Kifaru Stryker vs MR popup28

[Robertsj22]

Narrowed my pack choices down to these two. Looking for a day pack that will also haul my lock on and sticks or some meat if I’m successful. I think both will do the job just trying to figure out if the Stryker is worth 300 more.

 

[Robertsj22]

anyone?

 

[Pezboat]

I guess it really depends on what you’d be looking for. I have no experience with the MR pop up, but I’ve heard they’re not really made the carry heavy weight. They can in a pinch, but it’s not going to be comfortable. The Stryker will carry anything you can throw in it. Big price difference, yes. But I believe the main design of the pop up is to carry loads of 40 lbs or less. Then it can expand if you ever need it. A MR framed pack would be better equipped for heavy loads. Similar the the frame pack with Kifaru. My nod goes to Kifaru for comfort and versatility. I can also get 1 frame and switch out any pack I want with Kifaru. Where the pop up can not be swapped out.

 

[roosiebull]

I think the pop up is the most genius day pack made, you can take a full weight load on the first trip without issue. I have packed a few roosies out with my 18, and a bunch of quartered bucks. I have had some heavy loads in mine on several occasions and it's done a lot better than I could have imagined it would.

the real beauty of the pop up for me is no frame sticking up getting hung up in the brush, full frames around here in the brush suck. another nice thing about the pop up is they aren't hot like a pack with more padding.

I would way rather haul a heavy load in my pop up than a kuiu pack, they handle weight better (for comparison)

the pop up will not be as comfortable with a heavy load vs a real hauler, but still plenty capable.

with that being said, I have no experience with the stryker, and being a kifaru pack, you can't go wrong there. I would no trade my pop up for any day pack there is, it's custom made for chasing roosies on the coast. if I wasn't crawling through the brush all season, I may not like it as much as I do, but it would be a great day pack anywhere.

i'm gonna buy a kifaru pack this spring, because when i'm not chasing elk here on the coast, I don't want to be putting wear and tear on my 18 since they no longer make them, and i'm due for a new hauler anyways. sometimes a little more room would be handy too.

I think you need to separate the pro and cons of each and figure out which suits you best.... on the coast, the low profile of the pop up is awesome, but in many regions, that wouldn't be as big of a pro as it is for me.

I don't think you can go wrong, and the best for me isn't necessarily the best for the next guy.

the only time i'll wear a different pack elk hunting is on trips i'm not day tripping, and that's what i'm getting the kifaru for, but it will likely be a 44mag or similar.

the pop up can handle some weight though

 

[roosiebull]

I just looked up the stryker, and though i'm a huge fan of the pop up, if you don't mind the frame sticking up a bit, hard to go wrong with the stryker, just for the versatility alone of adding whatever bag you need in the future. pop ups are awesome little packs, but it's pretty much limited to what it is....

the stryker looks like a sweet day pack for most regions. if you are only buying one pack, the stryker…. if you already have a good hauler, the pop up.

the stryker leaves more options in the future, and if you don't already own a full size pack, I feel like it's the better choice. I wouldn't buy a pop up for my only pack.... it's amazing in the niche it fills, but the kifaru leaves the options wide open for the future, and will be better for hauling heavy loads long distances often.

elk hunting around here, a frame sticking up is a constant pita, probably not as much of an issue in must places, that's what i love so much about the pop up

 

[Robertsj22]

Can feel my wallet starting to scream

 

[Felix40]

I have a kifaru frame and a pop up.

I carry the pop up if Im hunting from a stand and not super far from the road. Climbing a tree with a frame is a giant pain in the butt. It makes an awesome day pack when not using a stand too. You can easily pack out a deer, sheep, bear sized animal with one. The pop up also carries better when empty. Ive carried around 70 pounds in mine a lot and it does great with that moderate weight.

If I was taking a stand in really far and wanted to carry a deer or bear out with the stand in one trip I would take the kifaru. Not only do you not have room on the pop up to do that, it wont ride like a kifaru.

Its just going to come down to how much and how far you have to carry.

 

[Poeschel]

I’ve had about 60 lbs in my pop up 18. Carrying 6 gallons of water to a homemade water hole and a few other things. Handles fine, and you don’t even notice it when it’s in it’s stowed mode. Shame they quit making the 18. I have a 28 now too but haven’t used it much yet.

