Should I try a Stone Glacier frame again or get on the Exo k4 train?

[LP5000]

Oh I’m your guy, lots of experience with both now (a bit with early kuiu frame, lots with MR nice), used SG from the beginning, complained about first Krux, tried xcurve, terminus w/custom lumbar pad, new Krux with custom lumbar pads. Tried about every bag. Loved the system and still do - but I’m 5’8” and the frames were always super tall on me! Now they make a shorter one….

Anyways - you absolutely should try the K4 frame. It’s extremely comfortable, can move with you, and works incredibly well under heavy loads. SG is lighter and was never bad, but I’ve really come to appreciate that K4 frame. I like the bags but always loved the SG ones - frame 100% should make the decision though. After packing a mtn goat, whole mule deer, shuttling a whole bull with a friend out in 1 day (lots of repacking that frame), and a ton of training, I feel really strongly the K4 frame is an upgrade.

The various belt and stay sizing options with K4 get you into a really dialed fit, along with really good materials and build quality. You totally should try the frame out. I do like their bags but wish they were a tad lighter.

Did you notice much a difference between the longevity of the padding in the shoulder straps and hip belt between these brands? I've noticed that my SG padding feels thinner and lacking support after several years of use. Is that to be expected with any pack?

 

[LP5000]

Try them both if you can. Pit them against each other as much as you can under the trial and return stipulations and see where you land. I found things I like and dislike about both the K4 and R3.

Can you elaborate? What didn't you like about the k4? Thanks!

 

[strattonje2020]

You know. I just sold a k4 after I tired initial ascent. If light as possible is your goal go sg or k4. But if you want a better balance and comfort under load I think initial ascent is hard to beat right now.

Ive tried every pack out there basically. My 2 cents

Only way to know is buy the frame and wear it. Send back if you dont like.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Did you notice much a difference between the longevity of the padding in the shoulder straps and hip belt between these brands? I've noticed that my SG padding feels thinner and lacking support after several years of use. Is that to be expected with any pack?

I’m years from having a K4 for as long as my SG frames. After 15mo of K4, lots of training, and 3 pack outs, I don’t see much of any difference with the padding in harness or belt though. I’d say not something I’m remotely concerned with.

 

[Feltersnatch]

If you're experiencing slippage with your current pack, simply buying a different brand isn't a practical solution as you're likely to run into the same issue.

Slippage is caused first and foremost by a poor fit. A poor fit is caused first and foremost by an ill-fitting frame.

The reason your SG didn't fit you is because the stays in the frame didn't match the curvature of your spine. When this is the case, the load isn't transferred efficiently into your lumbar / pelvic area, and instead starts to pull down towards the ground. This is what causes slippage.

The solution here is quite simple, and a lot cheaper than buying a new frame and hoping for the best.

Replace the composite stays in the frame with 7075 grade aluminum ones, and spend some time bending them so they fit YOUR spine. This will take care of 90% of all slippage-related issues.

If you're still experiencing slippage, consider cutting down your lumbar pad or swapping it out for thinner one. Yes, thinner, not thicker. Thick lumbar pads place the load further away from your center of gravity, thus exacerbating the problem.

If at this point the pack still isn't comfortable, at least you know it's not because of a poor fit, and you can rest assured that you made the right decision in selling it and trying a different brand.

If your stays are fitted correctly, you do not need a thick lumbar pad. Pack manufacturers these days make thick lumbar pads to offset the fact that their packs come with stays that can't be shaped by the customer.

When you buy any pack, whether it's Exo, SG, Kifaru, etc., and you don't fit it to match your body, you will run into these issues. This is all made worse by the fact that some frames don't even allow you to install aluminum stays, such as the Kifaru Ark.

This is interesting. Where would one find stays that would fit an xcurve frame?

 

[wh0cansay]

This is interesting. Where would one find stays that would fit an xcurve frame?

I don't know how the X-Curve looks internally, but if you can remove the stays then just measure them and get the same size in aluminum. Make sure to account for the bend when measuring. The X-Curve does seem like a pretty idiosyncratic design so I'm not sure if it's possible to remove the stays to begin with.

Where to buy them, I can't say. I source mine locally but I'm not in the US. Look for 'flat stock' or 'flat bars'. Double-check that it's 7075 aluminum, not 6061. The latter will bend under very heavy loads, whereas the former will maintain its shape and give you just the right amount of flex under load.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

You're not really going to be able to do that with an x curve. The stays are carbon rods, the pockets the status slide into aren't really wide enough for flat stock

 

[wh0cansay]

You're not really going to be able to do that with an x curve. The stays are carbon rods, the pockets the status slide into aren't really wide enough for flat stock

Well that clears it up then. Thanks.

 

[Poser]

I used a 1st Gen Exo (they didn't call them "K1" back then) for 9 years and switched to a SG XCurve.
I have a lot of spine curvature. I also have big shoulders and a very thick back muscles. Despite being well within the medium belt measurements and a bit under the large belt measurements, I had to switch to a large belt as the medium barely hung on my pelvis bones. The oversized large belt gives me the surface contact I needed to prevent sag. It seems that the pack sits a little further back on my body than the medium belt would compensate for.

 

[mrbillbrown]

I used a 1st Gen Exo (they didn't call them "K1" back then) for 9 years and switched to a SG XCurve.
I have a lot of spine curvature. I also have big shoulders and a very thick back muscles. Despite being well within the medium belt measurements and a bit under the large belt measurements, I had to switch to a large belt as the medium barely hung on my pelvis bones. The oversized large belt gives me the surface contact I needed to prevent sag. It seems that the pack sits a little further back on my body than the medium belt would compensate for.

I noticed the same belt issue when I bought an Xcurve frame. Had to size up in belt size from my Kifaru packs.


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[S.Clancy]

I used a 1st Gen Exo (they didn't call them "K1" back then) for 9 years and switched to a SG XCurve.
I have a lot of spine curvature. I also have big shoulders and a very thick back muscles. Despite being well within the medium belt measurements and a bit under the large belt measurements, I had to switch to a large belt as the medium barely hung on my pelvis bones. The oversized large belt gives me the surface contact I needed to prevent sag. It seems that the pack sits a little further back on my body than the medium belt would compensate for.

I noticed the same belt issue when I bought an Xcurve frame. Had to size up in belt size from my Kifaru packs.


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Same, I've historically only been a small belt. With SG I went to medium and it fits great.

 

[sndmn11]

I do need to give them a shot, didn’t have any weighted packs at the expo.

Did you order anything yet?

 

[fngTony]

Did you order anything yet?

No

 

[wh0cansay]

Same, I've historically only been a small belt. With SG I went to medium and it fits great.

You always want to get as close as possible to bottoming out without actually bottoming out. Maximum coverage + tight grip is the golden combo.