When it comes to backcountry hunting, and just hunting in general really, there are a few pieces of gear that I believe are absolutely key. The first is your boots, for they are your tires of the backcountry. Bad boots can, not just make a hunt miserable, but can also end it. The next is your clothing. Having a solid layering system will go a long way and provide you with the comfort and protection you need from the elements. And finally, the next piece of gear that I think needs to be on the top of our list as backcountry hunters, is our backpacks. It is our mobile apartment and carries everything we need to survive in the dirt. The very vessel that gets our hard earned game meat from the field to the cooler. In light of that, we are diving into the, new for 2019, Exo Mountain Gear 4800 K3 backpack. A more than worthy contender in the backpack world of hunting.
First thing is first. Who is Exo Mountain Gear? Exo Mountain Gear, out of Boise, Idaho, is a company made from backcountry hunters for backcountry hunters. Founders Steve Speck and Lenny Nelson saw a need and set out to fulfill it. Just from their own personal hunts, they never could find the perfect backpack for them. So, they just built their own! Exo Mountain Gear packs are built right here in the U.S.A. with a simple design and optimal functionality and performance. No frills and no fluff. Just a solid backpack that can handle whatever you throw at it.
I’ve been a happy Exo customer for years now and am always curious to see what these fellas are going to do next. You can check out a review I did years back on one of the first generations of Exo packs HERE. Somehow, each year, they make small improvements that end up helping in a big way. This year was no exception to that.
First thing that is different is Exo decided to come out with a completely new bag design as well as sizes. Now, your choices of bag will be a 3200(4-5 day hunts), 4800(7-10 day hunts), and 6400(10+ day hunts). Today, we’ll be focusing on the 4800, which is what I believe will be the most versatile option. It is the do it all size.
Another thing that is different from previous models is the access into the main compartment of the bag. Usually, Exo had a side access design, paired with top loading access. On the 4800, they actually used a horseshoe zipper style(exclusive to 4800), as well as the usual top access. This was something that I was especially excited for when I saw it. Just being able to fully open up the main compartment and organize gear for hunts, while being able to see it all at the same time.
The next thing that they did was with where the water bladder sits. Now, the material that separates the bladder from the rest of your pack is actually waterproof. This is great for the unfortunate case of a water bladder busting. Not to mention stuffing wet gear back into your pack. Say your shelter gets wet, but you need to pack up. Throw that sucker right down into this waterproof sleeve and you’re good to go.
One of the absolute biggest changes in my eyes with this new K3 rests in the area of removing the bag from the frame in order to haul meat. This is something that you’ve always been able to do with Exo packs, but with this new design, it is the easiest it has ever been. In years past, in order to get the bag off of the frame, the load lifters had to be removed. From there, you’d undo a strip of velcro which would let one pull a sleeve up over the top of the frame to detach the bag. Now, there is no need to detach the load lifters or for that sleeve. Exo used a bat wing velcro type of design that avoids doing so. Just undo the top flap and side wings. Done.
Exo has always given the user the ability to adjust the torso length on their packs. However, now you’ve also got the ability to adjust the frame height. Yup! Pretty wicked idea on their part. This could come in handy especially for when hauling meat. With a bunch of weight in the pack and gravity fighting you, being able to make the frame a tad higher in order to get the right load lifter angle is huge.
The lumbar pad on the K2 frame was a huge step in the right direction for Exo. It was bigger and really let the hunter cinch down on the waist belt without sacrificing comfort. On the K3 though? Exo kicked it up a notch and used a different outer shell. This is much more tacky and less likely to slip with heavy loads. Also, it just seems a lot more durable. You’ve also got the ability to control size of the lumbar pad by adding or removing inserts. This is great, as we come in all shapes and sizes. Just more ability to adjust the pack to you.
The waist belt is also slightly different. Instead of being one piece now, it is actually 2 pieces. Each side of the waist belt is attached by velcro on the front and back. Detaching both sides will allow the user to adjust the size of the waist belt slightly. So, if you happen to be in between sizes, this is yet another opportunity to tune the pack just how you need it.
My first impressions of the K3 frame and 4800 bag were largely positive. Just like all of the Exo packs I’ve had in the past, this one seemed built for abuse. From the materials to the sound construction, I knew it was gonna be a winner. They still kept things simple, but added a few more functional features here and there.
It appears that most of the zippers and buckles have been redesigned and are much more beefy than years past. This I appreciated and will just add to the durability. Both side pouches on the outside of the pack seemed to be larger as well. I knew that would be great for holding a Nalgene bottle on future adventures. In the past, I refrained from doing this, because they just weren’t that big.
