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View Full Version : Pack Suggestion - Exos Small and Med don't fit



JonnieBlaze
12-01-2017, 14:47
Hi,

I've done some reading but just wanted to throw this post out here to see if anyone else had a similar issue or any suggestions.

I have an old Gregory Palisade medium that fits great and is super comfortable, but it weights a ton. So a while back I bought an Osprey Aether medium to save a couple lbs and it was a good deal. It fits me well but the shoulder pads are very stiff and dig into my collar bone and bruise them badly after just one day. I always revert back to my Palisade. I've since lightened my base weight a good bit and decided to get a new pack. Using Osprey's sizing guide I'm between a small and medium torso length.

I bought an Exos 58 medium which seems to fit ok until I loaded it up and went on my first hike. That's when I realized the waist belt would not cinch down tight enough on my waist. I'm a pretty small guy and there was just no room left for me to cinch the waist belt up any tighter. So a lot of the load was on my shoulders and uncomfortable.

I then bought an Exos 58 small which tightened up great around the waist but I soon realized it was riding above my hip bones, not on them. I also noticed that the shoulder straps are so small there is no padding in contact with the front of my shoulders, its all above and behind my shoulders not being utilized.

Seems like I'm not the right shape for this pack? The two key features that sold me on this pack were the weight and the trampoline style back. The Palisade and Aether seemed to cook my back in the summer and I was really looking forward to using the Exos. So I guess I'm in the market for any other packs in this weight range, hopefully with a similar back style, and around the same price - less than $150. My packed weight, before food and water, is around 17 lbs I think. If anyone has suggestions.

Starchild
12-01-2017, 15:46
Contact Ospray they may be able to help you with that hip belt.

roys
12-01-2017, 16:52
The belt on the exos is a problem for some people. It's probably the most common complaint about the exos ( although it's still an extremely popular backpack). But if it doesn't fit it's not the right pack for you. Osprey is supposed to be bringing a new ultralight backpack out in the spring that , I believe, does have a trampoline style back. To my knowledge, the other backpacks with the trampoline style backs are on the expensive side . Z-Packs, Gossamer Gear, and ULA all sell backpacks with your choice of hip belts. Z Packs sells a lumbar pad which, besides supposedly being more comfortable, also takes up a few inches around your waist and therefore tightens the hipbelt. Perhaps you can experiment with whatever material and see if a lumbar pad will work with you.

Cheyou
12-01-2017, 17:00
https://www.ula-equipment.com/product/ohm-2-0-deals/

looks Ms like a good deal to me

QuietStorm
12-01-2017, 17:17
I’ve had two ULA packs and two Exos packs. The ULA packs do not have a trampoline back—at least not the Circuit nor Catalyst. I had the same problem with the Exos. Tried both small and medium. Trying out a Kestrel 48 this weekend. It’s light, has enough volume, has all the attachment points I need, and has a typical adjustable Osprey suspension. It also has a built in rain cover.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

DownEaster
12-01-2017, 19:26
Granite Gear's Crown 2 doesn't have a trampoline setup, instead featuring perforated ventilation ridges in the molded foam back; not sure if that would vent well enough for you. What it does have is an easily-adjustable (velcro) belt which accommodates hips from 28" to 40".

41083

Just Bill
12-01-2017, 19:42
As others mentioned- Osprey is redoing the line... so may be worth waiting a bit.

Otherwise- try a woman's pack. Seriously.

It's often a better shape for folks with your build. Also a great way to save money as you can often find stuff on clearance.

There really isn't a good off the shelf competitor to the Exos. I believe it was mentioned that they were expanding the pack and introducing a womens version.

Greenlight
12-01-2017, 19:44
"Mayor" Kyle Rohrig gifted me a brand new Gossamer Gear Mariposa that came with a hip belt. You normally order them separately. Luckily, the belt it came with is a good fit. But what I'm saying is that you can order the correct belt and it velcros into place. It has a built in egg carton type sit pad that doubles as the back support, and while it does heat up a little bit, the egg carton design does let air in. The Mariposa is a ULA pack with lots of outside pockets and a good amount of room inside the pack, too. It is a very nice pack, but they run about $250, which is a hundred over budget. Just thought I'd mention it, because it is a really light pack with good support. Very adjustable. Narrow padded shoulders with a chest cinch that is very adjustable. I've been able to make adjustments on the fly for going uphill, downhill, or just to get a bit of weight off of my shoulders or hips, etc...with good results.

Just Bill
12-01-2017, 19:51
https://www.snewsnet.com/press-release/ospreys-introduces-all-new-womens-specific-eja-and-updated-exos-for-spring-2018

Perhaps a better blurb- but yes... women's Exos (Eja) and a women's version of the Ultralight model: Levity/Lumina
https://sectionhiker.com/outdoor-retailer-2017-editors-choice-gear-picks/

Seems worth waiting IMO and hitting an REI to try them out.