…

[Dos Perros]

Was disappointing when they decided to drop all colors except for Ranger green. With the move to Wyoming I would have expected more color offerings. I believe their reasoning was it was the best selling color, which I just interpreted as it was the easiest way to maximize profits

So they have camp bags in Coyote and Multicam right now. Maybe leftovers? Or those colors are back?

 

[S.Clancy]

I've always been meh on their stuff. The bags are pretty impractical weights and features for true backpacking in guys. I had their newest frame for a year, packed out 7 animals. There was no way those shoulder straps and waist belt were lasting 40+ animals like my old Exo (original frame) did. Replacing the shoulder straps and waist belt every 15 animals (2-3 yrs) just made no sense at their cost. Not to mention the frame itself was about a half pound over spec. In comparison, I packed 6 animals in my SG Terminus this year, 4 BIG loads (3 whole mule deer bucks, half a bull elk and camp), I like it way better than the Kifaru.

In fairness, I've never tried their sleeping stuff. I am a fan of Patrick, he was the with the original Mountainsmith, which was badass.

 

[HoytHntr4]

So they have camp bags in Coyote and Multicam right now. Maybe leftovers? Or those colors are back?

I would guess those are maybe what they have left overs of, I don’t think the camp bag was ever a big selling item but I could be wrong

 

[3forks]

I don’t mean to be contentious with this post, but I was always turned off by Kifaru due to some of their customer base. I just didn’t want to be associated with the guys who didn’t seem to be able to think for themselves and were/are rabid Kifaru fans who operate with blind loyalty.

For what it’s worth - my folks had backpacking and ski shops when I was growing up and they sold a lot of Mountainsmith. When Patrick launched Kifaru, I was given one of his first packs and still have, and occasionally use it.

I’ve owned quite a few different Kifaru products over the year’s, and I think Kifaru makes an excellent pack. However, other frames and bag designs worked somewhat better for me, I and don‘t base my pack buying decisions on colorways. Other guys might, and I’m not criticising them, but the cult of Kifaru was a little bit of a turn off for me. If Kifaru had a pack that was the best option for me, I’d buy it with no second thoughts.

 

[Dos Perros]

Someone could probably make a killing selling upgraded/aftermarket belt and shoulder strap kits, and lighter weight bags, to fit Kifaru stuff.

 

[benwyoming137]

Coming from a die hard kifaru guy. I’ve owned multiple packs, and accessories, spent thousands, and used them exclusively for almost a decade now.

I liked that their products were always represented by killers not just guys that hunt. They would tell you why something was designed that way, not just read line by line off a spec sheet. Their marketing was always very blue collar.
I don’t know what their strategy is now but the other day they had an ad on instagram playing the song “you proof”…… no thanks

One of the larger draws were lots of pack options and Everything was super customizable, lots of pouches, and colors. It seems like every time i look at their website now another pack or pouch is being dropped out of their line up, along with damn near all of their color ways. I understand it’s a pain having all those skus but damn. Hope you like ranger green.

They had a bunch of cool large cubic inch packs for “meat in the bag guys”. Not really into the clamshell designs, hauling tree stands, or adjusting 18 straps every time i want to get something out of my bag. I know allot of guys love those designs and more power to em. But i feel like old kifaru was allot heavier into big packs.

Last but not least they lost frank, and i liked frank.

In all seriousness, is anyone else on the same page or am i just turning into the old guy that doesn’t like change?
Also big pack recommendations from other brands? Stone, exo, seek, Barney’s? Made in USA preferably


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The price hurts on kifaru haven’t got my hands on one, what makes them so “good”.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Seems this happens with all the brands that start out as just a hunting brand. Eventually the money they can mine from non hunter, tree hugger, types seduces them and it’s all downhill from there. Look at First Lite, Sitka, Kuiu etc. The ads i get from Sitka lately have nothing to do with hunting and hunting gear anymore. Birdwatchers are buying Kuiu, etc.

Money is the root of all evil didn’t get coined for no reason.

 

[dirtytough]

I don’t mean to be contentious with this post, but I was always turned off by Kifaru due to some of their customer base. I just didn’t want to be associated with the guys who didn’t seem to be able to think for themselves and were/are rabid Kifaru fans who operate with blind loyalty.

You could easily insert ________ or ________ for Kifaru, and RS membership this exact minute. People following blindly without thinking for themselves.RS 101

 

[CorbLand]

Like many things, some company paves the way and reaps the rewards. Then someone new comes in and does it better and they reap the rewards for it. The original company has to find a way to stay relevant. I think that is what you are seeing.

 

[Dos Perros]

I am all for better mousetraps. I am not for cooler mousetraps.

 

[Theringworm]

.... in my opinion Kifaru believes their reputation has gained enough market share to operate like Yeti, "no matter what we put our name on it will sell, no matter the cost or the competition".

..... a little too ambitious in my opinion.

 

[mstei4]

I don’t mean to be contentious with this post, but I was always turned off by Kifaru due to some of their customer base. I just didn’t want to be associated with the guys who didn’t seem to be able to think for themselves and were/are rabid Kifaru fans who operate with blind loyalty.

