Oregon Packs?

[Karljf]

Thank you all for the kind words!
Oregon Pack Works is a small start-up company, based in Bend, Oregon. We saw a need that existed, and worked hard for over nine years to finally offer a Pack [system], as a business--founded March, of 2010. I am now the Sole-Proprietor, of the business. We created a modular and interchangable pack [system], that may or may not work for you and your style of hunting. We have been aware of many of the modifications mentioned here and in other forums. I am evaluating all Mod's with an eye on doing what's right for the majority--as many users like things the way they are.
But, with that said, once we find incremental ways to make our [system] "better", we will do so.
Since the inception, we have: Developed our own Proprietary fabric;Anodized our Easton T-6061 stays for more rigidity without adding weight; upgraded the closed-cell foam; Added a thread-through waist-belt; Made subtle hardware and zipper-pull changes. This year we will add a number of new products that all work in our Greengate® system--everything we make works together, and always will--and many times with other products in the marketplace.
We have no investor(s), so we work as hard on exceeding your expectations as any company. We can't yet afford to advertise, but choose to put every dollar back into making our products better, every chance we can!
Thanks to all that believe in products, and a big thanks to Aron, and the other's of Rokslide for allowing my Post!

 

[larryschwartz]

Karl,

Where you at the PBS banquet in Portland last year? I think we talked there.

Larry

 

[ohhiitznik]

Welcome Karl and I hope you don't feel unwelcome. Any criticism or praise put forth is just discussion to hopefully benefit your product. Kudos to you for the tasteful first post and keep on innovating.

 

[wapitibob]

"Anodized our Easton T-6061 stays for more rigidity without adding weight".

oh boy

 

[Derek0525]

Anyone have problems with the waist belt tensioners backing off and not gripping if I go to try and tighten the waist belt it backs back off again like its not gripping like maybe it needs thicker webbing my buddies does the same thing other than that I love the pack just frustrating to have to tighten the waist belt every mile or so.

 

[trapperjay]

Are the OPW stays 1/8"x1"?

 

[tater]

Gobbler, I haul my "girlfriend" (as my wife calls my 60lb training sandbag) on the lumbar 4 months of the year, so i wasn't basing it on "if wishes were horses".

That's why i figured another 10 lbs wasn't a stretch.

 

[trk3263]

Anyone have problems with the waist belt tensioners backing off and not gripping if I go to try and tighten the waist belt it backs back off again like its not gripping like maybe it needs thicker webbing my buddies does the same thing other than that I love the pack just frustrating to have to tighten the waist belt every mile or so.

Yes every now and than I run into this problem. Doesn't sound like it is as often as you. It seems like sometimes the slides get on a little bit of an angle and this happens. I catch myself having to tighten my waist belt often at times but other times it seems to not move. This is not the only pack that I have this problem with and the other guys in our group don't seem to have the problem.
Sometimes it seems that if I have my waist belt riding to high that's when I deal with this more. Maybe see if you can adjust things to ride a little differently but of course still comfortably. I am using the new style waist belt but I use to have the old style and that didn't seem to make a difference. Just FYI.

Are the OPW stays 1/8"x1"?

Yes stock they are 1/8" x 1". When I modded mine I changed to 1/4" x1" for the vertical stays and stayed with 1/8" for the horizontal stays.

 

[trapperjay]

Anyone know if improvements will be made to the pack system based upon customer feedback?

 

[hammer0419]

He said he was going to take all thoughts into consideration. However, I doubt change will be overnight.

 

[trk3263]

I know he was beginning to test with the stays the other day hopefully he will comment on the thread with updates.

Hint: if you type Oregon Packworks on the net he will get an alert through google alerts and will see the posts.

 

[Rowndy]

Anyone have problems with the waist belt tensioners backing off and not gripping if I go to try and tighten the waist belt it backs back off again like its not gripping like maybe it needs thicker webbing my buddies does the same thing other than that I love the pack just frustrating to have to tighten the waist belt every mile or so.

