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[realunlucky]

No one who has posted in this thread is bashing Kifaru, are they?

One of the perks/drawbacks of my job is getting to read most of the posts on rokslide. There are people that have to post on every Kifaru thread some positive and some to just to grind the ax for being wronged that one time.
Lots of these type threads start and I'll know who a few guys are who can't resist posting and have a good idea of what they'll say. It's no secret as it's posted over, over, and over again.

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[WV Mountaineer]

I think most of us that feel something has changed and not for the better are actually using Kifaru packs. I still run my Kifaru and really haven’t paid much attention to anything they offer for the last few years. I’ll keep running my Kifaru till it dies and then I’ll look at all options. I don’t think Kifaru is the standard all others are measured against, it’s just an option.

I hate to sound like a wise guy again. But, everything has changed. That’s the point I was making. I’m not ridiculing anyone that’s sincere in acknowledging it’s impossible for things to be the way they were.

It’s still a free market. Everyone is free to do and buy what they want. But, discussing these changes as if somethings different about kifarus mission as a company makes zero sense.

No consumer is held to buy Kifaru. But, no consumer can be sincere if they insinuate Kifaru is going a different direction except striving to be the number one choice for back packs amongst people who are looking to buy back packs.

You don’t have to like the packs, the frames, or anything about them. But, they made a business decision they feel is better in the long run. Consumers can be patient for that big machine to get running at peak efficiency. Or, they can buy a different brand. It’s really pretty simple.

You can opinion what you like about standards in the hunting pack industry. They may not be your standard. But, there’s more Kifaru backpacks amongst hunters wearing American made back packs, than any other at this time. That’s pretty telling. How you analyze that is up to you.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

But, Exo sells very few things, very intentionally.

Their rifle carrier was knocked pretty hard.

When Exo starts selling "Backcountry Wallets" I'll agree you have a point. But, at the moment Kifaru is whoring out their brand, Exo is not. Exo certainly could at this point, and if they did I would probably not buy another pack from them.

I have yet to see an Exo user imply that only idiots or physically weak people would use a different brand (I'm sure it is coming though), I have seen more than one Kifaru user imply that.

Don't worry though, your love of Kifaru is well documented and we all know you will disagree.

You are the dumbest member of Rokslide. You truly are if you believe your last paragraph. History of my postings is in 100% contradiction of that claim. 100%. But, don’t let that stop you.

 

[coloyooper]

Ok. I responded a couple times to posters. Then I read the whole thread. I know this is just a discussion. And, I’m bored. So, here goes.

What's off is they now have a new facility. That moved quite a ways from the origin of this company. Frank wasn’t the only one who didn’t transfer with them. And, the way I understood it, that was his decision. Not that it matters.


I don’t know where their cordura comes from in this country. But, I’m guessing the move put them farther away. That’s price increase number one. Shipping increases as delivery destinations get farther away. And, being berry compliant doesn’t lend to a closer option.

I’ve never met many people standing in line to be a seamstress either. Much less to sew back packs. I don’t know if their sewers moved or not. I’m just saying if they didn’t, it likely wasn’t easy finding a compotent labor force that was willing to move to Wyoming. And, it took money to get them there whether they transferred or had to be hired. Price increase number 2.

Tooling, material, work force, new hires, transferring employees are all cost they took on. Profits come after those increases hit home. Somewhere in all this is why things now cost more for them. Which is why consumer prices are increased and further options are limited.

Anyways, no one there is living lavishly. And, at these prices, no one is buying the whole cow now versus the steak pre move. Running a business for profit is different than being a W2 employee. And, that distinction is lost in a lot of these posts.

It’s not a mystery. Their pricing has been adjusted due to having a higher overhead. Everyone there realized the fallout from higher pricing. It’s not due to greed either.

Things for them have changed. You still gotta decide if buying American made is good enough versus berry compliant. I’ll take berry compliant. There frames are the pinnacle. So are their bags. Set aside the bias and everyone is still compared to Kifaru when it comes to back packs. And, You look to the top to find the benchmark. That hasn’t changed.

