Kifaru Reckoning ongoing review - any interest?

[Wilderlife]

Hi all,

After ordering a Kifaru Reckoning and Duplex lite frame (as well as some pockets) during the big Kifaru sale I finally got it in my hands. Went out hunting with my wife for a couple of days and we killed a goat, two pigs and a deer. I packed two of them back to camp in my bag and she used her new to her (old to me) Exo K2 frame, with a new (unused) 2000 bag that I got off a mate to replace the 5500 bag.

Firstly, I think I might put together a video about my K2 and 5500 as it's had four and a half years of abuse. Not so much giving any information that might drive Exo forward as the K2 and 5500 are largely redundant now, but maybe just sharing some thoughts on it, things I like, things I'd change, and go into some detail about the life it's had. I have a real soft spot for it as it's been with me through many hunts and adventures and never skipped a beat.

Secondly, for the sake of my own interest I'd like to keep track of exactly how many animals I pack out with the Reckoning, and keep a bit of a record of how many adventures it's been on. Would there be any interest on this forum (mainly because this forum is full of gear heads) in me having a small video series (as well as pictures and written thoughts) going into detail about ongoing thoughts and use of my new pack system? The versatility of the Reckoning was one of the reasons I went for it during the sales, but the last few days have confirmed this even more. I've seen people say they don't like how many straps it has and I can understand that, but after a bit of initial mucking around with it I'm hugely impressed and can't wait to get after it some more.

Let me know either way. I'm not a big name in the industry and I'm not trying to become a big influencer or anything. I just appreciate authentic gear reviews coming from people with the miles on the gear. I'm also lucky to live in a country where I could pack out deer every weekend of the year if I chose to so I like to think I can put this bag to the test pretty well.

I'll add some pictures to this thread once I've edited them to have something half-interesting in here from the start. If people aren't keen on the ongoing thing we can just let the thread die.

Cheers.

 

[Rufus]

I’d be interested in this.
Thanks. -Rufus

 

[Wilderlife]

Cheers mate. I'll see how this thread develops.

Firstly, a couple of pics from around camp with my ASL. I'll have to go back through some threads to have a look at who posted pictures of their Reckoning in 'day pack mode'. I set mine up very similar and it was a great way to compress it when not wanting to carry a whole lot of gear. The zipper being all the way down the front and able to be opened from the top or bottom was also something that made things convenient. All I was carrying was some camera gear, nalgene, knives and game bags.





My wife shot a boar and we took his back legs back to camp and we'll boil them out for our dogs to eat. A very easy load to carry but my first time getting the bag dirty.

 

[Rufus]

Hey Wilderlife. I’m always interested in seeing how people are setting up and using their packs, so will be following. I have and older reckoning that I bought used. I have limited experience with it so far, but really like it. Does yours have a water bladder sleeve on the inside? Mine does not. I believe that they originally planned to have people put their bladders between the bag and frame. Had heard that they may have changed this recently and put sleeves on the inside now. Just curious if that happened. Thank you. -Rufus

 

[Wilderlife]

Yeh, I just checked and the water bladder sleeve is on the inside. I've moved away from using water bladders in the last year or two but think I might go back. Nalgenes on the outside of a pack are convenient in some ways (and I have a nalgene pouch on my Kifaru quiver I can take off and put on the pack if I need to) but if you have a couple stuffed down side pockets the compression can get messy. On this last hunt I just carried one nalgene inside the pack itself as I was never too far from camp.

Please excuse the mess and guitar gear in these photos. They just give an example of how the pack is loaded for big trips compared to day pack style. As you can see, I also got the guide lid in Xpac, two M belt pouches in Xpac and one regular M pouch.

Long trip setup.




Compressed for day use. Empty.


Stuffed with sleeping bags for the sake of filling it out, sitting next to an Exo 2000 on a K2 frame. Note the K clips on the bottom of the Reckoning to hold the bottom in tight so there is less chance of stuff falling to the bottom and sagging out. That's part of the idea I got off the other Rokslide user.


