The original KU pack from Kifaru was about as light of a bag as you could find back in the day. The problem was the durability was lacking, and it was eventually discontinued. A few bags have come along from Kifaru that were similar in their streamlined design and minimal extra features, such as the Highcamp and Argali. Still, these bags were constructed from Cordura and never achieved the super low weight of the KU bags.
Kifaru KU 4300
New for 2024, Kifaru has introduced the new KU 4300. A 4300 cubic inch bag complements the new ARK frame. See my ARK Frame review here. The KU 4300 weighs 1.8lbs without the optional lid and 2.6lbs with the lid. The lid adds an additional 750 cubic inches, but you can use the bag without the lid. That was how I used it, and it worked fine. I can see where the lid would be helpful if you were packing in for more than five days or you carry a lot of gear and do not want to risk the roll-top portion of the bag to keep everything sealed up.
There is a zippered pocket near the top of the roll-top portion of the bag. This pocket is not for large or bulky items as it is flat along the bag. I kept my license, tags, headlamp, and TP wipes in it. There is an internal water bladder sleeve and hose port.
Check out this overview from Kifaru.
What’s It Made Of?
Modern materials are what makes the KU ultralight. From what I experienced using them, they are very tough. The new materials are Challenge Sailcloth UltraGrid and EPX400. This bag had actually been used by other hunters and hauled several elk and deer before me. I used the bag in Wyoming this year and was climbing around slippery canyon country, where I had more than one slide down on my butt through the clay and rocks. Other than getting coated with mud, the bag showed no damage from anything I or the other hunters had subjected it to.
A Little Noisy but Tough
If there is a downside to the new materials, it is the noise. They are not as quiet as Cordura, but that is the tradeoff for being tough and ultralight. Kifaru calls these new materials water-resistant, but from what I saw, they could qualify as waterproof. Even with all the use and abuse, it was still not letting any moisture in. The new material is tough and shows very little wear.
While I did not end up finding a buck for a backpack ride to the truck, I was able to take my first mountain lion on the OTC WY tag. With all my day hunting gear and optics, four quarters, backstraps, full body hide, and skull, it was a decent-sized load. The bag is not huge at 4300 cubic inches, and it was full, but after cinching everything down, it worked great.
Great Lightweight Bag
This bag will be an ounce counter’s dream for saving weight, especially when used with the new ARK frame, although it will fit the older Duplex frames. If you like having your spotter and tripod accessible on the exterior of the bag, you might not like this bag. There are no exterior pockets or molle to attach any. If you are cutting your toothbrush in half, removing the tags from your gear, and have mastered the use of single ply TP, this bag is for you. Nothing extra, only the essentials to haul your gear up and your game back to the truck. Order here.
Comment or ask Tony questions here.
Check out the rest of our backpack reviews.
*To note, Kifaru is a Rokslide advertiser.
