Eberlestock X2 vs Eberlestock Brooks 3500
Quick take: The Eberlestock Brooks 3500 costs $140 less; the Eberlestock Brooks 3500 carries more (59.4 vs 40 liters); the Eberlestock Brooks 3500 is lighter (1.94 vs 5.5 lbs).
Which one to buy
About $457 is what the Brooks 3500 costs once you can carry it, because the $189 tag buys only the bag. It needs an Eberlestock Mainframe II or Modframe, $349 on its own or $457.30 bundled with the bag, so the real comparison is a $329 all-in-one day pack against a modular system that costs roughly $128 more. That gap buys about 59 L of roll-top volume against 40 L and a frame you can later move to other Eberlestock bags.
The X2 makes sense as one pack for rifle day hunts. Its microsuede face is brush-quiet, the MOLLE takes Eberlestock's Bolt Action Scabbard for enclosed rifle carry, and the V2's fold-down seat replaces a sit pad. Owners say it will move an elk quarter, but with no load lifters the shoulders take nearly all the weight, and the one-size suspension suits short-to-average torsos; one owner said the frame needs to be about 6 inches longer to use the belt as intended. If you're tall, that alone should push you toward the frame system. The face fabric also soaks up water and dries slowly.
The Brooks is the hauling choice, though not a comfortable one by default. Owners report it mounts cleanly to the Mainframe and carries well over long hauls, yet the rigid tubular frame can't be shaped to your spine and the one-size hipbelt is the line's most repeated complaint, so try the frame on before committing. Expect some loose ends too: no lid is included, rolling the top down eats into the claimed volume and Eberlestock's own listings disagree on it, and owners call the plastic and Velcro hardware loud and quick to collect seeds. In return you get access through both the roll-top and a full front zip, plus a proper hydration sleeve with hose ports on each side.
Eberlestock X2
Best if you hunt with a rifle from a truck or day camp, have an average or shorter torso, and want one finished, quiet pack for $329 rather than a frame-and-bag project.
Eberlestock Brooks 3500
Worth the extra money if you're tall, expect heavy pack-outs, or plan to run several Eberlestock bags on one frame; budget about $457 for the bag-and-frame bundle.
| Spec | Eberlestock X2 | Eberlestock Brooks 3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329 | $189 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 40 L | 59.4 L |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs | 1.94 lbs |
| Max Load | Not published by the manufacturer | Not published for the bag (depends on the separately sold frame) |
| Torso Fit | One size with adjustable shoulder harness; fits short-to-average torsos best | Fits Mainframe II / Modframe frames (sold separately) |
| Material | DWR-treated microsuede (Military Green); Multicam version in IR-compliant 500D CORDURA nylon | 500D ripstop with roll-top closure |
| Back Panel | Integrated Intex aluminum frame with FlexChassis fold-down seat and padded foam back panel | Attachment bag only — mounts to Eberlestock Mainframe II or Modframe |
| Adjustable torso | No | No |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | Eberlestock Lifetime Warranty | Eberlestock lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship (buckles 1 year) |
Pros & cons
Eberlestock X2
- ✓Owners call it 'bomber' and a fantastic pack for the money — one owner packed out 12 animals over 3 seasons and reported the bag itself never faltered.
- ✓The brushed microsuede exterior is genuinely brush-quiet, a hallmark Eberlestock trait that still-hunters prefer over the crinkly laminate fabrics on modern ultralight packs.
- ✓MOLLE on the body, sides and bottom accepts Eberlestock's Bolt Action Scabbard for fully enclosed rifle carry — a system no mainstream competitor (Kuiu, Exo, Mystery Ranch) offers.
- ✓The integrated Intex aluminum frame plus oversized compression straps will genuinely move an elk quarter — several owners count it among the few real meat-hauling day packs.
- ✓The V2 adds a FlexChassis fold-down seat, so glassing sits on wet or snowy ground no longer require a separate pad.
- ✓It holds a 4.84-star average across 82 verified owner reviews on Eberlestock's site — 90% of them five-star.
