Exo Mountain K4?

[S&S ARCHERY]

Agree with all of this, as these are the exact features that separate exo from kifaru and make it a better bag.

I like the open top side pockets.. makes it pretty easy to put tripod, trekking poles or anything of that sort in them.

No open top will be a pain in the ass for getting a tripod in a zippered pocket... I know this from using my kifaru bags

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The more feedback we are getting from our current testers the more I am leaning towards the bags being a combination of K3 and what we are currently testing. I built these K4 prototype bags specifically to be different to get feedback on what our customers liked / disliked.

 

[sivart]

i personally think zippered side pockets are an advantage love them on the 1800 and my hoodlum

 

[fisherman983]

The more feedback we are getting from our current testers the more I am leaning towards the bags being a combination of K3 and what we are currently testing. I built these K4 prototype bags specifically to be different to get feedback on what our customers liked / disliked.

I'll be patiently awaiting its release to pick one up.
even when I wasn't using the open top side pocket for my spotter, the tall stretchy pockets on the side were usable for quick access and short trips where I needed to get to it quickly.

Glad that you've seen the light on a Nalgene. There's not much I prefer my kifaru stuff over the exo gear, so hoping it's much more comfy and easier with the new k4 and a Nalgene.

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[mahnster]

Can't wait to pick one of these up. Have a K2 and still use it as a back up / loaner. I drank the Kifaru kool-aid but it looks like the K4 will meet or exceed anything I prefer on the Kifaru.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Why the carbon fiber frame? What's the thought process or perceived advantage vs other materials?

Not stirring the pot here, genuinely curious.

 

[fisherman983]

Hopefully there will be a way to carry a rifle similar to the kifaru gun bearer system as well

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[isItFallYet]

Any possibility to make a kit that retrofits a k3 bag to the k4 frame? If so, I would definitely purchase that as well.

 

[DRUSS]

Well, I guess I am a outlier on this but like the idea of zippered side pockets. I have a k2 and k3 but my k3 open side pockets are always full of needles and misc shit! I do like back stretchy pocket. Looking forward to new design. EXO has been one of my favorites for a good run now.
Thanks Steve for sharing the information you have.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

Well, I guess I am a outlier on this but like the idea of zippered side pockets. I have a k2 and k3 but my k3 open side pockets are always full of needles and misc shit! I do like back stretchy pocket. Looking forward to new design. EXO has been one of my favorites for a good run now.
Thanks Steve for sharing the information you have.

I'm with you as outlier I guess. Seems no brainer to me for zippered side pockets. keeps stuff out and also easier to access the bottom of the pocket. When the pack was full it was always hard to get something in the side sleeve pocket towards the bottom.

 

[S&S ARCHERY]

Why the carbon fiber frame? What's the thought process or perceived advantage vs other materials?

Not stirring the pot here, genuinely curious.

Really it was out of necessity for the new design. My first prototypes of the K4 back in 2019 and early 20' used the existing round Titanium tubing we use now for K3. I found some issues with the interface of the round tubing and how the overall frame panel was constructed so I started playing with flat stay options. Once I did that I quickly realized it was going to be the better choice for the K4 frame.

From there it was just about what materials were available and carbon was a natural solution. Done properly I personally don't see a performance benefit either way. They are both substantially stronger than any situation the pack should ever be in. It would take extreme circumstances to break either of them.

Carbon was also fun to work with as I got to play a lot with the different layers of carbon and layouts to really dial in the exact amount of flex I wanted (both torsionally and longitudinally). You can do this with the Titanium tubing as well by playing with O.D. and wall thickness but not nearly as custom as you can with carbon.

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[S&S ARCHERY]

Any possibility to make a kit that retrofits a k3 bag to the k4 frame? If so, I would definitely purchase that as well.

No, there just isn't any way to do that effectively. The dimensions are more narrow at the top of the frame vs K3 and the attachment system is entirely different.

You can certainly put a K3 bag on the new frame, we did this plenty of times in the last few years during prototyping. You would just need to swap the buckles on the K4 to the same Rock Lockster buckle we use on K3. The bag just wouldn't attach at the top of the frame so you'd have to work around that and make sure the side compression straps are tight all the time to keep the bag from sagging down.

 

[isItFallYet]

No, there just isn't any way to do that effectively. The dimensions are more narrow at the top of the frame vs K3 and the attachment system is entirely different.

You can certainly put a K3 bag on the new frame, we did this plenty of times in the last few years during prototyping. You would just need to swap the buckles on the K4 to the same Rock Lockster buckle we use on K3. The bag just wouldn't attach at the top of the frame so you'd have to work around that and make sure the side compression straps are tight all the time to keep the bag from sagging down.

Understood. Thanks for the explanation!

 

[choovhntr]

I’ve had the k1 5500 and the k2 5500. I actually liked the open top stretchy pocket and ladder attachments on the first bag to add another pocket for extra space if needed and still have access to the stretchy pocket. Without the zipper, there seemed to be more room as well. Love the open top side pockets for quick access or for longer tripods. I know you guys aren’t big lid guys but I would like to see a lid just a little larger to cover the open top side pockets a little better when full. Would take care of any issues of debris getting in there and allow for larger spotting scopes to still fit if you do end up going with a zippered bottom side pocket instead of the stretchy one currently used. I’m especially excited for the 7200 bag just in time for my 2024 dall hunt!

 

[BRTreedogs]

The full length open top pockets are what I think set Exo apart. There is already bags out there with zippered side pockets. I used it on one hunt and sold it.
Zippers are just weight, complexity and a possible failure point.
Rip a $500 quilt in a zipper and you won't ever want to see one again.
Stuff and go. I use bags with roll tops because of this. If it didn't have a single zipper I wouldn't mind.

 

[mlgc20]

Maybe a tall stretchy pocket on one side and a zippered side pocket on the other?

 

[ChrisAU]

I'm with you as outlier I guess. Seems no brainer to me for zippered side pockets. keeps stuff out and also easier to access the bottom of the pocket. When the pack was full it was always hard to get something in the side sleeve pocket towards the bottom.

Good point. I fought my tripod more than I wanted to last week getting it back into the side pocket.

 

[Dunky]

I prefer the zippered pockets on my 1800 over the long open pocket on the 4800 I had. That long skinny pocket with only an opening at the top seems to limit what you can put in there unless you like digging around in the pocket blindly for smaller stuff.


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[Rust.E]

looking forward to seeing the release of the K4 bag. i have currently have a K2 and love its simplicity

 

[thunderchicken21]

Add another vote for Multicam!

Also, feature request on the hip belt -

Please add more attachment space on the belt than you do for the K3. I had the K2 and now own a K3. I appreciated the additional webbing length on the K2 more as it allowed me to attach an Ivory holster and pouch on my right hip. I can't do that with the K3. I also liked having a pouch and a tech pouch on the left side. The older K2 pouches fit with the FHF tech pouch on my K3, but not the newer K3 pouches.

 

[sivart]

please keep the mulitcam