Is X-PAC noisy? Your mileage might vary!

[Fedster]

I was reading a thread about comparing Seek Outside to Kifaru packs (https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/so-fortress-vs-kifaru-mw.120855/) and the issue of pack noise came up. Since it is a potentially general interest thing I though of making it its own thread.

I own 3 X-PAC bags (all from SO):

1 fortress in X-PAC X51 white camo
1 fortress in X-PAC X42 olive green
1 (old style) peregrine in X-PAC X51

All packs have been used, in the order:

Peregrine basically every day for 2 years (more ?)
White camo fortress a fair bit, say every day for almost one year.
Olive fortress just a few times.

The olive fortress looks and feels new and is crinkly and noisy. The heavier duty X51 peregrine is a quiet (or as noisy) as the cordura face. There is not extra 'X-PAC crinkle noise'. The white fortress is in between *I think* (but Ihave not used it in 2 years and I stored it away and I cannot go compare it to the peregrine, especially from an airport where I am now. The Peregrine is flying in the cabin with me).

So my take is that the issue of noise in X-PAC is there for stuff that is new or not used much (if you just use the bag for hunting a few times a year it will stay new and noisy for years to come). If you use the bag often it will lose the crinkle *without losing waterproofness*. Since I never though of keeping an ear out for it I cannot say how much use X-PAC needs to see before quieting down, but it does.

Tl; dr: the crinkle noise eventually goes with use but the waterproofness of the fabric stays.

 

[Beendare]

Interesting commentary.

one of the selling points to Xpac is its waterproof-ness...is your older pack still waterproof?

My older Cordura packs all eventually leak unless retreated

 

[Fedster]

Interesting commentary.

one of the selling points to Xpac is its waterproof-ness...is your older pack still waterproof?

My older Cordura packs all eventually leak unless retreated

So far so good for waterproofness, even in the most used pack..

 

[MuleyFever]

Interesting commentary.

one of the selling points to Xpac is its waterproof-ness...is your older pack still waterproof?

My older Cordura packs all eventually leak unless retreated

What are you treating cordura with to get it waterproof?

 

[Beendare]

What are you treating cordura with to get it waterproof?

I depeneds on the cordura you have; some come with a PU coating, some with PU one side and Silicone on the other. Some are not waterproof at all.

The best thing I've found is a layer of diluted silicone....but if you have old [cracked and powdered] PU, you have to clean first.

 

[duchntr]

Yea its louder then cordura by a small amount, cordura is loud too though so we're kinda picking fly st out of chili here. 500d from kifaru and MR for example isnt even close to waterproof in my experience, water resistant at best. My X-pac bag is still going strong after 3yrs, with some minor peeling on the inside scrim layer where it contacts the frame. The bag would be even more water "proof" if I seam sealed it, but never had the inclination to do so.