Can I get 5 days out of a Kifaru Woodsman?

[Skull10]

I am in the market for a new Kifaru bag and want something big enough for a 5 day hunt and also be small enough for a day pack.

I really like the looks of the Woodsman and the layout/size. If I put a guide lid and medium, large pouches on each side, can I get five days of gear and food in it?

I know it's all about how much gear you bring, I think I'm pretty good there. I wanted to know if anyone has real experience with this particular pack. Or am I looking at the wrong bag?

 

[buffsmoker]

Yes, you definitely can. I did it this year and didn't even need to attach my guide lid. Just a medium pouch on each side, and a small pouch on my belt. Also, I like to strap either my sleeping bag/quilt or my shelter to the bottom of the bag, since there's a gap between the bottom of the bag and the frame with the Woodsman (at least on my 26" frame). That frees up some additional space in the bag, and is also very useful if you're packing up a wet shelter at the end of your trip. It's nice not having to put a soaking wet shelter in the bag with all your other gear. This was my first year with this setup and I took it on a total of six trips. I love it and don't see myself changing bags any time soon. That center zip is amazing!

Good luck!

 

[dreamingbig]

I agree. If your gear is dialed you can get by for 5 days with the woodsman.


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[flinginairos]

I have a Woodsman and a Reckoning and i'm pretty sure I could do five days with it using the lid.

 

[rbljack]

for the guys saying yes, I assuming that wouldn't include a spotter and tripod. I have a reckoning, and the wife now has a woodsman. We haven't loaded her pack for an extended hunt, but I think it could hold 5 days of gear if spotter and tripod weren't included. I would think it would be tough with those two items added, but I haven't actually tried it myself. It looks to me if you are dialed in and don't have a huge sleep bag, it would all fit minus the spotter and tripod.

Others will have to chime in as to exactly what their 5 day gear set up is though. For the slight increase in weight, id recommend the reckoning.

 

[buffsmoker]

My 5 day setup this season included a tripod but not a spotter. With a spotter, I'd just move both medium pouches to one side, and then add a spotting scope pocket to the other side. I've been kicking around the idea of a high country deer hunt next season, and that's my plan since I'd pack my spotter for that.

 

[Skull10]

Thank you all for the awesome feedback. I have the Kifaru 20 degree skbag, it doesn't compress as well as my 15 degree down bag but I believe it will fit ok. The tent or tarp will go under the pack, on the bottom outside. I was going to run a large and medium pouch on each side with the guide lid. Once I'm in and camp is set up, I would strip it down and use for a great size day pack.

 

[Skull10]

Does the Woodsman have a draw string in the top of the snow collar?

 

[Cant hit em]

Does the Woodsman have a draw string in the top of the snow collar?

Yes and a lid will let you maximize the use of the snow collar.space for an extended trip

 

[BAKPAKR]

Does the Woodsman have a draw string in the top of the snow collar?

I have a Reckoning and a Woodsman, too. For me, the Woodsman is better limited to up to three days, but I admit that I overpack. The Woodsman does have a drawstring at the top. I have included a photo of my Woodsman loaded up. I could put a lot more stuff in between the bag and frame (and did on a hunt this fall); however, if I were planning on multiple five day trips in the future, and only one bag, I would go with the Reckoning.

 

[Skull10]

Thanks for the photo BAKPAKR. I see from your photo that you don't have any pouches on the side of the pack. I was thinking about a medium and large pouch on each side and a guide lid, if I go this route.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

You shouldn’t have any problem with lightweight gear. I did 5 days (plus a day on either end packing in and out) with a KUIU 1850 and food/sleeping bag carried in the meat shelf. If you’re the type to bring a chair, radio, axe, and a bunch of other crap just in case it won’t be enough room.

 

[rbljack]

It would also depend on the hunt I suppose...early vs late season, which shelter..stove vs no stove etc etc. I wouldn't say you are looking at the wrong bag....but for a bag that can run 5 days of gear plus pack down for day hunting and then convert to haul out meat....the reckoning is pretty hard to beat IMO. I had a lot of versatility on my elk hunt with the reckoning this year. I didn't pack spotter and tripod, but still found the side pockets damn handy. I used them on the way in for my Sawtooth shelter with liner in it packed on one side, along with rain gear and puffy jacket. On the other side I had my poles, stakes and Tyvek for the shelter. This allowed me have the items I needed first on the outside of the pack and accessible. If it rained, I could grab the rain jacket. I also figured if the shelter was wet, it could be carried in the outer pockets wet when we packed up camp to head back down. My favorite pocket is actually the lid.

 

[92xj]

I run a roll top pod on the bottom of my woodsman that's house my sleep system. Quilt, pad, ground sheet, tarp and bivy.
This leave plenty of space in the bag for everything else. Also, I find it nice to just pop the pod off when at camp and start setting everything up, while my gear, clothes, food, etc. stay put in the main bag.

 

[colersu22]

I run a roll top pod on the bottom of my woodsman that's house my sleep system. Quilt, pad, ground sheet, tarp and bivy.
This leave plenty of space in the bag for everything else. Also, I find it nice to just pop the pod off when at camp and start setting everything up, while my gear, clothes, food, etc. stay put in the main bag.

I saw your original post when the woodsman came out about setting it it that way and so that’s how I set mine up too when I got it and a medium roll too pod fits perfectly in the bottom of the bag and frame using a 26” frame. I use it for either sleep system like you or I have used it once or twice for food and it is easy to tie paracord on the pod and throw it up in a tree if bears are a concern.

Side note, I wish kifaru still offered the roll too pod since they are very hard to come by now and I’m only down to one.

 

[Tradchef]

Yeah you totally can. I’d do it with either the woodsman or reckoning. I hunt solo so I can keep gear to a minimum. My only issue was meat plus gear. I try to minimize trips if possible as we all do and I felt like a little bigger main bag would have been nicer this year for meat hauling. But the woodsman did an awesome job for so I have no complaints.

 

[Skull10]

I want to find a Roll Top Pod myself. Great option for under the pack for sleep system.

Thanks everyone for all the feedback. I placed my order for a Woodsman and pouches in Ranger Green this morning.

 

[mrbillbrown]

I’m sure you could get 5 days out of it with some strategic planning. But why?

My AMR goes from enormous to only the back pouches exposed for day hunting gear in exactly 2.5 seconds. No need for extra pockets or worrying about “Will meat and gear fit” ever again. Just my $.02....


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[Shane Gunnin]

I just got my woodman. My next bag would be the reckoning. Just a bigger version that compressed down if you don’t need the full bag