I have had this happen some, but it seemed to get better after I washed the pack, and seems to continually get better with use.

 

[trapperjay]

I decided to demo one.

 

[gobbler1662]

trapperjay yes the stays are 1/8x1". Part of our upgrade includes going to 1"x 1/4 stays. thats what Kifaru runs in their packs.We have been buying the 1"x1/4 inch stay material at most any home improvement store. The one thing that keeps me gravitating back to OPW is the modularity of the pack. My favorite setup is the Orion. I carry food in one side pouch, stove and other essentials in the other side sleep system in a dry bag in the center open area and clothes and kill kit in the fanny area. When I get to a bivy site its so simple drop both side pouches and sleep system and now I am hunting with the Rogue system. Genius, this is my orion packed up for a 7 day spring bear hunt next week.View attachment 7627

 

[cmeier117]

trapperjay yes the stays are 1/8x1". Part of our upgrade includes going to 1"x 1/4 stays. thats what Kifaru runs in their packs.We have been buying the 1"x1/4 inch stay material at most any home improvement store. The one thing that keeps me gravitating back to OPW is the modularity of the pack. My favorite setup is the Orion. I carry food in one side pouch, stove and other essentials in the other side sleep system in a dry bag in the center open area and clothes and kill kit in the fanny area. When I get to a bivy site its so simple drop both side pouches and sleep system and now I am hunting with the Rogue system. Genius, this is my orion packed up for a 7 day spring bear hunt next week.View attachment 7627

I understand that you are swapping out for thicker/stiffer stays. But are you changing the top attachment point for the load lifter strap?

 

[cmeier117]

This is one issue I had with waist belt.

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/cmeier117/OPW_zpsef9fc13a.jpg

If you look at the stitching it stops about 2-3 inches below where the top of the stay goes. So the frame sheet is what the load lifters attach too. If you put 100 or even 80 lbs in the pack and suck down those load lifters the frame sheet folds over like a taco and hits the back of your head. Did anyone else experience this?

 

[cmeier117]

Here is a better pic of load lifters

 

[Rowndy]

I haven't had that happen with the waist belt, but I have had folding of that frame sheet and have discussed it with Karl. It sounded like he was open to ideas, including offering longer stays that go to the top of the frame sheet, which would be my choice of a remedy.

 

[Rowndy]

trapperjay yes the stays are 1/8x1". Part of our upgrade includes going to 1"x 1/4 stays. thats what Kifaru runs in their packs.We have been buying the 1"x1/4 inch stay material at most any home improvement store. The one thing that keeps me gravitating back to OPW is the modularity of the pack. My favorite setup is the Orion. I carry food in one side pouch, stove and other essentials in the other side sleep system in a dry bag in the center open area and clothes and kill kit in the fanny area. When I get to a bivy site its so simple drop both side pouches and sleep system and now I am hunting with the Rogue system. Genius, this is my orion packed up for a 7 day spring bear hunt next week.View attachment 7627

I'm right there with you Gobbler, that is the perfect way to bivy hunt. I've used the wholeshebang which works ok if your setting up a spike camp, but if your moving everyday it does get cumbersome to reassemble the pack with or without the Greengate bag.

 

[gobbler1662]

I'm right there with you Gobbler, that is the perfect way to bivy hunt. I've used the wholeshebang which works ok if your setting up a spike camp, but if your moving everyday it does get cumbersome to reassemble the pack with or without the Greengate bag.

What we did to remedy the load lifter issue is move the load lifters to where the stays end. This works great if you are like me 5-7 and a fairly short torso. This give you the 20 degree angle that Kifaru recommends for proper load lift. If you are a longer torso this obviously that doesn't work so well. Trk met with Karl and went over all of our modifications as well as the load lifter issue. Hopefully Karl will chime in and address that issue.