AKEK Review

[Smithb9841]

Starting this thread to review the AKEK Pack as I was one of the randomly selected ones to receive a pack. Just wanted to start the thread and Confirm @AKEK sent the pack and I have received it this afternoon. I have not had time to really evaluate or put weight on so I figure it will be cool to update as I review and begging trying it out. And if I miss Something on the review that the other members are curious about Im more than happy to add in.

Just as a heads up I have used Kifaru and Kuiu packs in the past so if I’m making a comparison that is what I am comparing to.

If any members have any questions about the pack let me know if there’s anything I can answer now that I have one in my hand.

And I’ll say this even though it shouldn’t need to be said, I have no affiliation with this company anything I say about this pack will be my truthful experience or opinion of the pack good and the bad.

Thanks again AKEK for choosing to send me one to try out.

 

[Smithb9841]

Sorry for the delay on the initial review guys.

Anyway pack seems to be built pretty well and honestly is laid out really well. The material feels
Like it wil Hold up well and the zippers seem to be durable as well. The main compartment is open and will work well for larger items. The smaller compartment has 2 built in pouches inside, which I like for keeping some items separate.

Into some of the features and my thoughts the quick release rifle holster is actually a pretty cool design however I have my concerns on longevity, the buckle that latches the rifle in place seems to hold ok but not sure how it would hold up over time and if it would stay latched when out in the field. However if it holds up it is pretty easy to draw from I put my Rifle in the holder and played around with it and was pleasantly surprised how easy it is to draw from and get off the pack quickly. During packing I would much rather use this feature but would take some practice to get used to using in a hunting situation

The built in hip pouches are a nice feature I like that they are not too bulky I usually don’t like having hip pouches because most are bulky but these are a good size and not too bulky. This is just my preference.

The side pouches are pretty decent size I have a smaller spotter that fits in there with no issue, like in @Bubblehide review I would prefer if they were outside the main pack so it didn’t take any of the space in the main compartment of the bag.

The meat shelf is built to hold the meat higher than the belt which is nice I know some other packs are not designed this way and allow the meat to fall down lower. So look forward to testing this out.

The frame is adjustable and is very quick and easy to adjust.

Will update again as I test this pack under load.

 

[AKEK]

Thanks for the initial review and impressions! We are always open to improving and modifying the pack if users find any red flags. Look forward to seeing more use and abuse out of your pack!

 

[Smithb9841]

Ok guys just thought I’d give another quick update was doing some work around the back yard today and thought I’d load up the pack while doing so. Just threw a couple 20lb dumbbells in the bottom of the pack to see how it held up with the weight. Obviously this isn’t replicating a real load but that’s what I had.

Anyway I was really surprised how the pack felt with a couple dumbbells down in the bottom of the bag. The weight sat down on my hips and was just as comfortable and held the weight just as good as my Kuiu or Kifaru systems.

Also noticed another cool feature about this @AKEK bag. There is actually a bottom zipper to access the main compartment from the bottom of the bag rather than pulling everything out from the top. Didn’t notice this before but definitley is a cool feature. I honestly like the bag more than my Kifaru or Kuiu bags. Time will tell how the frame and suspension hold up and how they feel with real world hunting loads which is what really matters

 

[Tikka90]

Thanks for putting this together

 

[Marbles]

Any updates?

 

[Smithb9841]

Any updates?

Haven’t been able to Make any scouting trips to see how back does in the field. However have loaded my gear in to see how it fits and really like the overall layout of the pack. Have loaded up a cement bag while walking around and like I stated in original post i don’t see any noticeable differences between the @AKEK pack and my Kifaru or Kuiu set Ups. Archery deer will start here on 8-20 so should have an in field review to
Post then. Really would have liked to
Try this out more in field before season but work has been pretty busy this summer.

 

[Marbles]

Haven’t been able to Make any scouting trips to see how back does in the field. However have loaded my gear in to see how it fits and really like the overall layout of the pack. Have loaded up a cement bag while walking around and like I stated in original post i don’t see any noticeable differences between the @AKEK pack and my Kifaru or Kuiu set Ups. Archery deer will start here on 8-20 so should have an in field review to
Post then. Really would have liked to
Try this out more in field before season but work has been pretty busy this summer.

Work has killed my summer plans, it is rather pesky having to be an adult. Thanks for the update.

 

[Smithb9841]

just wanted to Give an update on the @AKEK pack. I have only had the pack out in the field 3 times and haven’t put a load of meat yet but have had loads that were basically for day hunts with enough extra to stay over night if needed. So not Huge loads but decent size for a day hunt.

Some good
- I really like How the pack is laid out. I like how there are 2 separate main compartments and the second compartment has pockets inside. I really like this for organizing and it works for me. I know everyone doesn’t like multiple compartments.
- Outer material of the pack seems pretty strong and at least water resistant I’m not sure how it would hold up in a heavy rain but I did drop a gallon water jug that spilled quite a bit out when feeling my water bladder one morning and it didn’t soak through to my gear.

The not so good
- first negative that happened was on my first trip while I was loading the hydration bladder inside the pocket that holds the bladder ripped apart from The elastic, over time I think this will turn into a bigger problem the more I use it.

Second Negative
- I am Not a pack designer so my interpretation of what is going on might not be correct but to me it doesn’t feel like the load lifters do much of anything, I’ve tried to adjust the pack in different ways but I cannot seem to get the lifters to work as well as the Kifaru or Kuiu pack load lifters. Which is something that makes this pack not carry loads as well as the others and I didn’t notice on flat ground but going up and down mountains it became apparent this is the biggest downside that I found especially towards the end of the day when I was completely spent.

Overall it is a pretty decent pack/frame but I feel like the actual geometry of the frame is off. Like I said im not a designer so idk how you would fix it I just can tell it isn’t quite where some of the other packs are. But I know these guys are a new company so hopefully they can improve I know other company’s have made design changes over the years and gotten better. I hope that @AKEK can make Some improvements and wish them luck. Thanks again to @AKEK for choosing me to review.

If anyone has any questions ask away Im sure I left a lot out that others might want to know. I still plan on trying this pack out a bit more because I want to see how a load of meat packs in it.

 

[AKEK]

Thanks for your review @Smithb9841 . After much testing and listening to many reviews like yours we have addressed and fixed the load lifters and made many improvements all in just the last several months. All the new packs being shipped currently are getting very good feedback. If anyone else has suggestions please let us know.