Frozen locking pack buckles

[docdb]

I am a big Kifaru fanboy. I just got the 4300 and ARK frame and was excited to get it out into the woods. The weatherman let me down a bit, and my schedule had me humping in the rain late yesterday and then during the night 28F. Every thing was frozen solid when I woke up, with the most annoying issue being the locking Kifaru buckles. I couldn’t unlock the buckles and couldn’t move the straps, had to expose my fingers to get any traction. I have a Seek Outside pack that I switched out the buckles to the no locking, heavier, metal buckles and freaking love them, and they don’t seem to slip and I can manipulate them with frozen straps and wet gloves. They are 3/4 inch and the K buckles are 1”. Does anyone have a solution, or do I just have old man weak fingers?

 

[valtteri]

Not sure about the Kifaru buckles, but I have definitely had side release buckles that have hardened up considerably in freezing temps so not old man weak finger syndrome. The Stone Glacier buckles operate exactly the same for me, whether plus degrees or -10F

 

[stoopiddumbman]

The buckles on your seek pack do you mean the gatekeepers that come with it or do you have something else on there?

 

[docdb]

Seek has some metal buckles that are now back ordered and I love em. They are metal and heavier, and don’t lock

 

[docdb]

They call them “Bachelor Buckles”

 

[mt100gr.]

1" G Hook buckles are the same concept as those bachelor buckles. Kifaru used to have them available/in use for some applications, IIRC.

Looks like a guy can order them from a variety of vendors.

I think I still have some Kifaru G-hook/ ladder lock adapter straps....they're heavier, but pretty slick.

 

[Tman24]

I am a big Kifaru fanboy. I just got the 4300 and ARK frame and was excited to get it out into the woods. The weatherman let me down a bit, and my schedule had me humping in the rain late yesterday and then during the night 28F. Every thing was frozen solid when I woke up, with the most annoying issue being the locking Kifaru buckles. I couldn’t unlock the buckles and couldn’t move the straps, had to expose my fingers to get any traction. I have a Seek Outside pack that I switched out the buckles to the no locking, heavier, metal buckles and freaking love them, and they don’t seem to slip and I can manipulate them with frozen straps and wet gloves. They are 3/4 inch and the K buckles are 1”. Does anyone have a solution, or do I just have old man weak fingers?

I’ve used these on a load sling

AB G-Hook Wave

AB Brand G-Hook Wave Metal Tactical Hardware

milspecmonkey.com

 

[stoopiddumbman]

yep g-hooks make sure to get the "wave" style they lock in better with some of the thinner mil spec webbing that backpack makers use