Kifaru Gun Bearer Issue - Poor CS Experience?

[Travis Hobbs]

Dude, I’m having a really hard time believing that bent like that with normal use. Crazy....

I have literally been ripped off a snowmobile at 30mph by my barrel hitting a low hanging branch while hooked into a gun bearer with zero damage to my gun bearer/pack.... in fact my gun didn’t even come out. They are bullet proof.


It seems odd you used it for “years” no problem, then all the sudden it fails? Interesting...

 

[30338]

We've used Kifarus and gun bearers for many years and haven't seen that. Only customer service I needed was on one pack I sort of abused training in my younger days. We are using 5 Kifaru packs now and having great success. Aron and his team do great work.

 

[justin davis]

Dude, I’m having a really hard time believing that bent like that with normal use. Crazy....

I have literally been ripped off a snowmobile at 30mph by my barrel hitting a low hanging branch while hooked into a gun bearer with zero damage to my gun bearer/pack.... in fact my gun didn’t even come out. They are bullet proof.


It seems odd you used it for “years” no problem, then all the sudden it fails? Interesting...

My thoughts exactly. I’ve used a Kifaru pack and gun bearer for years. Bending the piece of metal “from Normal use” doesn’t even seem possible. So I’m not sure what the deal is.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Sorry you feel that way but I totally understand where you’re coming from. Our customer service is highly regarded but no one is perfect all of the time. We’ve been doing this for a few decades and have a lot of customers with wonderful experiences. I can understand from this specific thread how you might not see that but it is very important for me that all of our customers walk away happy and feel like they are part of the family. Either way, good luck this season.


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Good stuff Aron. I had the stitching come out of my belt. Luckily I live 20 min from them. I called and they said to bring it in. I walked in and Aron was there and took a look and said “just give him a new belt.” 5 minutes later, after dumping a pound of pine needles on their floor that came out of my belt, they had it swapped out and I was heading up the mountain.

 

[Alexander]

So I have to say I'm pretty disappointed and a bit surprised by Kifaru on this one and I'd like to hear if you guys think I'm being unreasonable. I've had a gun bearer for as long as I've had a Kifaru. Last year I bought one of the Hunter Lite frames and moved my gun bearer over to that frame. I used it last fall elk and deer hunting and by the end of the season the 3-bar slider on the shoulder strap that the upper portion of the gun bearer connects to was bent at an almost 90 degree angle (pictures below). Unfortunately this slider is sewn in so you can't just swap it out.

So I contact Kifaru CS and I just heard from them that they aren't going to do anything about it. They said I can try bending it back to straight with a pair of pliers "to get a little more life out of it" but when it inevitably snaps I would have to buy new shoulder straps from them at full retail price. I'm pretty disappointed by this response. Considering I didn't have this issue with my previous frame using the same gun bearer in the same way with the same weapon (no extra weight on the gun) I don't think this is user error so I was basically expecting them to take care of it.

What do you guys think? I've only had one other warranty issue with Kifaru in the past and they couldn't have handled it better so maybe I'm just expecting too much? Either way I'm not going to try to fight them on this...just curious what you all might think.

Hey,

I'm Alex, the customer service guy you are talking about here.

I can get you some brand new shoulder straps out the door on this coming Monday when i'm back in the office. I'll also try to make sure there are no blemishes or potential wear points/flaws in the three bar slider on the right side. Another thing you might want to do, and that others suggested in this thread is run a universal upper instead of the Kifaru upper. That way it attaches with velcro and won't have a chance of bending the slider.

I could have been more helpful, sorry man

 

[Brightwhite]

Kifaru has been so good to me over the years that when I called the other day to inquire about something and they told me they couldn’t do it, I didn’t even know what to say or how to even respond.

Theyll make it right and this will be a love story in the end I’m sure.

 

[CajunNavy337]

Try posting on the FB kifaru insider group. I would imagine you will get a lot more exposure. Kifaru folks watch the group closely.


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[three5x5s]

I sometime get frustrated with company's customer service also. Then I tell myself to think about how I try to explain something to my wife over the phone (unsuccessfully), or vise versa. I mean really what's the difference between baking powder & baking soda?? They are both powder aren't they? I'll keep giving them a SECOND chance to help ME, and do everything I can on my end to help them understand my issue.

