Kifaru belt on Exo Frame???

[Squirrels]

Got my belt in and the patch of Velcro sewn on it, works great. I even sewed on a piece of 1/4" foam on first to give that portion of the belt some more rigidity. Slid the foam in the "pocket" on the kifaru belt.

 

[slim9300]

Looks like 1” webbing is used for the shoulder straps on the Exo? I think I have an extra belt I will sell if anyone needs one.


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[charvey9]

I used the webbing from the Kifaru belt to attach the shoulder straps. The webbing off the K2 frame for the shoulder straps end up being extras, and I buckle them together and hide behind the bag most of the time. If you get a big load and need some extra securement, they can easily be deployed for an extra compression strap.

The only webbing that doesn't have a use is the vertical straps on the Kifaru that they use to attach to the lower part of the bag, supposedly to help prevent "rolling" on really large loads, but I've never noticed a difference.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

Did you sew Velcro and at padding as well or just slide the belt in place? Does it stay put without the velcro?

 

[Squirrels]

Did you sew Velcro and at padding as well or just slide the belt in place? Does it stay put without the velcro?

I did both. Yes.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

Thanks Squirrel, I saw you had done that. Did you ever try it without the Velcro? How did it work? My sewing skills are pretty much non existent.

 

[EsteemGrinders]

On mine, I did not do the Velcro but I recommend others do. I will be very soon as without it the belt can ride up and not keep the pack in position.

 

[Squirrels]

Thanks Squirrel, I saw you had done that. Did you ever try it without the Velcro? How did it work? My sewing skills are pretty much non existent.

I recommend the Velcro as well. It will ride up without and wad that portion of the belt up. Which is why I used the 1/4" foam as well, just one of those craft foamie sheets from hobby lobby.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

ok, thanks guys. Guess ill have to ask around to see who can sew. My wife has the same sewing skills as me.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

Alright I have the Velcro stitched, plastic support peice for structure, and belt installed. Everyting fits great and feels good. I have not put a load in and hiked yet but will soon.

Questions, What are you guys doing with the extra straps on the belt? Thinking of cutting them off. I saw someone was using the belt straps to the shoulder straps, then using the exo straps as extra compression. Did you buy extra buckles for those?

 

[KSP277]

How does the belt feel once the pack get above 60 Ibs? I love my Exo pack/frame, but the belt just seems to dig into my hips and wants to slide down. Have been thinking about trying this out for awhile now.

I have exact same issue, 35” waste with Exo 5500, 84lb pack I can’t pull it tight enough to not sag over time. Did you ever do the swap?

 

[Squirrels]

I have exact same issue, 35” waste with Exo 5500, 84lb pack I can’t pull it tight enough to not sag over time. Did you ever do the swap?

I had the same issues with the EXO, I tried the Kifaru belt and only found very minimal improvement. I have switched to a Kifaru Lite frame for now.

 

[slim9300]

I have exact same issue, 35” waste with Exo 5500, 84lb pack I can’t pull it tight enough to not sag over time. Did you ever do the swap?

You can’t go smaller with the belt?


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[KSP277]

I had the same issues with the EXO, I tried the Kifaru belt and only found very minimal improvement. I have switched to a Kifaru Lite frame for now.

I feel like if the belt had some rigidness to it that would solve it. Like it’s almost to soft if that makes sense. Thinking about getting an Osprey belt that’s moldable and trying it. Colors won’t match but I couldn’t care less about that

 

[KSP277]

You can’t go smaller with the belt?



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I have a medium and I almost run out of adjustment. I worded my original statement a little wrong, as tight as I can get it, even to the point of squeezing my guts out. It still rides down over time

 

[Squirrels]

I feel like if the belt had some rigidness to it that would solve it. Like it’s almost to soft if that makes sense. Thinking about getting an Osprey belt that’s moldable and trying it. Colors won’t match but I couldn’t care less about that

I'm not sure that would suffice, it may help but for me and my body type I think its an issue of the frame bottom not sitting "in" a sleeve on the belt. Visualize that for just a second. If I had money to blow I'd keep both frames and cut the lumbar pad and lumbar pad sleeve off the EXO and then cut out a slit just above the first cross support and throw the entire Kifaru belt and lumbar pad system on the EXO just to see if that would work. At that point the EXO frame bottom could slide into the sleeve of the Kifaru belt and you could use the Kifaru lumbar pad just like you would on the Kifaru since you would then have a place in the EXO frame (after making the previously mentioned cut) to wrap the lumbar pad around using its original attachment method. Just what I think, may not be my issue at all but I think you and I are at least experiencing the same thing it terms of sliding.

 

[KSP277]

I see what your saying. Maybe could rig something at the bottom of belt similar to how the bag goes over the top of frame.

 

[slim9300]

I have a medium and I almost run out of adjustment. I worded my original statement a little wrong, as tight as I can get it, even to the point of squeezing my guts out. It still rides down over time

That’s nuts. Your lumbar pad and the combo of the heavy tightness should never move a 1/4”, unless the buckle is slipping. I wear my pack where my lumbar pad sits in the shelf of my lower back and the buckle is centered on my belly button. The hip ‘pads’ are barley covering the points of my hips (maybe the bottom 1”) and my pack has never slipped. You do have to get used to having your ‘wind’ limited by the tighten of the belt. That’s a non-issue for me at this point. It’s the only way I can carry heavy loads without hot spots or hip fatigue.


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[KSP277]

That’s nuts. Your lumbar pad and the combo of the heavy tightness should never move a 1/4”, unless the buckle is slipping. I wear my pack where my lumbar pad sits in the shelf of my lower back and the buckle is centered on my belly button. The hip ‘pads’ are barley covering the points of my hips (maybe the bottom 1”) and my pack has never slipped. You do have to get used to having your ‘wind’ limited by the tighten of the belt. That’s a non-issue for me at this point. It’s the only way I can carry heavy loads without hot spots or hip fatigue.


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I’m 6’2”, 225 to 235 depending on what the weekend was like, 35” waste and I have an Exo medium belt. Pack weight is 84.6 lb. 60lb bag of mortar strapped to frame, bag with random junk it it strapped over it. When I really crank it down just above my hips, I have maybe 1/2” of pull left on both sides. After about 2 miles I gotta readjust. Loosen belt lean over and try and do the maneuver where your hunching it up and trying to tighten before it slips down. I’m no stranger to a ruck, but this is my first high end pack and I’m not 100% I have everything adjusted the way it needs to be. I feel like I do from everything I’ve watched / read and I’ve carried it setup a bunch of different ways. At 40-50 lb it’s a non issue. Never moves an inch. I may Be way off but I feel like if I could stiffen the belt it would fix it. I think.

 

[Squirrels]

Mine does it at 40lbs.