Eberlestock X2 vs Eberlestock Brooks 3500
Quick take: The Eberlestock Brooks 3500 costs $140 less; the Eberlestock Brooks 3500 carries more (57 vs 40 liters); the Eberlestock Brooks 3500 is lighter (1.94 vs 5.5 lbs).
| Spec | Eberlestock X2 | Eberlestock Brooks 3500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329 | $189 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (82) | 4.56★ (16) |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 40 L | 57 L |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs | 1.94 lbs |
| Max Load | Not rated (~80 lb practical) | 100 lbs (frame-dependent) |
| Torso Fit | One size with adjustable shoulder harness; fits short-to-average torsos best | Fits Mainframe II / Modframe frames (sold separately) |
| Material | Microsuede-face nylon (Dry Earth/Loden); Multicam version in IR-compliant 500D CORDURA | Lightweight 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
- ✓Rokslide users 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 — Hunt Talk posters rank 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 or Mystery Ranch Pop Up 40 setup.
- ✗No load lifters — Rokslide reviewers 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 Rokslide 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 — forum consensus is 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 a Modframe it lands at $457, 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 about $538 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.