exo mountain pack

[couesbitten]

Received my "ready to ship" email as well, can't wait to get it and give it a workout!

 

[lonedave]

Scott

Give me a call when you give it the workout. I couldn't wait for your, so I got mine in the mail about a week ago, but haven't gotten out with it yet. If you want to make an early morning walk-a-bout, I might be in. I got a beavertail and one mesh pocket too, if you want to check them out. Two hip pockets are on B/O.

Dave

 

[Jarrod Renaud]

Yes. Got the email

 

[mauidiver]

I just got the 2015 3500, and was wondering how far up you set the Velcro for a 19-20 torso length? Any help with pic would be great. Trying to adjust this and I want to make sure I'm set. This is my first pack of this caliber. Thanks

 

[MuleyFever]

For a waist measurement to fit this pack should one measure around the widest part of the hip or at the belly button or...?

 

[darcytribe]

I have a quick question for you who have your 2015 packs: I'm wondering if the beaver tail is able to do double duty as a meat shelf? What I mean is, could the beavertail be run between the pack bag and the frame and function just like the meat shelf? Can it be attached like the meat shelf, at various heights to hold the meat up high beteen the bag and frame? If so I may just go with the beavertail and forego the meat shelf all together... Thanks for any insight you can offer...

 

[twall13]

For a waist measurement to fit this pack should one measure around the widest part of the hip or at the belly button or...?

If you are really worried about it I'd contact Steve, either via phone or email, and he can help you out. I just used my pant size as a reference. In reality though, you probably want to measure around where the belt will sit, right over the hip bone. If you are on the edge for sizing I'd size down so you don't run into problems running out of adjustment when you really need to cinch things down with a heavy load.

 

[Rs3003]

I wear a 32" pant and ordered a small belt. I have about 3" of adjustment on both sides of the waist strap. I'm guessing they'll be good up to a 34" comfortably.

 

[Colberjs]

Can someone tell me the dimensions of a fully packed 5500? I'm wondering if it's small enough to pack as a carry-on for a flight. The airway I'm looking at says it can't total more than 42" combined L+W+H.

 

[sojourner]

Can someone tell me the dimensions of a fully packed 5500? I'm wondering if it's small enough to pack as a carry-on for a flight. The airway I'm looking at says it can't total more than 42" combined L+W+H.

I have a 3500 not a 5500 and I know that some people here have successfully used their 3500s as carry-ons. I definitely wouldn't count on being able to do it with a loaded 5500 though. The absolute maximum volume you can get out of 42" combined dimensions is 2744 cubic inches (a perfect cube) since the frame alone is 25 inches tall and ~12 inches wide, the max volume you can get out of it and stay under 42" is 1500 ci. Some airlines are lenient but a full 5500 would really be asking for trouble. If their feeling nice they'll just take it when you board and hold it near the door for you when you disembark.

 

[Finch]

I did a 3 mile hike Monday morning with 80 lbs in my EXO 3500. That's the most I've carried and wanted to simulate what packing out meat would feel like. I discovered a couple issues I hope I can get resolved.

First, the load lifter strap digs into my collar bone (still sore today). Am I doing something wrong or is that the nature of the beast with that much weight?

I also realized I need the meatshelf because that weight needs to be moved up. Also, I had my waist belt as tight as I could get it. Just after those 3 miles, my belt and pants were really digging into me. Again, is this just something you guys suck up or do I need to do something differently?

 

[hammer0419]

You need to adjust your shoulder harness to bring the pack up your back. You should get good lift even with 80#. Does not look setup correctly?

 

[rileybassman]

You need to adjust your shoulder harness to bring the pack up your back. You should get good lift even with 80#. Does not look setup correctly?

Yea you need to adjust the torso length I would say. I have had 70ish lbs and get plenty of lift... Looks to me like the torso length is several inches off.

 

[LostArra]

>>my belt and pants were really digging into me.<<

I only use thin nylon webbing belts with minimal buckle for this reason.
I leave my Cheyenne Frontier Day's buckle and hand engraved belt at home during hunting season

 

[twall13]

I did a 3 mile hike Monday morning with 80 lbs in my EXO 3500. That's the most I've carried and wanted to simulate what packing out meat would feel like. I discovered a couple issues I hope I can get resolved.

First, the load lifter strap digs into my collar bone (still sore today). Am I doing something wrong or is that the nature of the beast with that much weight?

