Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Kifaru Regulator bag????

No problem, my point about enough was not directed at anyone other than MT and I TOTALLY AGREE with everything you have posted, this is exactly the point I wanted to make, as well.

I have the Siwash pack as well and I spent a fair dollar putting goodies on it so that it would be my ideal Grouse-Deer hunting pack, which it IS. So, while I have some superb gear, I will spend $$$$ to get something which is a real improvement and the Regulator bag certainly looks as though it would be. Weight and compactness ARE important to me, because I often hunt alone and carry my camp while hunting,, so as not to be caught out with an ankle fracture and no means of survival.

One point about the zippers that occurs to me is relevant to my one dislike of the double bag systems I have used to date. These are a Swedish Caravan down double "expedition" bag that I owned/used from 1974 to 1978 and down to -30*F, a mediocre piece of gear at best, a combo of my Feathered Friends Overbag plus a Chouinard Thermolite survival bag that I used a lot from 1989 to 2005 and now my well-liked ID North Twin-Andromeda Overbag.

I have found, as I have aged that I move a LOT more when sleeping and I also need a wider bag. With the combo systems I have had, one can easily tangle the two bags up and this really frosts my b*lls, literally! So, it strikes me that Patrick's solution might well eliminate this and the zippered combo may work very well.

New concepts often are reviled by many and take time to become accepted as a "better mousetrap"; I still have people on a BC forum trying to tell me how "old" bush techniques such as using blankets to sleep in and cast iron to cook in over a campfire are "better"than all this high-tech stuff...well, I have done LOTS of that and I do not pack blankets or a cast iron pan....

So, I am very eager to hear how this all works and am quite inclined to buy one as I need another synthetic bag for my wife to camp with me in the summer. Our Rottweiler likes to sleep with his "Mum" and I AIN'T having this on my good down bags. Let us know how this works for you as I am pretty sure I will order a Regulator system in due course.

looks like a hard place to sell fertilizer, too many players.

Glad to see your thread got back on track Kute, there's some good info and thoughts to be gleaned between the other stuff, and I too have been interested to see or hear real world experiences of the Regulator.


As an aside there are things I really like about the W bag I bought from Mark. I'm not sorry I bought it at all, it just didn't live up to the hype that was delivered before it actually existed for bping purposes.

My oldest boy has mine right now at an indoor sleepover, it stays in the stuff sack due to the ability to compress it and not lose as much loft or insulating capability as down or traditional synthetic bags.

Therefore on short notice from him that he needed a bag I grabbed it outa my MR Deluxe setup that now serves as my BOB, no stuffing it in a stuff sack as that's where it lives and it's a great bag for my boat as I keep it in there compressed the whole summer and it does well around water. So it does have it's uses, was relatively inexpensive so I wouldn't be upset if something happened to it i.e. stolen or damaged as I would if the same happened to my dedicated sheep bag.


Also appreciate you setting the record straight kute as to what transpired on the Kifaru message board originally, I was there too and your recollection was spot on from my memory.

To my way of thinking ain't no doubt that the maker of the bags Marc sells have a place, but it's amazing the difference you get from small manufacturers, some guys are open to design changes and will discuss them with you and if they bear merit often incorporate them into their products thus creating even a better version of their initial offering.

Others seem to foam at the mouth if you don't bow down before them and extoll their current offerings as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I've slept in quite a few different bags in various conditions averaging 60+ days afield for a number of years. Does that make me an expert? Hardly, but I do have some real world experience that I can't just chuck out the window when someone tries to tell me something that goes against my acquired knowledge.

I've slept in a bag at -25 to -30* F in no tent, just the bag thrown on a space blanket in the snow. I've also spent the night out with no bag when the temp dropped to the low teens, I survived both, but neither situation did I spend the whole night in blissful comfort.

I'm still a big fan of a draft collar, I've tried it both ways, so when someone tells me they are not necessary and in fact counterproductive they lose a bit of credibility with me on what else they say due to my own expereinces.

I have had very limited contact with Marc, but I can see where AkMtnhuntr might be coming from. Dealing with Marc on the phone and receiving my bag was a good experience. From my perspective at complete opposite ends of the spectrum of how I perceive him when he's posted both here and the Kifaru message board. In fact so much so that I've often been left to shake my head and think "WTF is up with that MT?"

