Exo mountain gear

[AndrewT]

So just a heads up for anyone who’s looking to buy a new pack.. I just recently helped a mate purchase a new exo I’ve had mine for about 4 years and he borrowed it to do a week long trip at the start of the year and thought it suited his needs. Anyway something that everyone should note is that the price is now over 1000 aud for the pack which means you will be stung for GST import duty’s and border inspection fees totalling around 300 dollars au on top of what you have paid already I think with postage mine ended up around 1100 with my mates costing 1560 which is a big jump.. anyway trap for young players or not so young as this case may be 

[ben338]

buying from america sux these days.

postage costs a fortune, taxes, itar restrictions etc.

[AndrewT]

19 minutes ago, ben338 said:

buying from america sux these days.

postage costs a fortune, taxes, itar restrictions etc.

Yep I wish I’d known about the import duty and gst thing from what I can tell had I bought the frame then the bag separately it would have been 265 cheaper even when you have to pay multiple shipping costs

[Dave9.3x62]

Those Moroka30 packs look ok - any reports onem?

[samburstalker]

Pats been awesome to deal with at bouldercreek.  Australian distributor and I believe the only one in the world.

https://bouldercreekoutdoors.com/collections/exo-mtn-gear

[gryphon]

1 hour ago, Dave9.3x62 said:

Those Moroka30 packs look ok - any reports onem?

A report rom 2010 below. 

Rob Fickling loaned me a pack when he first started making them,as below it served me really well...well enough to order my own for the next years trip.

Got into Victoria yesterday and just home this morning from packing the Moroka30 75L pack around the hills for ten days with Shankspony and Lost and Late,two Kiwi boys that would walk the legs off any bastard.

May 12 ,flew into Christchurch on the East coast then we drove six hours across the NZ Alps to the West Coast to Fox Glacier and propped there overnight for the trip in the next morning.

We set out in pouring rain for our first camp which was a non stop 6.5 hour trip through rough as shit country. The rain didnt stop.We stayed there two days and the second arvo 1.5 clicks upstream from camp and a click off the river I rolled two Chamois bucks one evening for our tucker and then next day we walked another 11 k`s up river which resulted in us three hunters being 28 k`s off the road from where the truck was parked.

We traveled through rivers,creeks, bush,####n jungle,avalanche chutes,under glaciers that were dropping ice chunks the size of farm sheds and through boulder fields and it was all the way up hill to where the big bull Tahr were way to ery above us.This was no walk in the park down a gravel road trip this was pain all the way but through the most incredible country I have ever seen.
Shankspony had a 300 metre long avalanche of ice and snow roar down the chute he was on and it stopped 200 m`s above him, he had been glassing Chamois across the valley when he heard it coming and as he said "i got the #### out of there quick as " I saw the avalanche trail myself and the 1/2 k plumes of snow and ice dust hanging in the air from another that rumbled down from a glacier above us...geezuz!
It was tough on the gear and on the feet, three of my toenails will drop off this or next week and believe me the knees and hips are feeling it too.

I have walked through a million frosts but have never climbed through rocks where they are covered in black ice,you cant see it but it was coating every bloody thing you put a boot on,some places were hands on all the way and a slip could have had horrible consequences. Having done an Achilles several years ago i was pretty wary of putting my feet down correctly.

Robs Moroka 30 gear? Undoubtedly as good as it gets,tough well and truly made properly and i loved especially the rifle carrier in the middle of the pack as an outstanding extra...climbing through the bush and the rocks meant a hunter had both hands to hang on with and that was a definite bonus.
The pack stood up to everything thrown at it and coped with it all,rain,falls,rocks and scrub and with a total weigh up of just over 30 kilos it proved its worth.. with its inherent toughness,comfort and a multitude of pockets for everything i have concluded that its worth recommending to anyone that wants to pack in to anywhere. "haha thats if my recko is worth anything"
The Moroka 30 s/bag was too hot for me and i used it as a blanket unzipped, heaps of room and warmth galore,my mate was in a feather bag and calling the temps 'cold' through the night even though he was tightly zipped up,i was warm as! Great bag with a monster amount of room too.

