Newbie Question Regarding Seek Outside Packs

[TREE ‘EM]

I’ve got an older Uniweep 4800 with side zip and run a lid and talon. I get along with it very well for most week long trips and use it as my weekly travel bag for work too.
What I’ve learned:
1. I’m in and out of my pack several times a day as I add or remove layers. If it didn’t have a zipper, I’d have wasted a full day of my life by now fooling with a roll top with no zipper.
2. X-pac fabric is highly water resistant, not waterproof. If you’re in extreme wet conditions put your sleeping bag in a waterproof bag inside your pack.
3. The talon is a huge asset when packing meat if you don’t like putting meat inside your bag. Also makes a easy place to secure your rifle, bow or tree stand.
4. The new gatekeeper buckles suck donkey dick. I had a saker with them and found them impossible with cold fingers. I far prefer the side squeeze clips on my old pack.
5. If you have a gut at all, the newer twin buckle belt might not work well for you. I was constantly fiddling with mine under load to keep from getting hotspots.
6. Blood soaks through x-pac faster than you can say Bob's your uncle. Blood stains never come out of it either.

 

[CO-AJ]

I had the same questions as the OP when I was looking for a pack. In the end, I opted for a Revolution Fortress 6,300 for several reasons:

1) The Talon, top lid, and belt pouch(es) gave me all the access I needed for everything I might want. The Talon adds 1,000ci, the top lid adds 500ci, and a belt pouch ~125+ci I'm guessing. That's a lot of extra space to put things you need to access.

2) For me, the holy grail is a dry sleeping bag and contents when I open my bag. By having no zipper, I've preserved that option and it removes any doubt when I open my bag. Human error can result in a zipper not pulled up fully thereby allowing in water.

3) There was absolutely no reason not to go with the 6,300ci vs 4,800ci. as the difference is 2oz for 1,500ci. That's a lot of extra storage for almost no weight. Both roll down into nothing when not fully utilized.

4) I've never found the main bag "too tall" to easily access items. To the contrary, the smaller the bag, the more compacted the contents are. Added space gives you the opportunity to locate and remove an item more easily than with a smaller bag.

Hope this helps. and good luck with your choice.

I know this is an older post, but I am curious on the Revolution frame and what it gives you over the traditional SO frame?

 

[sndmn11]

What I’ve learned:
2. X-pac fabric is highly water resistant, not waterproof. If you’re in extreme wet conditions put your sleeping bag in a waterproof bag inside your pack.
4. The new gatekeeper buckles suck donkey dick. I had a saker with them and found them impossible with cold fingers. I far prefer the side squeeze clips on my old pack.
5. If you have a gut at all, the newer twin buckle belt might not work well for you. I was constantly fiddling with mine under load to keep from getting hotspots.
6. Blood soaks through x-pac faster than you can say Bob's your uncle. Blood stains never come out of it either.

I have the opposite experiences:
-xpac is genuinely waterproof and doesn't absorb blood.
-I love the double buckle for my dad bod, however, they are shipped with a single buckle now as part of the forward pull configuration.
-The gatekeepers are outstanding and in every sense more convenient in weather than side release.

 

[badkneesbro]

The double belt hasn't been an issue with me and my grandpa bod even when I was fatter. Kevin's got a video somewhere where he tightens one side of the buckles all the way and then when you buckle them you just pull on the one set of straps to tighten the waist belt. I think that works even better but I'll still end up buying the new belt. Just not in as big a hurry. I believe you can still buy the side release buckles as per the website but I've got arthritis in my fingers from time to time and you couldn't buy my gatekeepers. I love them. After trying a handful of packs, even some high end packs, I think my Lanner is the closest thing I've gotten to a perfect pack.

 

[techmanil]

Never been in a major consistent hard rain but a gentle steady all day rain and my goshawk has never leaked. Only worked the gate keepers down to 20 degrees but have to say that since I am used to working them, I like them better that the other style. I personally like the zipper, especially since I run a bladder in my talon.

 

[Kevin_t]

I’ve got an older Uniweep 4800 with side zip and run a lid and talon. I get along with it very well for most week long trips and use it as my weekly travel bag for work too.
What I’ve learned:
1. I’m in and out of my pack several times a day as I add or remove layers. If it didn’t have a zipper, I’d have wasted a full day of my life by now fooling with a roll top with no zipper.
2. X-pac fabric is highly water resistant, not waterproof. If you’re in extreme wet conditions put your sleeping bag in a waterproof bag inside your pack.
3. The talon is a huge asset when packing meat if you don’t like putting meat inside your bag. Also makes a easy place to secure your rifle, bow or tree stand.
4. The new gatekeeper buckles suck donkey dick. I had a saker with them and found them impossible with cold fingers. I far prefer the side squeeze clips on my old pack.
5. If you have a gut at all, the newer twin buckle belt might not work well for you. I was constantly fiddling with mine under load to keep from getting hotspots.
6. Blood soaks through x-pac faster than you can say Bob's your uncle. Blood stains never come out of it either.

I'll address these inline.
2. X-pac is water proof , but water can wick in through the seams. Unless you have a bad batch of X-pac (unlikely) .. you can just seam seal it and be fine
4. It's an easy fix if you do not prefer gatekeepers (but most prefer them). Buy some 3/4 buckles from us, and a little webbing .. and make the straps Gatekeeper / 3/4 / Gatekeeper. Then you get a 3/4 QR buckle and the ability to move straps wherever you like.
5. That is the purpose. Having a top and bottom, not only allows a better fit depending on the person, but if you get a hot spot you can adjust away from it. Sounds like you may need a size up on the belt.
6. Unlikely , now blood will soak into the Cordura fabric which is the norm. I have a white X-pac pack that has packed out several animals and looked really bloody .. a quick wash in the washer without detergent and it looks new.

Thanks
Kevin

 

[Rokwiia]

I know this is an older post, but I am curious on the Revolution frame and what it gives you over the traditional SO frame?

I think it helps for two reasons. First, it allows me to add almost any other size bag on the "shelf" between the backpack and the existing bag. Let's say I wanted to go out and get wood to use for a fire and bring it back to the camp. Instead of putting filthy, sharp branches in the X-Pac bag, I can put them on the shelf or in a separate bag that I brought. The other reason is it allows me to easily and quickly swap out the Fortress 6,300 bag for another one such as the Peregrine or Goshawk.

I don't recall the weight difference with the 6,300 for the integrated vs breakaway platform but the breakaway platform provides so many options for carrying other things with your backpack. For me, it was an easy decision to make.