B & R Photography

Vorn Equipment QRR Review

Vorn Equipment is a Norwegian company that was started by Eirik Andersen. An idea came to him while he was out hunting for Capercaillie back in 2009. (Capercaillie are the heaviest and largest member of the grouse family.) Eirik was a mechanical engineering student at the time, so he built his first prototype and has proceeded to “hunt for better” in all the products that Vorn brings to the market.

Currently, Vorn offers three distinct pack systems. The QRR, DLS and the SR, you can find all the information on their website (https://vorn-equipment.com). However, for this post we are only discussing QRR packs. More directly, the QRR EV30 I tested.

The Vorn QRR series of rifle packs are a well-designed pack with a unique feature. QRR stands for “Quick Rifle Release”, which is a system built into these packs. They feature a pull handle on the left shoulder strap that slides two pins that release two hooks. This unlocks access to the padded rifle pocket, allowing for easy retrieval of the firearm.

Vorn Equipment QRR Lineup

The QRR lineup consists of the LT12, EV30 and EV45. The number referring to each pack’s capacity.

The LT12 is a 12L (732 in^3) backpack that weighs 1.4kg (3.09lbs) and has a removable hip belt. This pack doesn’t have a frame and is the lightest/smallest in the QRR series. Seeing as it has a removable hip belt, this one can be worn as a traditional backpack while still using the QRR system or, for added stability, the hip belt can be attached and used for a more robust pack system.

The EV30 is a 30L (1830 in^3) pack that weighs 2.34kg (5.16lbs). This pack features a frame system which makes it sturdier and more robust for added loads. The packs frame is adjustable and slides along an adjustment range to better fit the user. The hip belt is permanently attached to this pack.

The EV45 has the same features and adjustability of the EV30, with the difference being its capacity of 45L (2746 in^3) and weight of 2.75kg (6.06lbs.)

The zippers on all the packs are YKK water-resistant pu-coated and the buckles are Duraflex. The pack is made from a combination of soft and silent twill polyester up front, a 300D high tear strength ripstop polyester back fabric and a waterproof TPU-membrane center that fuses the front and back fabric together. The frame of the EV30 and EV45 is made up of a combination of reinforced fiberglass and polymer. The QRR mechanism is made from bicycle wires that pull back two spring-loaded release pins. The rifle pocket is designed for large rifles with scopes and some shotguns. However, it has other uses I will get into later.

Vorn Equipment QRR EV30 – Test Pack

I had this pack for a couple of months and got to use it for a variety of things. Something I want to mention upfront is I did not load this pack with more than 9kg (20lbs.) The reason for this is I am recovering from back surgery and that was my medical limit at the time of testing.

The first thing I did when I received the pack was play with all the zippers, buckles and quick release system. So, I could figure out how the pack adjusts, works and feels. Everything felt super tough and durable. Later that day I spent about 45 minutes loading and removing firearms from the pack using the QRR system to see if I could get it to fail on release or bind up. It did take some adjustment to make sure the shoulder strap didn’t shift when I pulled the QRR handle. This wasn’t the pack’s fault just my own fitment skills.

The only negative I found while testing this pack was with left-handled bolt action rifles. The frame design, in conjunction with the rifle pocket padding, you can end up catching left-handed bolts on the frame bar, and it can open the bolt if you pull hard enough. Rifles designed to cycle on while safe will have more of an issue. I have a few different left-handed rifles, favoring rifles that will not cycle while on safe, which helps when the bolt handle gets caught. I did attempt a quick fix where I placed a sheet of plexiglass (something I keep around for photography purposes) into the pack and then the bolt didn’t catch on the frame. I don’t think it will be an issue with the LT12 pack as it doesn’t have the frame bar to get caught on. This was the only issue I crossed while testing the pack. It worked totally fine when I used a left-handed shotgun and a left-handed 10/22 which has a very small charging handle. I would imagine a left-handed straight pull like a Blaser R8 or Berretta BRX1 wouldn’t suffer from this issue due to the firearm designs.

As far as the fitment goes, it was great. I have a decent amount of scar tissue from back surgery and didn’t have any issues with the padding or fitment over the scar tissue. It didn’t cause me any extra like some other packs have. I have a slightly longer torso for my height and did have the frame maxed out. The specifications show the height adjustment is designed for 165cm to 200cm (5’5” to 6’6”). I am roughly 188cm (6’2”) tall, so with my slightly longer torso and scar tissue, I ended up maxing out the pack’s adjustment for optimum comfort. I like how the shoulder straps slide up the frame bars together as it makes for a consistent and even adjustment every time.

