Packs

[Hoyts n Mulies]

I'm getting a new pack this year (actually already ordered one to take advantage of a sale and check out) and am trying to decide between the Kuiu Icon 5200 and the Bikini Highcamp.

Looking at both packs on sale right now the Kifaru is still $267 more expensive than that Kuiu after adding two pockets and the grabit to make functionality more comparable.

Here is the loaded question, is the Kifaru worth that big of a difference and have you used the 2013 Icon?

 

[hammer0419]

I have never owned a KUIU pack. I have owned close to 15 Kifaru packs over the years. Very expensive but worth every penny. The Bikini frame is incredible. If KUIU were 50% less I would still choose Kifaru.

 

[Travis1984]

Why not ditch the pockets and get Bt2?

 

[marc]

I had a 2013 ICON and sold it. It just didn't handle weight very well for me. I now have a duplex frame and love it. As an example I took my entire elk camp and transfered if from the ICON to my Osprey Atmos internal frame. The load that felt almost undearable in the ICON was comfortable in the Osprey. The only thing is the Osprey can't handle the weight that the Kifaru can!

 

[Hoyts n Mulies]

I'm leaning towards the Kifaru. Just hoped to get some review by someone that liked the Icon as a comparison. In all my searching it's about 30 Kifaru reviews to 1 Icon review.

I like the idea of the simplicity of the Highcamp with the option to add pockets and move them. I like the idea of being able to move the pockets from the center to the sides when I strap my bow on the pack and still have access to them.

 

[wileybrew]

I have run the icon
7000 and the new 7200. As for load the Icon frame is not designed to carry real heavy loads.
Or take a ton of abuse. The Icon was designed to be extremely light weight and bring out a light
Load of gear and a boned out deer or maybe a sheep. I had the frame break under load with just gear.
The bag is great if you need pockets but the material tends to wear fast on the bottom due to setting it
In rocks and normal abuse. All in all the Icon is a great pack for light loads lil abuse and organization.
The Kifaru DT-1 has been my go to pack this fall. The durable cordura and large zippers make it
Very strong. The suspension is as comfortable at 100 pounds as it is at 30. My pack now has packed
Loaded from 30-100 pounds this fall and I have yet to get it to fail. As for pockets you can load up
With grab its or add to the pal system. Bottom line kuiu is a great product but if you push things to
The limit and tend to be tuff on things the Kifaru is worth the extra money.

 

[tipsntails7]

I have the 1850 and LOVE it. The waist belt And straps are extremely comfy. Possibly the best shoulder straps I've had. The waist belt pockets are a cluster F--k. They are nearly impossible to close one handed, but they are good sized an are great for extra storage. The pocket layout is excellent. Only thing I wish they had done was make the bag a complete clam shell like the 3000 other then that it is great. Zippers are loud but they are waterproof so that is to be expected. The complaints about the material being to loud is unwarranted as far as I'm concerned, and I hunt I some very thick stuff. Frame does have the occasional squeak and groan, but kept clean itis very minimal. The load sling works as advertised and since I have the 1850 didn't even notice any slop with the bag away from the frame. This may be a concern with The bigger bags but for me not an issue.the load lifters work amazingly and take a substantial amount of weight of the shoulders. The waist belt for me tends to slip a bit under heavy load when I've bilt up a lather. Could be what I'm wearin could be the material the pad is made of, really only happened under heavy loads during longer halls. The buckes and hardwear have been excellent, although they are plastic and on the smaller side but I have yet to have a problem with it. That being said it will never see a load over 80 again. It is by far the most comfy pack I've ever worn for loads between 30-70 pounds. Above that the frame really is not ridged enough for that, I've got a few spots on the load lifter extensions where the frame is de-laming is the best way I can put it. I put 105 pounds of meat into he shelf and walked 3 miles with it and really would not do it again unless I had to. An elk quarter is really the max for this.

If you get the 1850 one piece of advice I give you is put your bladder between the bag and frame. A 3L bladder take up a TON of room in the main pouch

 

[Kotaman]

I'm getting a new pack this year (actually already ordered one to take advantage of a sale and check out) and am trying to decide between the Kuiu Icon 5200 and the Bikini Highcamp.

Looking at both packs on sale right now the Kifaru is still $267 more expensive than that Kuiu after adding two pockets and the grabit to make functionality more comparable.

Here is the loaded question, is the Kifaru worth that big of a difference and have you used the 2013 Icon?

Short answer: Absolutely...YES. I've owned a 1850, a 5000 and a 5200 Icon...I've wanted to like them and just can't. I'd pay $500 more for a Kifaru. Currently I have a T2 and a T3 along with a MR Metcalf and MR Dragon Slayer. The MR's are great packs but VERY heavy...The Kifaru's are the best of all worlds IMO.

 

[Jon Boy]

I hunted with an older Icon 6000 all fall. I imagine I had around 40 days or so with it on my back. I put it through its paces with lots of abuse and packed out 2 deer and 2 bull elk with it. I really enjoyed it and it handled the loads fairly well, I still preferred my pack frame for really heavy loads. The heaviest I had in it was around 80# of elk. I couldn't tell you how it does with 100+ pounds, I just can't handle loads that big for much distance with out really upping the odds of hurting myself in the country I hunt. With 3-5 days worth of gear I found it about perfect though (around 50#s)
One thing I really liked about it was how well it compressed down to nothing for day hunts, hardly even noticed it was there.
One thing I didnt really like about it was how many pockets and organizing pouches it had. I would find myself digging through all of them to find what I was looking for time and time again. I prefer a pack with a main compartment and just a top lid. For some one who is super organized im sure it would work perfect for them.
Lastly, I'm not sure how much the design has changed with there newest generation of packs vs. the one I was using.
I hope this helps.