He's certainly hunted Alaska and has some real world experience in such, but as I stated before, he ain't the only one, because of what I love to do, I end up associating often with people of like minded endeavors.

There's lots of ways to skin a cat in hunting up here, and nothing wrong with a guy that likes pop tarts versus bagels for part of his hunting system.

But this whole brouha reminds me of the guys that used to say 30-06, .270 won't get it done yada yada yada, when those of us that do it know either one will suffice.

For me it boils down to whom is making the .30-06 or the .270, who has earned my respect and repeat business, not just in the product they make, but how they conduct themselves.

I started out in life that most of my decisions were dollar driven but have been blessed that such is not the case anymore.

I can buy gear based on performance, value and whether I enjoy spending my dollar more with company A or B. What others do with their gear dollars is their business, but it seems from the thoughts I've seen posted here I am not alone in my thinking. YMMV

Good post 1ak, I didn't come on this thread to bash the Regulator bag as I know nothing about it other than what i've already posted. When I see a good friend of mine who owns a business and that business is being slammed I will do what I can to defend him and that was the case here. I've only hunted Alaska for 15 years so I'd like to think that my time in the wild hasn't been wasted, i've owned a bag or 3 myself. For those that are diehard Kifaru fanatics I hope the bag is everything you hoped it would be but for me, I will look elsewhere as that bag doesn't fit in my gear pile plus it is very cost prohibitive for me, I can do more with my money.

So, if I'm seeing this right:

Kifaru can make a 40-degree bag, 3 inches wider in girth than a Wiggy's 40-degree bag, and utilize Climashield; that bag will be more than a pound lighter than the Wiggy Bag, which also contains Climashield.

Oh, and add a draft collar!

Someone want to explain where the weight loss comes from, or is it just Rhino-magic?!

When you get done working on this for a while, I'll tell you the only answer possible.

And the pictures of the bags compressed are not doing it for me. One can plainly see that neither is fully compressed. I can work the same magic and make them both smaller.

I'm still with you guys, just a little busy in the store, that's all...!

Taylor

My English is not good, but i still want to express my feeling.
i don't read the whole story.
Just want to say, i will not buy anything from Wiggy, even your company is cheaper or better quailty (BUT I DON'T THINK SO).
The reason is that your company is dishonest. that's all.

And stop hijack and said something dis-constructive word in kutenay or other's link.

Mark

I'm with you on compression, having 5 W bags, they can compress more, of course we had to order larger stuff sacks as what was sent with did not quite do the trick.

With that coming direct from CO, I was surprised, but everyone makes shipping mistakes.

Making em lighter, I might could think that one through, since all our W bags are heavier than advertised.

Jeff

Kute- I got down to 20 last night (according to all the local weather reports...my Suunto thermometer read 15 right before the sun hit it this AM...).

I only took the top two sections of the MOB...no sleeves no foot section. I underestimated the forcast a bit.

I wore Smartwools, W's booties, Cabeleas Microtex pants, Smartwool top, Cabelas Microfleece turtleneck and a knit Carhart hat. My feet were cold until I covered them with a compression sack to keep the wind off them. I was using a Kifaru Supertarp w/ one side jacked up, so it was abit breezy underneath. This coupled w/ damp socks made for some chilly feet for a few hours. Laying in the fetal allowed me to pull them inside the bag w/ also helped...trouble is I'm a back sleeper, so they wound up sticking out of the bag most of the night.

The MOB feels like it'll come close to, if not hit, it's rating for me. Time will tell for sure.

So there you are...nothing too scientific, but none the less a report.

This is exzctly what I started this thread for, I want to hear from guys USING this new system in cold, wet places and their opinions of it. I really have no time for the BS from whomever concerning W bags as I am not interested, period.

I also don't really CARE about the never-ending blether about which insulation is supposedly "best", I am not exactly a beginner and have my own opinions of what is best for ME, where I live.

However, IF enough active campers/ramblers/hunters give reports like yours and Bush's earlier one, THEN I have some practical basis for deciding whether this is a wise choice for me.

