Stone vs Kifaru - my thoughts

[TheShootist]

Advice for the youngster NewMexican- you shouldn't post stuff on this forum you wouldn't be willing to say to the guys face. You previously described your issue with Kifaru in a previous post and admitted it was likely equally your fault. To lob a grenade like the one above doesn't represent you well.


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[Jvco]

I was in the same boat with SG vs Kifaru and the Kifaru just fit me much better, tough to explain but trying on before you buy can help a lot like it did in my case.

 

[Elkwhisperer]

Hey this post is getting more action, maybe it's a good idea to ask:
Anybody have a ranger green Kifaru bag willing to give me a deal on? I did buy the frame, grab it and gun bearer, but can't afford the full price on any of the bags I want.


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[Ryan Avery]

This thread cracks me! I've seen both of these companies bend over backwards to help people that frankly don't deserve it. People always bring up 'for the price it should perfect' well my buddy just bought a new $60,000 dollar truck with a boat load of issues and four trips to the dealer. Why, because nobody is perfect and mistakes happen.

I talk to Kurt and Aron a bunch, both are stand up guys with nothing but respect for each other and the products they make.

Like the OP said get the pack that fits you the best. Let keep this thread on track.




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[cuerro viejo]

Hats off to Aaron, Steve and Kurt!! You guys truly support your customers. We appreciate it.

 

[rfgreenwell]

I have an x-curve / sky5900 and also a 26" duplex hunter w/ mountain warrior, and mountain rambler, as well as a 14'r and native with padded straps. I really like both company's frames, and all of the packs. What goes on my back depends on what I am doing. I can truthfully say that the x-curve frame is the more comfortable fit at this point on "my" back, but I think if I figure out how to thin out the kifaru lumbar pad a bit the duplex will fit me in exactly the same way and comfort level. All the adjustments have been dialed in and that seems to be the only difference in the fit on me. I bought both the K and SG frames with the intention of sending one back, but after having them I could not part with either of them. I am an eastern whitetail, black bear, and Newfoundland moose hunter who has always made out fine with badlands or cabelas, and still hope to get out west sometime for an elk hunt, so at this point I didnt need to go high dollar TOL packs, but I sure am enjoying ownership and use of both these great company's packs. Just did 25 miles on the AT with my son over the 4th carrying the Xf-5900 at 42lbs all up. I am 63 and not in hard trim, but the SG carried like it wasn't there. Next time I will carry the warrior on a 60 mile section, and looking forward to it. It will go with me out west if I ever manage to get a flintlock elk hunt nailed down.

 

[Elkwhisperer]

This thread cracks me! I've seen both of these companies bend over backwards to help people that frankly don't deserve it. People always bring up 'for the price it should perfect' well my buddy just bought a new $60,000 dollar truck with a boat load of issues and four trips to the dealer. Why, because nobody is perfect and mistakes happen.

I talk to Kurt and Aron a bunch, both are stand up guys with nothing but respect for each other and the products they make.

Like the OP said get the pack that fits you the best. Let keep this thread on track.




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Can't agree more. Like I said. Both companies and products are awesome. It's a matter of which fits and works best for you. The whole purpose of the pos


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[COlineman78]

I think if I figure out how to thin out the kifaru lumbar pad a bit the duplex will fit me in exactly the same way and comfort level.

If you have aluminum stays you can accomplish the same thing by bending them a bit. If you want a truly custom fit you need to go with aluminum stays so that you can make even more tweaks like this, otherwise you are stuck with the generic bend or straight carbon stays.

 

[Elkwhisperer]

Don't want to forget to mention that the customer service I have received from Stone Glacier has been perfect as well.


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[Mmcan]

Hey buddy, I'm not sure what you're referring to exactly, but feel free to give me a call and let me know the situation. We swap belts out all the time for people so that's not an issue whatsoever. If we sent the wrong belt out, I apologize for that! 720 937 1418.

I'm hoping you've contacted customer service about this and a belt is on the way already. Either way, I will make sure it gets handled.

Again, feel free to call anytime and I will make sure the belt gets out to you ASAP.

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^^^^^THIS^^^^^
Great support for the product. Nice job!

 

[COlineman78]

I talk to Kurt and Aron a bunch, both are stand up guys with nothing but respect for each other and the products they make.

IDK, Aron's kind of an asshole. He can't talk to you for 20 minutes without being rude on his phone answering customer's text messages. In all seriousness though guys, Aron can't replace a broken buckle or put in an order for you: call customer service. For technical questions or problems; by all means give him a call.

Ryan, completely agree... Working in an industry in which perfection is required I can tell you 1 thing: perfection is expensive. The difference between 95% success and 100% success is usually a 3x to 4x cost increase if not more. If you're in a situation where F-ups are as easy to fix as shipping another item out then it's not nearly worth the cost. You just need to know there was a problem in order to fix it.

The Kifaru guys are great about getting any issue fixed without any question and same goes for Steve Speck. Haven't interacted with Kurt/SG at all, but from what I've heard I wouldn't hesitate to buy something from them either.

 

[rfgreenwell]

If you have aluminum stays you can accomplish the same thing by bending them a bit. If you want a truly custom fit you need to go with aluminum stays so that you can make even more tweaks like this, otherwise you are stuck with the generic bend or straight carbon stays.