 

[HuntHarder]

I don’t care if it’s attached to the frame or not, if a rifle swaying around or whatever can bend the frame, I don’t want to packing out an elk or antlers on it. I’ve seen loaded packs fall down shale rock slides, doing cart wheels and getting air born with every bounce, and not get “ bent”.

You even hunt BRO!??? Commenting on a situation that you clearly have 0 knowledge of, makes you sound like a complete JACKASS. Bent frame???!!! Go outside, live a little, actually pack an animal out.

 

[MattB]

Someone needs to throw the shovel up out of that hole. Jeez.

 

[Stalker69]

You even hunt BRO!??? Commenting on a situation that you clearly have 0 knowledge of, makes you sound like a complete JACKASS. Bent frame???!!! Go outside, live a little, actually pack an animal out.

GFYS, I hunt a lot and in a few different states. I like things built very well and I read a lot of reviews before I purchase anything. Especially hunting and photo related where I need to depend on such items. So again GFYS, Mr know it all ! Poor customer service is poor customer service, weather is a frame buckle, stitching, clip what ever. Not even saying it should be free, but kinda sounds like he was blowing the guy off, and didn’t even want to help him out.

 

[Aron Snyder]

GFYS, I hunt a lot and in a few different states. I like things built very well and I read a lot of reviews before I purchase anything. Especially hunting and photo related where I need to depend on such items. So again GFYS, Mr know it all ! Poor customer service is poor customer service, weather is a frame buckle, stitching, clip what ever. Not even saying it should be free, but kinda sounds like he was blowing the guy off, and didn’t even want to help him out.

I would definitely research the difference in webbing, buckles and material between kifaru and other brands then. I’ve already talked with Alex (my customer service guy) and we’re obviously handling it. With a little research you’ll find we use the highest grade and most durable components and material that are available. Other companies, not all, will use Asian buckles/webbing and material that are about half as strong. This isn’t opinion but fact based on testing from multiple manufacturers and distributors.

If you read a lot of reviews you’ll find our customer service is normally mentioned as the best in the business, or one of the best but we’re definitely not perfect....we do try to be though. As I’ve already mentioned before, a phone call to me would have had the same outcome as me getting on here....a customer I will definitely take care of. Also, my number is out there for anyone and has been for many years.




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[Ryan Avery]

@HuntHarder
@Stalker69

Read the rules. You have some time now.

 

[Firestone]

 

[Desk Jockey]

I like lamp.

 

[Warmsy]

Damn. I'm impressed with customer service and Aaron handling this. My mind is made up. Next year I'm buying a kifaru pack.

Good job boys.

 

[WRO]

@HuntHarder
@Stalker69

Read the rules. You have some time now.

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[Outlaw99]

GFYS, I hunt a lot and in a few different states. I like things built very well and I read a lot of reviews before I purchase anything. Especially hunting and photo related where I need to depend on such items. So again GFYS, Mr know it all ! Poor customer service is poor customer service, weather is a frame buckle, stitching, clip what ever. Not even saying it should be free, but kinda sounds like he was blowing the guy off, and didn’t even want to help him out.

Whether is a conjunction meaning if. Wether is a neutered goat or sheep. Weather is the state of the atmosphere.

 

[Redleg84]

Just placed my first order with Kifaru yesterday. Customer service like this makes me feel even better about the purchase.

 

[Marbles]

That is odd for the slider to bend, I agree that defective is the only thing that makes sense. Glad to see it will be taken care of.

Defective parts from a supplier can happen to any brand and small parts like that slider will be batch QC'd. Sounds like one slipped through. A visual inspection would not reveal a piece had improper hardening. My guess is they are stamped from dead soft sheet, then hardened and coated. Anyway, it says nothing about Kifaru's quality.

I own a gun bearer that I don't use. That is my only Kifaru product. So I'm not in the fan boy group, but I don't see this as a statement on their quality and the customer service bit got taken care of, which is what matters in the end.

For the people saying "years of use," the part in question is on the pack, not the gun bearer, so it was new and failed in a season of use.