For what it’s worth - my folks had backpacking and ski shops when I was growing up and they sold a lot of Mountainsmith. When Patrick launched Kifaru, I was given one of his first packs and still have, and occasionally use it.

I’ve owned quite a few different Kifaru products over the year’s, and I think Kifaru makes an excellent pack. However, other frames and bag designs worked somewhat better for me, I and don‘t base my pack buying decisions on colorways. Other guys might, and I’m not criticising them, but the cult of Kifaru was a little bit of a turn off for me. If Kifaru had a pack that was the best option for me, I’d buy it with no second thoughts.

I think the “best option for me” part is potentially the biggest key here. There are so many options out there that one company can’t really dominate like they may have been able to in the past. Kifaru is likely a great option for many, but for many of us it’s not the best for our particular uses.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

The only thing I really don’t like about Kifaru is that you can’t buy a bag and frame as a pair for a lower price. You have to buy the frame for $450 and the bag for another $450.


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[Hnthrdr]

People are weird. There was one dude who made a post along the lines of "what new gear is SG coming out with?" Implying that he's lining up to buy something that he doesn't even know exists yet. Like people are so invested in the brand they'd buy a turd if the right logo was on it.

Spot on, obsession with brand loyalty is silly. Buy what works for you or what you can afford. In this modern age of social media and ultra polarization of everything it’s weird, but not surprising how people get so attached to one thing or another. A lot of the gear I own was bought because the company offered deep discounts and it works well. Some of the brands stopped offering me discounts so I bought other products that work just as well. Also I have 2 hunting packs, a “day/overnight pack” and a backpacking/multi day trip pack. How many packs does a guy need or go through? I think some of these companies run into issues when it’s hard to keep selling packs to guys that have them already and that already work well.

 

[go4thegusto]

It's a bit like KUIU Attack pants for me. The way they fit and perform in all temps they could be purple with pink polkadots and I would buy them. Same with Kifaru suspension. I have owned a ton of packs and nothing rides so comfortably with a load on a 10 day mountain hunt or with meat. I walk behind my buddy groaning and hitching up his MR pack. Sore hips and shoulders. I tell him how mine fits and he says "ya mine too". People defend their decisions.

 

[Undomesticated]

Funny, back “in the day,” Kifaru had a reputation (particularly on Rokslide) as the only legit option for serious backcountry hunters (whatever that means).

I still use my old duplex. My pack bag is no longer made, I believe it was called the high Country or something like that. Basically just a large, one compartment bag. Sadly, it got chewed up by one of my hounds as it was soaked with blood. To my surprise, I looked at Kifaru and was shocked to see that a similar bag was now $550 or so. I patched the bag and it will hopefully hold up for a year or two.

I think there stuff is still hell for stout, but I bought a Mystery Ranch for a smaller 2-4 day pack. I love it. I was always told MR didn’t belong in the upper-echelon of pack brands. Now, I see that like most of what you read online, it is nonsense.

The frame feels nowhere near as robust as Kifaru, but in use it is perfectly fine. It’s much more comfortable with lower weights. I can get MR 55% off retail. I don’t need a hundred attachment points, or straps all over the place. The older I get, the more I value simplicity and the more I see consumer demand is basically manufactured.

 

[DWinVA]

I have an original EXO that is too big for me (lost weight) so I started looking for a replacement last year. The Stryker XL checked all of the boxes for my style of hunting here in VA. I saddle hunt deep and pack out whitetails. Love the fact that it is made in the USA. Got it before the K4 came out and thanks to them discontinuing colors I was able to save some money on multicam. Each to their own.

God Bless.

 

[ianpadron]

I just bought my first Kifaru pack a few weeks ago, it's BA. It was the only pack that checked all the boxes for what I was looking for to compliment my larger Exo K4.

I've got a Megatarp and Supertarp, also an LPP, all BA.

The brand loyalty among some of you guys is hilarious to me. Ya miss out on a lot of killer gear if you swear off everything but one brand.

Unless a company goes full woke, I could not care less about sales they run, songs they choose for ads, or what state they move to.

Now if Kifaru comes out with a $4,000 men's purse or Snyder starts Tweeting about how conservatives are knuckle-draggers, then sure they'd lose some appeal to me

 

[woods89]

I sort of lost interest as well. I had an older frame and DT1, and no question it was a great pack. The weight really adds up, though. I bought an SO Lanner used a couple seasons ago and really like it.

The reality is, with Exo, SG, and SO as competition, they can't take the foot off the gas at all. The "attach a bunch of pockets" mindset is old tech, in my opinion, at this point, when the above brands can offer a highly functional
integral option in the 4-5 lb range. SG and SO are doing good work with the newer fabrics, and Exo has bag design absolutely nailed, from what I've seen. Not a time to be focusing on purses and can coozies......

 

[wnelson14]

Kifaru bags to me check all the boxes and check no boxes at the same time. Way too many options, super confusing. EXO K4 I believe is the perfect bag and has killed their market share imho.