What stone glacier frame?

[Elkmasterwyo]

Wanting to try a stone glacier I have been using a Kifaru bikini with 26” flat back stays. Anyone have experience or input on what stone glacier frame will be similar to a flat back frame?


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[Kotaman]

Yep...The Krux or the new ultra light Krux EVO frames are more condusive to "flat backs". I prefer the XCurve myself, but for a flat back the other two work better.

 

[Elkmasterwyo]

I like the large lumbar on the bikini, how does the lumbar pad on the stone campare?


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[Kotaman]

I like the large lumbar on the bikini, how does the lumbar pad on the stone campare?


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I switch back and forth regularily and don't see a whole lot of difference other than the SG is lighter. The thing Kifaru has that the rest of the industry doesn't is the waist belt. Best one made bar none. The new lightweight Kifaru frame coming out in a couple weeks is going to be a "game changer" for me.

 

[fngTony]

I like the large lumbar on the bikini, how does the lumbar pad on the stone campare?


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No experience with the bikini but the xcurve lumbar pad works for me which was a problem area I had with pack belts. You can change around the foam blocks inside it and move it up or down. Not sure if the evo has the same pad as the xcurve.

 

[Brightwhite]

I switch back and forth regularily and don't see a whole lot of difference other than the SG is lighter. The thing Kifaru has that the rest of the industry doesn't is the waist belt. Best one made bar none. The new lightweight Kifaru frame coming out in a couple weeks is going to be a "game changer" for me.

They need to up the lighter weight bag game though! The bags are still heavier....

 

[mt100gr.]

The xcurve and from what I can see in the pics of the evo have the same lumbar pad. The SG lumbar pads are adjustable but even at their fullest, they're substantially smaller than the kifaru. Both in thickness and overall area.

I have a kifaru hunter frame and an xcurve currently and previously owned a gen2 duplex And bikini frame. I have been back and forth on flat vs curved frame stays so I must be somewhere in between. I used to add material to all of them right away but as an experiment, I recently removed a layer of foam in all my lumbar pads. I actually prefer the less thick pad as i feel like the belt gets a more direct purchase on my hips as it transitions from the pad to the belt material. I have issues with heavy packs slipping down on all frames so i am always trying new frames and adjusting this or that. I haven't yet tried a flat back krux frames so the new ego is on my list.

My bikini frame and my current hunter frame (carbon arrow stays) are flat while my xcurve is shaped. They have all worked for me with lumbar pad adjustments.

 

[Diesel]

I switch back and forth regularily and don't see a whole lot of difference other than the SG is lighter. The thing Kifaru has that the rest of the industry doesn't is the waist belt. Best one made bar none. The new lightweight Kifaru frame coming out in a couple weeks is going to be a "game changer" for me.

Have you seen or tried this new frame?

 

[AK Troutbum]

I switch back and forth regularily and don't see a whole lot of difference other than the SG is lighter. The thing Kifaru has that the rest of the industry doesn't is the waist belt. Best one made bar none. The new lightweight Kifaru frame coming out in a couple weeks is going to be a "game changer" for me.

The belt on my DT1 is what made me try SG in the first place. Sold my Kifaru's as soon as I could and have never looked back. Man, no matter what I did, I could not get the Kifaru belt to work for me, when I was carrying heavy loads.

 

[Kotaman]

Have you seen or tried this new frame?

The Kifaru? Or SG? Answer is “yes”, to both.

The new SG fits me like the Krux, which is not a “fit” for me.

The new Kifaru is perfect for me. It is a solid pound and a quarter lighter than the Hunter Duplex but still “feels”/carries like the Hunter.

 

[Kotaman]

The belt on my DT1 is what made me try SG in the first place. Sold my Kifaru's as soon as I could and have never looked back. Man, no matter what I did, I could not get the Kifaru belt to work for me, when I was carrying heavy loads.

That’s strange, but why we have choices. (I’m a huge fan of the X Curve as well.). When you ask most people what differentiates Kifaru from the competition it is the ability to haul heavy weight with ease/comfortably and the waist belt.

 

[bmart2622]

Kotaman, you have had your hands on the new, yet to be released Kifaru frame?

