Question/Thought about Xcurve frame

[Newt]

After I spent a LOT of hours on here, you guys unknowingly made me buy an SG Sky 5900 with the Xcurve frame. It's not the first time I have had peer pressure like this from you all, but so far the peer pressure has never led me astray....

So, I was really torn about getting the Xcurve over the Krux EVO. The video on choosing frames points me 90% to the Krux. However, one of my reasons for wanting to upgrade my pack is to be prepared to use it more like the video points to for choosing the Xcurve.

One thing that has me really wondering is all the guys who tried the frame but said it did not fit them well. Most of the ones I read about are shorter guys like myself. (5'7"-5'8" on a good day). One thing is for sure, I have a very curved back. I am still wondering if the frame will fit since I have read of guys who say they have a curved back but still didn't feel like the frame fit them.

I got to thinking and I noticed the stays have two bends in them. From the pictures online it looks like one end is longer than the other. So I started thinking, has anyone tried to turn them(like upside down)? I am not sure which end is normally up and down, but could you not turn them the opposite way? In that instance, I wonder if they might fit peoples back curve different/better? It seems the curves would be in different spots then.

Yes/No?

I would call and chat with them about it, but I feel like I have bugged them enough. I ordered the pack yesterday, then was looking at their youtube channel and noticed the Hydro lid. So I got ahold of them this morning and did a swap for the standard lid. They said my order should ship next week sometime, so I should have it in a week and a half.

So I figure they must be busy because I have constantly read on here that shipping was usually super fast. I am not in a huge hurry by any means so it's fine with me, just found that interesting. They seem like really nice guys so I hope they are that busy, nice to see companies like that stay in business.

 

[hammer0419]

Congrats on your new pack. I am 6'1" and my X-Curve is amazingly comfortable. I owned an original Krux and recently and Evo. Horribly uncomfortable for me. Definitely depends person to person. All these high end packs are excellent. That's why I say let your body decide which one is the one for you. Comfort is everything!!

 

[Newt]

Congrats on your new pack. I am 6'1" and my X-Curve is amazingly comfortable. I owned an original Krux and recently and Evo. Horribly uncomfortable for me. Definitely depends person to person. All these high end packs are excellent. That's why I say let your body decide which one is the one for you. Comfort is everything!!

Thanks. I am super excited to try it out. I've been using just a very inexpensive Alps Traverse X pack, and then a homemade meat pack cobbled together from some canvas and a kelty boyscout type frame.

Both have worked well enough. I've hauled meat on the Alps before. But neither is super comfortable, and it would be nice to have a single pack instead of having the two. Plus, eventually I will do a backpack hunt and this will make that possible now.

As far as turning the stays around, have you ever tried it? I would be curious if it changed how the curvature fit your back, or if it is even possible?

 

[Kotaman]

No mods here. The XCurve fits me like they made it for me. I could not wear the Krux or Krux Evo. Made 30 lbs. feel like 50. The opposite is true for the XCurve for me. Others will tell you the opposite. Your body shape will dictate what's right for you.

 

[sr80]

do what i did, order a set of krux evo stays with your x-curve. Takes about 8 min to swap them out

 

[Newt]

I'm just more interested in if the curves change with turning them upside down. Most of what I have read is that when the Xcurve didn't fit a 'curved' back person is that the curves hit them in the wrong spots. I am curious if you turned them upside down, maybe the curves would hit in another spot.

I'll soon find out myself I suppose. I honestly feel like it will be fine. I could show you a picture of the side view of the Alps pack I use, and there is a very noticeable curve, they use aluminum stays it looks like, and the pack fits/conforms nicely on my back.

The main gripe about the Alps is that it is not adjustable and while it fits my back, it does not fit my shoulders and hip well.

 

[hammer0419]

Call them about flipping the stays. I'm sure it's been tried in the shop for whatever reason. Everyone there is great. It's a huge investment. Ask any and all questions you need to. Keep us updated.

 

[Newt]

I will if it comes down to it. I guess I am just not that curious yet. I honestly just did not want to bother them again yesterday and this question came to mind. Thought maybe someone had the same thought as I did before is why I went ahead and started the thread.

Like it's been mentioned, even if they are flipable and it does change the shape, it still will come down to how it fits me personally.

 

[hammer0419]

It's all about fit comfort

 

[Grover]

Trust me. They won’t mind your call. They are a very helpful group.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

No mods here. The XCurve fits me like they made it for me. I could not wear the Krux or Krux Evo. Made 30 lbs. feel like 50. The opposite is true for the XCurve for me. Others will tell you the opposite. Your body shape will dictate what's right for you.

Same here, I wanted to like the Krux but there was no way, it felt like it was pulling me backwards.

 

[Newt]

I found a review that actually answered my question in a roundabout way. I meant to post about it but forgot. I forget where I read it, but I believe it was on here.

One guy was talking about how the pack fit great, but how the stays came up and right behind his head. He talked about how if they were shorter, then it would not be so bad - or something to that extent.

I believe it was then Kurt who stated that the length of them is specific to how they interface with the load lifters.

So the gist of it is that if you change the height or anything with the stays, then the load lifters won't work as designed. I am not sure if turning the stays will do that or not, but I plan to leave it as-is unless it just does not feel right. Then I'll give them a call and see what they have to say.

I'm hoping to get a shipping notification any day now.

 

[HighCountryArcher]

do what i did, order a set of krux evo stays with your x-curve. Takes about 8 min to swap them out

Dude I know this is so old and I hate to bring it back from the archives but do you remember the order they new stays go in? I just got the x curve stays and wanted to swap them out but I can’t remember if it’s like longer stays make the “x” or the other way.