Kifaru or Mystery Ranch? And why?

[twintips16]

Where are you finding MR's frame extender? I checked their website and could not find one.

Nevermind, I found it.

He is a company that makes aftermarket lifters for the mystery ranch.

I have seen both and carried both and kifaru is hands down a winner on my back.

http://oneirosvalley.com/products/g2-load-lifter-panel-llp

 

[AZCoues]

I find the Kifaru suspension to be the most comfortable of hunting packs on the market. Take a look at the Highcamp bag as well - similar but IMO better than the Longhunter bag (i.e. better sleeping bag compartment zipper configuration). I did not like the NICE frame due to the lack of functional load lifters, but they may have solved for that with the extender.

Thanks for the tip on the Highcamp. Did you add any additional exterior pockets to your pack?

 

[Big Sky]

He is a company that makes aftermarket lifters for the mystery ranch.

I have seen both and carried both and kifaru is hands down a winner on my back.

http://oneirosvalley.com/products/g2-load-lifter-panel-llp

MR also now makes their own extender. I haven't seen it on the website but when I was in the store last week you could look at them.
I think that with either extender it makes the crew cab the most veritable hunting pack out there. From a heavy hauling day pack to over nite trips, you are covered. I have stayed three nights with the crew cab without the day pack lid. I think with the lid and ultra lite grear you could comfortably do five or possibly seven.

 

[MattB]

The only external pocket I use regularly is a belt pouch (camera, wind indicator, chitter paper, snack), but I do use a Longhunter lid (~1,000 ci) rather than the standard lid for the things I needed ready access to. Exterior pockets do not fit *my* packing style very well, but others really like Kifaru's modularity. Organizationally, I use dry bags for my clothing and sleeping bag when travelling. I have used one of the new hanging meat bags to keep my rain gear and food out of the bottom of the pack and give it some extra weather protection.

 

[wyodan]

MR also now makes their own extender. I haven't seen it on the website but when I was in the store last week you could look at them.
I think that with either extender it makes the crew cab the most veritable hunting pack out there. From a heavy hauling day pack to over nite trips, you are covered. I have stayed three nights with the crew cab without the day pack lid. I think with the lid and ultra lite grear you could comfortably do five or possibly seven.

If you do a Google search for the extender, it will take you to MR's items in progress page. That's where I found it. I think it is a little lighter that the Oneiros Valley one, but I'm not sure.

 

[Lawnboi]

Thanks for the tip on the Highcamp. Did you add any additional exterior pockets to your pack?

The only accessory that is a must have is the grab it. The rest are all nice, but not needed. Pods, belt pockets, long pockets, lids are all nice and work well. I have a handful of kifaru pockets to put on my highcamp. But I only put them on as I want, or need based on the trip.

 

[MattB]

The only accessory that is a must have is the grab it. The rest are all nice, but not needed. Pods, belt pockets, long pockets, lids are all nice and work well. I have a handful of kifaru pockets to put on my highcamp. But I only put them on as I want, or need based on the trip.

As a bowhunter, the grab-it (in combination with a lash strap) is a must have for carrying a bow on pack for packing in and packing out - my UL grab-it is always on. If I was a gun hunter I probably wouldn't use it very much, but it can be nice for carrying a jacket, etc. or carrying gear outside your pack if you have meat inside and the weight penalty is nominal.

 

[wapitibob]

Guess I should have spent the money and finalized the patent on my Nice frame "weight Jacker" a few years ago...

 

[IrishnId]

I fractured a few vertebrae in my lower back when I was 19, ever since then any weight on my shoulders or back got downright painful in a hurry. I gave up sightseeing backpacking about two years after. I started bow hunting about that time and ran thru fanny packs and small daypacks like crazy trying to find a good fitting one. I used a Kelty for a few overnight bow hunting trips, but was always really lucky I didn't kill anything that had to be packed out. This year after a bunch of posts and my own research on Kifaru I purchased a HC bag with bikini frame. I went on my first 5 day hunting trip with it and was blown away! The ability to put all of the weight on my hips was a godsend. I've seen people say that with weight every pack will be uncomfortable. I call BS, my pack was never uncomfortable, even packing elk quarters out. Was I fatigued and tired , and sore? You betcha! My pack had a kill kit and two liters of water with one bone in rear elk quarter, one bone in front shoulder quarter, all the back strap meat, and some neck meat in one trip. It was heavy, my legs worked hard my arms worked hard pulling me up a few banks. But comfort was never a problem. Sorry for the speech. Good luck on yer search.

 

[fillthefreezer]

IMO better than the Longhunter bag (i.e. better sleeping bag compartment zipper configuration).

kinda funny, im 180* from this, i find the HC sleeing bag zipper useless and much prefer the opening on my timberline or when i had a longhunter (my wifes bag is a HC)

 

[SDHNTR]

Man, that extender is a contraption! Functional I'd imagine, and I sure would like more lift out of my CC, but I hunt in brushy country too much and that thing looks like a serious obstruction.