A couple more pictures from our last hunt. Again, an easy load to carry, but a load nevertheless. Back legs and backstraps off a fallow spiker. Shoulders and heart were blown up.

 

[Rufus]

Hey Wilderlife. Would you be able to open your reckoning and take a photo of the water bladder sleeve? Wondering if they put any mollie or other attachment points above or below the sleeve. I really like my old reckoning, but always wanted a sleeve so I could keep my 6 liter storage bladder in there and a couple attachment points so I could use a grab it inside as a internal load sling. I think the 44 mag is set up this way.
Thank you. -Rufus

 

[Wilderlife]

I'll try and remember to get some good ones this weekend, mate.

 

[montanafisherman25]

[mention]Wilderlife [/mention] Nice review! I just picked up a reckoning bag on a holiday sale and am now looking out for a frame sale. This is my first Kifaru purchase and I was messing with the bag and love the idea of using a k-clip to keep the bottom of the bag more contained during day hunt stuff. I had always loved the reckoning but never pulled the trigger on it until now knowing that there is a bladder sleeve inside. I can add some pics too here shortly of the bladder sleeve.
Anyways thanks for the review post. Figured I would chime in on my brief enjoyment of the bag as well but not trying to highjack your post by any means

 

[sheepaholic]

I love my Reckoning this is it on a 10 day back pack stone sheep hunt, to me this bag is perfect for all Northern bc hunting I love the full zipper down the front and the side pockets and the organizer lid is awesome as well.

 

[Wilderlife]

Thanks for more interest in this thread, fellas.

I completely forgot it existed as I haven't been out hunting for a few weeks (which is unusual for me). I'll try to remember to get some good pictures of the bladder pouches soon.

I got a compound bow recently and also got access to a good hunting property even closer to home where I shouldn't have too much trouble getting some goats on the ground and hiking them back to my vehicle with this pack.

Work is still pretty crazy for the next two weeks and then I'm off for about six weeks so this space should fill up with some good information/experience/content shortly.

 

[Wilderlife]

I went on a quick overnight backpack into some new country to check it out over the weekend and got a few pictures.

Water bladder pouch on the inside. Note how easy access to the bag is with the big centre zip. I know Snyder and many others like the access the Hoodlum gives better but the Reckoning like this is perfect for me.


Using the straps on the back to carry my tripod.


You can see my Landcruiser in the distance. This picture was taken from camp.


Once I'd hiked far enough for the day and I wanted to have a camp. I liked running it like this with the M pouch on the top as a basic lid for essential and emergency items. Even though it was fairly cold for a December day here, I didn't need much gear and certainly didn't need to use my other two M pouches or my guide lid.


A campfire pic, just because.

 

[croben]

Awesome thread, man! I just picked up a hoodlum, but still very interested in the reckoning. Looking forward to seeing more on it.

 

[Wilderlife]

TL/DR - I am loving this pack and I'll have more to type after some big mountain sambar hunts in the first two weeks in July.

Hi all. Getting my Reckoning ready for a couple of sambar hunts in the first two weeks of July and figured I'd put a bit more stuff in this thread for anyone who is interested. I will have a guide lid and three M belt pouches on it, but I also remembered I have a nalgene pocket and rangefinder pocket on my field quiver so I might fit them on there as well. I also have a Gunbearer floating around here that I've owned for years but never used, so it could come in handy.

I packed three fallow bucks out of the mountains for our rut in April. None of the pack outs were super far but it was a good workout for the pack and getting more familiar with using the meat shelf quickly.

Now even more than before I can say that the Reckoning being 'strappy' is little more than a minor inconvenience (compared to my Exo 5500) but the extra straps really helps when carrying out heavy loads. Also, I think I can say with confidence that I find this pack more comfortable with heavy loads than my Exo 5500, but some of that could come down to having curved stays with this pack.

My mate and I carrying his buck up a mountain. I had all quarters and straps and he had skin and head.




My wife shot this nice one and I packed all meat and held the head in my hands.




This an old cull I took out with a rifle. I carried all of his meat and his head on top of the pack.




The photo of that last loaded pack is terrible but there is a video here of that hunt if anyone wants to see.