Kifaru pack advice?

[Shawn Ryan]

The thing I like about the reckoning (without seeing it in person) is the big front zipper and the way the side compression straps are separate from the front compression straps.

I like the big front zipper and the ability to compress the main bag separate from the sides on my (old) EMRII that should have similar functionality. Especially like that front zipper.

[T-Dozzer]

I think the greatest part of a kifaru pack is how customizable they are.

Yeah. Bit overwhelming at first. Been reading reviews and watching vids all day.
Their customer service seems top notch.

[T-Dozzer]

I like the Exo bag on the Kifaru frame.

I've heard alot folks do this. Interesting, but I'm not going back to anymore EXO products.

[Bushcraft]

Few things. All kifaru bags compress down to absolutely nothing. Go bigger than you think you need.  You can make a big bag small but you can't make a small bag big.  The load shelf thing I can't wrap my brain around.  Stay tight and load vertical. Don't unnecessarily move weight away from your body. I personally like the open side pocket design. I can get my spotter and tripod out of my old DT1 in half the time it takes me to get them deployed out of my crater (which is still plenty fast honestly).  I've hauled hundreds of animals on my back in a lot of different packs. There's a whole lot of uneccessary fluff and marketing crap that goes into so many of these packs anymore.  I live by the K.I.S.S. philosophy 

^^^ This.

I've known Patrick and have been running and proto-type testing and providing design input on some of their gear for almost two decades now.

Great company. Awesome gear. Aron has helped kicked it into overdrive.

Put a WTS out there on Kifaru Insiders on Facebook. Lots of gear sluts out there.  You might find a few that would be willing to sell their current gear for new stuff. 

[zwickeyman]

Re: Kifaru pack advice?
« Reply #17 on: Today at 06:47:06 PM »

Quote
Quote from: TriggerMike on Today at 10:45:19 AM
I like the Exo bag on the Kifaru frame.

"
I've heard alot folks do this. Interesting, but I'm not going back to anymore EXO products."

For sure. Im a little backwards and run an EXO frame with a Kifaru bag

[T-Dozzer]

Thanks for the advice. Adding the 44 mag to my short list. More organizations & side zips, but the reckoning is still in the lead with the bigger volume and center zip. The crater looks cool too.
Now I need an excuse for the 22 mag

[Karl Blanchard]

Thanks for the advice. Adding the 44 mag to my short list. More organizations & side zips, but the reckoning is still in the lead with the bigger volume and center zip. The crater looks cool too.
Now I need an excuse for the 22 mag

just a word to the wise, the crater is a BIG bag.  The cavern is the same design but smaller. More comparable to the reckoning in size. 

[T-Dozzer]

Thanks for the advice. Adding the 44 mag to my short list. More organizations & side zips, but the reckoning is still in the lead with the bigger volume and center zip. The crater looks cool too.
Now I need an excuse for the 22 mag

just a word to the wise, the crater is a BIG bag.  The cavern is the same design but smaller. More comparable to the reckoning in size.

I had them mixed up. Thx.
You have the cavern? Complaints?

[Karl Blanchard]

Thanks for the advice. Adding the 44 mag to my short list. More organizations & side zips, but the reckoning is still in the lead with the bigger volume and center zip. The crater looks cool too.
Now I need an excuse for the 22 mag

just a word to the wise, the crater is a BIG bag.  The cavern is the same design but smaller. More comparable to the reckoning in size.

I had them mixed up. Thx.
You have the cavern? Complaints?

no I have the crater. It's a monster and I wish it was bigger but I'm weird like that

[T-Dozzer]

Ended up going with the 44 mag, duplex lite frame  & a hand full of accessories.
Probably the best customer service I've ever had.

Thanks for all the feedback

[snake]

I am considering getting an EXO or a Kifaru set up.  Why are you done with EXO products?

[Wetwoodshunter]

If you think you may hunt in the wet environments the muskeg is amazing. On my caribou hunt in Ak with my AMR my bag gained some serious water weight. I now  have the 5000 ci bag and love it. At 5000 ci and no lid I have done multiple 3-5 day trips. I also have used the meat shelf to keep the inside of my bag clean and load awkward objects for short pack outs. If I have a long pack, the meat goes in the bag.

[pd]

@ WetWoodsHunter

I wish I had a pithy remark.  For once in my lifetime, I am speechless.

Congratulations, BTW.

[T-Dozzer]

If you think you may hunt in the wet environments the muskeg is amazing. On my caribou hunt in Ak with my AMR my bag gained some serious water weight. I now  have the 5000 ci bag and love it. At 5000 ci and no lid I have done multiple 3-5 day trips. I also have used the meat shelf to keep the inside of my bag clean and load awkward objects for short pack outs. If I have a long pack, the meat goes in the bag.

Muskeg bags looked interesting. Just wasn't what I was after. I did however, order 3 xpac pouches. I'll just use a rain fly if it gets bad.

[T-Dozzer]

I am considering getting an EXO or a Kifaru set up.  Why are you done with EXO products?

I used an EXO for years. Nice packs. The way they released the k3's made me want to try something else. Felt like they got greedy releasing them right before hunting season. Smart buisness wise I suppose, but it was rushed. Everyone was on backorder & they released a defective lid in their rush. They did send out the correct lids at no charge months later, but that came well after most were done hunting for the year. It also kinda rubbed me wrong that they claimed to be "made in America ", when they are only assembled in Anerica using foreign parts.
No big deal deal in general, but enough to sway me.