New pack?

[cumminsbassguy]

i like that, right now im stuck with and old bdu  molle pack    quality military equipment.

Nothing wrong with that. Whatever keeps you hunting is a good pack!

I found it in a garbage pile on a bulk pickup day. His loss, my gain.   Needs a good wash because it's all oily and grimey feeling.  Gotta get my own dirt and grime on there

[buglebrush]

I sure wish someone would have told me kifaru's are too stiff for day packs   

Me too

Personal preference.  I personally think packs are like boots in that what I love you may hate and vice-versa.   

[tonymoe]

Well I'm still searching......I just sent my bivy 45 in to Sitka for much needed repairs. I have been looking at kuiu, stone glacier and kifaru. The money thing isn't really a big deal. I mean, it is, but not when it comes to carrying my 2nd home on my back for miles!

[92xj]

Just ordered a new kifaru woodsman, and am excited to get it set up.
The reckoning pack might be a great pack for 4 nights or longer trips.

[Jonathan_S]

It's all about what you're going to use it for. I got away with lesser packs for a long time. I also broke them all. From Kelty, Badlands and many others. When I got serious and consistent about going into the backcountry and coming out ONCE with a deer or bear, I got a Kifaru. My needs were simple. A big pack that can hold camp and buck and can solidly hold 130-150# without constantly slipping or barreling. I've tried a bunch of packs with 100# and more and some of them were obviously not going to make the cut.

Mystery Ranch and Kifaru are the only packs I would consider since I routinely am planning to pack out very heavy. when I had a Badlands, I got the opportunity to hold a busted shoulder strap with my hands with a bear and overnight camp in the bag. KUIU icon and ultra felt like they were going to amputate my arms.

[kentrek]

I've spit out more then a couple comments in favor of kuiu...but just recently I've found what I consider the first pretty decent flaw

As I've said before I spent a redicilous amount of time in my ultra and was overall happy with it...it did exactly what I wanted it to and what I consider I paid for....i then passed it on to my girlfriend and I had to test the kifaru waters...so many good reviews couldn't be ignored  but it wasnot long after I let my girl friend use the ultra that I discovered a pretty big issue....when resizing the shoulder straps to fit her shorter torso I noticed the shoulder strap was near falling off !!....the glue was pretty much rubbed away that held the shoulderror strap to the velcro that held the thing together!  No stitching!  Just glue ! I couldn't believe they would hold such an important part of the pack together with just glue....there is no doubt if I would have ran that pack this fall it would have failed under a load....and how do you fix that

Maybe they started adding some stiching in the latter models or with the icon pro but I'd highly recommend anyone owning a kuiu pack to double check the velcro holding your shoulder straps to the frame....maybe even take it to an upholstery and get some stitching !! Or give kuiu a call and ask what kind of glue they use to hold there pack together so you can pack extra 

Either way just a heads up

Since then we've had two kuiu belt buckles break

I could write a book on why not to buy kuiu

[buglebrush]

My Exo 3500 really exceeded even my lofty expectations this year.  I spent over 20 days and packed several animals including a half elk boned out plus camp 5.5 miles.  Super happy!

[Wetwoodshunter]

I put a lot of miles in with my Kifaru hunter composite with the AMR bag this year. It took a load awesome but some reason I kept having to tighten the waist belt when I was packing out my elk. Also, I lost about 13 lbs hunting and without a field belt the way the pack sat it kept pushing my pants down, but that's an easy fix. I'm convinced you could fit a whole boned out elk in it but there would be no way to walk, the AMR may be overkill for most people.

I ran mine with a guide lid and grab it. I think the bag is big enough I'll just put a regular lid on it but the grab it is a necessity.

I like my setup a lot, the hunter frame is a beast, I'd love to try the EMR bag, or timberline, and see if I like it more. When I got my pack I didn't think I wanted a sporting scope pocket but running my binos off a tripod it would have made it a bit easier to access.

[sagewalker]

Kifaru, I don't need to say anymore.

[Jonathan_S]

I put a lot of miles in with my Kifaru hunter composite with the AMR bag this year. It took a load awesome but some reason I kept having to tighten the waist belt when I was packing out my elk. Also, I lost about 13 lbs hunting and without a field belt the way the pack sat it kept pushing my pants down, but that's an easy fix. I'm convinced you could fit a whole boned out elk in it but there would be no way to walk, the AMR may be overkill for most people.

I ran mine with a guide lid and grab it. I think the bag is big enough I'll just put a regular lid on it but the grab it is a necessity.

