Exo Mountain K4?

[Average Dave]

They have a youtube video that explains it

I will have to check them out again. I don’t have internet at home and data restrictions on my phone so I probably missed newer YouTube videos. Thanks for the information.

 

[Jauwater]

I will have to check them out again. I don’t have internet at home and data restrictions on my phone so I probably missed newer YouTube videos. Thanks for the information.

Loosen all the straps, shoulder straps, load lifters, belt straps.

Put the pack on, tighten the belt down so that the belt is centered on your iliac crest.

Then tighten down your shoulder straps just till their snug. Not at all tight. As stated above, you want your shoulder straps just kinda hugging you, with all the weight on your lumbar area, and the top of the frame feels like it’s just kinda floating on your upper body. Then clip in your sternum strap. I like for my sternum strap to be approximately 3” below my collar bone. I don’t really tighten down my sternum strap much at all. Just to keep my straps in place.

Pack fitment can be somewhat subjective, some people wear their packs a little high, some people like their packs to ride a a little low. But overall that’ll get you in the range where you can start doing micro adjustments for torso length, and get it dialed in from there once you get a chance to watch their videos.


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[Mark at EXO]

Is there anywhere in fitting directions that explains what you will feel if the adjustments are set to long or two short? You know if it feels like this you need to do this? Just for us non-pack guru types.

https://exomtngear.com/fitting (It isn't shown in the video, but use at least 25lbs+ when setting up and assessing the fitting.)

Give us a call or email tomorrow if you have any questions.

 

[Marbles]

I will have to check them out again. I don’t have internet at home and data restrictions on my phone so I probably missed newer YouTube videos. Thanks for the information.

The video is best, but to add to what @Jauwater said as you have limited internet, on the K4 the torso length is about spot on if the top of the MOLLE is even with your collar bones. There will be some slight adjustment in that, for example I started with my torso set pulled as low as possible for the slot the shoulder harness was in, with a load this put some pressure on my shoulders that I felt as shoulder fatigue after a mile or so. Simply undid the Velcro and shifted the straps as far up as the would micro adjust in the same slot, feels perfect now.

 

[Jac]

Hi,

Im really struggling with choosing between the 5000 and the 7200.

Has anyone on here has tried using the 5000 bag for a 10 day backpack hunt?

I tend to be minimalist and last year I went on a 9 day backpack hunt here in Norway with my pack weighing in at 59 lbs. Was using a SO 6,300 cu bag for that trip and volume vice it was great.

Any thoughts?

I own a seek 5400 lanner and I just got the k4 with 5000 bag

The seek is way way larger and your 6300 is even bigger. Get the 7200 if you are worried about space.

 

[HGH90]

I own a seek 5400 lanner and I just got the k4 with 5000 bag

The seek is way way larger and your 6300 is even bigger. Get the 7200 if you are worried about space.

Thanks - thats helpful!

 

[Jmort1754]

I just wanted the smaller bag and a crib panel. As soon as that happens I am ordering.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I really like my Stone Glacier X-Curve Frame. I ordered the new K-4 with the 5000 Bag it came to the house this afternoon spent some time with both the SG and the K-4. The SG fits me like a glove, The K-4 lumbar pad is a little to bulky and stiff for my liking. I will contact the EXO tomorrow and have them send me out the other lumbar pad.

I have the SG Sky 5900 bag and it ok there are several things I would change. I really like the K-4 5000 bag and lid, its very well thought out with great features. I tried to put the EXO 5000 bag on the X-curve frame but its a no go.

Man although SG has a lower profile it’s much stiffer then exo and kifaru. SG is a single density whereas exo and kifaru use dual density.

 

[Valkyrie]

I just ordered the K4 5000. These packs look really good. Gonna try it out as soon as I get it on some backpacking hiking/ trout fishing trips here in PA.

Anyone have any word on how fast they are getting them out the door?

 

[Mark at EXO]

Thanks for the order @Valkyrie! Most new orders are going to ship right in the 1-2 week timeframe right now. We will be sure to send tracking info as soon as it is available.

 

[rclouse79]

I have the hard plastic ones for attaching something like a marsupial spotting scope case to a molle panel, but the ones bow spider sells kinda just look like a belt clip kinda. Tapatalk won’t let me attach a photo for some reason but here’s a link:

Molle Webbing Receiver for Bow Spider (must already have 1 full Bow Spider System)

New and improved clip design as of July 2024 to better and more securely fit on your bag with molle webbing. We've made attaching your Bow Spider Bow Packing System to your bag with molle webbing or other places super simple! Check out the new and improved Molle Webbing Clip from Bow Spider...

bowspider.com

What are your soft plastic ones like? Thank you for the offer!


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The metal clips on the bowspider aren’t spaced correctly to work with the mollee on the k4 hip belt. I rigged up this, which seems more solid than original.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I just received my pack and it definitely feels more bomber and burly than the K2 and K3. I was in the camp that loved the stiffer lumbar foam on the K3 so this stiffer feel on the K4 right out of the box was money.

One thing I noticed was the tamper of the bag seemed the same to me as the previous K3 bags meaning the bottom was less wide as the top of the bag. Early on in this thread I believe Steve stated that the taper is a little less on the K4 than the K3. Again, not a deal breaker by any means but that has been my only complaint really on the exo bags is the taper. Its money for just stuffing your sleeping bag in loose without stuff sack, but I do not always do that.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Received my 5000 on Monday and promptly did my 2 mile run up hill, walk down hill circuit with 32# total pack weight. The running is always a good test of slippage. It passed.

