New kifaru hoodlum.

D-rock425

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Nov 15, 2015
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Does anyone have or used the new hoodlum pack from kifaru yet? Wondering what your thoughts were on the pack so far.
 

realunlucky

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Jordan has some videos on it on the rokslide YouTube page I'm pretty sure

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Jordan Budd

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Yes I did some videos. 3 of them on the rokslide YouTube with the Hoodlum. Full disclosure, I haven’t used the pack in the field yet. Only played with it at a couple shows I helped with, then the little I’ve had it at home. With the messages I got about it I wanted to put a video out right away.


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skierhs

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Jan 23, 2017
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Alaska
Haven’t used it in any real “field conditions” other then packing around a few optics on short outings. The pack by itself I like. The two full zipper side pockets coupled with the massive access zippers is nice. I think it really shines though with a couple belt pockets and a Sherman pocket attached.

My tentative set up this year for spring bear (in Idaho and Montana) will be a 95mm swaro in one of the side pockets. My tripod/glassing pad in the other. I’m gonna have a small belt pouch on the collar of the bag for my sheep tarp for quick access if there is rain.

In the center I’m gonna have a medium pocket for random things I want easy access to. I will have a large side pocket lower on the center in a large pocket. I will then put the Sherman pocket (xpac material) over those two pockets which will hold all my rifle stuff such as ballistic computer, kestrel and ammo. At least that’s the tentative plan right now.
 

BijanO

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Mar 27, 2019
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With the extra pockets can you still attach a bow with the compression straps?

Q: anyone know why there’s no water bladder sleeve? Wouldn’t this just expose the bladder to all the contents of the bag and risk puncture or the bladder sweating over your stuff?
 
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Jordan Budd

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With the extra pockets can you still attach a bow with the compression straps?

Q: anyone know why there’s no water bladder sleeve? Wouldn’t this just expose the bladder to all the contents of the bag and risk puncture or the bladder sweating over your stuff?

Yes you can still attach a bow with the pockets on the back. It may be difficult to get the the pockets with the bow on there but it works.

For the sleeve, I don’t have any answer as to why they opted out. But I will say that I’ve run a bladder without the sleeve on a different bag and have run it in between the bag and the frame exposed and I’ve never had a puncture issue. In my opinion if there’s something in your bag strong and pointy enough to go through the bladder it’s probably going to go through the sleeve as well. Plus think about what’s in your pack pushing up against the bladder.. I can’t think of anything on a normal pack in/out that could puncture it. My .02. I actually really liked having the bladder in between the frame and bag on the reckoning so if there was a leak it wouldn’t be all over my stuff. I’m typically a Nalgene bottle runner though.


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Joined
Aug 3, 2016
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Location
Englewood, Colorado
Haven’t used it in any real “field conditions” other then packing around a few optics on short outings. The pack by itself I like. The two full zipper side pockets coupled with the massive access zippers is nice. I think it really shines though with a couple belt pockets and a Sherman pocket attached.

My tentative set up this year for spring bear (in Idaho and Montana) will be a 95mm swaro in one of the side pockets. My tripod/glassing pad in the other. I’m gonna have a small belt pouch on the collar of the bag for my sheep tarp for quick access if there is rain.

In the center I’m gonna have a medium pocket for random things I want easy access to. I will have a large side pocket lower on the center in a large pocket. I will then put the Sherman pocket (xpac material) over those two pockets which will hold all my rifle stuff such as ballistic computer, kestrel and ammo. At least that’s the tentative plan right now.
Curious if you have been out bear hunting yet with the above set-up? If so, what's been the experience? The configuration is nearly identical to what I have in mind. Thanks
 

skierhs

WKR
Joined
Jan 23, 2017
Messages
588
Location
Alaska
Just got back from 14 days of use. I really like the set up but am still tweaking it here and there with what im putting in each pocket. When i am putting the 15x swaro in the large pocket on the bottom with the sherman being full of my rifle gear i do feel like it sticks out a decent amount but over all i like the set up of pockets. I just need to figre out where to put everything i want. Do you have any questions or particulars that your looking to be answered?
 

mgebs311

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Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Messages
69
Location
Idaho
Has anyone had any experiences with the pack so far through this hunting season? Any extended trips in the back country, any good pack outs with the Hoodlum? What have you done to the pack that has worked well for you?
skierhs, what have you figured works best with your set up so far?
 

Anozira

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Apr 19, 2019
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Valley of the Sun
Has anyone had any experiences with the pack so far through this hunting season? Any extended trips in the back country, any good pack outs with the Hoodlum? What have you done to the pack that has worked well for you?
skierhs, what have you figured works best with your set up so far?


I packed two elk out of Colorado this year during archery season with my Hoodlum and I am very happy with it. The frame handled the weight better than my cousins Kuiu but in his defense it was an older model. The bag held 5 days of backpacking gear/ food without any problems. I added a Sherman pocket, a small belt pouch, and I'm also using an organizer pocket as a small lid. I may change to a Claymore in the future. I keep my extra buckles and straps etc in an UL pullout. My only regret was in my minimalist ounce-counting mindset, I didn't take the pullout on my first trip for my cousins elk. It earned a permanent spot in my pack after that. The first picture is the last trip packing out his elk and I'm carrying a front quarter & my gear stuffed inside the pack. The middle picture is what my set up looks like w/o packing meat, and last is a glamour shot.

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mgebs311

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Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Messages
69
Location
Idaho
I packed two elk out of Colorado this year during archery season with my Hoodlum and I am very happy with it. The frame handled the weight better than my cousins Kuiu but in his defense it was an older model. The bag held 5 days of backpacking gear/ food without any problems. I added a Sherman pocket, a small belt pouch, and I'm also using an organizer pocket as a small lid. I may change to a Claymore in the future. I keep my extra buckles and straps etc in an UL pullout. My only regret was in my minimalist ounce-counting mindset, I didn't take the pullout on my first trip for my cousins elk. It earned a permanent spot in my pack after that. The first picture is the last trip packing out his elk and I'm carrying a front quarter & my gear stuffed inside the pack. The middle picture is what my set up looks like w/o packing meat, and last is a glamour shot.

Anozira,
good job on your elk hunt! That looks like a great set up with the sherman pocket. I'm looking to get a new pack and I currently have an eberlestock which I have really liked, but I have since realized these past few years a whole other range of hunting packs and performance i'm sure you get by paying more. I have strongly considered the new Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80 and I'm debating on that or spending more for the Kifaru. Out of Kifaru, the Hoodlum definitely looks like the one I would get if I did pull the trigger.
What frame do you have for that pack?
 

Anozira

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Joined
Apr 19, 2019
Messages
475
Location
Valley of the Sun
Anozira,
good job on your elk hunt! That looks like a great set up with the sherman pocket. I'm looking to get a new pack and I currently have an eberlestock which I have really liked, but I have since realized these past few years a whole other range of hunting packs and performance i'm sure you get by paying more. I have strongly considered the new Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80 and I'm debating on that or spending more for the Kifaru. Out of Kifaru, the Hoodlum definitely looks like the one I would get if I did pull the trigger.
What frame do you have for that pack?

Thanks, its the most expensive pack I've ever owned and I wasn't sure about the cost until I loaded it with meat and understood why they are praised so highly. I went with a 24" duplex lite. I would have gone with the ultralite but you lose 4x of the side attachment points and I was very glad to have them when I needed them.

Screenshot_2019-10-29 Duplex Lite Ultralite Frames.png
 
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