Have normal curve composite, I would have to purchase and swap to aluminum to bend them. I had read a post on here somewhere about shaving the lumbar pad foam, and when I called in to kifaru, Colton I think it was, recommended I carry the pack some mileage with about 50 lbs in it saying that the foam tends to compress a bit as the pack breaks in, before I try an adjustment to the foam. Seemed to make sense and I have not changed it yet. Have carried it about 40 miles in weighted training hikes and it seems to be settling in somewhat. It took a while to get the straps/torso dialed in, but after watching Aron's more recent fitting video matched to the latest duplex, I got it set up correctly I believe.

 

[5MilesBack]

Working in an industry in which perfection is required I can tell you 1 thing: perfection is expensive.

$60k for a truck IS already priced to perfection IMO. If they're going to let crap go out the door, they should price it as such.

 

[COlineman78]

$60k for a truck IS already priced to perfection IMO. If they're going to let crap go out the door, they should price it as such.

LOL, you're not even talking about something in the 90% range. I guarantee GM or Ford's numbers are at least 10% of vehicles come in for some sort of warranty issue at some point and that doesn't even include the small shit that people just put up with or it doesn't manifest itself into a problem. Look at the military costs for example the JLTV has an estimated unit cost of $450k+; now you're starting to get into that 95% range, but there are error tolerances built into their contract to help reduce cost. If you really want to know what 100% success costs you need to look at what a class A military contract costs. You're talking about a Trident missile that costs $70 million per or satellites that run over a billion dollars; things that need to work the first time every time and even then most contracts allow for very small probabilities of failure (.001% type ranges). Nothing is ever truly perfect.

 

[wind gypsy]

I got the xcurve. I wonder if trying the Krux would've worked better. Maybe I should go try it before I make my final decision


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Not to encourage further pack ADD but I preferred my exo k2 enough to sell my duplex. Those seek outside revolution sound pretty awesome too.

 

[AK Troutbum]

After a couple seasons in my DT1, I decided that I needed to go a different route, so I ended up buying a SG, selling my K, and never looked back. I just upgraded this past winter to the XCurve and, although I was totally happy with the old SG frame, I couldn't resist the temptation of the new one. I haven't had the opportunity to put the new one through its paces enough to formulate any kind of strong opinion, but so far so good. They are both excellent packs made, entirely in the USA, by exceptional companies, and I just feel fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to test the different options.


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[micus]

I got to say man, I should have read this post more thoroughly earlier. You're stating that we already have your money and we don't care? That's a crock of s*** as I answer the phone 24/7 to make customers happy.

Honestly, I don't care how old your pack is. Call customer service monday and we will refund your money. I'm not normally like this, but we work way too hard at Kifaru trying to make customers happy and I don't feel your comments reflect that.



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[5MilesBack]

Nothing is ever truly perfect.

Certainly not with the standards, work ethic, and attention to detail that people have these days. Even the Japanese have slopped off from where they used to be.

 

[AXEL]

Not to encourage further pack ADD but I preferred my exo k2 enough to sell my duplex. Those seek outside revolution sound pretty awesome too.

I have never used or even seen an EXO, some here in BC whose opinions I respect have and are very positive about them.

I have not used an SG, did speak with them a few years ago, very nice, helpful, but, I just do not care for grey packs.

A buddy, going Stone Sheep hunting has MR, SG, and several other packs, one bought from me. He is short, stocky, bit of a gut and finds, as I did for many years, the MR and original Dana packs to be the most comfortable.

Others, taller, slender, wiry, have found that the MR line is NOT as comfortable as some others, but, overall, I can honestly say, again, that the SO packs just amaze me in terms of light weight, QC, comfort and simplicity. The new "Brooks" with a Merlin Talon, seems as ideal for hunting in the mountains as anything I have ever seen and I am considering one, although my alpine hunting days are pretty limited now.

One of the major issues we have here, IMHO, is that there is now such rapid development and improvement in these packs that newer models from the top makers often are much better than the one you bought 3 years ago. Soooo, deciding that one is the "best" seems an exercise in futility, IMHO.

 

[EsteemGrinders]

I have never used or even seen an EXO, some here in BC whose opinions I respect have and are very positive about them.

I have not used an SG, did speak with them a few years ago, very nice, helpful, but, I just do not care for gray packs.

A buddy, going Stone Sheep hunting has MR, SG, and several other packs, one bought from me. He is short, stocky, bit of a gut and finds, as I did for many years, the MR and original Dana packs to be the most comfortable.

Others, taller, slender, wiry, have found that the MR line is NOT as comfortable as some others, but, overall, I can honestly say, again, that the SO packs just amaze me in terms of light weight, QC, comfort and simplicity. The new "Brooks" with a Merlin Talon, seems as ideal for hunting in the mountains as anything I have ever seen and I am considering one, although my alpine hunting days are pretty limited now.

One of the major issues we have here, IMHO, is that there is now such rapid development and improvement in these packs that newer models from the top makers often are much better than the one you bought 3 years ago. Soooo, deciding that one is the "best" seems an exercise in futility, IMHO.

This is a simple matter of business man as you know. Yes it can feel like a crap when you just bought what you thought was the best pack and 6 months later a new feature comes out that you feel like you need. Any business that does not evolve or better their product will not be around long. Mathews has this perfected for their Flagship bows. Have you ever noticed the always release their New bow in short ATA bow the first year and the next a little long ATA and then the 3rd year the ATA most think is perfect? By doing this the Mathews die hards will by at least 2 of these if not all 3.

How many bows would they sell if they released all 3 ATA options bows the first year of their New FlagShip bows? My guess is 50% less.