2021Vests forum
Evolution of Exovest design and identification of production variants
What the thread found
- The Exovest has undergone several incremental design changes since inception, but these are offered as free or paid upgrades rather than representing distinct product versions.
- The shoulder latch grip was changed from a glossy black Delrin material approximately 1cm thick to a metallic aluminum grip roughly half that thickness, reducing profile.
- Pad construction was improved to perform better in extreme temperature conditions, with old pads featuring black closed mesh against the body and newer pads using dark grey open mesh.
- Structural and functional design of the Exovest has remained consistent since original production.
- Early production units can be identified by their glossy black shoulder latch grips and closed-mesh body pads, while later variants feature lower-profile metallic grips and open-mesh pads.
Depends on
- The pad improvements are marginal and only noticeable during extreme hot or cold working conditions.
- Not all early-production units received the free upgrade offers, so some original variants may still be in circulation.
- The distinction between versions matters primarily when purchasing used equipment.