Exo Mountain K4?

[Elkdreamer]

Did you cut the bottom out of the Exo nalgene holder to make that?

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Yes, just removed one row of stitching. The bottom fell out and another row of stitching still remains.

 

[OSU Fisher]

I’ve had every generation of the exo’s. I currently have 2 k2’s, 2 k3’s and got my 2 k4’s I pre ordered a couple weeks ago. The k4’s are pretty sweet. I think they will be better in just about every aspect. The one thing I am really disappointed in is the lid attachment on the frame side. I was a big fan of how they went to buckles on all attachments points of the k3 lid. I’m not sure why they went away from that on the k4’s. I’m assuming to streamline the design, less buckles and clutter? But for me it makes it so much more difficult when braking down the pack for hauling meat etc. maybe I’m high maintenance…. Also not sure what I’m going to do about my kifaru gun bearers and the k4’s bigger hip belt

 

[thegoosano]

I’ve had every generation of the exo’s. I currently have 2 k2’s, 2 k3’s and got my 2 k4’s I pre ordered a couple weeks ago. The k4’s are pretty sweet. I think they will be better in just about every aspect. The one thing I am really disappointed in is the lid attachment on the frame side. I was a big fan of how they went to buckles on all attachments points of the k3 lid. I’m not sure why they went away from that on the k4’s. I’m assuming to streamline the design, less buckles and clutter? But for me it makes it so much more difficult when braking down the pack for hauling meat etc. maybe I’m high maintenance…. Also not sure what I’m going to do about my kifaru gun bearers and the k4’s bigger hip belt

I swap out most ladder locks on all my packs with these gatekeeper/ladder lock buckles that marsupial sells as part of their buckle delete kit. Three places on the K4 that are hugely improved with these are the load lifters, lid attachment points, and the bottom bag compression straps. With these you don’t have to weave the webbing through the ladder lock, you can simply open the gate keeper side and quick detach. They’re amazing! Not to mention match the color. Pretty slick all around and save you lots of time.

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[OSU Fisher]

I swap out most ladder locks on all my packs with these gatekeeper/ladder lock buckles that marsupial sells as part of their buckle delete kit. Three places on the K4 that are hugely improved with these are the load lifters, lid attachment points, and the bottom bag compression straps. With these you don’t have to weave the webbing through the ladder lock, you can simply open the gate keeper side and quick detach. They’re amazing! Not to mention match the color. Pretty slick all around and save you lots of time.

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Thanks for that. I’m going to have to order some of those and play with some different setups. Overall well thought out pack but some of these little areas I think were looked over which suprises me especially since the k3 had some of this fixed. Or during the design they were focused on simplicity and oz’s. I would sacrifice a little of both for ease of use and speed. Especially when wearing gloves, at night and in cold snowy conditions which ends up being atleast 50% of my situations where I’m breaking down the pack.

 

[thegoosano]

My thoughts on these buckles is that they either a. Cost too much, b. Not strong enough for their liking or c. Are too hard to get in large quantities. Purely just guessing here tbh.

I’d love to know mark and Steve’s thoughts in these buckles though, they have been nothing short of amazing for me!


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[Mark at EXO]

Thanks for that. I’m going to have to order some of those and play with some different setups. Overall well thought out plan but some of these little areas I think were looked over which suprises me. Or during the design they were focused on simplicity and oz’s. I would sacrifice a little of both for ease of use and speed. Especially when wearing gloves, at night and in cold snowy conditions which ends up being atleast 50% of my situations where I’m breaking down the pack.

Not overlooked at all. We tested numerous different connection options. One of the things we don’t like about a buckle connection for the lid is that the length of the hardware inherently reduces how tight you can snug the lid down, contributing to poor lid fit.

Our design for K4 is super fast and simple to disconnect, and offers a lid that fits great and stays in place.

 

[Baron528]

Seek Outside started selling black 1" gatekeepers sometime recently if you're looking for a different color.

