Kifaru 22inch Ultralight Platform Frame Questions

[mfolch]

I was thinking of picking up a late season, but now I'm considering an 22 inch ultralight frame. I would use it for 2-5 night trips with a Tahr or custom bag of roughly the same size.
My questions are: Is the 22 inch frame comfortable with 25-40lbs loads? Does it sag much? I have a g1 express and a 19inch torso; I find that it's comfortable up to 25lbs, but beyond that it sags just enough to put the weight on the shoulders. I also have a 26inch bikini, and it's great for heavy loads, but I find that it's too much frame for shorter trips; I'm looking for something more agile. So I'm wondering whether the 22 inch frame has enough lift and grip with the beefier hip belt to work. Many thanks for the feedback in advance.

 

[Scotto]

Am interested in this as well. Currently have a 26" duplex and looking to get the new frame for that 20-30# range for day trips. 26" works but a little too tall on me at times in the dark timber.

 

[hammer0419]

The new frame is half the thickness of the original and current military duplex. It is not as rigid so it does give some. I find it extremely comfortable light or heavy. Except treestand hunting. I don't think I will every carry anything but my new hunting frame. A big bag for trips and I am going to get the 2000cui Exo for day trips. The hunting frame with stays is quite stable. With the arrow stays it is not nearly as rigid and can barrel some.

As far as a 22" frame goes I wouldn't get it. You have a 19" torso, no way. The new frame is SO SO COMFORTABLE. That 4 extra inches will only help. Not hinder at all. Only a benefit!

 

[luke moffat]

Not to be a Debbie Downer but you don't need a $400-$500 pack to be comfy with 25-40 pounds. For less than half that cost you can get a 2 pound pack that will haul that weight just as well.

 

[PathFinder]

It's going to depend entirely on your height. The frame itself will have zero issues with the weight. I'm only 5'6", and I've packed out as much as 90lbs with it. I had plenty of lift and it handled great. 40lbs isn't much of a load, but I think getting the taller frame is a much better idea if you're much taller than me. As far as being comfortable, the ul frame is great. Climbing ledges and shooting a bow is no problem.

 

[b2one]

I bought a 22" ultralight frame this past season for many of the same reasons - lower profile in the bush, but able to carry a load. I ended up packing out an elk with it in November, and the comfort was better than I expected. Not as good as my 24" duplex, but better on my shoulders than some pack outs I have done with the Mystery Ranch 21" frame. It turned out that the trade-off was not worth having both the 22" and the 24" duplex in my arsenal, so I let go of the 22, but It handled 90 lbs over snow covered, off trail terrain very well. FYI I am 5-10 with an 18" back. I would say look at where you hunt - If you are really doing a lot of ducking and pushing through heavy brush, then the 22" may be worth while, but without that factor the taller frame is definitely better.

 

[mfolch]

Thanks for the many comments.

To Luke's point, which is a concern I feel as well, what led me to kifaru in the first place was my first backpacking/spike camp hunt. On the last day, my buddy downed a buck which we dragged out on the snow for 6 miles to the truck, and then hiked back in to pick up our packs. After ten days, mine (a north face) weighed under 45lbs, but his must have been over 80lbs. So we divided the gear, and it was immediately clear that my lightweight pack could not handle it. For whatever reason, that extra 15-20 lbs was the most excruciating weight I've ever carried.

The next season I purchased a bt1, which is fine for carrying a lot of gear, but I find that it's too inflexible for anything else. When you turn left or right, it feels like you're encased in scaffolding. I use a lighter, roll-top dry sack pack for day hunting. And that leaves me with a gaping hole right in the middle between a huge, rigid pack for packing in 7-10 days of gear and an ultralight sack for day trips.

I've spent two years trying to find something that's light and durable and can work for 3-5 day trips, scouting, hiking, backpacking, etc., but which if I use it on a hunt or end up having to take on unexpected weight I'll not get stuck with the North Face situation I mentioned above. The search has led me to purchase and return or sell a dozen other packs, including Kuiu, Stone Glacier, Gossamer Gear, a custom cuben fiber pack from ULA, a handful of used kifaru packs, and a few others. Nothing carries as well as the bikini, which I nevertheless pretty much hate carrying around for the reasons I mentioned, and I've been thinking of the new frames, which, I 've read, are vertically stiff but pivot and flex with one's upper body.

Anyway, you have all convinced me not to purchase the 22inch frame, which means the search continues...Now I'm thinking I'll do something like this: https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/80607/

 

[luke moffat]

Sorry I thought you stated you only wanted to carry 25-40 pounds in your first post. If you plan on carrying more than that a larger pack with a taller frame is what I prefer. 2" of stay height wont make or break a hunt. We have some of the thickest brush around in Alaska and my wife and two wander all over with a 26" frame backpack.

For me the Kuiu Ultra 6k at well under 4 pounds is plenty comfy up to 80 pounds and is a bit more low pro than my 26" frame Kifaru. Just depends on what the expect to end up carrying if successful.

Again I apologize for my confusion in thinking you were only looking to carry 25-40 pounds.

 

[mfolch]

No apologies necessary! I wasn't being clear--base weight 25-40, with the possibility of having to go up...

 

[russ_outdoors]

mfolch,

Looks like you've tried all of the usual packs. My needs are similar to yours... And as much as it humbles me to say, I only carry out an animal every few years if I'm lucky, literally. I ended up getting a custom McHale pack made about 5 years ago and I still haven't found anything that beats it in the weight/load carrying/fit categories. I essentially designed it around my usual base load specs (weight and volume) and had Dan upgrade the suspension for the occasional heavy load.