Mountain Laurel Exodus Backpack Review

I just got my Exodus pack from Mountain Laurel Designs and  it looks great! It arrived about a week and a half after I ordered it. Solid design all around with a lot of extra touches thrown in for good measure, like super comfy padding on the waist belt and shoulder straps, load compressing slings to reduce volume, and huge side and back pockets with ample space to stash some snacks or an extra layer. The bungee cord in the back would be perfect to attach stuff in numerous configurations.

The construction of this pack is immaculate and very professional right out of the box: I was impressed. It’s got well-constructed bartacks (double-stitched in all the places that count) and it’s made of dyneema, which is sturdier than cuben fiber and should ensure that this pack will have a nice long lifespan. With lots of add-on items, like shoulder straps or a water bladder holder that converts to a day pack, it’s easy to customize the Exodus into a dream pack. I got two extra compression straps sewn on the bottom to hold my sleeping pad and a waist belt pouch. I haven’t gone out and used this pack yet so these are just initial impressions. I’ll update this review after using the pack for longer periods, so check back to see how it holds up.

Update: After a full season of use, the MLD Exodus performed and held up great!