Today I did 1 mile on the TreadClimber at 3.9mph with 66#. Again no slippage.

Even with my KUIU Pro, which carries better than my K2 with K3 belt, I have to adjust the waist belt once or twice during these exercises. Seem to have a winner.

Next up 90# hill climbs

 

[thegoosano]

The metal clips on the bowspider aren’t spaced correctly to work with the mollee on the k4 hip belt. I rigged up this, which seems more solid than original. View attachment 541855View attachment 541856

I need a sewing machine…

I was considering rigging up some old kifaru compression straps with tri glide to attach similar to a kifaru belt pouch.

One thing I’ve noticed is that with the bow spider puck mounted to my marsupial harness the K4 shoulder harness is too close to allow it to fit between and it’s unwearable. On my kifaru the shoulder straps splay out enough that it fits between and you can wear the pack with puck on the bino harness. Not an issue with the pack by any means just an observation. I need to think of a way to rig up the puck so that I can take it on and off for stalks, or attach to the lid like you he mentioned when using as an approach pack!


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[rclouse79]

I need a sewing machine…

I was considering rigging up some old kifaru compression straps with tri glide to attach similar to a kifaru belt pouch.

One thing I’ve noticed is that with the bow spider puck mounted to my marsupial harness the K4 shoulder harness is too close to allow it to fit between and it’s unwearable. On my kifaru the shoulder straps splay out enough that it fits between and you can wear the pack with puck on the bino harness. Not an issue with the pack by any means just an observation. I need to think of a way to rig up the puck so that I can take it on and off for stalks, or attach to the lid like you he mentioned when using as an approach pack!


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I abandoned the idea of attaching it to the lid because the spot below the zippers where it would mount seemed too far back to be able to easily get the bow on and off. I started playing around with mounting it to the pack with the lid on, and realized it made the lid hard to access. I settled on going with no lid during archery season. You can buy some sea to summit buckles that have a removable screw, so you can attach them to the loops sewn in the top of the pack. I sewed some 1 inch webbing to the top holes in the puck to run through them.
I beat my head against the wall for a while trying to figure out how to secure the bottom of the puck. I didn't like running webbing through the belt slot on the puck, because it buckled and bent when I tried to attach it to the pack. Then I got the idea to use the supplied hardware to bolt a couple loops of webbing with buckles to hook into the lid straps (since I am not using the lid.
I saw someone else mention attaching the puck with the supplied velcro straps and stashing the puck between the bag and the frame when not using a bow. I didn't like the velcro straps at all. They limited the range of adjustment and were generally a pain. The way I have it rigged up now I can take it on or off in less than five seconds, and I can snug it down as tight as I want.

The next thing I am going to work on is a way to secure the bottom of the bow when I am hiking with it attached to the pack puck. I noticed last year if I bent down going under a branch or over deadfall my bow could swing around inside the puck. I found I can reach back and feel the bottom limb of my bow when it is attached. I need to get some sort of bungie I can hook or unhook by feel without taking the pack off.

 

[eltaco]

First of all, bow spider is new to me… seems a few of you guys think pretty highly of them so I’ll give it a look.

There’s a lot of talk about harness adjustments and micro adjustments, and I’m curious to get some feedback on what queues you’re taking from fitment or your body to inform your proper fitment.

I’m also seeing the same that the K4 does not slip under load, which is great and not easy to do for me with a relatively flat back. I’ve been hiking with 60# just to get a feel for proper placement. Far more than my pack will weigh aside from pack out, but a decent training load. If I set the center of hip belt at my iliac crests, I encounter quite a bit of fatigue at my hip flexors. If I raise the belt higher, that seems to dissipate, but also feels like the pack is sitting really high. I think in all honesty I’ve traditionally worn my pack a bit too low to avoid skin pinching between top of pants/belt and bottom of hip belt.

What do you generally feel within your body to indicate the pack is too high or too low? At what point do you determine “perfect” height for your body?

 

[Citizen]

I have higher hips so I wear it high. Not wearing a pants belt helps a heck of a lot!

 

[Hoythews71]

I did a 9 mile hike with #60 and noticed some surface level irritation right on my iliac crest afterwards. Very minor bruising, and nothing that’s at all a deal breaker. Think I might position the belt just a tad higher. The belt didn’t slip a single time though…I was damn impressed!

Not to derail the current thread direction, but is anyone finding MOLLE accessories that are compatible with these new laser cut panels? Specifically looking for a MOLLE to velcro attachment.


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[thegoosano]

I did a 9 mile hike with #60 and noticed some surface level irritation right on my iliac crest afterwards. Very minor bruising, and nothing that’s at all a deal breaker. Think I might position the belt just a tad higher. The belt didn’t slip a single time though…I was damn impressed!

Not to derail the current thread direction, but is anyone finding MOLLE accessories that are compatible with these new laser cut panels? Specifically looking for a MOLLE to velcro attachment.


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We’re you wearing a shirt that was rough or had a seam on your hip etc? That can also I’ve a big effect on surface level irritation like you described. I packed a whole bull 5mi from treeline over I think 3 trips and was wearing a Sitka core lightweight hoody and I swear it was like sand paper on my skin by the last load


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[Dioni A]

Got to be careful with belts also. I've had them cause bleeding on long enough packouts.