I have the best backpack

[HellsCanyon]

I would think I would have to be a bit more injured than a broken ankle to be convinced of hoping into some guys pack...

Mike

 

[hammer0419]

I only carry Kifaru packs. 13+ years ago I discovered Kifaru. I had always wanted one but thought the price tag was just obsurd. Not wanting to spend that much on a pack, I proceeded to buy and return pack after pack after pack. I tried many nice packs. However, nothing had the perferct fit and feel while loaded on my back. Needless to say the money I spent on return shipping I could have had my Kifaru sooner than I did. Once I purchased my first Kifaru a Spike Camp, the rest is history. NOTHING FITS AND CARRIES LIKE A KIFARU!!!

 

[mtmiller]

I proceeded to buy and return pack after pack after pack. I tried many nice packs. However, nothing had the perferct fit and feel while loaded on my back.

Please elaborate.

 

[shanevg]

nah, he boned him out... But still pretty impressive!

lol!

 

[Becca]

...sorry didn't realize this is a Kifaru site.

While there are a lot of Kifaru pack fans around here, we are equal opportunity and are interested in a wide variety of perspectives. What works for one person doesn't always work for another, and there are truly a lot of packs out there by both hunting and non-hunting brands. I love my KU pack, but there is still a place in my arsenal for packs by golite, granite gear and badlands...

I liked the pic you had up before higbean, that looked like quite a kiddo AND quite the pack!

 

[ohhiitznik]

This sounds like quite a story, I don't suppose you have photos?? Did you use the cargo panel or put him into your pack bag?

I used a grab it and horizontal lashing kit. I left the pack on the frame. No I didn't take photos. Wasn't on my mind at the time since a thunderstorm was rolling in and the guy could barely speak english. I dont know why there are so many german people in colorado, it was weird. The guy couldn't really communicate with me and it was interesting me trying to tell him I'm going to carry him....Anyway, I shoved all my clothes and gear towards the bottom of the pack and made somewhat of a shelf. Then I put him on that, facing me, with his legs tucked up and strapped him with the grab it and lashing straps and he wasn't moving at all. He was riding kind of like a baby chimp on my back if you get the picture, lol. The first mile went quickly... seeings how the lightning was coming and I had to get down to lower elevations, but after that it was grueling. I did train during the summer with 150-175 lbs in my pack so I felt more ready to give it a go, but I couldn't walk right for 2 days and I ate tag soup! good thing it was all downhill, because if there was any uphill I would've had to leave his ass and find help. He was day hiking with a camera and no gear the day before when I found him and he was looking hypothermic so I didn't really have a choice to go notify search and rescue.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Cheap Cabelas Pack--> Osprey Crescent 90--> Eberlestock Blue Widow--> Eberlestock X2--> Kifaru Timberline 2. Like others have said, I won't need another new pack for a long time. The T2 fits my needs perfectly.

 

[luke moffat]

...sorry didn't realize this is a Kifaru site.

I agree with my wife...just this once

There are a LOT of Kifaru folks on here and they are great packs and what I use, however, I have used a bunch of great packs. All the packs, yes Kifaru included, have their quirks and issues of things I would change for me, but hey haven't come out with a Luke Moffat dream pack yet. So post up your pics, notice it didn't stop Yellowknife from posting up his Barney's and vintage trapper nelson

 

[a3dhunter]

Cabelas outfitter frame pack
Badlands 4500
eberlestock j105
Eberlestock blue widow
Eberlestock j107
Kifaru EMR
Kifaru T1

While a good pack helps, a hundred pounds is still a hundred pounds on your back.
Next will be horses!

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

...sorry didn't realize this is a Kifaru site.

Every forum has their preferences, and truthfully most people look for places where their preferences are matched. If you go over to hunttalk or the 24hourcampfire you will find that most of the guys around there love their MR packs. On 24 there are a few who are pretty sure all they want right now is a custom pack from McHale. It will go in waves depending on who has the newest stuff at any given moment.