 

[sivart]

Backs are like boots. It's very personalized. I hated the MR frame. Don't like thick lumbar pads. I did like the concept of the pop up. But I sold it.
I much prefer the EXO or the Kifaru frame for me. I went w/ the EXO 1800 simply becuase of how easy the bag detaches for meat carry.

 

[jlaner0408]

I had a pop up 28 and while hindsight is always 20/20, I rue the day I sold it. It’s a great day/hiking pack.

 

[22Jdub]

The Stryker is incredibly versatile and the cargo panel is super easy to use for everything from stands, sticks, blind chairs.

 

[dmess]

I love my Stryker for day pack and all around hauler. I’ve messed around with about 60 lbs in it. You can easily stop this thing about 50 different ways so just about any load can be secured.


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[SpineENGR]

Anyone used the Stryker in a treestand? Wondering how it hangs, etc.

 

[22Jdub]

Anyone used the Stryker in a treestand? Wondering how it hangs, etc.

Made a paracord handle for it and it hangs great in the tree

 

[Swampcruiser]

Which frame are you guys using on the Stryker. I’ve been looking at EXO 1800 (easy to order! I’m lazy) but I like the looks of the Stryker for my daypack elk hunting and carrying sticks out East here. I had a Popup18 and hated it the first time I put a quarter in it - I’m too old for that any more.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have commented on the pop up in other threads but will summarize to say I am a fan.

The Stryker (no personal experience with it) is a full size frame with a cargo panel / day pack. It is more fairly compared to the MR Mule. A full size frame is going to be heavier, less compact and less comfortable. However, it will carry a load much better.

The pop up is a daypack with a convertible hauling frame. Padding, belt and frame stiffness are not on par with a full size frame. However, I have carried 65# in mine in reasonable comfort. It doesn’t replace a full size frame but it is very capable in that role on occasion to haul meat or whatever.

Between the two concepts, I would make my decision based on how it is going to get used more. I use my pop up as a daypack 90% of the time and haul meat or a stand 2-4x per year so I value the daypack aspect more. A full size frame is going to be better hauling your camp and what not and can squash down for occasional daypack use. If you go that route then maybe you don’t need a Stryker and can get by with a normal pack.

As far as costs, the pop up ain’t cheap. If you buy it and a full size MR pack, you will spend +$800 or almost as much as a kifaru frame plus a full size pack plus the Stryker.

Last point is among the pop ups, I found the 28 bag too small once I start carrying layers. Upgraded to the 38 this year and am very happy.

 

[fatlander]

The Stryker will be way more versatile.

I’d say it depends on how often you kill. If it’s pretty frequently, you want a real frame. The pop up is designed to haul one load until you can get to a real frame pack.


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[roosiebull]

I have commented on the pop up in other threads but will summarize to say I am a fan.

The Stryker (no personal experience with it) is a full size frame with a cargo panel / day pack. It is more fairly compared to the MR Mule. A full size frame is going to be heavier, less compact and less comfortable. However, it will carry a load much better.

The pop up is a daypack with a convertible hauling frame. Padding, belt and frame stiffness are not on par with a full size frame. However, I have carried 65# in mine in reasonable comfort. It doesn’t replace a full size frame but it is very capable in that role on occasion to haul meat or whatever.

Between the two concepts, I would make my decision based on how it is going to get used more. I use my pop up as a daypack 90% of the time and haul meat or a stand 2-4x per year so I value the daypack aspect more. A full size frame is going to be better hauling your camp and what not and can squash down for occasional daypack use. If you go that route then maybe you don’t need a Stryker and can get by with a normal pack.

As far as costs, the pop up ain’t cheap. If you buy it and a full size MR pack, you will spend +$800 or almost as much as a kifaru frame plus a full size pack plus the Stryker.

Last point is among the pop ups, I found the 28 bag too small once I start carrying layers. Upgraded to the 38 this year and am very happy.

I agree, it comes down to what you need a pack for. The kifaru will be more versatile, but the pop up is ingenious for what it is designed for... I wouldn't want it as my only pack, but it is my favorite pack for the niche it fills.

I have the 18 and love it, but it's a very specific role it has with me. I have hauled a lot of pretty heavy loads with mine, and it's not as good as a full frame hauler, but it's also very doable to pack a big roosie ham or a whole quartered buck.

I was hoping it would carry a front quarter of a bull in the first trip out, but it does better than that.... It has exceeded my expectations, but a stryker will be more versatile if you only have one pack

 

[Swampcruiser]

Man, I was all set to pull the trigger on an EXO then I found all this...decisions...

 

[dietter700]

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