I ain’t reading all that. I’m happy for you though, or sorry it happened. Either way, damn that’s crazy.

 

[WeiserBucks]

there’s more Kifaru backpacks amongst hunters wearing American made back packs, than any other at this time.

Where did you get this information? I'm genuinely curious.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

You might think you made a post about why things changed but it reads as a kifaru apologist making excuses for them and then pointing to anyone who objectively does not see them as the pinnacle or top dog as misguided by bias which is very ironic.

Why? I’m going to type this slow. Hopefully you’ll slow down and read it.

This thread topic is about something has changed about kufaru. You reckon?

Pointing out a small sample of likely changes isn’t defending anyone. It’s agreeing that change has indeed happened. Without agreeing they aren’t trying to be the best they can be.

Buy what you want. But, you’d have to be ignorant to not understand this.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Where did you get this information? I'm genuinely curious.

Umm, they’ve been in business longer than any of the other American made companies. Quite a bit longer. So, I applied something called common sense and a very big hunch.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I ain’t reading all that. I’m happy for you though, or sorry it happened. Either way, damn that’s crazy.

Go watch TV. That even more crazy.

 

[Marbles]

You are the dumbest member of Rokslide!!!!! You truly are, if you believe your last paragraph.

FIFY

History of my postings is in 100% contradiction of that claim. 100%. But, don’t let that stop you.

I did a search of your posts with the word Kifaru prior to writing that paragraph you are referring to. Wanted to be sure I was not mixing you up.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

FIFY

I did a search of your posts with the word Kifaru prior to writing that paragraph you are referring to. Wanted to be sure I was not mixing you up.

Do a search on Kuiu, badland, alps, and seek outside. There is more too. I Wouldn’t want you to get confused about being stupid.

 

[Marbles]

Do a search on Kuiu, badland, alps, and seek outside. There is more too. I Wouldn’t want you to get confused about being stupid!!!!

FIFY

 

[WV Mountaineer]

FIFY

Ha! You sure did Forest.

 

[fngTony]

Alright let’s get this back to the original subject without bickering and personal insults.

 

[Deadfall]

This was alot. Never really seen anything stay the same. As for the lure of kifaru...well I didn't know frank was gone, I don't even know who frank is. Never met Aaron or anyone else at kifaru. I use one of their bags. Been using it ling enough I don't even remember what it's called. It's brown... Could go look I guess.
I do have too replace shoulder straps fairly often. It works good for what I do.
Works well enough that I never bothered looking at other junk.
I do run the steelhead as a chest harness. It works great.
Just keep using their junk and it just keeps working.

Will say I was looking for a new LPP. Just can't wrap my mind around the new color. Looks like something a rapper from 90s would be wearing. Looks to shiny

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

But, there’s more Kifaru backpacks amongst hunters wearing American made back packs, than any other at this time. That’s pretty telling. How you analyze that is up to you.

Kifaru no matter how you look at it is a small niche market company. They have a loud following on niche hunting sites but the average hunter has never heard of them

When I hunted Colorado the few people I bumped into Mystery Ranch was represented by the most including my son and I. Ironically what sealed the deal for MR for me was on an early Gritty Bowman podcast Aaron was talking about good equipment that wouldn't break the bank and he recommended MR if someone couldn't afford their packs. For me having never elk hunted before and needing equipment for 2 an $700+ pack for one was out of the question. I was able to get 2 Glaciers on sale at Moosejaw and with Active Junky I got 2 for about $260. That savings paid for a lot of other equipment. The other packs we saw were and Alps and Ironically two Eastpak book bags!

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Kifaru no matter how you look at it is a small niche market company. They have a loud following on niche hunting sites but the average hunter has never heard of them

When I hunted Colorado the few people I bumped into Mystery Ranch was represented by the most including my son and I. Ironically what sealed the deal for MR for me was on an early Gritty Bowman podcast Aaron was talking about good equipment that wouldn't break the bank and he recommended MR if someone couldn't afford their packs. For me having never elk hunted before and needing equipment for 2 an $700+ pack for one was out of the question. I was able to get 2 Glaciers on sale at Moosejaw and with Active Junky I got 2 for about $260. That savings paid for a lot of other equipment. The other packs we saw were and Alps and Ironically two Eastpak book bags!

