Kifaru vs. Exo

[oregonsteelheader]

For those who have experience with both Kifaru and Exo; how do the two compare and which did you prefer?

I had my mind set on a Kifaru hunting duplex frame but now that Exo just released their K2 frame I started doing more reading on their frame & packs and I'm back to square one. Just looking for input from guys who've used both.

Thanks.

 

[BroodBuster]

I own both and love both.

All things being equal I think it just personnal preference.

I've got a T1 and Exo3500 so they perform different tasks. The T1 I use for backpacking and is perfect for 1 to however many nights. It's the one pack where I can be 5 miles into a hike just marveling at how comfortable it is. I also wear it 4 or 5 nights a week around the neighborhood with 50#'s so it gets used and abused a lot. I haven't hauled out a mule deer yet but plan on changing that this Sept. And I'm sure the pack will outperform me.

I use the Exo as an elk day pack and have hauled out a couple of quarters and couldn't have been happier how well it worked for that. The rest of the time I pretty much forgot it was on my back until I got hungry or something.

So I'd recommend Kifaru is you haul out multiple animals many miles each year or if you like to pack in the kitchen sink with the stove and the axe. If your more the minimalist type and like to cover a lot of ground fast with the occasional dead animal to pack out then I'd suggest the Exo.

But in the end it's personnel preference.

 

[sneaky]

You honestly can't go wrong with either one

 

[sneaky]

Guess I should qualify that by saying I packed out 4 different elk last year with my 3500 and never had an issue. Same can be said about the Kifaru packs. It's the old Chevy vs Ford debate.

 

[couesbitten]

I agree with what everyone else has said. I own a Kifaru Bikini/Highcamp 7000 and an Exo 5500, and I love both of them, BroodBuster summed it up best, but you honestly can't go wrong with either one.

 

[oregonsteelheader]

Thanks for the replies and insight guys. In regards to comfort, does either have an edge over the other?

 

[Randle]

Both are great packs , I ended up staying with a kifaru only because I could tweek the stays to my back. Exo frame cannot be bent if you need a little more less curve to it.other then that both will serve you well.

 

[coop2424]

Other thing to consider is Exo is only a 25" frame for if you are taller may be an issue.

 

[HookUp]

Cant speak for Exo but I haven't heard one negative thing about them. I was in the same situation and had no way to see the packs in person. I watched as many youtube videos as I could on both and read every forum post as well.
I bought the new duplex and EMR 2 and can customize so much from 1 to 10 day trips that I cant see how the Exo would work for me. The Duplex frame feels amazing, have never had a pack with load lifters and its a next level piece of equipment for comfort and capability. Fully plan on loading #100 pounds maybe more this fall.

 

[camping1601]

For me I think the Exo is a better frame to day hunt in and the Kifaru is better for hauling loads. I also fell out out of love for the Exo bag after awhile because of the lack of zippered pockets and I wasn't a big fan of those long pockets on the side. In hind sight I wish I had kept the Exo frame and put a different bag on it for day hunting. .02

 

[mrbillbrown]

I have no experience with the new frame or bag but have had the older EXO frame, 3500 & 5500 bag side by side with a bikini & several duplex frames and a host of different Kifaru bags. There's a major difference in the craftsmanship and materials. USA made and assembled products look and feel entirely different than Foreign sourced materials and USA assembly. The Kifaru looks and feels more robust. EXO has a more flimsy feel with its extra side rotational ability. All the straps, padding, and most buckles are/were thinner and smaller on the EXO. EXO is a nice system but not in the same league as the Kifaru. However, personal pack fit is paramount and if a certain brand doesn't fit then it's not the right pack for you. Buy a pack that fits your body type and needs and not for the name sewn on the tag. But if your asking about difference in the two packs there's just no comparison.

 

[hammer0419]

They are both great packs. Kifaru belts are second to no one. An Exo frame with Kifaru suspension..... perfect. I prefer Exo bags by a mile. Nice thing is an Exo bag works very well on a Duplex frame.

 

[Elk Rookie]

I have not run an Exo, but my first Kifaru is arriving today (YEA BABY!!!!)

But, you can learn a lot from just looking at their respective business models. Just judging from their own marketing campaigns, to me it's comparing apples and oranges to some extent. The comments in the thread suggest the same. One pack is built and marketed for the hardcore ultralight crowd. The other is built and marketed for the hardcore ultra-duty crowd.

So it comes down to when you want to be "comfortable." If you're looking to be as quick and nimble as possible while hunting, and super comfortable under light loads maybe Exo is the right pack. If you're looking to be comfortable while packing in and out, and OK having a bit more heft while running in day mode, its Kifaru. The guys who have run both seem to be saying the same.

For me personally, I'd rather add a pound and a half or two to my base pack weight in order to comfortably carry an extra 20 pounds of load, because the difference between 15 and 18 when running and gunning is negligible, but the difference between 70 and 90 when climbing out is crucial. That being said, I live in Texas and only get to spend one week a year in the mountains, so I'm on a true kill mission. But I can see why a lot of you guys that live out West and get to spend 20 plus days over several hunts searching for a trophy might look at things differently.

 

[handwerk]

I've been using an exo 3500 since they've come out and last winter picked up a new kifaru DT1 with the new frame.
I've packed out deer and a couple elk (4.5 Miles on the elk) and been happy with the exo, I love the pocket layout and features on that pack. My intention is to use the kifaru when I'm packing my camp on my back and/or extended trips. One of my elk loads was pushing 150 lbs in the exo, although the pack did better than me, I suspect the somewhat beefier kifaru would have handled the load even better. Hoping this fall I can put the kifaru through it's paces in Montana, but with many of my hunts being day trips the exo will keep getting used most of the time.
As said before, both great packs/companies in my view.

