Kuiu frame mod

[Clarence]

Kicking around the best way to stiffen the top, where the load lifters attach to a kuiu frame sheet. Under heavy loads, the frame will flex forward. Thoughts so far are to laminate the top of the frame to wood, or epoxy arrows to support the top half of the frame sheet. Any ideas or past projects similar would be helpful feedback. The frame sheets aren't super cheap, but if I jack one up and start over, it's not a deal breaker. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

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[SkunkCabbage]

Big reason why I’m moving to a kifaru. I don’t think it’s rigid enough to avoid this. Load lifters are non existent with any good amount of weight above 60lbs

 

[Clarktar]

Kicking around the best way to stiffen the top, where the load lifters attach to a kuiu frame sheet. Under heavy loads, the frame will flex forward. Thoughts so far are to laminate the top of the frame to wood, or epoxy arrows to support the top half of the frame sheet. Any ideas or past projects similar would be helpful feedback. The frame sheets aren't super cheap, but if I jack one up and start over, it's not a deal breaker. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

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Is this the newest frame?

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[Clarence]

Is this the newest frame?

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5 years old, so I believe no. I have not heard that they have cured this issue though. I could be wrong.

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[Clarktar]

5 years old, so I believe no. I have not heard that they have cured this issue though. I could be wrong.

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The new frames seem much better from my limited exposure to them.

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[slick]

I believe the issues with lack of structural integrity in the early versions of their frame sheet have all been addressed. I haven’t heard of any frame breaking recently, like I had years ago when they first came out.

I don’t have one in hand, but I would recommend taking carbon arrows and cutting them to length and if the fabric of the frame has any sort of pocket in it for the sheet to slip in, just slip arrow shafts in there too. I’ve done that for a lightweight osprey pack when I was carrying heavy climbing loads in it.


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[wekilldeer]

I dont have any experience with the newer frame sheets but I modded the original Icon frame by breaking the lower stays off. Kuiu did send me a new frame and I quickly sold it after. Sounds like some of these issues have been fixed however and their new stuff is pretty good

 

[Clarence]

Thanks for the feedback. Great idea Slick on the stays in the bag. Gonna give that a whirl this winter. My brother has the newest frame, and it still flexes too much when the loads get heavy ( really noticeable at 80+ lbs ). Bugs me bad when I'm dying with a big load and yank the lifter straps, and just feel the frame bow. A lot of life left in my pack system, and I would be really pumped if I can get this issue taken care of.

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[Dos Perros]

Have you done any engineering evaluations on this?

 

[Clarence]

I haven't, but am open to suggestions. Was envisioning more trial and error. What really got my wheels spinning was a kifarcast episode where Aaron was interviewing Patrick Smith. Patrick talked about his experimentation with carbon fiber pack frames, and carbon lack of stiffness. He laminated wood and carbon fiber to get it stiff enough. Evidently it didn't work great, or there wasn't a cost/ weight / strength benefit to move the product forward. Just trying to get my current pack system to fulfill my expectations. At this point I am content with my kit other than this issue. Trying to save making a 2 grand donation to kifaru. ( 3000 and and 7000 cubic in bags, various pockets and lid, frame) is a rough estimate of cost to change over.

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[Dos Perros]

Someone saying that carbon fiber isn’t stiff enough is silly. It has a higher Young’s modulus than aluminum, wood, yada yada. It’s damn close to titanium even.

Ask yourself how long ago were arrows made of wood, and then aluminum, and how long we’ve been using carbon fiber. But I digress....

I’d probably just calculate the cross section of the current frame, the load lifter portion, find out how thick of an aluminum plate I’d need to double the stiffness (reduce deflection by half), and roll with that. Secure with common fasters and maybe an epoxy. It’ll be heavier than arrows but easier to fasten.

 

[hereinaz]

I would cut a piece of aluminum and laminate it on with contact cement. Only need to run it down part of the way. You could taper it a little as it goes up and shape it.

 

[kickemall]

Your never going to be happy with your Kuiu even if you do modify it and you will increase the weight and it may not work. Sell your Kuiu, they hold value pretty well and buy a single Kifaru bag until you save a little cash for a second bag. You probably will initially only be out a few hundred and not have something you don't like.

 

[Clarence]

I would cut a piece of aluminum and laminate it on with contact cement. Only need to run it down part of the way. You could taper it a little as it goes up and shape it.

Thinking I'm going to fasten/glue kifaru composite stays to it. See how it works out. Anyone have a recommendation for a adhesive/epoxy to use?

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[Dos Perros]

The problem with epoxy is now you’re asking the epoxy to be stronger than the frame itself. It needs to transfer loads from the carbon to the aluminum. That seems problematic. I guess it could work. I’ve never had good luck with epoxy now smooth surfaces likes that. Different rates of thermal expansion and all that.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

Honestly, Sell your kuiu setup and buy a Kifaru