IF, I buy one, I KNOW that Kifaru will stand behind it, BUT, given Canadian taxes, expensive shipping from CO and return, it will cost me about $200.00 to check it out in person. So, I would prefer to have some "hands-on" advice BEFORE making a decision....simple, eh?

Keep these reports coming, please, I post here EXACTLY for this type of report and am interested in everyone's experiences.

There wasn't much 'wet' about my overnight....maybe this weekend. The forcast says rain/snow for Friday...trouble is I'll be in my 8 man w/ a large stove...that kinda takes the fun right outta it...

ken the way I see it you gotta take one for the team!

Leave your pards inside the tipi while you go throw your bag out in the rain/snow.

It's in the name of scientific research don't you know?


Am thinking you can have a cup of hot joe in the a.m., well if you get permission from kute to do so.

Enjoy your weekend, thanks for the gear report.

Ok, I am not a big poster so I will give it a try. I bought a regualtor this year. I took it on a 10 day Sheep hunt in the Chugach and we headed in early to Scout so I ended up being in there a full 10 days before I got my sheep. We hiked to our camp fron the river bottom approx 4 miles through the Alders and set up camp. Camp never got moved so we day hiked from there each day so the bag stayed in the tent the whole time. The hunt was in late August so temps were maybe 35 at the coldest and I got the 20 degree base bag. I am 5'10 1/2 175 pounds. Also I do own a Wiggys 0 degree bag and I have no complaints but I also think it would benefit from some type of collar as I got a little chilled at times on a late Sept BC horse hunt for Goat and Moose but I never got cold though. Temps were 20 at the coldest

Kifaru beakdown

The bag was plenty warm and I never got cold once which should be expected from the temps.

The size of the bag was nice to carry as I used the Kifaru Long hunter and probably was a bit on the small side for the gear we had so I needed all the room I could get.

The size of the bag seems to constrict in the middle and get roomier in the foot area. Not nearly as comfy as the Wiggys but the size and weight was worth this compromise.

The material felt sort of silicony to me, almost slippery and this was probably my biggest complaint. It was not uncomfortable but I felt like I slid around a lot on the inside.

Overall the bag was great but the price is a little high for what you get as you could own multiple bags for a lot cheaper. Before I used it I had the overbag on my list of wants and I don't know now if I would purchase it until I spend more time in the bag and at colder temps.

Anyone in the Skagit/Snohomish County area that would like to check it out go ahead and PM me.

Pete

Thanks Randy...but there will no taking it for the team this weekend...I gonna pack a ton of crap and live big...lol...I think I'll just take the Woobie to toss over me in the event that the temps inside the tipi drop below 60...lol...

grin, some team player you turned out to be Ken!


Have a blast, there really is something to be said for a wood stove in cool to cold temps.

...lol...It aint over yet...I've some ideas kickin' around in my pea brain for some fun solo trips later on in the season...I've got 'till the first week in December...

This weekend should be 40's/20's with some rain/snow to start...nothing too seriuos...it's the steady 20's and freezing rain that makes things yucky...

My cousin and I just got back from a 10-day backpack hunt for elk in WA. We had a great time and were into elk every single day but, alas, we did not come across any spikes to fill our tags. The weather was decidedly bizarre for the William O. at this time of year. Early in the trip the temps in the deep/dark hole that we called home for most of the trip ranged from highs in the 40-50 range to lows in the lower 20's. From there it gradually warmed up and when we pulled up stakes for the haul-out yesterday morning the temperature was right at 50. Weird.

Anyway, he took his Regulator 20 that I posted a link to a review on earlier in this thread. He used a Downmat 9 Deluxe sleeping pad that I convinced him to buy. As a point of reference, he was the fastest white man in the PAC-10 his senior year of college and didn't gain much in the way of "insulation" during his time spent in the Special Forces since then. Think �lean� but tougher than nails and stronger than most guys with 50 lbs on him. Even though he has all the �go� a guy could possibly want, his resting metabolism is such that he will wake up a little on the chilled side, even while in the comforts of his own home, until his metabolism gets cranked up a bit with the start of the day. He slept with SmartWool shirt, bottoms and socks and wore a mid-weight fleece cap in the 20 degree bag without issue or complaint when the temps were down in the 20�s during the first part of the trip. Our physiques are nearly identical with me having a couple inches and about ten pounds on him, and as I mentioned in my prior review, I slept fine to the bags rating in a cotton t-shirt and boxers.

