height you want before entering into the field. We'll sell them on the website as an accessory if you want the option of multiple frame heights. I certainly can see some guys hunting with shorter stays and having taller ones in the truck for your following trips packing out meat. I looked for ways to make it height adjustable in the field but wasn't happy with any of the solutions I came up with, they all got too complicated, compromised performance or risked durability issues. Head clearance is also better on the K4 so to me it’s not as sensitive to which frame height you have. One bonus with this new system is you can cut down a taller stay to get a specific desired height, say you want 25.75”, you can just cut off ⅜” from each end of a 26.5” stay.

The hipbelt will now come in 5 different sizes instead of 3 so we can get a perfect fit for a wider range of people. It doesn't have the micro adjustability like the K3 does but with the 5 sizes just about everyone will be able to get a perfect fit. In chasing pure performance of the hipbelt / lower design I wasn't able to keep the micro adjustability option in there. Overall vs K3 this is where everyone is going to see the greatest improvement in comfort. The hipbelt, lower and lumbar design are all a significant improvement and that has held true among every single tester I have talked to regardless of how the K3 performed for them.

A new feature will be laser cut Molle panel attachment points on the hipbelt and harness. I am especially excited about the angled one on the hipbelt, it was designed specifically for great access to a Nalgene and is everyone's favorite new accessory by far. The Molle panel there is sewn to a plastic wing that extends out from behind the lumbar pad so the weight of a full Nalgene can’t be felt and does not affect the performance of the hipbelt at all. It’s converted me from a water bladder user to a Nalgene fan.

Locking buckles will also be an option, we are using a new design that YKK has just come out with. The plan is to include 2 with every pack and we’ll sell a kit to swap all the buckles on the pack if a customer wants. The weight penalty to do this is 2 ounces.

The K4 frame is coming in about 2-3oz lighter than K3 as well, roughly 2lbs 14oz with a small belt.

Way too many other things to list in one post so any questions I will do my best to check back frequently and answer.

Here are a few unedited pics of the current K4 that everyone is running and also some field pics from my recent AK hunt packing meat and horns.

Steve

Steve, Thankyou for reaching out and answering the thread. I really appreciate it. We all do. My k2 5500, & K3 4800 have been flawless. So now, I absolutely cannot wait until I can buy a K4 5000.

 

[ljalberta]

Thanks for the thorough update. I’m real excited to see the final product. Might have to try the 3600 or 5000 model.

 

[Grumman]

Thanks for throwing us a bone Steve. I’d definitely like to try one when released. Besides tan any changes to the color/camo pattern offerings?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[camping1601]

The non ability to adjust the frame length is a buzz killer for me. Good thing now I don't need a new pack.

 

[Justin Crossley]

The non ability to adjust the frame length is a buzz killer for me. Good thing now I don't need a new pack.

I was kinda disappointed too until I remembered I haven't adjusted my K3 frame once since my initial testing. Then I realized it didn't really matter to me.

 

[Deerfield]

I was planning on getting a K3 this fall and upgrading from my Mystery Ranch. Maybe now I should deal with it for another season and wait for the K4.

 

[camping1601]

I was kinda disappointed too until I remembered I haven't adjusted my K3 frame once since my initial testing. Then I realized it didn't really matter to me.

I hear you. It was probably the biggest thing that pulled me away from the Kifaru crowd. Gonna roll with the k3 for now.

 

[Dioni A]

I was kinda disappointed too until I remembered I haven't adjusted my K3 frame once since my initial testing. Then I realized it didn't really matter to me.

This is the truth for 90% of guys out there!!!!

 

[Grady.J]

Pretty jazzed for this. I will say, I hope the full size front stretch pocket or some close variation makes it from the 32/6400 to the 3600. Perfect spot for quick access rain gear or stuffing any wet or bloody gear I don't want in the main bag. Otherwise I really dig how streamlined that bag looks.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Pretty jazzed for this. I will say, I hope the full size front stretch pocket or some close variation makes it from the 32/6400 to the 3600. Perfect spot for quick access rain gear or stuffing any wet or bloody gear I don't want in the main bag. Otherwise I really dig how streamlined that bag looks.

I'm a big fan of that stretch pocket too.