 

[gryphon]

The old 7mm mag loved it,the boys had one handed carry`s with their rifles as their own  packs didnt have the Moroka fittings.

Edited August 13 by gryphon

[Dave9.3x62]

Sounds like a great trip. Sleeping bags worth a look too.

[gryphon]

6 hours ago, gryphon said:

three of my toenails will drop off this or next week

 

4 hours ago, Dave9.3x62 said:

Sounds like a great trip. Sleeping bags worth a look too.

and I ended up with four toenails parting company lol. 

[AndrewT]

I also have had a moroka pack but it was almost 4kg empty the exo is just over 2 and I like the compartment between the bag and frame I will often cut the neck of fallow deer and put them in that section of stops antler and cape slipping about when walking out.. the red pack in the first image  is a torre by macpac it was the original internal frame pack after the mountain mule days with the external frame..  I’d agree with gryphon that the moroka packs are very well made and have good adjustments to suit you personal fit

[Dave9.3x62]

7 hours ago, gryphon said:

 

and I ended up with four toenails parting company lol. 

Hah yep, painfull but good?

[AndrewT]

[338Snipetac]

I have the EXO K2 5500 pack and over the years I've had a lot of packs and with out a doubt it's the best I've had.  I think there's just a hand full of packs that have been designed for hunters by hunters on the market.  There's also other packs out there that are really well made and designed for serious mountain hiker's that track all over the world in hard conditions. Top end packs like Kuiu, stone glacier, Sitka, first Lite, EXO are not cheap, but there is a real difference with them if you right into you back country hunting.  Guys I know that run with them now, have had all types of packs and in the end pulled the trigger and bought one and not looked back.  Yes I also have the Moroka 30 pack as well and have been to NZ with it and I found it to be no more than just an average pack IMO.  I was lucky I got it very cheap as a mate got caught with his dick in a different woman's vagina and he needed coin fast. 😁 I found for simple hunts here its ok, but was too small and not real comfortable for me up them big mountains of NZ.  I just have it as a spare now.  The better packs are designed to fit your hips and have a better center of gravity to help keep you back straight and comfortable. Few guys that have gone with me on back country tips in the end bought a EXO.  At the time and still now I suggested if there in Mansfield to pop into MHF as they sell stone glacier packs and there $hit hot and well made.   But I think we are all a little soft now as the late great Hank Cotchin would just have a hessian bag with a bit of detonator wire across he's shoulders and walk from one end of the bush to the other and not complain a bit. 🤣

[AndrewT]

27 minutes ago, 338Snipetac said:

I have the EXO K2 5500 pack and over the years I've had a lot of packs and with out a doubt it's the best I've had.  I think there's just a hand full of packs that have been designed for hunters by hunters on the market.  There's also other packs out there that are really well made and designed for serious mountain hiker's that track all over the world in hard conditions. Top end packs like Kuiu, stone glacier, Sitka, first Lite, EXO are not cheap, but there is a real difference with them if you right into you back country hunting.  Guys I know that run with them now, have had all types of packs and in the end pulled the trigger and bought one and not looked back.  Yes I also have the Moroka 30 pack as well and have been to NZ with it and I found it to be no more than just an average pack IMO.  I was lucky I got it very cheap as a mate got caught with his dick in a different woman's vagina and he needed coin fast. 😁 I found for simple hunts here its ok, but was too small and not real comfortable for me up them big mountains of NZ.  I just have it as a spare now.  The better packs are designed to fit your hips and have a better center of gravity to help keep you back straight and comfortable. Few guys that have gone with me on back country tips in the end bought a EXO.  At the time and still now I suggested if there in Mansfield to pop into MHF as they sell stone glacier packs and there $hit hot and well made.   But I think we are all a little soft now as the late great Hank Cotchin would just have a hessian bag with a bit of detonator wire across he's shoulders and walk from one end of the bush to the other and not complain a bit. 🤣

Ha absolutely soft.. it’s definitely different now that’s for sure my grandad thought my dad was soft and I’m sure mine thinks I’m soft.. it’s all relative at the end of the day isn’t it

[samburstalker]

I find my k3, i can carry weight with it easier than my k4. I find walking the bush the k4 is alot more comfy than the k3.  

k4 carries about 2/3rds the weight of the k3

both bags have carried 2 back legs, 2 back straps and 1 head out the same time 

[gryphon]

On 21/08/2024 at 8:41 PM, AndrewT said:

   But I think we are all a little soft now as the late great Hank Cotchin would just have a hessian bag with a bit of detonator wire across he's shoulders and walk from one end of the bush to the other and not complain a bit.

