How Can You Even Decide?

When you're fairly new to backpacking or backcountry hunting, choosing the right pack could be a long and tedious process. There are a lot of factors to keep in mind, including the type of trip you're planning, length of stay, and which game animal you may be chasing.

Hopefully this comparison can help you narrow your choices and make your decision easier!

I am planning an elk hunting trip in a couple of months and am forever looking for the perfect pack. Eberlestock suggested we try these two pack options and sent them over for us to take a look at and try out this season. We haven’t done a lot of testing, other than a couple of hikes, but we wanted to take a look at the features of each and do a little comparison. 

We plan to bring you a full review once we've put them through the paces. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and our email newsletter below so you don't miss it when it happens.

There are some aspects of each pack that are going to be very similar, and then there are some other design features that make each one stand out from the other. 

The big thing is - what features are going to work best for the type of hunting you're planning to do?

Size:

• The Team Elk is 27” high by 12” wide
  • Weighs 6.5 pounds
  • And has a total packing volume with the lid and pack of 2567 ci or about 42L
• The X2 is a more compact pack at 24x12”
  • It weighs 5.5 pounds
  • And has a 40L capacity with the main compartment and side pouches

Pockets:

• Team Elk
  • Has 2 pockets on the floating lid, so you can separate stuff you need to get to quickly - like snacks
  • An integrated long side pocket on each side that looks perfect for a tripod, shooting stick, or spotting scope
  • At the bottom of those on each side are stretch pockets that are good for a water bottle or maybe something like a packable rain coat
  • On the front is a vertical stretch pocket
  • And then there’s the large main compartment that has a draw string lid
    • On this newest version, you can also get into it from the front, so you can get to the stuff on the bottom, and you don’t have to unstrap the whole lid either
    • Inside the main pocket there are also some side wall pockets for smaller odds and ends
    • And a bladder sleeve with a bladder hook and slot on either side for the tube

• Don't forget the padded rifle scabbard that is also part of the design
  • The bottom part tucks away if you don’t need it, so technically you could use that as another pocket
• The X2
  • Also has a multitude of pockets
  • It has a floating lid like the team elk, but it only has 1 pocket instead of 2

• The two side pockets are these wing pockets that fold out.
  • They’re also a great size for a tripod or spotting scope
  • Because they aren’t integrated, they also have stretch pockets at the bottom of the inside
• And both sides (like the Team Elk) also have stretch pockets on the outside for a water bottle or something like that
• There is another stretch pocket on the front of the pack
• And then the main compartment, which you can also get to from the front zipper
• The X2 also has a bladder sleeve and bladder hanger with tube openings on each side
• The X2 does not have an integrated rifle scabbard, but it is compatible with the Eberlestock MOLLE scabbard (if you want to purchase it)

‍Speaking of MOLLE

The X2 has MOLLE webbing everywhere!

• There’s some on the lid
• The outside and inside of the wing pocket
• The side of the main compartment
• The inside and outside of the bottom flap
• And on the belt

The Team Elk doesn’t have quite as much MOLLE webbing, but it does have some.

• Toward the bottom
• And on the hip belts
• All of this MOLLE webbing is great for any of the Eberlestock accessory packs, but you can also use any other MOLLE system out there

As far as the Pack Material: 

• The Team Elk pack is made of NT7 fabric that is highly water resistant, super soft, and also really quiet

• The X2 is also really quiet, and it’s made from DWR treated microsuede, so it should have some water repellency as well

Frames:

• Both packs have Intex II aluminum frames
  • that are meant to be lightweight but have the load bearing capacity to pack out your harvest.
    • As a matter of fact, their load test on YouTube shows the Team Elk carrying over 830# before failure
    • And the X2 actually made it to over 1400#
• On the X2 pack, the frame has a separation from the harness system, so there should be plenty of room for air flow
• The frame is part of the harness system in the Team Elk, but the pack itself sits away from the frame

Packing and Carrying Out Your Harvest:

• On the X2, it seems that you would place the meat on the outside of the pack and then use the wing pockets and the straps from the sides, top, and bottom to secure it in place.
  • I’m interested to see how this would work if your pack is full, and you need to secure the meat
  • I think it would be secured well in place, but it seems like it would shift your center of gravity quite a bit
  • If you’ve done this, please send us an email to let us know how it worked out for you
  • This design does seem perfect for securing climbing sticks and a foot platform in place. We've seen several videos on YouTube about this, but haven't tried it yet

• The Team Elk seems a little better suited for carrying meat, as the pack separates from the frame, creating that space, and there’s a load shelf that keeps it from falling out the bottom. 
  • Then you just use the straps to secure it all in place
  • I like the idea of having that heavier load closer to my body for better balance
  • Plus, that could be a great place to carry a small lock on stand or something like that if you wanted

Harness System:

• The Team Elk seems to have a bit more padding on the lower back area, straps, and hip belt. The air channels on the hip belt seem like they will help disperse heat and keep air moving

• The X2 has padding is all these spots, but it doesn’t seem to be as thick and cushiony

Q: What is the Eberlestock Warranty Policy?

A: All Eberlestock products are guaranteed for the lifetime of the gear . That being said, if you treat your gear with care it should last forever. If any issues arise with your Eberlestock product just email a photo of the damage to our customer service team - customerservice@eberlestock.com they will have the repair team evaluate the photo before getting back to you with a Return Authorization number and return form to get it sent in for repair.

Q: Broken or replacement buckles?

A: If you have a broken buckle we will replace it as long as your pack is within a year from the purchase date. A lot can happen to buckles throughout the lifetime of a backpack such as shutting them in car doors, stepping on them, etc...So if you happen to break a buckle we sell replacement buckles on the website. We also have field repair style buckles for the ones that might be sewn into the pack.

Q: How do I wash my Eberlestock pack?

A: Submerge or hose down your pack in water and hand wash, be careful with high pressure hoses and pressure washers. Let the pack hang dry and avoid using heat to dry the pack. Stay away from strong soaps and fabric softeners.

Both of these packs seem to have their strong points, and I can see great uses for each of them. I’m thinking about using the Team Elk for my upcoming elk hunt and the X2 for deer season. 

We will see how well they hold up to our own torture testing and hopefully packing out an elk! Make sure you subscribe to our email newsletter so you don't miss the full reviews.