EXO Mountain Gear Question

[11bhank]

I recently bought an Exo pack and love the pack. However, I finally put some weight in it and I am struggling getting it to fit just right. I’ve watched the Exo video on fitting the pack. My problem is I can’t seem to get enough weight on my hips. Instead the lumbar pad is almost rubbing me raw. It seems like a lot of weight is on my chest. It also seems like the load lifters are not effective unless they are all the way chinched down. If I loosen the load lifters the pack bounces as I walk. I’ve got a 35 pound sack of corn between the frame and the pack. I can’t find anything negative about the packs so I’m sure it’s just me. Any help?

 

[Graves14]

Post a picture in profile if you can but I’d guess you have the torso length set way too high.
Start by cinching the waistbelt down with it centered over the top of your hip bone.
Then loosely adjust the shoulder straps till they are comfortable but not tight. There should be little to no weight at all on the shoulder harness.
Lastly snug down the load lifters just till they are taught, not tight.

A picture would be exceptionally helpful but try that to start.

 

[11bhank]

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[11bhank]

If you notice the load lifters are loose. Every time I walk when they are that loose the pack flops back and forward. It just feels like a lot of weight on my shoulders.


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[Graves14]

The fit looks ok, I’d slide the tri-glides that the load lifters starch to on the harness back towards the frame a bit. That’ll allow the shoulder straps to wrap around your shoulders more.

Also the load lifters should be taught but not overly tight. They’re definitely too loose in that picture.

 

[11bhank]

I think I may be a lost cause lol. I have a fairly flat back and not much of a butt and it’s hard for the lumbar to rest above my butt without falling down. In return I have pressure on my upper back. I’ve cinched the hipbelt down so tight it hurts my gut. I may not be cut out for it


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[Bbrinks]

The sternum straps look a little too tight to me. What size waist belt did you get? I’m a size 33 waist and originally went with a medium but swapped out the belt for a small and it helped put a lot with the fit and comfort. It looks like yours is cinched all the way in so that could be part of the problem too where it’s not centered on your hip quite right.

 

[11bhank]

Man I got a small. I’m a 33 in the waist as well. I may call Exo tomorrow and see if they can help. This sounds really weird so I apologize in advance but when I stick my butt out with the pack on, the pack feels nice. There’s not much weight anywhere but the hips. Maybe my butt is just too flat lol


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[aaro9991]

So you’re going to want to wear the belt over your belly button. Not too tight and not too lose. A good analogy is equivalent to a firm handshake. Loosen your chest strap all the way and give your shoulder straps a little more slack. Again not too much slack but you don’t want them crazy tight. Your load lifters will need to be much tighter. In the photo they aren’t even cinched down but they will be pretty tight


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[11bhank]

That’s the deal I have to cinch the load lifters all the way down. In the exo vids Steve says to loosen everything with 30 lbs on and to first cinch the belt down, then the chest, then the shoulder, then the load lifters. The pack fills great with 20-30 pounds of gear. It’s only when I add that 35 pound sack of corn!


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[BRTreedogs]

I would call exo.
I know I've herd them talk about adding foam to the hip belt for people before.
I'd also double check the waist belt size as that just looks big.

I know it sounds counterintuitive but lower the harness. That way your starting with the pack higher.
And put ur buckle up around ur belly button..
My exo wore me raw on my hip bones until I lowered the harness and learned I got where the waist belt where ur supposed to around the belly button.
Now it's been great.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Also it looks like u have the "meat" straps angled down around the corn like the bag straps do.
It u loaded the corn with the pack upright.
Try laying the pack flat. Shifting the corn up and running those straps straight across.

 

[SCOGS]

Looks like the waist belt is sitting too low. I'm not sure if I would shorten the torso length adjustment, but I would try hiking the pack up to where your iliac crest is in the middle of the belt. Then tighten the shoulder straps to keep the pack up high. Then just snug up the sternum strap, it's way too tight in your picture, and tighten the load lifers to pull the load off your shoulders. You should have a small gap between the shoulder strap and your shoulder. The triglide for the load lifter should also be about in line with your collar bone so adjust that if you need to.

 

[CJF]

That's a pretty strong beard your growing!!

 

[11bhank]

Lol. thanks guys. I appreciate all the comments. When I get home I’ll try some of the suggestions. Good news is EXO will be calling me Monday to try and help. The belt is a small and I’m a 33 so I think I’m fine on belt size.


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[BigMuleyHunter]

Interested in if you solved your issue and what ended up working for you?

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[wind gypsy]

What do you mean by synching load lifters all the way down? There is no way you are cranking the the buckle by the top of the frame all the way to the tri-glide on the shoulder harness is there?

Doesn't look terrible other than the loose load lifters, maybe the belt sitting a little low like others said.

Pack fit is a funny thing, the exo belt/lumbar pad stays comfortably on my hips better than SO, Kifaru, and Stone Glacier for me. There are plenty of people who have had opposite experiences though.

 

[11bhank]

Yeah guys I’m not knocking exo at all. To me their pack is better than anyone else’s as far as a quality product. The lumbar pad just didn’t stick to me. I am sure Exo could’ve found a way to have fixed the issue. However, I did try on a competitors pack and it stuck to me like glue. As soon as I put it on I knew I found the right pack. I am sending the exo back and purchasing another pack from the competitor.


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[Shane Gunnin]

Who are you goin with?

 

[11bhank]

I went with SG sky 5900. That hip belt and lumbar pad work a lot better for me. I am sure everyone is different though.


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