 

[Kotaman]

Kotaman, you have had your hands on the new, yet to be released Kifaru frame?

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Elkmasterwyo]

The xcurve and from what I can see in the pics of the evo have the same lumbar pad. The SG lumbar pads are adjustable but even at their fullest, they're substantially smaller than the kifaru. Both in thickness and overall area.

I have a kifaru hunter frame and an xcurve currently and previously owned a gen2 duplex And bikini frame. I have been back and forth on flat vs curved frame stays so I must be somewhere in between. I used to add material to all of them right away but as an experiment, I recently removed a layer of foam in all my lumbar pads. I actually prefer the less thick pad as i feel like the belt gets a more direct purchase on my hips as it transitions from the pad to the belt material. I have issues with heavy packs slipping down on all frames so i am always trying new frames and adjusting this or that. I haven't yet tried a flat back krux frames so the new ego is on my list.

My bikini frame and my current hunter frame (carbon arrow stays) are flat while my xcurve is shaped. They have all worked for me with lumbar pad adjustments.

How do you like the hunter vs the bikini? I ripped the straps off of the belt on my bikini this fall(horse wreck)so I’m needing to spend $ on a new belt.......that’s the cheap way out, or try a new kifaru frame(would work with my bag) or spend even more $ and try a stone glacier....................


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[mt100gr.]

The Kifaru hunter frame with carbon arrow stays is the one Kifaru that I will hang onto. The bikini felt incomplete to me, for some reason. And unless I had a pack bag pretty much full, it seemed like there was slack and loose material sticking out everywhere. The burly duplex would and did pack some monster loads but it was also stiffer than i prefer for general backpacking and as a day pack.

The hunter frame is my go to for training hikes and day hunts with my heavy rifle. All the connection points and the nomad bag haul the loads I need to carry perfectly. It would and has done multi day trips but I can save weight with a different set up for that - though there are trade offs. I did add a second arrow to the vertical stays on both sides to stiffen it up and also added sections of arrow across the frame sheet rigged in with p cord to prevent barreling. The latter are popular mods to the bikini frame to give support in the empty space between the torso pads. These additions with the lighter more flexible frame sheet of the hunter frame make a very comfortable, flexible and very strong frame. I liked the minimalist idea of the bikini frame but, for me, there needs to be a frame sheet for the foundation to shape the pack and be an actual platform. Honestly, the hunter frame would be all I would ever need for comfort both light and heavy. I am a pack junky tho and love trying/ testing / modifying them in an ongoing, ounce counting tail chase.

 

[zhangminghua]

The new kifaru frame must be this. Looks like bikini with wider vertical stays. Looking forward to it.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

Yep...The Krux or the new ultra light Krux EVO frames are more condusive to "flat backs". I prefer the XCurve myself, but for a flat back the other two work better.

This ^. However for me I use the xcurve as it fits me better. I came from a Kifaru pack. I like how the stone glacier is lighter. I will say that I feel the Kifaru could handle more weight than the stone glacier. With that said I am taking in the 150 pound range. I have only done that a couple of times and nothing is comfortable. The stone glacier is worn all day and when I need it to perform as a packer it does what I need it to do.

 

[Elkmasterwyo]

I switch back and forth regularily and don't see a whole lot of difference other than the SG is lighter. The thing Kifaru has that the rest of the industry doesn't is the waist belt. Best one made bar none. The new lightweight Kifaru frame coming out in a couple weeks is going to be a "game changer" for me.

Released in a couple of weeks, but I’m sure no way to get one within a month from now????? I have a hunt next month that I need a pack for, maybe I should just fix the bikini and hold off to see the new kifaru


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[Kotaman]

Released in a couple of weeks, but I’m sure no way to get one within a month from now????? I have a hunt next month that I need a pack for, maybe I should just fix the bikini and hold off to see the new kifaru


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I'm sure that is pushing it time wise. The new frame is SWEET...I'd make do and wait.

 

[DaveS]

I'm sure that is pushing it time wise. The new frame is SWEET...I'd make do and wait.

Do know if the new frame will come in a 22" height?