In short, he is very happy with the 20 Regulator bag and hopes that it will replace the crap that the military has been using. His only wish was that he had purchased the 20 degree MOB instead and would thus have a greater degree of utility. I�m suitably impressed with these synthetic bags and I've got a 0 or 20 Base coupled to a 20 MOB setup on my Christmas Wish List.

Helping the 67 year old uncle haul his cow out of a hole early one morning. We're almost back to his base camp and looking forward to eating some high quality chow.


Our 8-man tipi and large stove "spike" camp about 7.5 miles away in another drainage system. Yes, we were living large.


Took a couple of hours one mid-day to set in some firewood since it looked there might be a radical change in weather. Unfortunately, it got warmer instead of colder and nastier.


My side.


His side. (note the Regulator)



Ready for come what may...
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d11/ARE001/WA%20Elk%20Hunt%202007/DSC02455.jpg[/img]

Anyway...back to sleeping bags...

The notion as it relates to comfortable sleep in the backcountry that an �overbag system must be one component only to maintain the ambient air temperature within a bag� is one that, in my opinion, is not very well thought out. Too anyone that would disagree with this, I�d ask them to reflect upon how many times they�ve woke up from a blissful slumber with their feet or lower legs comfortably poked out from under sheets. My goodness, I imagine the vast majority of us sleep in our homes with our heads fully exposed! The fact of the matter is that a person�s entire body need not have uniform insulative layering in order for one to sleep comfortably. Everyone is different and the modularity of the Kifaru sleeping system accounts for this.

I�d also add that any dismissive statement made about the Regulator�s shell material not being able to hack it in the wilds, from someone who has never even handled one of the Kifaru bags, is dubious at best. Patrick has selected some pretty sturdy material for the Regulator. I have no beef whatsoever in the whole Kifaru/Wiggy deal, but it is obvious that Mr. Taylor does not know what he is talking about with regard to the componentry of Kifaru�s sleeping bag system (since he has not personally handled one) and I�m left to ponder the true intentions of his posts regarding Kifaru�s Regulators.

As more and more people decide to give the new Kifaru bags a try in conditions that they were designed for, I�m sure the word will get out and Patrick Smith & Co. will be renowned not only for their excellent shelters and sturdy packs, but also for their sleeping bags.

Who knows...maybe he'll come out with a lighter, and better wader than those made by Wiggy and be known for that too! (it would be easy for Patrick, or anyone else for that matter, to improve upon the design by making the "tops" out of a much lighter material, make the hip straps longer for long legged folks, add a quick clip buckle instead of one that must be threaded, and swap out the string for good quality bungie cordage)
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d11/ARE001/WA%20Elk%20Hunt%202007/DSC02517.jpg[/img]

informative post Bushcraft, thank you.

Hope you guys had a blast, the uncle is living the dream, bet he's a hoot to hunt with.

Great photos. Nice stack of wood too. I do know the heart brake of cutting a nice pile only to have the weather improve. One thing I like about he Kifaru tipi and stove is just how much shelter a few guys can pack in. Sometimes I look around with the fire going and can't believe we packed in a heated house. Looks like you are getting some good use out of that 8-man. Glad the sleeping bag worked.

Very helpful post, just what I wanted here. I gotta agree, having had a number of bags without a draught collar and also with, I won't have another one without.

Good on your 67 yr. old companion, shows that we old pharts still can drag our butts up the hil!!!

bushcraft,
Fantastic post and pic's! Thanks for sharing!

I don't have a dog in this tangential pissing match that appears to be occurring. I've also never used Kifaru's new Regulator bag system. I do however wish to make a point. I don't foresee me using my Kifaru Regulator (if and when I purchase one) as clothing. That is, with one huge exception. The idea is most appealing to me for those cold mornings when you crawl out of a warm bag into the extreme cold. The idea of only partially extricating myself from a nice toasty bag while I get things ready around camp is actually somewhat appealing. Just a thought.