kifaru for mobile gear hauling setup?

[d_rek]

Hi All,

I'm piecing together a modular kifaru system for gear hauling for public land DIY hunts and am torn between a dedicated pack and just getting various sized pockets for my gear hauling setup.

Right now here's what i'm thinking:

• frame (have not decided which one yet, but leaning towards the ultra lites)
• cargo panel or cargo net
• Native or Guide Lid
• Grab It

OR

• frame
• cargo panel or cargo net
• shape charge, urban ruck, or urban zippy

As stated this will primarily be a gear hauling setup. I'd like to sandwich treestand + sticks between the frame and the front of the cargo panel, and affix a bag/pockets to the cargo panel. I don't necessarily need to detach the pack and haul it up into a tree, but rather stash layers + gear while keeping them protected from brush and whatnot, so i'd typically be unloading it at the base of the tree.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
d_rek

 

[*zap*]

What is your 'gear' list? Whitetail or elk?

 

[slaton]

I use an Apollo with and ultra lite frame and a guide lid. My 12 year old daughter hunts with me some times and I can carry 2 lock on stands and a set of lone wolf stick. I put the stands between frame and bag. The Apollo and guide lid give me plenty of room to carry all we need. Safety harness, rain gear, kill kit, snacks, iPad, and miscellaneous hunting items. I’ll leave the frame and Apollo at the base of tree and carry the guide lid up with the stuff we might need in the tree.


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[d_rek]

What is your 'gear' list? Whitetail or elk?

This is for whitetail.

A realistic mid-to-late season inventory looks something like this:
4 x beast-style dual step sticks
1 x saddle hunting platform (predator)
1 x hunting saddle + ropes, biners, etc. (mantis)
1 x 32oz nalgene
1 x headlamp
1 x flashlight
1 x hunting knife
1 x tags, zipties, ziploc baggies
1 x midweight layer
1 x puffy jacket
1 x shell layer
1 x insulated parka/jacket

I'm probably topping out around 20-ish lbs most hunts. I know the hauling capability of most western framepacks is overkill for my setup but i'll happily pay for comfort and modularity of the system.

 

[d_rek]

I use an Apollo with and ultra lite frame and a guide lid. My 12 year old daughter hunts with me some times and I can carry 2 lock on stands and a set of lone wolf stick. I put the stands between frame and bag. The Apollo and guide lid give me plenty of room to carry all we need. Safety harness, rain gear, kill kit, snacks, iPad, and miscellaneous hunting items. I’ll leave the frame and Apollo at the base of tree and carry the guide lid up with the stuff we might need in the tree.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How do you like the apollo? I was looking at that pack alongside the native. Native looks a little 'deep' without side or front zipper access, but since I won't be hauling it up the tree it's not as much of an issue. Really it's just a gear bag to keep things in during my hikes.

I plan on using the guidelid exactly as you describe.

 

[slaton]

How do you like the apollo? I was looking at that pack alongside the native. Native looks a little 'deep' without side or front zipper access, but since I won't be hauling it up the tree it's not as much of an issue. Really it's just a gear bag to keep things in during my hikes.

I plan on using the guidelid exactly as you describe.

The Apollo is handy. I just bought my daughter a native cause she wanted a pack like dads. It is a cool pack but I do like the front zipper on the Apollo for the easy access to gear. The arrow pocket is also handy for the AR. My daughter will hunt with the ar pistol in 7.62x39 sometimes and it makes carrying it easy to. I looked to see but don’t have any pictures of my setup loaded.


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[GMC]

Pretty sure I answered your other thread but I'll repeat. A gen 1 nomad and grab it would work perfectly for you. You could use a guide lid, compression kit, and grab it also. I had a cargo net for a time and think it would be a pita for getting a stand in and out of, I'd go cargo panel before net.

 

[*zap*]

This is for whitetail.



I'm probably topping out around 20-ish lbs most hunts. I know the hauling capability of most western framepacks is overkill for my setup but i'll happily pay for comfort and modularity of the system.

I just received an x curve and will try to mount my filbe pack body to in in a manner that I can still use the load shelf but have not gotten to seeing how that will go. That frame is light and has more than adequate compression straps attached to it but you need to provide buckles. Plus the load shelf is on the frame from the factory. I will be using it for stand or saddle this fall if it makes it thru the trial stage over the next few weeks. Thought about getting a Kifaru but went with stone glacier. Filbe pack body is similar to some of the kifaru packs as far as style but a lot less expensive. The filbe frame/suspension is no where near the better frames.....I think your going to be happy with the better frame.