- ✓Owners consistently praise the organization: dedicated compartments, zippered stretch pockets, elastic side pockets and interior MOLLE keep day gear sorted without pouches.
- ✓At $329 with a lifetime warranty and 15% military/LEO discount, it costs roughly half of a Kuiu ICON 6 setup and about $150 less than a Mystery Ranch Pop Up 40.
- ✗No load lifters — some owners report the shoulders bear nearly all the weight once meat goes on, unlike hip-loading frames from Exo or Stone Glacier.
- ✗The waist belt is widely called 'marginal'; one owner said the frame 'needs to be about 6 inches longer so you can actually use the waist belt for its intended purpose.'
- ✗One-size suspension with no torso-length adjustment means taller hunters routinely report a poor fit, and several owners say it suits shorter torsos best.
- ✗At 5.5 lbs for 40 liters it's heavier per liter than nearly everything in its class — Kuiu's complete 98 L ICON 6 6000 frame kit weighs only 10 oz more.
- ✗The frame bar is known to squeak under load; the accepted owner fix is wrapping it in moleskin.
- ✗Owners who pushed 100 lbs of elk meat through it say it 'gets the job done' but is genuinely uncomfortable versus a dedicated external frame hauler.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets, no rain cover and no removable lid — the feature set trails similarly priced modern day packs.
- ✗The microsuede face fabric absorbs water in sustained rain and dries slowly, adding carry weight on multi-day wet-weather hunts.
Eberlestock Brooks 3500
- ✓At 1 lb 15 oz for 3,500 ci it offers better volume-to-weight than Eberlestock's own Vapor bags.
- ✓It opens both ways — roll top and a full front zip panel — fixing the front-only access owners complain about on the Vapor.
- ✓It has a proper rear hydration sleeve with side hose ports plus three interior sleeves, which the Vapor 2500 lacks entirely.
- ✓Its 16 reviews are genuinely product-specific, unlike the Vapor's review pool which is shared across the whole Vapor line.
- ✓The roll top lets you run the bag half-full without a sloppy load, then expand when you need the volume.
- ✓Bundled with either a Mainframe II or a Modframe it lands at $457.30, well under an equivalent Stone Glacier or Exo system.
- ✓Owners report it attaches cleanly to the Mainframe and stays comfortable over long hauls with heavy loads.
- ✓The modular frame approach means one frame serves multiple bags, and Eberlestock's US-based support gets consistent praise.
- ✗The frame is not included, so the real entry cost is $457.30 as a bundle ($538 bought separately) rather than the $189 shown on the bag.
- ✗No lid is included — the larger Brooks 7000 ships with one, and owners find the omission on the 3500 hard to explain.
- ✗The roll top eats the advertised capacity; one owner measured it short of 36 inches and doubts it is a true 3,500 ci bag.
- ✗Published volume contradicts itself across Eberlestock's own listings — 3,500, 3,600, and 3,626 ci all appear.
- ✗It is tall and narrow with a pocket on only one side, so owners cannot carry trekking poles and a tripod separately.
- ✗Owners flag the thin fabric on the rear divided pockets as a durability risk over time.
- ✗The hardware is plastic and Velcro at a $189 price point, which owners note is loud in the field and collects seeds.
- ✗The whole system's carry comfort is its weakest point — the rigid tubular frame cannot be shaped to your spine, and the one-size hipbelt is the line's most-repeated complaint.
Eberlestock X2 vs Eberlestock Brooks 3500: common questions
Is the Brooks 3500 really cheaper than the X2?▾
Only on the tag. Add the frame it rides on and the Brooks costs about $457 as a bundle to carry anything, so the complete $329 X2 is the cheaper way into the field by roughly $128.
Which one fits a tall hunter better?▾
The X2 is the riskier choice for height: it's one size with no torso adjustment, and owners say it suits short-to-average torsos. The Brooks rides on a separate frame, but owners also flag that platform's one-size hipbelt, so try the frame on before you buy.
Which is quieter when stalking through brush?▾
The X2. Its microsuede face is brush-quiet, which owners value for still-hunting with a rifle. The Brooks uses 500D ripstop, and owners describe its plastic and Velcro hardware as loud in the field.