Once we find a place we like, often we do our best to fit in, even on internet forums. The trick is sorting through all of the people who post and don't really use most of their stuff, and the ones who know their stuff. Right now there are a LOT of people on this site who really do use their gear, in the future we will likely have a bunch that come that are just getting started. It goes in waves.

 

[wapitibob]

I still have the old shelf meat hauler that most of us 50+ year old guys started with. Also have my Kathy Kelly design pack, the Dwight Schu, and a Blacks Creek day pack my mom bought me. That little daypack is the best daypack I have ever used. Layed out real nice. I ended up with a Crew Cab. At 6'3" it didn't take long to see the "short" comings of the nice frame. I ended up making a 6" frame extension for it. I've been wanting to get a new Kifaru but every time I use the CC it just seems to fit the circumstances well. I hauled a bunch of alfalfa this year for a guy and it was easy and painless. His 2800 didn't handle it well at all.
I sure wouldn't complain if that CC was a few pounds lighter. Not too sure any pack is very light though when it's got a 3 litre bladder filled up.
It all comes down to how we use our packs and finding the one that "does it all".

 

[sk1]

...sorry didn't realize this is a Kifaru site.

not sure what that's all about, no one has criticized you for your pack choice.....many people have come to prefer kifaru on this site, but tons of people here also use something else, and the best part about rokslide is most keep an open mind.

i myself havent been hunting out west very long but in 3 years i have used:

badlands 2200 - used it twice, hurt my hips so bad there was no comfortable way for me to wear it, i had to sell it

eberlestock x2 - oh the comfort compared to that badlands 2200....i still use it today for a small daypack

tenzing 6000 - ordered this year for my first backpacking trip, leaves me still looking for something else, but ultimately does what i need it to do....could use this for several years to come easily

kuiu icon 5000 - ordered, played around with, and returned......just not for me at least based on my limited time using it and still keeping it in returnable condition


none of those are kifaru, am i going to try one? you bet, because there are many of us looking for something more out of our packs....will it be the answer? i dont know, i hope so but only time will tell, ill be ordering one next month. why kifaru for my next choice? it just fits my needs better than my other options i looked at.....i heavily considered Mystery Ranch, but I have read a few things about the crewcab that make it not quite what i want.....and the next pack they have i was interested in was 6500 cu....too big for me and too heavy. So ive settled on a Timberline DT2 by kifaru....if this doesnt work for me, Ill try a bigger eberlestock pack as I like my X2.

If you have a pack that fits your needs and is comfortable for you, you're one of the lucky ones! At least that's how I see it, and i dont care if that means it's a $20 camo pack from walmart or an old military rucksack

I love other opinions on gear and hearing what works well for others, because that means there's a chance it may work well for me.....and that includes your mystery ranch pack!

oh and to sum up my post and get back to the topic, i dont have the best pack(for me), i am still looking....but on a budget the tz 6000 gets the job done!

 

[HellsCanyon]

Every forum has their preferences, and truthfully most people look for places where their preferences are matched. If you go over to hunttalk or the 24hourcampfire you will find that most of the guys around there love their MR packs. On 24 there are a few who are pretty sure all they want right now is a custom pack from McHale. It will go in waves depending on who has the newest stuff at any given moment.

Once we find a place we like, often we do our best to fit in, even on internet forums. The trick is sorting through all of the people who post and don't really use most of their stuff, and the ones who know their stuff. Right now there are a LOT of people on this site who really do use their gear, in the future we will likely have a bunch that come that are just getting started. It goes in waves.

This guy is dead nuts on.
I myself have always been one to stray away from bandwagons, even if they are for a quality product. Just doesn't vibe right with myself.
I will say that while my T1 is the best pack I've owned to date, and I have no REAL complaints about it (few strap locations and the back pad could be closer together), I can see how someone could come on here and think that their 65-80 lb pack out capabilities in the past are going to be extended into the 110-140 lb range with a Kifaru. For myself that definitely is NOT true. As someone else said above, 100 lbs is still 100 lbs! I packed out two bone in front shoulders, neck meat, and backstraps off a 4 1/2 year old Idaho Bull +water/bow with a BlacksCreek Barbarian 2.5 last year and it performed flawlessly. I really was impressed with that pack just didn't like the layout. Nothing in my opinion will up your capabilities like conditioning and mental toughness.