 

[MattB]

kinda funny, im 180* from this, i find the HC sleeing bag zipper useless and much prefer the opening on my timberline or when i had a longhunter (my wifes bag is a HC)

Different stroke for different folks. I usually put my clothing and sleeping bags in stuff sacks at the bottom of the pack. With the Longhunter/straight zipper, I would have to empty the pack from the top to get them out (they would not fit out through the straight zipper, or at least not very easily), whereas it is pretty easy to pull stuff out of the Highcamp's "C" shaped zipper.

 

[fillthefreezer]

Different stroke for different folks. I usually put my clothing and sleeping bags in stuff sacks at the bottom of the pack. With the Longhunter/straight zipper, I would have to empty the pack from the top to get them out (they would not fit out through the straight zipper, or at least not very easily), whereas it is pretty easy to pull stuff out of the Highcamp's "C" shaped zipper.

i pack my bag and bivy in drysack, then my pad, and tent all get loaded there then zipped, load the rest from the top. cant fit them through the c shaped zipper and have to load everything from the top.

 

[MattB]

i pack my bag and bivy in drysack, then my pad, and tent all get loaded there then zipped, load the rest from the top. cant fit them through the c shaped zipper and have to load everything from the top.

I think it all comes down to the orientation of the gear relative to the opening as to which works better. I put the stuff sacks in vertically side by side so they look like an "8" from above, and pack my pad and tent vertically in the space in between. It all comes out the C shaped opening pretty easily. That would not be the case if I packed a tent horizontally at the bottom of my pack.

 

[wapitibob]

I put all my gear in stuff sacks and load them in the GenII hanging meat bag. Bag and pad would be too big for that but sinching down around the meat bag left the lower zipper compartment on the Highcamp assessable for stashing gloves, headlamp and outerwear as day progressed.

The lifter extension is behind your head, pretty much out of the way for most conditions. My gripe with the Nice frame bags is they just sit way too low.

 

[Bambistew]

My take... The MR is way more durable, the Kifaru is lighter. Take your pick...

I have a MR 6500 and CC, as well as Bikini/Highcamp 7000 set up. The jury is still out with me. I've used the MR for about 8-9 years, usually on multiple 10-14 day trips each year, as well as many day trips. I've only used the Kifaru on two hunts, a 10 day sheep hunt and a quick caribou trip.

My only complaint about the 6500 is the weight. Fits me fine, and can load it up to pack more weight than I ever want to... I've packed tons of meat in it, literally... The pack can handle way more than my knees can.

The main selling point for me with the HC/Bikini over the 6500 is weight. I'm always looking at ways to cut weight. Currently I'm about out of options... my wallet and wife are both happy about that. A side bonus is the j-hook set up. Pretty sweet to have basically unlimited lash points.

I like that the Kifaru is about 4lbs lighter, but so far the durability has been iffy. The belt 'power pull' doesn't work, the belt strap slips sideways when you pull. Sure I can work with it, but for $$$ it should work and Kifaru offered to make it right.

I broke one of the plastic slider buckles on about the second day of real use. One of the shoulder straps has a small tear in it at a seam. Uh what else...

You can't chinch down the pack like you can the 6500, not even close... I was to the point that I was afraid to pull any harder, as I think the webbing would rip off the pack where it's sewn on the body, or at a minimum break another plastic buckle. I'd pull the strap with one hand and cinch it up with the other... can't just horse on the tag end and get it tight like the 6500.

The roll top design doesn't stay closed unless you have a bit of gear in it, otherwise it comes unwound while hiking. Not a big deal, but after crawling through alders and spruce trees, its not cool to find a pack full of leaves and needles.

Better/easier access for a spotter would be a bonus. I didn't think this would bother me that much, but having to dig it out all the time is a serious PITA, and even worse when the pack is half full. I really like that the 6500 has a pocket on the front so I can stuff my spotter/tripod into for easy access. Didn't really like the option of strapping it to the outside of the pack, but I'm sure that would work too.

The lack of a divider between the sleeping bag area and the main section took a bit to get used to, but it worked ok. Having an extra set of chinch straps was a must for me. The lower chinch has to be sucked up to keep heavy stuff from migrating to the bottom of the pack, and if you want to chinch it up you need that center strap.

IMO the Highcamp could benefit from a compression strap across the top, similar to the 6500. I use it quite often, and found myself wishing it was in the HC bag. Sure is nice to have an extra lash point across the top, or to pull the top portion of the bag up to the frame when loaded.

The shoulder strap fit is great on the Bikini, and the pack is very comfortable. Not sure its really any more comfortable than the 6500 though. I ran them both alternating days all summer long with a 60lb bag of sand. No clear winner for me.