Hank C ...legend! You have to take your hat off to Hank, there was no 'modern' gear about in the day and he had no need for this pack or that pack that seems to be a requirement these days.

I first met Hank in the early 80`s in the Yarrarabula and it was  at a dead deer he had shot off our hounds lol. He used to drop  in for a yarn and cuppa on his way home from a hunt  and at times with a sambar to show. Among my  memories is from when we walked into the head of the Dan  when he was in his 70`s for a few nights he was a tough pioneering sambar guru and when he spoke I listened and learned, something a lot could do too. He used to pick a spot on a map and get  dropped off "up the top" and would walk through to a pick up point in virgin country after looking at a map with no ####in gps and other aids in those days, just using  bush skills. The bare necessities were all he needed and he certainly never carried or had the huge amount of shit that so many carry in their packs today. Hank being Hank would have a chuckle after seeing  what the 'modern' hunter needs today.

I took a couple of Taswegian mates to Hank`s joint after we had rolled a couple of deer and one of the boys  recorded Hank and the conversations on what else..sambar!  Unfortunately it was done on VHS and back in 1993 (?) and the tape simply died, lost and gone. Hank had at the time SIXTY TWO ####en rifles....true.

The Dan is a  place he often hunted and is still a good place to walk into only the best walk into those places when they are in their 70`s.

I put his dog Fang over my bitch and produced some very good dogs too....if you knew him well then you know the tale of the seven knotted silk scarves lol, we laughed about that.

Below is a pic of my dog Red with his mother, Red`s  a son of Hanks famous Fang is on right,pic taken  early 80`s. The pic brings back a real memory of that day.

Unfortunately Hank was pre digital cams/internet/mobiles etc and so many of his adventures were never recorded. Hank gave me a printed pic of him in the basement of the  Melb Museum holding  a 42" stag. I posted it on here oh so long ago and atm cant find it. I put it on the net when the internet was born and occasionally it turns up online. I will have another look for it as it really is something to behold.

 

 

Kenny Pearce, Hank and yours truly at a mates do one night, we stayed away from the sheilas and talked Sambar for the whole night, by #### it was a good sesh too. Just another old pre digital pic that`s ed.

 

 

 

Edited August 23 by gryphon

[Double Plugga]

oh to be a fly on the wall for some of those yarns!!!!!

[gryphon]

1 hour ago, Double Plugga said:

oh to be a fly on the wall for some of those yarns!!!!!

He had lots of yarns.

 

[338Snipetac]

5 hours ago, gryphon said:

Hank C ...legend! You have to take your hat off to Hank, there was no 'modern' gear about in the day and he had no need for this pack or that pack that seems to be a requirement these days.

I first met Hank in the early 80`s in the Yarrarabula and it was  at a dead deer he had shot off our hounds lol. He used to drop  in for a yarn and cuppa on his way home from a hunt  and at times with a sambar to show. Among my  memories is from when we walked into the head of the Dan  when he was in his 70`s for a few nights he was a tough pioneering sambar guru and when he spoke I listened and learned, something a lot could do too. He used to pick a spot on a map and get  dropped off "up the top" and would walk through to a pick up point in virgin country after looking at a map with no ####in gps and other aids in those days, just using  bush skills. The bare necessities were all he needed and he certainly never carried or had the huge amount of shit that so many carry in their packs today. Hank being Hank would have a chuckle after seeing  what the 'modern' hunter needs today.

I took a couple of Taswegian mates to Hank`s joint after we had rolled a couple of deer and one of the boys  recorded Hank and the conversations on what else..sambar!  Unfortunately it was done on VHS and back in 1993 (?) and the tape simply died, lost and gone. Hank had at the time SIXTY TWO ####en rifles....true.

