How do I dial in the fit when I can't try one on in a store?

Fit is Exo's strong suit: four frame heights (22-26.5 in) and five hipbelt sizes from XS to XL, backed by a 30-day trial period so a wrong guess isn't permanent. That's a real advantage over the pick-a-curve guesswork with Stone Glacier's Krux and Xcurve frames.

Are hipbelt pockets included?

No — the belt is bare laser-cut MOLLE until you buy Exo's add-on pouches. It's a common gripe given some competitors ship stock belt storage, so budget for pouches if you like a rangefinder at your hip.

How does it handle a hydration bladder?

Better than most in the class — there's a dedicated hydration compartment with a drain grommet at the bottom, so a leaking bladder drips out instead of soaking your sleeping insulation. Forum users call that detail out repeatedly.

Any known weak points under heavy loads?

Two show up in the long-running owner threads: harness or hipbelt slippage that needs re-tensioning once loads pass roughly 60 lbs, and a bottom taper narrow enough that bulky sleeping bags like a Western Mountaineering Kodiak fight to fit. Neither is a dealbreaker for most, but they're the honest gripes.

Will a bear canister fit?

Yes — at 93 liters with the included lid there's room for a canister plus a week of gear. The K4 platform also scales down (3600) or up (7200) on the same frame if your typical trips run shorter or longer.

Hunting Pack

~$700

Exo Mtn Gear

Exo Mtn Gear K4 5000

Name: Exo Mtn Gear K4 5000
Brand: Exo Mtn Gear
Price: 700 USD
Availability: InStock

Exo's weeklong workhorse: a 5,010 ci bag (5,658 ci / 93 L with the included lid) on the carbon-stay K4 frame rated past 150 lbs, sold as a complete $700 system. It pairs a roll-top plus horseshoe zip with the deepest stock organization in the flagship class, with four frame heights and five hipbelt sizes built in Boise, Idaho.

Approx. price

~$700

Capacity

93 L

Weight

5.8 lbs

Best For

Week-long backcountry hunters who want dialed fit and real organization without giving up a 150 lb meat hauler

Buy from Exo Mtn Gear →

Price and availability on Exo Mtn Gear’s site may differ.

Specifications

What do these specs mean? →

Type

Hunting Pack

Frame Type

External Frame

Capacity

93 L

Weight

5.8 lbs

Max Recommended Load

150+ lbs

Torso Fit

4 frame heights (22–26.5 in) with adjustable harness, 5 hipbelt sizes XS–XL

Material

MIL-SPEC 500D CORDURA with YKK zippers; built in Boise, Idaho

Back Panel

K4 carbon-fiber-stay frame with integrated load compression and flap-style load shelf

Warranty

Lifetime guarantee against defects, plus 30-day trial period

Raincover Included

Fits BV500 Bear Canister

Yes

Sizes Available

Capacity	Price	Weight
K4 2200 (36 L)	—	—
K4 3600 (59 L)	—	—
93 Lthis pack	$700	5.8 lbs
K4 7200 (118 L)	—	—

Features

Adjustable TorsoRemovable LidHydration SleeveFits Bear CanisterMeat ShelfRifle & Bow Carry

Pros

✓A long-term field reviewer called the K4 'the most comfortable pack tested' against the industry's best, crediting the custom carbon-stay frame and redesigned harness.
✓Fit options lead the category — four frame heights (22–26.5 in) and five hipbelt sizes (XS–XL), backed by a 30-day trial, versus pick-a-curve guesswork with Stone Glacier's Krux/Xcurve.
✓Organization is the K4's calling card: horseshoe zip into the main bag, stretch front panel, full-length zippered side pockets, and laser-cut MOLLE — owners say it's the easiest flagship pack to live out of.
✓The flap-style load shelf deploys without pulling the bag off the frame, making day-pack-to-meat-hauler transitions faster than Stone Glacier's unbuckle-everything approach.
✓The included lid adds ~650 ci and the price includes the complete system — no a-la-carte lid or frame math like Kifaru builds.
✓A dedicated hydration compartment with a drain grommet keeps a leaky bladder from soaking your sleep insulation, a detail forum users repeatedly call out.
✓Owners rate it 4.9 stars across 529 reviews on Exo's site (98% five-star), and the Boise-based customer service earns forum praise rivaling Mystery Ranch's.
✓Integrated bow and rifle carry work stock, and treadmill-style testing threads report no harness slippage running uphill with 30+ lb loads.

Cons

✗The bag tapers narrow at the bottom — owners report bulky sleeping bags like a Western Mountaineering Kodiak in its stuff sack fight to fit.
✗Several owners in the long-running K4 thread report harness or hipbelt slippage once loads pass roughly 60 lbs, requiring re-tensioning on pack-outs.
✗Side pockets use a single zipper that interferes with the lid when it's fitted — a two-zip design is a common owner wish.
✗Bow Spider users note the mount's metal clips don't line up with the K4 hipbelt MOLLE spacing, forcing workarounds for a popular accessory.
✗Hipbelt pockets aren't included — the MOLLE belt is bare until you buy Exo's add-on pouches, unlike some competitors' stock belt storage.
✗At 5 lb 13 oz complete with lid, it's the heaviest of the big-three frame systems — about half a pound over a Sky 5900 on the Xcurve frame and half a pound over a Metcalf 75.
✗The lighter K4X update (about 1 lb savings in prototypes) has limited release in summer 2026 with full launch in 2027, so buyers today are getting last-generation materials.
✗Exo sells essentially direct-only, so outside the 30-day trial there's no trying one on in a store the way Scheels stocks Stone Glacier and Mystery Ranch.

Common Questions

Compare the Exo Mtn Gear K4 5000

vs Exo Mtn Gear Teratorn 7400 Pack System vs Kuiu ICON 6 6000

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121 L150+ lb rating4 frame heights

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98 L3D Carbon Frame6.15 lbsVentilated back

Weight

6.15 lbs

Capacity

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Frame

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79 L / 150+ lb rating2,500+ ci load shelfMade in USA

Weight

4 lb 7 oz (Krux) / 4 lb 11 oz (Xcurve), complete with medium belt

Capacity

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Frame

External Frame

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Stone Glacier Terminus 7000

The Terminus 7000 is Stone Glacier's ultralight expedition pack for sheep and goat hunters: 7,000 cubic inches (115 L including the 500 ci lid) at just 3 lb 15 oz, with the bag sewn directly to a 26-inch carbon-stay frame rated for 150+ lb loads. A 2,200 ci collapsible internal load cell positions boned-out meat against the frame, and the main bag compresses to 4,300 ci in bivy mode for day hunts. The main bag uses SG's waterproof ULTRA fabric, a UHMWPE blend developed with Challenge Sailcloth.

Sub-4 lb, 115 L150+ lb load ratingULTRA/UHMWPE fabric

Weight

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Capacity

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Frame

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98 LWomen's suspensionCarbon frameVentilated back

Weight

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Capacity

98 L

Frame

External Frame

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150 lb load rating at 6.4 lbBag expands 4,000-5,000 ciInternal load-hauling shelf

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6.4 lbs

Capacity

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Frame

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View details Check price

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