 

[OSU Fisher]

My thoughts on these buckles is that they either a. Cost too much, b. Not strong enough for their liking or c. Are too hard to get in large quantities. Purely just guessing here tbh.

I’d love to know mark and Steve’s thoughts in these buckles though, they have been nothing short of amazing for me!


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You are probably right with one of those. I would be curious to what their thinking is as well. After thinking about it I remembered I had used some of those clips in areas on my k2 and just looked at them. I think I can get this k4 setup much better for my uses/likes

 

[OSU Fisher]

Not overlooked at all. We tested numerous different connection options. One of the things we don’t like about a buckle connection for the lid is that the length of the hardware inherently reduces how tight you can snug the lid down, contributing to poor lid fit.

Our design for K4 is super fast and simple to disconnect, and offers a lid that fits great and stays in place.

Thanks for chiming in. It’s much appreciated. I figured you didn’t overlook it. Probably a bad choice of words on my part. Not bashing the design or pack. I’m a huge fan of your guys’s stuff. I think this just falls into personal preference/situational thing. I totally agree that the buckle on the k3 didn’t allow the lid to be a super tight fit. For me it was worth the ease of a quick buckle. Maybe the k4 will just require a little more getting used to in that area. A lot of my elk hunting is in freezing snowy conditions where I’m using gloves and good chance it’s Dark out when the pack is being broke down. Like I said my situation may be the minority. My dad also upgraded from his k3 and I know he will struggle more as a “blind” impatient 65 year old haha. Overall we love the packs so far. Just need to tweak them for our personal fitment. Thanks for getting back to me about the design. I understand where your coming from. It’s impossible to please everyone and I might be one of the few who thinks this way. Thanks for the killer products and service.

 

[DakotaBPNW]

I don’t see how those quick buckles would be any easier than a conventional ladder lock in freezing conditions with gloves. I’m just glad most of the straps aren’t doubled over and sewn on the ends. That makes them extremely difficult to work through in my opinion.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

Thanks for chiming in. It’s much appreciated. I figured you didn’t overlook it. Probably a bad choice of words on my part. Not bashing the design or pack. I’m a huge fan of your guys’s stuff. I think this just falls into personal preference/situational thing. I totally agree that the buckle on the k3 didn’t allow the lid to be a super tight fit. For me it was worth the ease of a quick buckle. Maybe the k4 will just require a little more getting used to in that area. A lot of my elk hunting is in freezing snowy conditions where I’m using gloves and good chance it’s Dark out when the pack is being broke down. Like I said my situation may be the minority. My dad also upgraded from his k3 and I know he will struggle more as a “blind” impatient 65 year old haha. Overall we love the packs so far. Just need to tweak them for our personal fitment. Thanks for getting back to me about the design. I understand where your coming from. It’s impossible to please everyone and I might be one of the few who thinks this way. Thanks for the killer products and service.

Yeah I would have loved to keep the lid attachment with buckles there like we did on K3 but it just wasn’t an option with the K4 design. Inherently there is a lot more slop / play in a buckle vs ladder lock connection and my priority for this decision was making sure the lid snugged tight to the top of the frame.

You could easily swap out those ladder locks with a quick attach buckle and it would be just fine when the pack is relatively full. Just when the pack is compressed / nearly empty the lid would be a floppy mess.

You’ll notice we cut the webbing that threads through that ladder lock at a 45 degree angle to help make re-threading it much easier. Our sew shop pushed back on us for doing this as they have to be cut by hand vs an automatic hot cutter. But to me it was a necessary step to help make that step just a little bit easier.

We definitely paid attention to every little detail we possibly could but there are always going to be some compromises is design.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Yeah I would have loved to keep the lid attachment with buckles there like we did on K3 but it just wasn’t an option with the K4 design. Inherently there is a lot more slop / play in a buckle vs ladder lock connection and my priority for this decision was making sure the lid snugged tight to the top of the frame.

You could easily swap out those ladder locks with a quick attach buckle and it would be just fine when the pack is relatively full. Just when the pack is compressed / nearly empty the lid would be a floppy mess.