Another thing that stuck out to me was the slightly different design on the lid. I’m a fella that likes organization, and on the new lid they added an extra pocket. Instantly, I knew that’s where I’d be keeping any spare batteries and my Garmin Inreach Explorer+. The other main compartment would hold my food for the day.
The next thing that jumped out at me was how easy it was going to be to access my water bladder. Instead of the water bladder being on the inside of the main compartment, it now has it’s own sleeve and zipper, along with that waterproof material separating it from the main compartment I mentioned above.
When I heard that Exo was putting together a 4800 bag for the new lineup, I was pretty stoked. In the past, I have always run the 3500 bag. That got me through hunts up to 10 days. It was packed to the brim and my food was in the load sling, but it got the job done. This slightly bigger size sounded like the perfect one for what I do and one that I’d be able to put everything on the inside of the bag for a 10 day hunt.
Before I get into those hunts though, let me touch on something else. Something that I really enjoyed about this pack was the functionality. Using Exo packs in the past was easy, but this new K3 is even easier. Little things like being able to access my water bladder quickly and efficiently add up over time and just make camp life smoother. Not having to detach the load lifters from the frame when ready to pack meat is another one. The simplicity of detaching the accessories pouch via a clip was something I didn’t think I’d care for. Once getting in camp though, I found myself using it naturally. Exo streamlines their packs, but they are also streamlining your experience back there on your hunts.
The real test for the Exo 4800 would be 3 early season hunts I had lined up. 2 high country mule deer hunts(Colorado and Utah) that would both be backpack hunts and then a bear hunt in my home state of Arizona. When packing for those high country mule deer hunts, I was excited to see that I indeed would not have to be using the load sling to pack in food. Everything fit on the inside of the bag. Utah was a 7 day hunt and Colorado was a 10 day hunt. The extra room was much appreciated and just kept everything more streamlined on the outside of the pack.
After all of the new features, the real treasure with Exo packs has always been how they handle weight. So, I couldn’t wait to see how this thing felt loaded down heavy. Heading in and out of backcountry camps was great. Each of those hikes would be with about 40 pounds or so. That’s all fine and dandy, but how would it do with meat and hide? Luckily, I was able to test that out a few times.
In Arizona, I was fortunate enough to harvest a bear and load down the pack with the hide. I’ve packed out my share of bear hides before with Exo packs, but I’ve gotta admit, this was the best it had ever felt. It was incredibly easy to get that pack formed right to my body and was as if the pack was an extension of my body, rather that a backpack. I knew the weight was there, but it wasn’t cumbersome in the least bit.
The next test would be after arrowing a buck in the high country of Colorado. Unlike the bear hunt, this high country hunt was a backpack style hunt. My brother and I packed in several miles and lived in the dirt for 6 days. A damn good time all around. On the evening of the 6th day, I arrowed a buck and got to load the pack down with half of the deer and the head. We towed that back to camp, loaded up camp, and then headed back to the truck. My best guess, based on previous experience, is the pack was around 80-90 pounds on the way back to the trailhead we came from. This is a weight that I am no stranger to, but this time? Man, it was the easiest heavy load like that I’ve carried. That new lumbar pad was doing an excellent job at keeping the pack from sliding down, all the while working with everything else to keep in comfortable. On this particular pack out, I did not test out the adjustable frame height, as I didn’t feel the need to. I’m definitely curious though at if it would have had a significant impact on the already comfortable load.
There is a story that I like to tell when folks ask me about how Exo Mountain Gear packs are. It is of the first time I had ever packed anything out with one. A black bear that I had shot the night before would be taking a ride in the Exo back to the truck and I was ecstatic. Curiosity ran through me as I wondered how this new backpack would hold up to the motions of all of this. Once getting the pack on, I remember thinking to myself, “that’s it?” It just didn’t feel like as much weight and I actually started doing jumping jacks with a bear hide on my back. I don’t recommend that one does this, but history is history. Fast forward to today and I am still as confident as ever in the pack system. As I sit here and write this, I’m day dreaming about a future late season elk hunt that I’ll be on with my Dad. Should we be fortunate to get a bull on the ground, I just know that the K3 is going to crush the pack out and get that frosty elk meat back to camp. To learn more about the Exo Mountain Gear K3 4800 and other Exo Mountain Gear products, head on over to www.exomtngear.com.
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