The Dan is a  place he often hunted and is still a good place to walk into only the best walk into those places when they are in their 70`s.

I put his dog Fang over my bitch and produced some very good dogs too....if you knew him well then you know the tale of the seven knotted silk scarves lol, we laughed about that.

Below is a pic of my dog Red with his mother, Red`s  a son of Hanks famous Fang is on right,pic taken  early 80`s. The pic brings back a real memory of that day.

Unfortunately Hank was pre digital cams/internet/mobiles etc and so many of his adventures were never recorded. Hank gave me a printed pic of him in the basement of the  Melb Museum holding  a 42" stag. I posted it on here oh so long ago and atm cant find it. I put it on the net when the internet was born and occasionally it turns up online. I will have another look for it as it really is something to behold.

 

 

Kenny Pearce, Hank and yours truly at a mates do one night, we stayed away from the sheilas and talked Sambar for the whole night, by #### it was a good sesh too. Just another old pre digital pic that`s ed.

 

 

 

With out a doubt the greatest Sambar hunter to walk the hills.  I was very lucky and blessed to have known him and spent  funny times in the bush with him.  when I was in my late 20's we would back pack into Dan area and would always find all this dog food, sleeping bags and pots and pans you name it, all stashed in logs.  One time sitting in camp I could see coming down the ridgeline this wolf.  Now we did have a little bit of alcohol in camp but not much as its all weight when back backing, so I new I wasn't pissed.  Next thing I could see pink paint and pink ribbons on the dog.  The dog came right up to us and just sat down. This was Fang as Piranha was just getting too old.  We looked at each other and thought WTF.  Then this old guy came down the hill with his combo rifle/ shotgun, old shitty pack he got from the Op shop and hunting attire from the same shop.  Who needs Kuiu gear 🤣.  He then notice the old guy with us and it was like 2 school kids yacking away for hrs. 

That trip turned into a full on educational tip and probable the best one I've been on.  Over the years as Hank got older we would take him away a lot more and was more about taking the piss out of each other with a little bit of hunting put in.  Hank was the toughest guy I have met.  He told me one time he new there was a nice stag up this gully, so he just slept overnight under a tree with his poncho on in the rain.  Next morning he got up and shot the stag.   No Instagram or Facebook to get likes in those days🤣 

He stories of his life is truly amazing and fascinating. Life of  adventures.  From working on the ships in the merchant navy to logging in Canada and in the query's blowing shit up. He story's of at sea are unbelievable.  One ship he was on got hit by a torpedo and he was stuck in the water tied up too a fellow ship mate.  Taking in turns to sleep, Hank woke up and his mate looked asleep.  Hank pushed him to have a go at him for sleeping and he began bobbing in the water.    A shark came up and ripped off the bottom half of his ship mate.  When your number is up, its up.  There a many, many, many stories about Hank and his adventures.  We wanted a book to be written about him but he always said I don't remember dates.  

I remember years ago we would go to Western port ADA meetings.  It was more a night out for us than been at the meeting.  Now no one would ever really talk to us but that didn't worry us at all. But this one trip we asked Hank if he wanted to come.  Now Hank pretty much kept to himself in his latter years but he agreed.    Well we had a few old guys come up to use and we had the great KP started talking to us.  Anyhow the next meeting, Hank didn't come but we became the flavor of the month.  But one thing I will remember was KP said to us that we all follow in his footsteps in the bush. 

I have heaps of cool stories and that's just me.  I find it so sad that hardly anyone knows of him and the new modem Sambar hunter would not last a day with him in the bush.  No Maps, No GPS nothing but his brain.  The man was a Gps and would remember everything.  Parks changed laws because of him and his dogs.  They could never find him when they went looking for him.  Was funny as he didn't need any mod cons and would go a few days with out food but would always have food for the dogs.  

[338Snipetac]

6 hours ago, gryphon said:

He had lots of yarns.

 

Yep I remember I said to him as he was just going to sleep under a tarp on the ground that he can sleep in my tent as there's plenty of room. phuck me he went all night yacking away.  You would just fall asleep and he would start again.  hahaha bloody gold.  

Edited August 24 by 338Snipetac