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Epic 14.4

Epic 14.4

$175.00 USD
$175.00 USD
Launch Sale Sold out
Everything we wanted in a mountain bike backpack. Perfect for half-day rides to all-day epics and multi-day bikepacking excursions. Our flagship pack and larger version of the Epic 10.3.

Features

  • 14 liters of total storage, 4 liter hydration capacity.
  • Low-profile lumbar design keeps the weight on your hips (and off your shoulders) and doesn't hit the back of your helmet while riding steep terrain or jumps.
  • Industry-largest side pockets for easy one-handed access to ride essentials (phone, food, multi-tool, etc.) without removing the pack.
  • Dual-purpose waist cinch secures the pack to your body and compresses pack contents for bounce-free descents.
  • 3/4-zip large main compartment with separate area for hydration bladder makes stuffing oversize loads into the bottom of the pack easier.
  • Top-zip secondary compartment for tool storage with divider.  Large enough for high capacity MTB pumps and tubes.
  • Low, wide, easy-fill hydration reservoir with quick-disconnect and large threaded opening makes for easy cleaning, adding ice, etc.
  • Oversized, durable YKK zippers and 210D nylon construction meant to handle all the dirt, sweat, sun and neglect you can throw at it.  Made in a top-shelf factory that also makes outdoor gear for first responders.
  • 1.5" wide waist strap for less pressure on your stomach.
  • Soft, protected, tech pocket for fragile/small items.
  • Velcro webbing keepers to minimize flappy excess material.
  • Covered by our lifetime True North guarantee.

Specs

  • Main body dimensions: 12" x 12" x 6.5"
  • Main material: 210D Ripstop Nylon
  • Weight including bladder assembly: 1142g / 2.5lb

Fit

Unisex fit. Torso fit range: 15" - 23"

To measure torso, measure vertically along the side of your body (where your arms fall).  The vertical distance between the topmost part of your pelvis bone and the location on your shoulder where a backpack strap is worn is your torso fit measurement.

View full details

Lumbar Pack Fit Guide

Wear it LOW - just above the widest part of your hips, below your waist.  While riding, the bottom of the pack should be just a few inches above your saddle in the back.

To get the fit:

  1. Let the shoulder strap adjustment all the way out, situate the pack just above your hips and below your waist, and cinch the waist strap.
  2. Cinch the shoulder/sternum straps just enough to keep the pack from moving around too much on descents. 

The goal here is to get all of the weight on your hips and off your shoulders and back. When you're standing, the shoulder straps should be loose enough that you can lift them off your shoulders a couple inches.

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
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T
Tommy
These guys read my mind!!

Having been a wildland firefighter for over 20 years I am familiar with True North, the folks that stitched this thing together. When it arrived, I immediately saw the same quality of construction, choice of components, and attention to detail associated with gear they produce to support folks in the some of the most demanding conditions you can imagine out in the woods. In that profession, the packs of choice, known as line-gear, varied greatly but one thing they all have in common is the low-riding lumbar pack supported by shoulder straps that were more for stability than bearing weight. Arctos read my mind after all those years of thinking, "Man someone should make a mini version of my line-gear for me to wear mountain biking, hiking, skiing, or just getting some beverages to my buddy’s house".

Fast forward a bit… I ordered an Arctos Epic 14.4 and the damn thing arrived a day early thanks to their dialed in shipping dept. I laid it out on the workbench and was very pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t black as it appears on the website. It was a nice slate color and when opened it up reminded me of a manta ray. Once I filled the enormous bladder with some water and crammed a few other things in it to see how it grew, it still had the elegance of a manta ray, but maybe just a bit chubby.

When I put it on and adjusted it the pack felt just as I had hoped. Secure, stable, and pretty much not there. On the bike, it felt amazing. Ready for an all-day adventure riding the trails around my home in Northern California and beyond. Way more comfortable and pleasant than anything I ever wore on a fire.

I struggle to find things to criticize about the pack because, after all it affords you the ability to bring a bunch of water and all the things you may need on a big ride and then some. There are a few things I may mention, not as a critique, but more like ideas for the next iteration. A key clip in the secondary pocket would be nice since it is deep and a bit dark in there while the pack is loaded up. A couple of exterior attachment points would be nice for say, a hammock for a mid-ride nap, or a soggy rain jacket that you don’t need anymore. And finally, maybe some storm/dust flaps to cover the zippers, or water resistant zippers, since the weather may not always be what you want.

All in all, it seems to be a great pack with an innovative design full of useful features and very well constructed. I will definitely recommend it to my firefighting buddies who ride or anyone for that matter. The familiar design and dependable quality will be appreciated.