I am being polite when I say this. I really am. But, I can’t get my mind around the way some of you rationalize what you read. And, I’m not addressing your point directly in contradiction. But, I am pointing out the obvious.


Mystery ranch isn’t an American made pack company for hunting packs. And, hasn’t been for a while. As far as packs, there’s probably more fieldline, Allen, and kelty in the elk woods then all others combined. But, they aren’t American made.

My pint has been so obvious it’d take a fanboy to miss it. An example of what I intended was It wasn’t that long ago when exo missed delivery dates by miles. Pointing that out doesn’t mean I don't like them. They did exactly what Kifaru is working on doing. They addressed it and are back in perfect form. I wouldn’t expect any different or they wouldn’t be here or be so popular had they not handled it that way.

Good day gentlemen. Life is good.

 

[Undomesticated]

That fan club is still going strong. Check out their facebook group, any time Aron Snyder says something incredibly rude to a customer, it gets like 150 likes from the followers. Its great entertainment.

There is a strange cult of personality there. Some hunting “personalities” really attract it, I don’t fully grasp it but I certainly find it odd, but I’m not the type to seek out gurus.

It does seem the types that attract it are also deliberately cultivating that status. Hanes and Snyder are good examples. Ironically, Aaron talks a lot about his new found distaste for social media, how he will quit, how he “just wants to live far out in the woods.” Yet he is as active as ever, addicted to the validation provided by the fawning hordes for some reason.

And yes, Kifaru took PPP money. Maybe they needed it. I dunno. I wouldn’t have much of a problem with that if Aaron wasn’t so vocal with his political opinions that obviously put him in a hypocritical light. I get a sense that Brian Call’s assessment may be right, but then again I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him.

But, they still make a great product at the end of the day, I gotta say. I just no longer think the asking price is worth it.

 

[IBen]

Where did you get this information? I'm genuinely curious.

In the pack out photos thread where I added up all the backpacks brands posted and kifaru was number 1

Post in thread 'Pack-out photos.'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/pack-out-photos.274904/post-3326212

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

I am being polite when I say this. I really am. But, I can’t get my mind around the way some of you rationalize what you read. And, I’m not addressing your point directly in contradiction. But, I am pointing out the obvious.


Mystery ranch isn’t an American made pack company for hunting packs. And, hasn’t been for a while. As far as packs, there’s probably more fieldline, Allen, and kelty in the elk woods then all others combined. But, they aren’t American made.

My pint has been so obvious it’d take a fanboy to miss it. An example of what I intended was It wasn’t that long ago when exo missed delivery dates by miles. Pointing that out doesn’t mean I don't like them. They did exactly what Kifaru is working on doing. They addressed it and are back in perfect form. I wouldn’t expect any different or they wouldn’t be here or be so popular had they not handled it that way.

Good day gentlemen. Life is good.

Spoken like a true fan boy. I am not a fanboy of any brand. I work hard for my money and buy what ever I feel is the best value that fit's into my budget. As I said I would love to buy a Kifaru but it would be a waste of money for me do to the limited amount of use it would get. I did add Kifaru Grab it's to our packs I would be able to have load flexibility if we got an elk since the Glaciers didn't have a meat shelf. Have a nice day!

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Spoken like a true fan boy. I am not a fanboy of any brand. I work hard for my money and buy what ever I feel is the best value that fit's into my budget. As I said I would love to buy a Kifaru but it would be a waste of money for me do to the limited amount of use it would get. I did add Kifaru Grab it's to our packs I would be able to have load flexibility if we got an elk since the Glaciers didn't have a meat shelf. Have a nice day!

SMDH. You aren’t a fanboy? You just typed that about your hard earned money like I told you what pack to buy, defending what pack you bought. If that isn’t a fanboy then I don’t know. That’s worse then 307, 3 forks, marbles, and the rest of the response team.

I don’t care about your money, how hard you work, or what pack you buy. But, you aren’t going to twist my words because you are incapable of reading comprehension.

Are you really that simple?