You’ll notice we cut the webbing that threads through that ladder lock at a 45 degree angle to help make re-threading it much easier. Our sew shop pushed back on us for doing this as they have to be cut by hand vs an automatic hot cutter. But to me it was a necessary step to help make that step just a little bit easier.

We definitely paid attention to every little detail we possibly could but there are always going to be some compromises is design.

K4 v2 the lid straps need to be on the lid. So when not using the lid there is not dangling straps on the frame.

I'm considering cutting the straps off and just using the k3 1800 lid straps to the crib loop. I hardly run a lid any more.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

K4 v2 the lid straps need to be on the lid. So when not using the lid there is not dangling straps on the frame.

I'm considering cutting the straps off and just using the k3 1800 lid straps to the crib loop. I hardly run a lid any more.

I tried that as well, all of the 2021 Pika prototypes didn’t have lid straps on the frames, but for quite a few reasons it just didn’t work into final K4’s.

I’m definitely with you in that I rarely run a lid anymore but 95% of guys do so having the connection just be simple and rock solid made more sense in the end.

 

[thegoosano]

I tried that as well, all of the 2021 Pika prototypes didn’t have lid straps on the frames, but for quite a few reasons it just didn’t work into final K4’s.

I’m definitely with you in that I rarely run a lid anymore but 95% of guys do so having the connection just be simple and rock solid made more sense in the end.

Hey Steve what are your thoughts on the gatekeeper ladder locks? Have you tested those much? I don’t like to use them on compression straps cuz I’m sure they have low tensile capacity but just curious if you’ve played around with them in your prototyping.


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[roosiebull]

Not overlooked at all. We tested numerous different connection options. One of the things we don’t like about a buckle connection for the lid is that the length of the hardware inherently reduces how tight you can snug the lid down, contributing to poor lid fit.

Our design for K4 is super fast and simple to disconnect, and offers a lid that fits great and stays in place.

That’s what I was thinking, I like it to be snugged all the way down tight. I see both arguments, but I would rather have a very snug lid vs a tiny bit faster… buckles add length, and that’s been a bigger problem in pack designs I have used in the past… I could do away with more buckles but I’m certainly not lobbying for that

 

[rclouse79]

I have been fiddling with my bow spider and it makes the lid harder to access. I am thinking I will probably go no lid during archery and have the lid for rifle.

 

[roosiebull]

I have been fiddling with my bow spider and it makes the lid harder to access. I am thinking I will probably go no lid during archery and have the lid for rifle.

For archery it’s nice to not have the lid adding profile to the top as well… I’m not completely decided yet if I will go with the crib/lid/pockets or their small bag they will release in the future, but I’m leaning on both, but for roosies, I think I will be happier with a small bag and no lid… still getting a crib because I am going to do some tree stand hunting in the future (deer and calling cats with my bow) and the crib will be great for hauling stands… chasing elk, I always went lidless for that reason, but for everything but archery elk, I like a lid.

Probably going to get a 5k as well, i have no problem investing in the k4, because it’s going to be around for awhile… can’t picture a better hunting pack, I like it more every time I put it on.

I shortened the yoke one notch today and put an 82# sand bag in it and it’s crazy how nice it rides and how comfortable the lower of the pack is with weight. It was hard to tell if it was a little long because the belt stays up so well, so I just adjusted it to see and that’s the location for me. I think I have a short torso, I’m 6’ even with a 34.5” inseam

 

[Grooch611]

View attachment 537813

Saw a picture on the website of Steve doing something similar. Holds it rock solid!

Did you have to cut away the frame or was it easy to remove?

 

[PaHunter86]

Ordered mine on Mar 28th. Just waiting for the tracking number. Can't wait to get it and start hiking with it prior to the season!

 

[DakotaBPNW]

Did you have to cut away the frame or was it easy to remove?

I just strapped the whole thing to my K4 frame. I just tucked the straps and shoulder harnesses away nicely on the Osprey and then ran the K4 straps through the center and around the bottom to keep it snug.