Are the Kifaru's worth the price? You bet and I'm extremely glad that I decided to purchase one. Of my few grueling packouts over the last 4 years, I would've traded a tougher set of leg muscles rather than a better pack every time.

Mike

 

[Chesapeake]

I couldnt say all the packs I've had over the years. The orange external frame Boyscout version pack, Kelty and Jannsport externals, Marine issue ALICE pack, Cabelas Alaskan frame pack, some other Cabelas day pack, Badlands 2200, and 4500, and now a Stone Glacier Solo.

I still have and like the Badlands 2200, 4500, and Stone glacier Solo.

The one pack I still want to try is the KU5200. Just dont kow anyone that has one in my area.

About the large loads and comfort.

For me:
25# is all day do what I want and not think about having a pack.
30-40# is all day comfort, but think about and slow down climbing steep stuff.
50-60# is 1/2 day taking it easy and looking for path of least resistance. I'll be a little sore in the morning. The pack gets uncomfy after a few hours.
60-80# half day primarily down hill. I'm going to be sore. Pack is not comfy, just mucle through it.
80#+ is a one way shot on good terain/trail for a few hours. Joints, muscles, feet are going to pay. Need a few days recovery.

I've never had a pack thats changed that for me. Its not the hips up that stop me. Its the hips down.

 

[Higbean]

Sorry folks. I posted my pic and preference and didn't realize this place was kind of an off shoot of the Kif forums. Just didn't want to disrespect anyone especially with my first post.

 

[sk1]

Sorry folks. I posted my pic and preference and didn't realize this place was kind of an off shoot of the Kif forums. Just didn't want to disrespect anyone especially with my first post.

it's not a kifaru forum, just has some people who use kifaru gear......along with many other types of gear. look at all the packs people posted they are using.....if anything it's more disrespecting to take your pic down

why do you keep trying to classify rokslide as kifaru, that is simply not the case here

 

[Chesapeake]

Sorry folks. I posted my pic and preference and didn't realize this place was kind of an off shoot of the Kif forums. Just didn't want to disrespect anyone especially with my first post.

Its disrespectful to delete an honest post thus removing it from being a usefull piece of opinion/data point for others to use. Likewise its disrespectful to pigeonhole all of us into some closed minded Kifaru fan club when you know nothing about us. Its also disrespectfull to toss out half hearted sideways worded apologies.

In my opinion your first post was good. Its bean down hill since then though. No pun intended.

Reinstate your first post, delete your second, and lets move on.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Yep, we like to have all types of gear and pack users on Rokslide!

Please feel free to post up your photos and thoughts on whatever you're using and why....

We do have a lot of Kifaru users, but we also have Mystery Ranch, Stone Glacier, Kuiu and many others, but none of these users will disrespect someone else for their gear or pack selection.... That is what happens on other sites and we would like to avoid that

Thanks for joining Higbean

 

[Ryan Avery]

Sorry folks. I posted my pic and preference and didn't realize this place was kind of an off shoot of the Kif forums. Just didn't want to disrespect anyone especially with my first post.

We are a site of gear junkies! I have 4 different brands of packs right now, only one is a Kifaru.

Look around buddy there are several threads on many different packs!

Maybe there's not enough drama here for you! No one attacked you for your opinion. I don't get it??

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Sorry folks. I posted my pic and preference and didn't realize this place was kind of an off shoot of the Kif forums. Just didn't want to disrespect anyone especially with my first post.

Aron does work for Kifaru, but that won't make this a Kifaru only site. Many others use a wide variety of gear and speak honestly about it. No disrespect week be taken if
Likea different brand