I like my setup a lot, the hunter frame is a beast, I'd love to try the EMR bag, or timberline, and see if I like it more. When I got my pack I didn't think I wanted a sporting scope pocket but running my binos off a tripod it would have made it a bit easier to access.

  the AMR will get you in trouble if you try and stuff it to the gills. Here pictured is a full camp and buck with about 7 days of food  and I think I still had room left over. If you filled the main bag with an elk, you'd need a cart to move it.

[Commando]

I love my kifaru packs and am going to stick with them. however I saw that kuiu is having a sale on there packs. I think 30% off.

I put a lot of miles in with my Kifaru hunter composite with the AMR bag this year. It took a load awesome but some reason I kept having to tighten the waist belt when I was packing out my elk. Also, I lost about 13 lbs hunting and without a field belt the way the pack sat it kept pushing my pants down, but that's an easy fix. I'm convinced you could fit a whole boned out elk in it but there would be no way to walk, the AMR may be overkill for most people.

I ran mine with a guide lid and grab it. I think the bag is big enough I'll just put a regular lid on it but the grab it is a necessity.

I like my setup a lot, the hunter frame is a beast, I'd love to try the EMR bag, or timberline, and see if I like it more. When I got my pack I didn't think I wanted a sporting scope pocket but running my binos off a tripod it would have made it a bit easier to access.

  the AMR will get you in trouble if you try and stuff it to the gills. Here pictured is a full camp and buck with about 7 days of food  and I think I still had room left over. If you filled the main bag with an elk, you'd need a cart to move it.

great looking pack! that's the pack I am saving up for

[MLHSN]

I own an Exo and I seriously regret buying it.  After two years, the stitching is pulling out of the shoulder straps and I leave the top pouch at home because the zipper is busted.  the side lower pouches are to tight to use when you have something in the tall vertical pockets.  Conceptually, the pack is great.  But I'm feeling pretty disappointed about the stitching and zippers. 

[hirshey]

I've been rolling with the Sitka 45 for quite a few years now. It's been great for long haul, short haul, meat haul...etc. my only complaint is that I don't believe it's actually 4500 ci., but it is absolutely 100% waterproof and that is why i haven't pulled the trigger on a different pack.
But Ive been wondering g about the kuiu packs? Maybe the ultra 6k? Any thought on your kuiu packs?
Thanks

My mom used the ultra 6000 on our 12 day backcountry Idaho hunt. The ability to haul meat between the pack and bag in "haul mode" makes this pack function as a multi day pack... But I am old fashioned.. I dislike the "quick clips" that this bag has instead of the normal clips on every other bag made.

[hirshey]

I've spit out more then a couple comments in favor of kuiu...but just recently I've found what I consider the first pretty decent flaw

As I've said before I spent a redicilous amount of time in my ultra and was overall happy with it...it did exactly what I wanted it to and what I consider I paid for....i then passed it on to my girlfriend and I had to test the kifaru waters...so many good reviews couldn't be ignored  but it wasnot long after I let my girl friend use the ultra that I discovered a pretty big issue....when resizing the shoulder straps to fit her shorter torso I noticed the shoulder strap was near falling off !!....the glue was pretty much rubbed away that held the shoulderror strap to the velcro that held the thing together!  No stitching!  Just glue ! I couldn't believe they would hold such an important part of the pack together with just glue....there is no doubt if I would have ran that pack this fall it would have failed under a load....and how do you fix that

Maybe they started adding some stiching in the latter models or with the icon pro but I'd highly recommend anyone owning a kuiu pack to double check the velcro holding your shoulder straps to the frame....maybe even take it to an upholstery and get some stitching !! Or give kuiu a call and ask what kind of glue they use to hold there pack together so you can pack extra 

Either way just a heads up

Since then we've had two kuiu belt buckles break

I could write a book on why not to buy kuiu

Since you said this I took a look at my Kuiu Icon I purchased 6 years ago... It looks pretty sound 

I have had the carbon fiber wings break under load twice in the field, but both at excess of 100 pounds, and Kuiu always made it right. Tent stakes and some electrical tape fixed it for the haul out both times. We had 4 different types of Kuiu packs on this last Idaho hunt and I've been nothing but satisfied with all my purchases. I don't like the grippy fabric they added to the back portion of the hip belt on later models though.

[JPhelps]

In my opinion Kifaru has the best suspension and by far the most bag combinations. They were also willing to make me a 28" frame so I could get some lift.  I personally use the AMR because I like the big main bag setup but I will be adding the RECKONING with center compression, full length zipper and meat shelf for next year.  In my opinion there is no better MADE IN THE USA pack.

I'll stick with Kifaru and not having to fix my pack on the haul out.