 

[stump06]

Grab-it and lid would be pretty low profile and get the job done. If you needed a little extra room you could get the Sherman pocket. A guide lid w/ large pocket and a Sherman pocket would hold everything you listed and you won't even feel it with the Kifaru frame. I have an OGL lid and Sherman and will probably run that in Co this year as we day hunt a good bit and it will be perfect.

 

[Tim B.]

I was in the same boat, called kifaru, they recommended a 22 mag on a 24in duplex tactical frame, I also added a grab it to the order, still waiting for it to be shipped,

 

[varidgerunner]

I like your first option. I personally use a cargo panel in situations similar as yours. I also concur, that a nomad would foot the bill as well

 

[w33kend_warrior]

In the same boat, I like the wing design packs and think the nomad with with grab it would be very versatile. However I honestly I think a frame will be way overkill and make it difficult to move through brush. Used to have a XOP Air Raid and keep getting hung up on brush from the corners of the bracket at my shoulders. Changed to a Lone Wolf Assault II which helped as it is narrower but still a bit of a pain. I think you will have this same issue with the frame if you are in a thick area. Used a saddle last year and enjoyed it a lot. My current plan is the Eberlestock x2 (not fully committed it yet) with the frame pack or cart/sled in the car to get the deer out.

 

[d_rek]

In the same boat, I like the wing design packs and think the nomad with with grab it would be very versatile. However I honestly I think a frame will be way overkill and make it difficult to move through brush. Used to have a XOP Air Raid and keep getting hung up on brush from the corners of the bracket at my shoulders. Changed to a Lone Wolf Assault II which helped as it is narrower but still a bit of a pain. I think you will have this same issue with the frame if you are in a thick area. Used a saddle last year and enjoyed it a lot. My current plan is the Eberlestock x2 (not fully committed it yet) with the frame pack or cart/sled in the car to get the deer out.

I run a saddle too and the biggest issue wasn't the frame but the height of the climbing sticks (original unmodified lone wolf sticks) I used. They stuck up slightly above my head and would occasionally get caught up on branches and whatnot. I'm running short sticks this year with aiders so we'll see if I have the same issue.

I've got a cargo panel, native, an organizer guide lid, and medium pouches to work with right now. Just trying to secure a used frame with a large belt though might have to go with a new one since they seem to be rather scarce in the used market. Setup looks promising though I haven't entirely figured out which pieces i'm going to run yet.

Idea was to sandwich heavy items between cargo panel and frame and affix bag/pockets to the cargo panel. One thing I haven't quite figured out is how I will get the native to attach to the cargo panel since it seems like it's designed to attacked to pack exteriors and not molle webbing. I'm sure I can figure it out but at a glance it doesn't appear designed to attach to the cargo panel easily.

 

[mcseal2]

I got a Kifaru 26" tactical frame, Nomad 2, Guide lid, and Grab It 2. I often run it without the lid. I got it for the moose hunt last year after talking to other hunters that packed really awkward loads like their inflatable boat and motor across short distances to access other waters. I haven't used it like you describe but it would work. A buddy that borrowed it had his Double bull blind, turkey decoys, chair, all his stuff strapped in it and it worked.

I use my Exo 3500 most times when I don't need that capacity. The Kifaru is sure nice to have back at the truck for extra meat loads though. I can have the batwing pockets loaded up with water bottles and just throw my emergency kit in on top and head back in. It's easier and handier than unloading the Exo and reloading it to go back in, plus it handles the skull and other awkward loads easier. Both packs are great but the Kifaru hip belt is much easier to get and keep really tight to me.

 

[wesfromky]

I use a 22mag on a 22" frame for pretty much the same setup as you. I added a blaze orange grab-it to help hold the sticks in place, but it will work without it. I am 5'7", but use the 22" frame since it is easier to move through the thicker areas I hunt.

I added a blaze orange shermen last spring, so probably will run that this year vs the grab-it that I moved to my hellcat.

 

[DLIP]

I use a Metcalf and stuff my LW between bag and frame then lash my sticks behind the main bag. Works great.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I used a woodsman on a 22” frame for a season. It did fine but I was never crazy about the fit of the frames. I swapped it for a mystery ranch pop up 28.