I recently got my Gunslinger 2 with accessories from Ceylon @ Deltaoutdoorsman.com. I purchased the Endo frame to use with my pack.
Let me say right off that it's a neat idea and it does work. The Endo frame certainly stiffens up the pack and makes it feel better on your back.
A couple things became readily apparent. The frame doesn't want to stay where it should unless you always keep your pack stuffed full, thus keeping the Endo frame in place up against the interior wall. Even when full, since it's not secured in place, it tends to float around some.
Eberlestock has room for improvement with the Endo frame. Adding velcro tabs to the interior to hold the frame in place would be one option. Another would be to allow access to the frame sheet via a velcro closed flap on top allowing the frame to be inserted or removed..... maybe in future generations?
I don't always leave the house with my pack stuffed to the gills, but given the light weight of the Endo frame, I'd like to be able to just leave it in place all the time and have it stay where it's supposed to.
I appologize in advance for lack of pictures, but here's what I came up with.
Starting with the pack completely empty, I inserted the Endo frame making sure it was in place. You'll notice that approximately the center 1/3 (sides of the frame) runs right along a row of the molle loops on the inside side wall of the big compartment. I marked the Endo with a dot from a sharpie just under the lowest molle loop.
I cut about 18" of para cord, melted both ends and dressed them up. Now you can remove the Endo frame from the pack. Place the para cord end at your mark with the trailing end running down towards the bottom of the frame. Take a piece of duct tape about 3/4" wide x 6" long and go around the frame and over the para cord once. Now take the para cord trailing end and pull or lay it over the duct tape so the end is at the top of the frame. Finish wrapping the duct tape around the frame and 2 layers of para cord. What you've created here is basically a lock to secure the para cord to the frame so it won't slide or pull out. Repeat this for the other side of the frame with another length of para cord. When both sides are done, put frame back into pack. If done correctly, your paracord anchor point will be just below the lowest row of molle loops.
With frame in place, run the trailing end of the cord through the first molle loop taking out any slack. Now take a turn around the Endo frame, then go through the next molle loop, then another turn around the frame. Repeat this until you pass cord through the highest molle loop. At this point, stop and work out any slack you have, starting at your anchor working up. It should be snug, not mongo tight. You just want to hold the frame in place, but not put any unnecessary strain on the molle loops. I did this in such a way so that the molle loops weren't bunched up at all, they lay flat.
Ok, slack worked out, now tie a clove hitch around the frame just clearing the top molle loop.
With the cord you have left, go over the top of the highest molle loop (you're now working top to bottom), then around the frame once, then through the next lower molle loop, and another turn around the frame. Repeat this until you've worked back to where you made your anchor. Work out any slack and finish off with another clove hitch and tie off the trailing end however you wish.
This whole project took me about 20 minutes to come up with start to finish. It's not permanent, does no damage to frame or pack, and can easily be undone. It keeps the frame in place and doesn't hinder really cranking down on your compression straps (the reason I only went snug on the para cord).
Small zip ties might work too, but I decided against that method since once you cut off the tail of a zip tie you could end up with a sharp edge that could wear on the pack fabric.
After a few days use, this seems to be working quite well. The frame hasn't moved up/down and it's held to the inside wall of the pack where it belongs.
Hopefully someone else may benefit also.
Let me say right off that it's a neat idea and it does work. The Endo frame certainly stiffens up the pack and makes it feel better on your back.
A couple things became readily apparent. The frame doesn't want to stay where it should unless you always keep your pack stuffed full, thus keeping the Endo frame in place up against the interior wall. Even when full, since it's not secured in place, it tends to float around some.
Eberlestock has room for improvement with the Endo frame. Adding velcro tabs to the interior to hold the frame in place would be one option. Another would be to allow access to the frame sheet via a velcro closed flap on top allowing the frame to be inserted or removed..... maybe in future generations?
I don't always leave the house with my pack stuffed to the gills, but given the light weight of the Endo frame, I'd like to be able to just leave it in place all the time and have it stay where it's supposed to.
I appologize in advance for lack of pictures, but here's what I came up with.
Starting with the pack completely empty, I inserted the Endo frame making sure it was in place. You'll notice that approximately the center 1/3 (sides of the frame) runs right along a row of the molle loops on the inside side wall of the big compartment. I marked the Endo with a dot from a sharpie just under the lowest molle loop.
I cut about 18" of para cord, melted both ends and dressed them up. Now you can remove the Endo frame from the pack. Place the para cord end at your mark with the trailing end running down towards the bottom of the frame. Take a piece of duct tape about 3/4" wide x 6" long and go around the frame and over the para cord once. Now take the para cord trailing end and pull or lay it over the duct tape so the end is at the top of the frame. Finish wrapping the duct tape around the frame and 2 layers of para cord. What you've created here is basically a lock to secure the para cord to the frame so it won't slide or pull out. Repeat this for the other side of the frame with another length of para cord. When both sides are done, put frame back into pack. If done correctly, your paracord anchor point will be just below the lowest row of molle loops.
With frame in place, run the trailing end of the cord through the first molle loop taking out any slack. Now take a turn around the Endo frame, then go through the next molle loop, then another turn around the frame. Repeat this until you pass cord through the highest molle loop. At this point, stop and work out any slack you have, starting at your anchor working up. It should be snug, not mongo tight. You just want to hold the frame in place, but not put any unnecessary strain on the molle loops. I did this in such a way so that the molle loops weren't bunched up at all, they lay flat.
Ok, slack worked out, now tie a clove hitch around the frame just clearing the top molle loop.
With the cord you have left, go over the top of the highest molle loop (you're now working top to bottom), then around the frame once, then through the next lower molle loop, and another turn around the frame. Repeat this until you've worked back to where you made your anchor. Work out any slack and finish off with another clove hitch and tie off the trailing end however you wish.
This whole project took me about 20 minutes to come up with start to finish. It's not permanent, does no damage to frame or pack, and can easily be undone. It keeps the frame in place and doesn't hinder really cranking down on your compression straps (the reason I only went snug on the para cord).
Small zip ties might work too, but I decided against that method since once you cut off the tail of a zip tie you could end up with a sharp edge that could wear on the pack fabric.
After a few days use, this seems to be working quite well. The frame hasn't moved up/down and it's held to the inside wall of the pack where it belongs.
Hopefully someone else may benefit also.
