XPac vs Cordura

[BGbowhunters]

I have zero experience with XPac material and was wondering how it holds up compared to Cordura. Cordura you could basically send through a wood chipper and it wouldn't have a scratch on it. It's awesome that XPac is waterproof and light but how does it hold up?

 

[JP100]

there was some discussion on this on another thread about the new Kifaru bags, consensus was its tough but maybe not as tough as Cordua for abrasion, but is waterproof and cleans better.
Is noisier, especially when cold.

I think the pros outweigh the cons for a hunting material, unless you are rock climbing or doing some serious use for gear it should hold up.
Will soon find out!

 

[JP100]

read this http://www.rokslide.com/forums/backpacks/90241-kifaru-frame-bags.html

 

[Kevin_t]

To make it as simple as XPAC vs Cordura is not really accurate. To put it simply Cordura and XPAC both have different fabric weights. Most often, when people refer to Cordura they are referring to 500 Denier Cordura or 1000 Denier Cordura and when people refer to XPAC they are referring to a laminate applied to a face fabric .... however most often XPAC is applied to lighter weight face fabrics such as 70D or 210D. XPAC can be applied to heavier fabrics like 500D or even 1000D face fabrics.

We (Seekoutside.com) have used a lot of Cordura XPAC before .. it is possible to have both a Cordura face fabric and XPAC laminate. In fact, we have used it in a 330 Denier and 500 denier Cordura with an XPAC laminate and our Slate Gray we used to offer was a 500D / 1000 D Cordura face with XPAC laminate. . These are excellent fabrics for a mountain hunting pack. However, usage matters and they are overkill for a trail pack and underpowered for a canyoneering pack. Remember usage matters !!!

On lighter Denier fabrics there are many ways to add strength so it can get confusing (Like Dyneema reinforcements) . Leaving that aside for the sake of this discussion .. 500 Denier Cordura is great stuff. 500 Denier XPAC with a Cordura face is even better almost all the time. The reality is, most of the time a 210 Denier is fine for trail walking and bushwhacking. Our (Seekoutside.com) Olive fabric is a 420 Denier Xpac which is pretty close to 500 Denier fabrics .. and our pocketing is often 500 Denier Cordura. Essentially we often pair a 420 Denier main XPAC bag with 500 Denier Cordura (not XPAC laminate) pocketing. This results in a close to waterproof main bag, and pocketing that is highly abrasion resistant resulting in best of both worlds performance. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our CS. We are strait shooters and have used both XPAC and Cordura a lot. In fact, the bulk of our suspension is Cordura.

Note: The term "waterpoof" used here depends on bag design, seam sealing and other factors. Outside of the "waterproofedness" of the fabric, there are many benefits such as lack of needed rain cover, quick dry time, and blood clean up. A well designed XPAC pack bag, will not require a rain cover, but may not be submersion proof for long periods due to seams and access points.

edited to clarify terms
Thanks

 

[texag10]

I can vouch for the durability of Seek Outside's olive xpac and their (slightly lighter IIRC) multicam xpac. I have used their pack mainly in hardwood bottomlands in North Texas which are a mess of oak with interwoven greenbriar vines. When coming across a particularly nasty patch of greenbriar with no way to get around it, I could just turn around and walk backwards through it. The pack would be no worse for the wear. My hunting spot was close to home and work so being very conservative I have 40 days in the field with this pack.

The material is also very waterproof. It doesn't rely on DWR like most rain jackets, the material itself just doesn't let moisture through.

 

[duchntr]

IMO X-pac is a great pack fabric , Ive used the 210 and 420 weights for quite a few years. I agree with Kevin's fabric guidelines, the 210 works great and has been holding together with heavy use (shwacking,rocks) but picks up the occasional cut and nick a bit easier than the 420. As far as noise, never been a concern for me. Yes its louder when its really cold but in normal temps the noise difference is negligible.Its great to see kifaru offering x-pac and I imagine their customers will be very happy.

 

[snowplow]

Is xpac what the eberlestock drybag (that zips to their frame) is made out of? If l remember it seems like cordura but is coated on the inside.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

 

[Hunter Sargent]

I think Stone Glacier uses xpac on the part of the bag that goes up against your back/frame. That is a great spot for it. I wouldn't want my whole bag to be made out of it though. If I was hiking in wet climates all the time and noise wasn't an issue I'd probably love it.

 

[Akicita]

Our (Seekoutside.com) Olive fabric is a 420 Denier Xpac which is pretty close to 500 Denier fabrics .. and our pocketing is often 500 Denier Cordura. Essentially we often pair a 420 Denier main XPAC bag with 500 Denier Cordura (not XPAC laminate) pocketing. This results in a waterproof main bag, and pocketing that is highly abrasion resistant resulting in best of both worlds performance.

Thanks

I've been nothing but impressed with the durability and function of my XPAC Fortress bag. I am hard on gear and it is meeting all expectations.

 

[RockChucker30]

I wouldn't want my whole bag to be made out of it though. If I was hiking in wet climates all the time and noise wasn't an issue I'd probably love it.

The noise issue is overblown. The face fabrics we commonly use are a 210, 330, or 420 denier packcloth or cordura style weave, and will sound exactly like 500D cordura in brush, i.e. not as quiet as fleece, but workable when hunting.

Compressing the pack and lowering frame height to make the profile smaller is more important than the material.

Where X-Pac is louder is in manipulating the fabric, opening, closing, etc. Luckily most hunters don't get close to animals - well within hearing distance - and ready to take a shot, then decide to dig around in their pack to find a snack.

X-Pac is crinkly in the cold. Overall it does get a bit quieter with wear.

Never needing a raincover again is pretty nice...