 

[chutinlead]

Thanks for throwing us a bone Steve. I’d definitely like to try one when released. Besides tan any changes to the color/camo pattern offerings?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I would like to see the Kryptek Altitude pattern back for the K4. I would have bought a K3 if I could have bought that camo

 

[sivart]

Long post here but I wanted to jump in and give some clarification / answers since this thread it out there now. I've been actively working on the K4 frame since fall of 2019. After hundreds of prototype variations and countless miles hiked along the way from 2019 to 2021 I was finally confident that for me / my body shape the frame design was superior to K3 in every way. Once I got to that point I built 40 packs last August and spread them out among some of the hardest hunting guys I know. Among many other things, I wanted to confirm what I was feeling in the new design held true among other body shapes. They were tested for a full season and the overall performance feedback was exceptionally positive. I took all the small notes down from every user and went back to the design table to continue the small details refinement of the frame. That leads us to the generation everyone is using right now. There are currently 105 of them out there with guys all over the world putting them to use. So long as everything goes smoothly; feedback continues to be overwhelmingly positive and zero issues arise the plan is to launch around February of 23'. If any unforeseen issues pop up that I feel will need more testing, I will pause everything and delay the launch until 2024. I think that situation is highly unlikely based off how much testing the frame has already been through but it's certainly not off the table if I have any significant concerns.

The bags themselves are very easy to design and tweak so I am awaiting feedback from what is out there right now before I finalize anything there. Overall you'll see very similar layouts to the K3 bags with some small design changes. Current K4 bags are 3600, 5000 and 7200 in size, those seem to be good numbers for everyone’s wide range of uses. We will make a smaller 2000 ish bag but that would probably be a summer of 23’ release.

One note is that K4 will not be compatible with K3 and prior generation designs. When I started working on the K4 design I didn't want to be married to design concepts that were in my head when we first started working on Exo back in 2013. The frame dimensions, bag attachment to frame and buckles are all different from K3.

The K4 frame will come in 4 height configurations (22", 23.5", 25" and 26.5"). It features two vertical compression molded carbon fiber stays that can easily be swapped out to change the frame height. It doesn’t have the height adjustment built into it like the K3 does so you have to pick which stays / frame height you want before entering into the field. We'll sell them on the website as an accessory if you want the option of multiple frame heights. I certainly can see some guys hunting with shorter stays and having taller ones in the truck for your following trips packing out meat. I looked for ways to make it height adjustable in the field but wasn't happy with any of the solutions I came up with, they all got too complicated, compromised performance or risked durability issues. Head clearance is also better on the K4 so to me it’s not as sensitive to which frame height you have. One bonus with this new system is you can cut down a taller stay to get a specific desired height, say you want 25.75”, you can just cut off ⅜” from each end of a 26.5” stay.

The hipbelt will now come in 5 different sizes instead of 3 so we can get a perfect fit for a wider range of people. It doesn't have the micro adjustability like the K3 does but with the 5 sizes just about everyone will be able to get a perfect fit. In chasing pure performance of the hipbelt / lower design I wasn't able to keep the micro adjustability option in there. Overall vs K3 this is where everyone is going to see the greatest improvement in comfort. The hipbelt, lower and lumbar design are all a significant improvement and that has held true among every single tester I have talked to regardless of how the K3 performed for them.

A new feature will be laser cut Molle panel attachment points on the hipbelt and harness. I am especially excited about the angled one on the hipbelt, it was designed specifically for great access to a Nalgene and is everyone's favorite new accessory by far. The Molle panel there is sewn to a plastic wing that extends out from behind the lumbar pad so the weight of a full Nalgene can’t be felt and does not affect the performance of the hipbelt at all. It’s converted me from a water bladder user to a Nalgene fan.

Locking buckles will also be an option, we are using a new design that YKK has just come out with. The plan is to include 2 with every pack and we’ll sell a kit to swap all the buckles on the pack if a customer wants. The weight penalty to do this is 2 ounces.

The K4 frame is coming in about 2-3oz lighter than K3 as well, roughly 2lbs 14oz with a small belt.

Way too many other things to list in one post so any questions I will do my best to check back frequently and answer.

Here are a few unedited pics of the current K4 that everyone is running and also some field pics from my recent AK hunt packing meat and horns.

Steve

Just tell me when I can get mine ordered......

 

[sivart]

Also very glad that you didn't make the auto locks standard. They are a pain in the arse, IMO.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Sorry Auto Lock buckles are the superior buckle.
I almost cut all the buckles of my k2 and especially the k3.
The lighter webbing on the k3 always turns inside the buckle and gets all jammed up.
I almost just left the pack in the woods i was so mad. Never had a problem with auto locks other then cold fingers.