The shoulder straps are comfortable and the adjustment for the chest strap and hip belt worked great. I did find the shoulder strap with the QRR release handle and cables is stiffer than a traditional strap, but it doesn’t cause any issues and just needed to be worn a couple of times then it adjusted to my body after a few uses. The pack also includes an added barrel sleeve cover that allows the user to protect their rifle barrel when it’s sticking out of the rifle pocket both from weather and debris.

Three attachments you can get from Vorn that work quite well with this pack are the L10, P2 and GS6. The L10 is a 10L netting attachment that can be used to hold a variety of gear or harvested small game. The P2 is a 2L pouch that can be attached to the hip belt or shoulder straps and carry a small pair of binoculars or other gear. The GS6 is a set of six straps that allow you to attach and secure other gear to the packs.

Vorn Equipment QRR EV30 – Pack Uses.

Now let’s talk about what tasks I think that packs are designed to complete. I don’t think these packs were designed to haul deer, elk, moose, bears or any large game animals out of the woods. It doesn’t have the capacity or the load shelf (Vorn has the DLS system for those jobs.) You’re just not going to load this pack up the same because you aren’t hauling a camp in and a large animal out with it. Personally, I would use this pack for the following list of tasks.

• Predator hunting. (Ample room for calls and other gear in the EV30 & EV45.)
• Checking Game Cameras. (Storage for batteries, memory cards and even a card reader along with snacks, water and a rifle or shotgun for protection.)
• Small game hunting. (Adding the L10 load net would help carry game outside the main pack.)
• Bird hunting. (Upland Birds and Waterfowl.)
• Hiking.
• Overnight spike camps with lightweight tarp setups.
• Guiding or being a second hunter. (Think going out with a friend on their LEH to help spot, stalk and watch out for large predators.)
• Wildlife photography work.
• Dog walks and most backpack tasks.

When I tested the pack, I came to realize it was not just for hunting. While that may be the primary design, it is super helpful for a lot of other things I do. The rifle storage pocket allowed me to store things that I might normally strap to a camera or hiking bag. In total, I tried the following items in the rifle pocket with success in storage and using the QRR system to remove them.

• Rifles
  • Semi auto 22lr
  • Bolt action 22lr
  • Bolt action center fire (RH/LH)
  • Pump action defender shotgun
  • Pump action slug/deer shotgun (with Optic)
  • Pump action bird shotgun (Waterfowl/Upland Birds)
• Non-Firearm Items
  • Monopod (With and without gimbal head)
  • Trekking Poles
  • Umbrella

The monopod is a really exciting one for me, as anytime I am doing wildlife photography, I generally take the monopod along and keep the camera strapped to my chest for easy access. The downside is I am usually holding the monopod and have to sometimes ditch it quickly to grab the camera which can cause damage to the monopod. With it being in the rifle holder section of the pack, I don’t have to worry about ditching it when I need the camera and when I want to grab the monopod, it’s right there with the simple pull of the QRR handle. Also, if I decide I want to go take photos in Brown Bear country, I can do so without being worried about bears as I can slide a defender-style shotgun into the rifle holder and strap my camera to my chest. While also putting a tripod or monopod either in the pack or strapped to the back side with the existing straps or adding GS6 straps depending on my gear loadout. I even took the pack on a dog walk with my wife and used it to hold an umbrella so we could focus on the leashes. It’s definitely all-purpose.

Vorn Equipment QRR EV30 – Final Thoughts

I think this pack is great for the purposes it is designed for and would be a welcome addition to anyone’s collection. I think most people would benefit from this and the only people I would suggest trying it out before purchasing are left-handed shooters, people who are shorter than 165cm (5’5”) or taller than 188cm (6’2”) as you want to make sure it fits properly (like you do with any pack.)

I was loaned the Vorn QRR EV30 by Korth Group LTD, and it has been returned. However, I will be purchasing a LT12 or EV30 for my personal collection in the new year as I will get a lot of use out of it. If you want one of these packs in Canada, I recommend going to the Korth Dealer locator (https://www.korthgroup.com/find-a-dealer) and going to your nearest dealer to see if they can order you one.

The local pricing I currently see is the following;

• EV45 Backpack $598.52
• EV30 Backpack $545.45
• LT12 Backpack $433.41
• P2 Attachment Pouch $57.00

Hopefully you enjoyed this review of the Vorn QRR EV30 pack, and you found it informational. As with all my reviews, these thoughts and opinions are my own as I want to be able to provide an open and honest opinion to any and all questions on everything I review. Happy hunting and safe shooting (Firearm, Bow or Camera.)

If you have any comments or questions in regards to the Vorn Equipment QRR EV30 or the other models please send me a message or comment on the post.

Cheers,

B