I also realized I need the meatshelf because that weight needs to be moved up. Also, I had my waist belt as tight as I could get it. Just after those 3 miles, my belt and pants were really digging into me. Again, is this just something you guys suck up or do I need to do something differently?

Your load lifters shouldn't be digging into your shoulders like that at all. I am about the max torso length for this pack (21.5 Inches) and even mine don't touch the shoulder harness at all. Ideally you want them coming off the pack at a 45 degree angle but they should be pulling upwards at at some degree for a minimum. At my torso length loaded with 75lbs. I still had some upward lift from the load lifters so something is wrong with your fit for sure. Sounds like you need to adjust the torso length. Also, make sure it's riding high on your hips, not low on your butt. Give Steve a call or shoot him an email on adjusting the torso length, he can give you some tips specific to fitting this pack to you.

Regarding the belt and pants digging in, to some degree its the nature of the beast but the type of belt and pants you wear make a big difference. As someone else mentioned, thin web belts are best with minimal buckle and pants with thin belt loops will help a lot. Good luck.

 

[mauidiver]

Yo Steve!! U.S. Rookies would love to have that "fitting" video. The guys who have used packs before don't seem to need it, but for all the new guys it would be very beneficial for us. For instance when I first got the pack and try to pack it with some weight, am I supposed to feel most of the load on my lumbar pad, and very little pressure on the shoulder harness? What are the shoulder straps supposed to look like when carrying some weight? Should there be just a little gap in the harness still? Then the load lifters....how much tension should I have on these with weight? Or is it a feel thing? How tight should I wear the belt? And why in the heck does the pack always want to pull my pants down. Proper height and adjustment on the Velcro shoulder straps for 19ish torso? These are all out of order I know, but just writing some things down from what I remember asking myself while staring into a mirror for an hour getting the feel for the pack. A basic 101 exo packing video would be a great help to many of us rookies. Plus, I think I have seen the first 2 negative comments because we are not doing something correctly. Now when I say negative, it's user mistakes to clarify what I said. Because they all seem to be user error. Thanks everyone for helping out in this.

 

[twall13]

I almost hate to post this here as I know EXO will be coming out with some demo videos as mentioned above. Still, since they aren't here and a few people are having a tough time adjusting for fit, I'll do it anyway... Here is a link to Stone Glacier's pack fitting video. The harness system and torso adjustment is very similar to the 2015 EXO packs and he gives a lot of good info. on pack fitment. Some things are specific to the SG but most applies to the EXO as well. Hopefully this helps someone until Steve and Lenny can get some videos updated to their site.

 

[Finch]

Thanks for the replies. I'm at work right now so I can't play with it. I have the lumbar pad on the small of my back (kinda just above where the top of my pants sit).

Are the load lifters digging into me because I don't have the meat shelf? Here's the only other pic I took that day. Not sure if you can tell anything. The load lifter on the right side (not shown in pic) was giving me more trouble it seemed than the left).

 

[mauidiver]

I almost hate to post this here as I know EXO will be coming out with some demo videos as mentioned above. Still, since they aren't here and a few people are having a tough time adjusting for fit, I'll do it anyway... Here is a link to Stone Glacier's pack fitting video. The harness system and torso adjustment is very similar to the 2015 EXO packs and he gives a lot of good info. on pack fitment. Some things are specific to the SG but most applies to the EXO as well. Hopefully this helps someone until Steve and Lenny can get some videos updated to their site.

Hey Twall,

This was actually really good. Yes, they do look similar and after watching just once I learned about how and where the shoulder straps should sit over the collar bone and that it should have 100% contact to the shoulder. I thought there should be a small gap (Kuiu says to) and that the load lifters should not be tightened to much or forward. Also about the tension on the belt with pressure from the strap should be on the strap not the foam. By tightening or loosening that strap should help with greater weight i believe. Also about adjusting the lumbar pad to your liking. Whatever part you like the pressure on you can tweek out. Now when he talks about if you want to transfer the weight to either more on the belt(ie, lumberpad ?) or the shoulders. When he talks about the weight on the hips, does that mean the lubar pad? Kinda? I felt a difference in adjusting that but didnt know which way was correct. So thanks for posting this video. It did help a lot. And thats a pretty sweet pack as well.

 

[twall13]

Glad the Video helped. SG does make a nice pack, they were my second choice after extensive research but the EXO just has all the features I was looking for in a pack and I'm glad I went with it. Hopefully the guys at EXO can get their own instructional video out soon that will be specific to their packs.