Exo Mountain K4?

[stoopiddumbman]

Felt cute, might delete later (did in fact delete later)

 

[Marbles]

@ExoMtnGear

Can you please explain how the stretch pocket is supposed to be used on the 7200? It seems like the zipper is on the wrong side, and with only 1 zipper pull I found it was frequently necessary to undo a cross strap and one lid buckle to actually get into the "quick" access stretch pocket. I tried for a week and couldn't figure out a convenient way to use that pocket, what am I missing?

Agree, a dual zipper would make the pocket more useful.

 

[roosiebull]

Another thing that I really like about the k4 is that it doesn’t trap brush on the lumbar pad… highly doubt that was a design feature, but it sure is a benefit for me. Archery elk hunting around here is a lot of busting through salmonberry, especially on NF land which is what I mostly hunt these days, and about every pack traps debris between my lumbar and back, and it becomes a problem… little thorny salmonberry debris on a sweaty back, and by the time it starts bothering me and I clear it, it’s too late, and then I have a raw rash that will not heal when under a pack every day.

Some packs are worse than others, but the k4 doesn’t trap brush at all, literally hasn’t happened period.. again, I’m sure that wasn’t a design point, but it sure is a nice byproduct chasing roosies on the coast… not a real issue for most people in most places, or even me for many hunts, but hunting elk on the coast its always been a problem, and the salmonberry is terrible this year, crazy thick

Last year I had a painful rash the whole month that would never heal, it’s a complete non issue this year

 

[gearguywb]

Who needs a 2200 bag in brown? going with the 3600 instead.

 

[Trekker]

Does anyone know of a source other then exo for the autolock buckles they use. Thanks.

 

[sivart]

Does the K4 belt get less stiff as you break it in? I really couldn't get the belt to initially feel comfortable w/ my boney hips.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Does the K4 belt get less stiff as you break it in? I really couldn't get the belt to initially feel comfortable w/ my boney hips.

Yes. Even a few miles with heavy weight will make a big difference.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Yes. Even a few miles with heavy weight will make a big difference.

Ohh what do you know about packing meat with a K4?

 

[WeiserBucks]

Ohh what do you know about packing meat with a K4?

I know barely enough to have an opinion.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I know barely enough to have an opinion.

Give yourself more credit then that, I thought you did a pretty good job

 

[WeiserBucks]

Give yourself more credit then that, I thought you did a pretty good job

I'll try harder next time, I swear.

 

[ChrisAU]

Was all set on my 5000 for a 7 day/6 night trip, did a mock pack and thought man I might need something bigger…and a week later here I am with a 3600 and a dry bag full of food ready to rock. Crazy how slim this thing is. And also to order my 3600 Thursday morning and get it in Alabama on Saturday is nuts!

 

[Highlands Hunter]

Does the K4 belt get less stiff as you break it in? I really couldn't get the belt to initially feel comfortable w/ my boney hips.

The K4 belt was better for me after a break in period. It’s really nice

 

[Coveyleader]

I think I’m going to write up a note on the K4 5000. Maybe just in this thread. some real world, crushing pack outs and some of my findings. Some good, some so so, and a few things you need to do before you find yourself on the side of a cliff packing out a monster load going WTF. I like the pack, but it has some learning curves for sure. It is strappy and the first thing I’m going to do when I get home is paint the male and corresponding female buckles (color code) to easily get the pack simplified. It was a bitch trying to figure that out when the pack no longer looks like your insta photo pack with a puffy inside it.

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

^believe they already have orange stiyching on the meat buckle straps to try and reduce confusion.

I personaly had troubles with the lid to crib load attachment at 130 in morning. Was either all of the work/exhaustion or adrenaline but for the life of me could not get it figured out.

 

[Mark at EXO]

As mentioned above, we do use orange stitching on the frame's compression straps. We strive to make everything as simple as possible, but also encourage everyone to get familiar with their pack before those moments when an animal is down and you are often tired, often dehydrated, often in a rush, and have meat to take care of.

One small thing that helps is to break down the pack before you start breaking down the animal. When you disconnect the frame-to-bag compression straps, tuck them out of the way, leaving only the frame/meat compression straps exposed. That way when you go to load meat on the frame everything is already prepped, ready, and straightforward.

 

[ChrisAU]

I left the black Exo webbing keepers on the frame straps and used some old Kifaru coyote ones on all the other straps. Makes it very easy to tell which is which.

 

[Marbles]

As mentioned above, we do use orange stitching on the frame's compression straps. We strive to make everything as simple as possible, but also encourage everyone to get familiar with their pack before those moments when an animal is down and you are often tired, often dehydrated, often in a rush, and have meat to take care of.

One small thing that helps is to break down the pack before you start breaking down the animal. When you disconnect the frame-to-bag compression straps, tuck them out of the way, leaving only the frame/meat compression straps exposed. That way when you go to load meat on the frame everything is already prepped, ready, and straightforward.

I find things to be about as simple as possible and agree that familiarity is the key.

The one thing I thought about was reversing the buckle order for the bag straps. This would make it physically impossible to cross a bag strap to a meat strap. It would also deconflict the two female buckles being right beside each other on the left side of the bag.

It would be easy for the end user to reverse the meat strap buckles, but not for the two pictured.
.
If I have accessed both the side pocket and main compartment it requires a touch of extra attention here. Not much though.

 

[WhiskeyDoc]

Sometimes it helps to crisscross them when you don’t have the bag though. Reversing any of them would ruin the ability to cross them for certain very awkwardly shaped loads. I’ve had to do that more than once.

 

[Coveyleader]

Problem for dummies solved. I’m not going through the rubrix cube at 12k snow and rain again on a 40 degree slope.

I had the clips numbered, but that didn’t work everything was so alkwatd, and the pack out so large.