Kifaru medium / small belt difference

[Mk7mmSTW]

after a lot of research I ordered a duplex frame with DT2 bag and a bunch of acc. when the sale was going on. It arrived a few days ago and the belt feels a little small. I'm a solid 34-34.5 waist and when I called they recommended a small. Well even when I have it locked down to the point of not breathing, I'm still 3 inches on each side of buckle. When I wear it regular it is pretty far apart. I run MR packs and a small fits me perfect.
I'm leaving tmrw on a bison hunt in Jackson and plan on using the pack which worries me cause kifaru will exchange me if it's unused from what I understand. My question is, does anyone have both a small and a medium belt and could tell me how much longer the medium is? I like my belt to be right close to maxed out at the buckle and 3-4 inches on each side at full lock down is still a little wide.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

The reason I'm asking is I want to use the new pack the next couple days as I got my old one cleaned up and for sale and I really don't want to clean all that bison blood out of it again. if the medium belt is only 1-2 inches longer on each side, I'll swap for the medium but if it's 2-4 inches longer I'll just stick with that I got as I would need a smedium.

 

[camping1601]

I'm a 33-34 waist depending on the time of year. I stared with small belt as per Kifaru's recommendations. I had problems with pulls and ended up getting a small-medium. I still can't bottom out smedium no matter how tight I make it.

With the small I had tons of room between the two ends. My guess is you could use a smedium.

 

[camping1601]

You could just use it for your trip and deal with it after the trip. Always seems to be WTT in the classifieds on belts. After your trip trade for a med. and see if it what you want. If not sell it and get the smedium.

As for trading you'll have to make sure your trading for one like your's with the new pull design.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

I'm a 33-34 waist depending on the time of year. I stared with small belt as per Kifaru's recommendations. I had problems with pulls and ended up getting a small-medium. I still can't bottom out smedium no matter how tight I make it.

With the small I had tons of room between the two ends. My guess is you could use a smedium.

Did they make you a smedium custom? Or did you just run a medium?

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

You could just use it for your trip and deal with it after the trip. Always seems to be WTT in the classifieds on belts. After your trip trade for a med. and see if it what you want. If not sell it and get the smedium.

As for trading you'll have to make sure your trading for one like your's with the new pull design.

Yeah I probably will. They had a green set up in stock and ready to ship so I said I'll take it, not sure how common the green will be to find a trade but we will see!

 

[camping1601]

Did they make you a smedium custom? Or did you just run a medium?

I had to order a small-med. They make them custom but it's not a big deal at all.

Your waist is a touch bigger than mine and if I were you I wouldn't settle for a small in the long run. My .02 anyway

 

[camping1601]

Yeah I probably will. They had a green set up in stock and ready to ship so I said I'll take it, not sure how common the green will be to find a trade but we will see!

Just make sure you get the new style pulls in a trade. I'm guessing all the RG stuff is gonna be new style.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

I had to order a small-med. They make them custom but it's not a big deal at all.

Your waist is a touch bigger than mine and if I were you I wouldn't settle for a small in the long run. My .02 anyway

How long ago did you have them make it for you? Going to call in the AM to try and get the ball rolling on one.

 

[camping1601]

Rough guess I'd say 8 weeks?

 

[mauidiver]

I'm going through the same issue. Started with a medium when I first got my pack last year (not updated buckle thing) and it was a bit to big when carrying over 40-50 pounds...Just felt I needed to give it a bit more tighter, but was already bottomed out. I traded it in for a small and used it about 10 times but it just didn't feel like it was wrapping around my hip enough and looked like it was working harder then it should. It worked, but it was working hard and I feel it should wrap just a touch more around my hip. I talked with frank last week to order a smedium size and he said with the new buckle the medium should tighten better then my first one. So I followed what he recommended and ordered a medium. I'm a 34 waist and should have it tomorrow I believe. Frank is a stand up homeboy and took care of me. Now if it works as he said it should, he's the man.....if not....Oh man....I'm comin after you frank.... joking of course. I'll follow up with the fit when I get it.

 

[Gumbo]

I'm a 33-34 waist depending on the time of year. I stared with small belt as per Kifaru's recommendations. I had problems with pulls and ended up getting a small-medium. I still can't bottom out smedium no matter how tight I make it.

With the small I had tons of room between the two ends. My guess is you could use a smedium.

I am the same waist and also started small and switched to smedium. Works great for me too.

 

[blackah02]

I'm not sure about the newest belts but the difference between the older Small and Medium is around 4". Small belt wing pads measure approximately 10" and the Medium 12". I'm going through the same thing. 34" waist and might have to request a Small/Medium custom.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

Just got off the phone with kifaru, they emailed a call tag for my small and are starting on my smedium. I gave him my size info and he said they would brew up a smedium and send it out. Hard to complain with that service!

 

[wind gypsy]

I had this same dilemma. I wear 33 or 34 waist pants and my Small feels too small and puts pressure on my hip pointers. I called Kifaru about a smedium based on Camping1601's posts in a previous thread here and was told they don't make them anymore by Frank. I bought a Medium off the classifieds, hoping it works well.

 

[bruno59]

I just got a e-mail from frank at kifaru and he said they do not make the s/m belts anymore so I will have to try a medium because the small is to small and I have a 33 waist going to send my small back hope the medium works

 

[Tsnider]

yeah i ordered a smedium on black friday, they told me to order a small and put in the notes i needed a small/medium. it showed up and it was basically identical to my small. they told me they dont make them anymore, and that the new way the belt cinches doesnt require the inbetween size. my problem was the pad about wore through my hip on the first and only hike ive done with my setup.

Frank said if it doesnt work out they will get a medium sent out. i wont be able to give it test run for a few weeks. now with snow on the ground i cant test it the same way to find out, im sure this spring if it doesnt work out they will still trade me out though.

 

[TheCougar]

Hmmm. I got a smedium in early November and I added a solid 1 inch per side over the small. A definite improvement for me. I could probably get away with a medium without bottoming it out. After seeing the small, I would say it is for super skinny or small guys. I fell in the small measurement range, but the tension locks were right over my hip bones and they were too small.

 

[pew]

TheCougar, how long would you say your "wings" are from the tip of the pad to the side of the lumbar pad? I ordered a "smedium" and just received it and am wondering if i got a small as i feel a good deal of discomfort at the front of my hips w/ 60lbs in the pack. My wings are 11" BTW. Thanks in advance!

 

[camping1601]

TheCougar, how long would you say your "wings" are from the tip of the pad to the side of the lumbar pad? I ordered a "smedium" and just received it and am wondering if i got a small as i feel a good deal of discomfort at the front of my hips w/ 60lbs in the pack. My wings are 11" BTW. Thanks in advance!

Are you looking for this measurement in a small? I have a brand new small I could measure.