For the hunting I do, I have always been of the same mindset. I do think there are people who have plausible arguments for wanting to shed weight, but it should never be at the cost of heavy load comfort/ability
My kifaru setup was certainly heavier than most of my packs I’ve owned, but prior to getting the pack I currently use, the kifaru carried really heavy loads well, and better than others, and the stability with a really heavy load was exceptional.
I never complained about the empty weight of kifaru, because they felt good and stable when I needed it the most, and I was happy to accept the couple pounds extra for that
I have no doubt this new frame will be awesome, and would have zero durability concerns. It will be a great system.
My current pack is all I could ask for in a hunting pack, so I won’t be getting one, but looking forward to reports when a bunch of people get some use out of them. I know this will be a stellar frame, and if it wasn’t for k4, I’d be getting one.
I always root for kifaru and still own and use a good amount of their gear, and I want them to keep doing well. Competition drives innovation, we are all better off because of it, and we certainly don’t want to see American companies lose momentum.
The new frame looks pretty sweet, and if they improved what they had and shaved a little weight without compromise, even better.