 

[sneaky]

I

I have no experience with the new frame or bag but have had the older EXO frame, 3500 & 5500 bag side by side with a bikini & several duplex frames and a host of different Kifaru bags. There's a major difference in the craftsmanship and materials. USA made and assembled products look and feel entirely different than Foreign sourced materials and USA assembly. The Kifaru looks and feels more robust. EXO has a more flimsy feel with its extra side rotational ability. All the straps, padding, and most buckles are/were thinner and smaller on the EXO. EXO is a nice system but not in the same league as the Kifaru. However, personal pack fit is paramount and if a certain brand doesn't fit then it's not the right pack for you. Buy a pack that fits your body type and needs and not for the name sewn on the tag. But if your asking about difference in the two packs there's just no comparison.

What part of the Exo pack material are you calling flimsy? Or foreign? Just curious. I like reading your posts but I swear Kifaru fanboys can be as bad as Kuiu fanboys sometimes. I'm just curious as to how many hunts and meat hauls you did in the EXO to bag on it that much. There's no perfect pack in existence, and that includes Kifaru.

 

[svivian]

As far as I know Exo is made right here in the USA out of Boise, Idaho....

 

[Bughalli]

Both are great packs , I ended up staying with a kifaru only because I could tweek the stays to my back. Exo frame cannot be bent if you need a little more less curve to it.other then that both will serve you well.

I was in the Kifaru show room two weeks ago specifically to try on the packs and was told the new duplex frame can not be shaped or changed to fit your body. Rep said it was the old frame that could be shaped. This was unfortunate because I defiantly have a sway back. I had tons of space between my body and the pack, both at the lower back area and again at the shoulders. On the plus side they offer different lengths. I tried on the 26 inch frame and the load lifters with 80lbs were a little low relative to my shoulders. Rep said they are working on a 28 inch which I might want to consider. But it's not out yet.

The Kifaru was not the most comfortable pack I've worn. It's really stiff and almost more like an external frame pack. So yes, it can haul weight. Very flat vs contoured. They also use pretty heavy materials and have more straps and Mollies than I need. Not bad, maybe that's what some guys want, but this also adds weight. People love the hip belts, but honesty I felt it wasn't any better than my Northface mountaineering pack. Kifaru is still in consideration, but I want to try EXO and Stone Glacier before deciding.

I tried Kuiu last week as well. I liked the lighter bag material. Plenty strong and durable. The frame fit me better because it has a little more contour and the stays flexed to my back under load. Stays sat a little higher too, offering a good angle for support. Hip belt was similar to Kifaru (icon pro belt), but the pack put more pressure on the lower lumbar. Took awhile to get it comfortable and still not 100% sure it would stay comfortable for the long haul.

After going through this I really believe fit is a huge component and like boots, everyone is different. So I would try before you buy. Or buy them all knowing you'll keep one and return the rest. It's a lot more expensive, but you'll be glad you did and won't have any doubts come next fall.

 

[mddat]

I was in the Kifaru show room two weeks ago specifically to try on the packs and was told the new duplex frame can not be shaped or changed to fit your body. Rep said it was the old frame that could be shaped. This was unfortunate because I defiantly have a sway back. I had tons of space between my body and the pack, both at the lower back area and again at the shoulders. On the plus side they offer different lengths. I tried on the 26 inch frame and the load lifters with 80lbs were a little low relative to my shoulders. Rep said they are working on a 28 inch which I might want to consider. But it's not out yet.

The Kifaru was not the most comfortable pack I've worn. It's really stiff and almost more like an external frame pack. So yes, it can haul weight. Very flat vs contoured. They also use pretty heavy materials and have more straps and Mollies than I need. Not bad, maybe that's what some guys want, but this also adds weight. People love the hip belts, but honesty I felt it wasn't any better than my Northface mountaineering pack. Kifaru is still in consideration, but I want to try EXO and Stone Glacier before deciding.

I tried Kuiu last week as well. I liked the lighter bag material. Plenty strong and durable. The frame fit me better because it has a little more contour and the stays flexed to my back under load. Stays sat a little higher too, offering a good angle for support. Hip belt was similar to Kifaru (icon pro belt), but the pack put more pressure on the lower lumbar. Took awhile to get it comfortable and still not 100% sure it would stay comfortable for the long haul.

After going through this I really believe fit is a huge component and like boots, everyone is different. So I would try before you buy. Or buy them all knowing you'll keep one and return the rest. It's a lot more expensive, but you'll be glad you did and won't have any doubts come next fall.

I think you've been mis informed as it depends on what stays you get. The carbon arrows are straight obviously. The composite are curved but cannot be custom shaped. The aluminum stays can be shaped by user so you get a truly custom fit, you just have to deal with a slightly heavier pack if you choose aluminum.

 

[Fireguy]

Other thing to consider is Exo is only a 25" frame for if you are taller may be an issue.

This is the problem I ran into, lobe the Exo 3500 but felt like I could never get it just right. A 26" frame would really help.

 

[fatrascal]

Bughalli, if you go to the Kifaru website and look at the hunting frames they have a picture of three packs lined up showing a side profile. You can clearly see a straight black Frame in the middle and the two end packs are curved at different levels of curvature. I tried to copy and paste but I do not know how to do it on the phone. Maybe someone can do it for me. The sales person at Kifaru sounds like he is not informed. The would go back and get a more knowledgeable person to help me.
Nevertheless, you are definitely doing the right thing by try before you buy. When I was younger I could use almost any pack and get by but now that I'm older I'm looking for more comfort. Wish I had done that 15 years ago. Goodluck. Fatrascal.