 

[fillthefreezer]

My take... The MR is way more durable, the Kifaru is lighter. Take your pick...

sounds like quite of few of your small dislikes would have played right into loving a timberline bag.. .02

 

[MattB]

Better/easier access for a spotter would be a bonus. I didn't think this would bother me that much, but having to dig it out all the time is a serious PITA, and even worse when the pack is half full. I really like that the 6500 has a pocket on the front so I can stuff my spotter/tripod into for easy access. Didn't really like the option of strapping it to the outside of the pack, but I'm sure that would work too.

The lack of a divider between the sleeping bag area and the main section took a bit to get used to, but it worked ok. Having an extra set of chinch straps was a must for me. The lower chinch has to be sucked up to keep heavy stuff from migrating to the bottom of the pack, and if you want to chinch it up you need that center strap.

IMO the Highcamp could benefit from a compression strap across the top, similar to the 6500. I use it quite often, and found myself wishing it was in the HC bag. Sure is nice to have an extra lash point across the top, or to pull the top portion of the bag up to the frame when loaded.

The shoulder strap fit is great on the Bikini, and the pack is very comfortable. Not sure its really any more comfortable than the 6500 though. I ran them both alternating days all summer long with a 60lb bag of sand. No clear winner for me.

Reading your post, I couldn't help but wonder why you bought the Highcamp bag rather than the Timberline bag, given the Timberline has most fo the features you desire (tripod pocket, sleeping bag divider I believe, and over the top strap). It is a bit heavier than the Highcamp, but still well lighter than the 6500.

 

[AZCoues]

Decisions, decisions.

There are a lot of great points and experience in this thread. I will try to get into Kifaru and see how their frames fit my back/body configuration and go from there. I'd like to do the same with MR, but I don't get to MT as often as Denver, unfortunately.

It sounds like if I do decide on Kifaru, the Bikini frame is the way to go?

 

[AZCoues]

My take... The MR is way more durable, the Kifaru is lighter. Take your pick...

I have a MR 6500 and CC, as well as Bikini/Highcamp 7000 set up. The jury is still out with me. I've used the MR for about 8-9 years, usually on multiple 10-14 day trips each year, as well as many day trips. I've only used the Kifaru on two hunts, a 10 day sheep hunt and a quick caribou trip.

My only complaint about the 6500 is the weight. Fits me fine, and can load it up to pack more weight than I ever want to... I've packed tons of meat in it, literally... The pack can handle way more than my knees can.

The main selling point for me with the HC/Bikini over the 6500 is weight. I'm always looking at ways to cut weight. Currently I'm about out of options... my wallet and wife are both happy about that. A side bonus is the j-hook set up. Pretty sweet to have basically unlimited lash points.

I like that the Kifaru is about 4lbs lighter, but so far the durability has been iffy. The belt 'power pull' doesn't work, the belt strap slips sideways when you pull. Sure I can work with it, but for $$$ it should work and Kifaru offered to make it right.

I broke one of the plastic slider buckles on about the second day of real use. One of the shoulder straps has a small tear in it at a seam. Uh what else...

You can't chinch down the pack like you can the 6500, not even close... I was to the point that I was afraid to pull any harder, as I think the webbing would rip off the pack where it's sewn on the body, or at a minimum break another plastic buckle. I'd pull the strap with one hand and cinch it up with the other... can't just horse on the tag end and get it tight like the 6500.

The roll top design doesn't stay closed unless you have a bit of gear in it, otherwise it comes unwound while hiking. Not a big deal, but after crawling through alders and spruce trees, its not cool to find a pack full of leaves and needles.

Better/easier access for a spotter would be a bonus. I didn't think this would bother me that much, but having to dig it out all the time is a serious PITA, and even worse when the pack is half full. I really like that the 6500 has a pocket on the front so I can stuff my spotter/tripod into for easy access. Didn't really like the option of strapping it to the outside of the pack, but I'm sure that would work too.

The lack of a divider between the sleeping bag area and the main section took a bit to get used to, but it worked ok. Having an extra set of chinch straps was a must for me. The lower chinch has to be sucked up to keep heavy stuff from migrating to the bottom of the pack, and if you want to chinch it up you need that center strap.

IMO the Highcamp could benefit from a compression strap across the top, similar to the 6500. I use it quite often, and found myself wishing it was in the HC bag. Sure is nice to have an extra lash point across the top, or to pull the top portion of the bag up to the frame when loaded.

The shoulder strap fit is great on the Bikini, and the pack is very comfortable. Not sure its really any more comfortable than the 6500 though. I ran them both alternating days all summer long with a 60lb bag of sand. No clear winner for me.

Thank you for your candid responses. You are a lucky man to call AK home!