Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting what makes a kifaru better??

I spent some time reading here and it looks like kifaru is highly recommended. I checked out their packs on the website and the thing that struck out to me is they don't appear to have hardly any pockets on them. I like things to fit in a pocket rather than being in one big cluster f somewhere in the backpack. its nice if some things like food are easy to get to, often times I am hunting and waiting in an area for animals to come in. I can't be rummaging through the main compartment of the pack alerting everything on the mountain. am I missing something, also any other comments are welcome. badlands is right down the road from where I live so I will likely be comparing them to the kifaru, about a 3500-4000 class pack is what I am looking at.

I've only got a Siwash and a Tailgunner, so hopefully someone with the really large packs will chime in. Basically, the Kifaru approach of one large compartment is designed to let the user pile as much of whatever, wherever he wants. Compression straps take up the slack. Any further organization comes in the form of "pull-outs." Just a different way to skin a cat.

My 4200ci Siwash is perfect for the gear I hunt with. Since all the space is utilized, there's no dead space to compress. Additionally, since it's a panel loader, all my gear is very handy to access. I love the fit and comfort of Kifaru packs, but I honestly don't know if I'll care for the large single compartment approach of the Longhunter Guide when I buy one. If I could combine the comfort of Kifaru frame and suspension with the design and features of a Mystery Ranch, it'd be the Reese's Peanutbutter Cup of hunting packs--------for me at least.

The Tailgunner is an awesome little pack too. Ironically it's packed with lots of compartments.

I have a LHG, bare bones, I look at it like this. The one compartment along with thoughtful packing gives me everything I need and nothing I dont. I can keep the things I need accessible at the top and avoid extra pod/pockets. It is a nice streamlined/light package.

If I was to get a Kifaru (I'm at a toss up between them and Mystery Ranch) I'd get the Tactical (used to be Military) line. I like the webbing and if there's stuff I need quickly or small items I need to organize you can get different sized pockets.

Well, they do have a generous top pocket built in and they do make all manner of pockets you can hang on the pack if you want to, plus pouches that connect to the sternum strap for immediate access to stuff like binos, pistol, etc.

Most who use the packs don't hang a lot of pockets on 'em though.

so I was right everything does have to go in one large compartment for the most part. that sounds like a huge disadvantage to me. lets say need your headlamp or small role of duct tape, that could mean having to unpack a substantial amount of stuff, repack it to put it back, I don't like alot of stuff hanging off my pack if possible, aside from that what makes the kifaru pack worth the money??

My Mystery Ranch pack doesnt have a PILE of smaller pockets, and the way I deal with that is use some organizers inside. It helps me pack nice and small and it keeps things together. The little mesh bags and zippered compartments help carry things in the main compartment, and then I can just take out whatever I need and its nice and handy to get at.

Some guys like having a pile of zippers and little pockets all over the place, I have just found a good way to make it work in the larger pack.

Thats the one negative thing of my longhunter, I don't like one big pocket... and thats what it has.
I like the side pockets on my J105 Eberlestocks. Can access some stuff fairly quick without having to take it off, set it down, open up, find another stash pouch, get into it etc...

Doesn't mean I won't change my mind in the future, but if they'd only add someoutside pockets one would be good.

Not that hard to fit the few items you'll need first when you stop in the top pouch or in the top of the compartment. A little foresight goes a long way. Good luck in your search.

I have discovered that the most important thing about a backpack is how it carries a load. I don't own a kifaru but from what I gather the way they carry is the reason they are so great. When two packs start riding the same then you can compare little things like how many pockets they have. That's just me though.

It like comparing the number of A/C vents in a ferrari to the number in a pontiac sunfire.

I still have yet to see that for my body anyway, that the Longhunter carries a load any better or worse the the J105 does. I"ve never had more than 120 in either pack though. Thats training loads.

Because animals don't fit in a bunch of tiny little pockets

There are plenty of Kifaru owners who would prefer more in the way of pockets. For example, the lack of wand pockets is a continual gripe. They choose Kifaru despite these shortcomings due to load carrying ability.

My answer to what makes a Kifaru better? The hipbelt.

