Talk me into or out of a Kifaru Pack

[oldgoat]

I got an exo pack 2 years ago and loved it compared to my old cabelas day pack for hunting. I picked up a kifaru bikini frame at the beginning of the year and I liked it better due to the larger lumbar pad and that I can adjust the shoulder straps to different heights. I sold the bikini because I didn't like feeling the bag on my back through the frame and just picked up a kifaru tactical frame.

I think the shoulder strap adjustment goes overlooked by most and I'm not sure other companies frames have that ability. With my right shoulder sitting an inch lower than my left that adjustment makes a huge difference in how the pack carries weight at least for me.

My wife is a little crooked too, her Kifaru frame and bad has been a godsend, game changer for sure, without the adjustability it brings I don't think we would be able to do what we're doing!

 

[IdahoElk]

The Kifaru pack is definitely the hands down Cadillac of packs but I packed Elk out for 20yrs with a Cabela's Alaskan II pack with no issues before switching to a Kuiu which also works fine for my style of hunting.
If you can afford it,go for it,if not there are other packs out there that will work just fine for a lot less money.

 

[Fishforfun]

If you can, hold out until the sportsmans shows start this offseason and go try them side by side. That's the only way you will know what is right for you.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have both MR and Kifaru. I spent enough time under what we called "rucksack" in the army and hiking civy trails to know a thing or two about backpacking.

Sounds like you already blew a couple of bucks on a lower end pack. a quality rig will likely outlast you and / or your desire to own it. If you use it a lot, you will get your value out of it.

I think the advice to go used is a good call. Apart from this and a few other forums like it, including the Kifaru forum, I think you can get good deals on used packs. eBay seems to have a lot of .mil versions of the mr hunting packs. Heck an older dana designs pack off eBay for under $200 will haul just about anything you like for years to come.