Kifaru backpack

[Kucher]

Going to be getting a kifaru pack not sure which one yet. Looking for reviews on frame type and different bags. Thanks

 

[hunt406]

The only bag I've tried is the mountain warrior and love it. I have the guide lid with it also. More than big enough for week long backpacking trips. Cinches down well for day hunts too. For my day hunts the main bag is empty with the back pocket of the bag and the guide lid combo a nice size for a day pack.

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[mrbillbrown]

Since I don’t carry a spotter and tripod....and I’m a bit of an overpacker ready for anything kind of guy....I really love my AMR. Don’t have a need for side sleeve pockets and love the way the 3 side straps cinch down the main part of the bag just leaving the 2 back pockets for day gear or quick access items. It’s been the best designed bag for me yet.


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[Jimss]

You might take a look on the Kifaru website or possibly youtube. There are a lot of reviews on Kifaru bags and frames where they go through them in detail. A lot depends upon your style of hunting and use? I've had several bags over the years and prefer the large volume bags with plenty of room. It's possible to cinch down a bag but if your bag is too small you are screwed! I have a Timberline 2 and EMR2 bags. I like the side bags on the EMR for quick access to my spotting scope plus tripod. I also strap my rifle between the side bag and main bag...which adds protection from rocks, etc while hiking. I almost always use the EMR. The Timberline has great features but the bag is a little small for long duration pack trips, turkey decoys, life-sized capes, etc. I really like the guide lid. It is great for quick and easy access to raingear, maps, lunch, headlamp, etc. Kifaru makes a great product!

 

[Kucher]

I am doing my home work. Been watching a lot of videos and reviews. Just looking for a little more insight. Right now my top three would be the crater fulcrum and reckoning.

 

[MikeStrong]

I used a Reckoning with the OGL this year and it worked great for me. In my case it's plenty of pack space. My group does a lot of base camp day hunting so that we can move areas easily, and will spike camp or bivy hunt for 3-4 days max occasionally. The day pack setup is also a configuration that I can work well with. If I was going to be doing longer hunts (or if that comes up in the future) I would have gone with the Fulcrum. I think the day pack setup on the Fulcrum is awesome, I just didn't need the space so I saved the money with the Reckoning.

If you're torn on how much space you will really need, maybe evaluate which day pack configuration will work better for your purpose and preference. Or vice versa. It really all comes down to a personal choice.

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[rbljack]

It would really depend on the type of hunting that your doing. I only have one kifaru bag (just switched over this summer to a duplex frame and reckoning). Technically we have three. I have the reckoning, the wife has a woodsman, and I bought a rambler, but it hasn't even been tried yet. . For me, I looked at a lot of their bags. My hunt type was going to be a 5 day backpack in style hunt, so I wanted a do all bag. One that would hold 5-7 days of gear, and would collapse down for day hunting, be able to carry spotter and tripod, and carry meat when needed without having to go back to camp or the truck to get a meat hauler pack. For me....that choice was the reckoning, with guide lid, with medium belt pouches attached to the main bag, a Nalgene/holder on the left side of the belt, and a med belt pouch on the right, along with the gun bearer for ease of carry.

The pack easily carried my 5 days of gear and was more comfortable doing it than with my previous pack (eberlestock dragonfly). While hunting it collaped down into a day hunting set up with no problem. The other bags I looked at were the EMR2, the Fulcrum (new version of same bag) and the cavern/crater. when I say "looked at" I mean on youtube and on here. We now have a woodsman for the wife, and it works great for her. The center zip on both of those bags is one of the big reasons we went with them. The woodsman is about 13 ounces lighter than the reckoning. If you don't as much room for gear, its a good choice and lighter than the reckoning (assuming you don't need to carry as much gear). I only have experience with those two bags, but maybe that will help you some in your decision. I was on the fence for a LONG time trying to decide. I don't regret my decision though! It was expensive up front, but it worked out real well and was an upgrade compared to our previous bags.

As another person mentioned...go to youtube and do a search for the bags you are interested in. There are lots of reviews of them out there. Aron (from kifaru) also does in depth explanations of each bags layout and function. Jordan budd also does some really good reviews on here and on youtube of a few of the bags. Covers the gear layout, breaks them down into "day mode" and makes comparisons. Enjoy the ride!! LOL

 

[Kucher]

Thanks for your input. I currently have an eberlestock Dragonfly as well. I also want a pack With the meat shelf capability like the reckoning. Glad to hear it was worth upgrading.

 

[rbljack]

Yep...I really like the layout of the dragonfly, but once I had about 40 pounds in it, I didn't like it so much....LOL. Made my shoulders sore and wore me down pretty quick. The duplex frame seemed to carry more comfortable with the weight. You can carry the gun into the slot of a med belt pouch on the back of the bag when needed too, and hold it in place with the center straps/buckles.

 

[Kucher]

I completely agree.

 

[pdp]

great thread

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a fulcrum with a tactical frame, it works great for carrying heavy loads and the frame with a cargo panel is awesome for hauling quarters. My one complaint though is about the sheer weight of the dang thing, it’s like 8.5lbs empty, add the pockets and lids and it’s well over 9 if not 10lbs before you even start packing it.

For all the cool features, it is hard to justify carrying it when a stone glacier pack of similar size is ~ 4-5 lbs lighter for the pack alone.

I like the kifaru pack but the weight is significant, some people don’t care, I’m lucky to have a few different packs. To be honest though, I carry the kifaru less and less, the kifaru was my first real pack and at the time I bought it I really had no idea about anything other than the fulcrum was the newest hottest thing. If I had the experience and knowledge I have now back then, I probably wouldn’t own the kifaru.

I think kifaru makes a good product and is an interesting company but I find fewer and fewer of their products in my arsenal as time goes on.

 

[Dusty2426]

I have a lot of miles in a duplex from and a reckoning bag. No complaints and even was able to make a 10 day out of it. IMO it is one of he best rounded bags as it cinches up real small for day use really well. Having said all that. I jus5 bought a hoodlum and a 44 mag but haven’t put any miles in them yet. But so far packing them and seein how they stuff out I really like them.