I don't mind some pockets on my pack or hanging off of my pack. In fact I keep my sleeping pad and shelter on the outside along with my Camelbak. No matter what pack I go with I'll get a Kifaru Organizer. They offer different sized exterior pockets so you can just get what you need to organize. I prefer my main compartment for food, clothes, etc. I prefer to organize and keep smaller stuff seperate. And for those taht get a Kifaru you can get the XTL lid that will allow you to keep some smaller items.

remington, with your mention of the XTL, sounds like you're considering the military line. I'd abandon that idea personally.

Extra weight for no reason now that the hunting packs are available in foliage. The hunting packs are 500d cordura instead of 1000d, but otherwise just as tough without useless weight. If you start with a mil pack with a bunch of PALS on it and then add pockets, your empty pack weight adds up quickly. Seems like those who go down that route end up regretting it. Even a lot of mil folks seem to be favoring the civilian versions in foliage over the military versions.

The longhunters (civ version of the EMR) come with a fairly cavernous top pocket. Most folks seem to get all of their "during the day" stuff in this top pocket without much of a problem. For further organization you can use pullouts inside of the top pocket.

The one mil thing I like is the PALS waistbelt for mounting pockets on. You can sub out for this waistbelt when ordering a longhunter.

tiny pockets are exterior, note the tubes on the J105.... and don't get in the way of packing the animal parts... I"ve had a whole deer, cut up, in my J105, and all my hunting gear... albeit not tons of hunting gear that trip and the deer was not big....

another thing is the pack isn't even available in camo, WTF this is a hunting pack after all. the way I normally operate is I have my pack all up with everything, sleeping bag, tent etc. spare clothes, cooking stuff, food the whole 9 yards, I take this to the place I plan to hunt and set up camp, at this point I shed everything I don't need for a days hunting, then I pack just some survival stuff in the bottom, like a knife, lighter, etc, enough stuff that if I had to spend the night somewhere unplanned I wouldn't die. I put a warm hat, gloves some heavier clothing in the pack, this stuff it nice if it fits in a separate area. they can be grabbed or put away in a pocket. if I need some jerky and a granola bar, again its in its own pocket, the point is the amount of stuff I need to get in and out of the pack during the course of the day, precludes me from being able to just pack certain things at the top of the pile. say I have my warm clothes on for the morning, around 10 o clock it warms up, I start shedding clothes, I would have to un pack my food and other stuff or put the clothing on top of it, then if I need it in the evening, if I moved the stuff so I could get to it during the early evening, I have to yank all that out to get my warm clothes again. if the smaller stuff is in its pocket all that I talked about is unnecessary, nothing is un packed rather used and put back in its place. I don't see how a kifaru pack would work for me given all the draw backs, I could add stuff to it, but why not buy a pack with the pockets built in.

to some reading this, I am a member of serveral message boards I can't tell you how many times a pack mentality with the membership forms and everyone says you have to get such and such product when it very well might not be all that great. for some reason I see this happening with this subject. tomorrow I am going to go to badlands office and see if I can have a look at the new sacrifice pack, that may be what I need. if something breaks I just drop it off at their place.

I loaded a decent MT mule deer boned out + head in a J107. I sold it and bought a Mystery Ranch as soon as I got home from the trip. Similar load carrying ability to the Kifaru I believe, but I found a deal on the MR.

From what I am hearing it sounds like pockets may be a bigger need than carrying capacity. I have a LHG. THe pocket issue for me is solved by the top pocket on the pack, THe handgunbearer attached to the front shoulder straps(great place for map, compass, ect... and a possibles pouch on the waisbelt opposite the gunbearer. Last critter I packed was a Texas whitetail last fall. The LHG swallowed up the entire deer boned out and all my day stuff with plenty of room to spare and the weight for that Load wasnt even close to being an issue for that pack.
Welcome to solving for you whats seems to be one leg of the big three for all of us. Packs, Boots and sleeping bags.
Good Luck
MIke

You got that right, its the J105 that gets in the way of packing animal parts (note that the smily means it was a joke).

Is it really that big of a deal to organize your gear with stuff sacks or attaching a pocket? I'm not a kifaru guy so maybe I'm spoiled with my mystery ranch layouts but I want the room for meat. My hunting gear just doesn't take up that much space.