 

[Hoyts n Mulies]

Appreciate the replies guys!

 

[Mike7]

I wouldn't rule out a Timberline pack bag with the Bikini frame if you haven't tried it. I love the layout of my Timberline bag with just a Grabit, medium or small pocket on the belt, and the standard lid (just the right amount of pockets and organization and in the right places, even when a bow is on the back of the pack in the Grabit). Also, I like being able to completely cinch down the lower compartment while in day hunting mode and still be able to get to the outer pockets. This is what I have generally in the outer pockets and it works great: bullets, chapstick, GPS, etc. in the belt pocket; tripod, pack cover, and rain gear in the side pockets/sleeves; headlamp/flashlight/batteries and TP/wet wipes in the two back pockets; and a puffy jacket slid right up under the standard lid.

 

[dotman]

I took a compressed pic of my highcamp 7k and bikini frame for a buddy to see just how small a 7000ci pack can go. I have a 2L bladder and my kill kit in the pack.

 

[Shrek]

I took a compressed pic of my highcamp 7k and bikini frame for a buddy to see just how small a 7000ci pack can go. I have a 2L bladder and my kill kit in the pack.

Thats a great picture to convey the idea of go big on the bag because it compacts down just about the same as the smaller bags but smaller bags don't get bigger when you are miles back and suddenly need more room. Not just for meat but maybe you want to take a girlfriend with you camping and you are now suddenly needing to carry an extra sleep system and food for two. A buddy gets sick or injured and you need to carry his gear as well as yours. Big bag might make it but your just big enough for your gear bag isn't going to cover you.

 

[mtmiller]

I have never owned a KUIU pack. I have owned close to 15 Kifaru packs over the years. Very expensive but worth every penny. The Bikini frame is incredible. If KUIU were 50% less I would still choose Kifaru.

Curious; Kifaru is much better than KUIU, but you have never tried the KUIU. Obviously Kifaru is your premier pack, but you have "upgraded" or reconsidered 14x's. I don't know which is a better pack since I have not used either I "shouldn't". I don't doubt the Kifaru, but since I can't compare it to the pack I use, it seems better to listen to folks that have experienced both and then make a decision. azzhole out....

 

[Matt W.]

I have a KUIU ICON 7200, 2013 model. I hauled out a ram in it this year. I was able to shuttle and split the load with my hunting partner, who has a T1, and we both had nothing but good things to say about our packs. Disclaimer: Probably never hauled more than 70-80lbs, not sure I would like hauling more than that in any pack.

I like the pockets and organization capabilities of the ICON. The ability to secure a rifle or a bow to it is phenomenal. Would a Kifaru be more comfortable? I don't know, but I am happy enough with my ICON. It would be hard for me to give up all the pockets and features of the ICON bag.

You can't go wrong with either company. Both companies stand behind their gear and provide awesome support. With KUIU you sort a get a team, with Kifaru you get Aron and he is a member/owner here.

Read up on the features of each pack, pick what works for you and try it out a bit in your home. With KUIU you can return it, not sure what Kifaru's policy is as the packs are custom made, but even if you had to sell it you would not loose much.

edited: Kifaru has 3o day return policy so you are good either way!!!

 

[Shrek]

Curious mtmiller , I was reading the quote of hammer0419 and I didn't see where he stated that the kifaru was better than the kuiu. Maybe your reading comprehension is better than mine and you could highlight that part for me. I did see where he said the he would pay 50% more for a kifaru because I infer that he's a fan. You also didn't call out the other posters who only shared experience with one type of pack. Do you have a problem with hammer0419.

 

[dotman]

Kifaru has a 30 day return policy.

 

[mtmiller]

Curious mtmiller , I was reading the quote of hammer0419 and I didn't see where he stated that the kifaru was better than the kuiu. Maybe your reading comprehension is better than mine and you could highlight that part for me. I did see where he said the he would pay 50% more for a kifaru because I infer that he's a fan. You also didn't call out the other posters who only shared experience with one type of pack. Do you have a problem with hammer0419.

Fair enough, my bad.

 

[Aron Snyder]

As you probably know, Rokslide is pretty Kifaru heavy, so you may want to ask on the Kuiu forums as well.

 

[colonel00]

I can't speak from any experience with either pack that you are looking at but I can speak from being in your same shoes not too long ago. You are going to get a lot of Kifaru recommendations on this forum and take them for what they are, recommendations on a forum. Odds are, someone is in your area that may be able to let you check out one or both and that would be the way to really make up your mind.

Personally, I went with a bikini and I have a highcamp on order. What really sold me was the modularity and versatility of the Kifaru line. Yeah, it is an investment, but very quickly I have been able to acquire other items that I can use with the frame from the classifieds here like a grabit and a smaller HPG bag that I have on my bikini until the highcamp arrives. As dotman shows above, I will have the versatility to range from day hunt mode with almost nothing to a pack I never hope I have full but I have the capacity should I need it.

A couple years ago I was hunting mulies in Wyoming and without some crazy lashing, I couldn't get my gear/camp and the mulie down in on trip because I had a smaller frame pack. My knees let me know with every step of that second trip up and down the mountain that I would do everything possible to make it out in one trip when humanly possible the next time.