HPG harness on Kifaru Ark frame

[isleofGough]

This was discussed several years back, but I tried a HPG yoke harness on my Kifaru Ark frame and it works great. I had to send back the Kifaru shoulder straps for a stitching defect and saw I might have to wait two months for the repair under warranty. For me, the lumbar pad and waist belt on the Ark is excellent (though I replaced the central buckle with a AstraAlpine one and the side bag attachments with marsupial gatekeepers). The HPG gear harness is more comfortable than Kifaru's and it eliminates the twitchiness of the load lifters to avoid the backward pull on the shoulders.

 

[b.roy_jenkins]

On HPG bags that center buckle on the yoke attaches to the back panel of the bag, are you attaching it like that anywhere or just using the load lifter points and the bottom straps?

 

[isleofGough]

I've tried it two ways and both work: attaching the center buckle to the lower Ark center frame slot, or attaching the two buckles to each side to the Ark frame lower slots.

 

[b.roy_jenkins]

That's interesting. Never owned a Kifaru but the HPG Ute was my first "real" pack. You're right about that harness, it's awesome.