Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Meat haulers: NICE vs Kifaru and "How To"

Inquiring as to the benefits or advantages to each pack system and how it is used to pack meat, either quarters or boned. Having only packed a small amount of critter comparitively, I am interested in how the "pros" do it. Also intrigued by so many words of praise for each system.

I am currently an Eberlestock guy. I like the pack. Packed out one bear. Not to aweful far, but nearly straight up. I like the pack, but find the cubic inches a bit small on the internal pocket. Like others, I have lurked and asked questions over the last year.

I am getting more and more savy, but still not overnighting much. Will be out a few times next week. But, I am getting out on day trips often and am in relatively good shape-the hikes have turned into fun and adventure rather than rue of the aftermath and the dread of the sweat and exertion. Hence, I have become non-lazy. I have also learned the excitement of gear chopping and weight savings. Got a nice Ti pot this week and now my kitchen is down to 11 oz or so with fuel.

Interested in a more dedicated packer-both granola and critter. Always on a budget, but after hearing about the NICE system can swing it piece by piece, and can swallow the intial $200 easily for the frame and add a bag next spring. BUT I would like to see an appreciable improvement in fit, feel and function over the Eberle.

To the point. I have had hands on neither pack. I am inquiring as to how to pack an animal out with either. I hear the Kifaru guys speak of the Cargo Chair. Not sure how it attaches and such. With the NICE frame, what is their equivalent to a cargo chair or platform, or are game pieces strapped and lashed to the frame old school style. Can it said the NICE would be more readily adaptable ?

A little enlightenment and discussion please.

Well, here we go again! I am not a "pro",, only an aged "weekend warrior", but, I used to be a "pro" and, more importantly, I own and use both Kifaru LH and MR NICE packs. I have never even seen an Eberlestock pack, so, cannot do a legitimate comparison.

How you attach your load is up to you, both K and MR have systems, the K-Cargo Chair and the MR-NICE Load Hauler which will hold an Elk 1/4 on the frame, especially if augmented by some cord or bungies. This is how you would do a "bone-in" chunk of an Elk or even a Moose.

With bag(s) attached, you can put a large sack of boned meat into the bag,, on tip of your emergency camp gear and then "tote that bale"; this is less efficient in time, but, often packs better. Up to 70 lbs on either is easy and after that, it gets tougher.

I will not say which pack/system is "better", each person is different and what suits one the best may be opposite to what another prefers. Also, I will not get involved in the sort of product-company slagging that sometimes happens here and on other forums, I will say that of my three MR packs and two Kifaru packs, MY favourites FOR HUNTING are my fully rigged Kifaru Siwash for most trips and my MR NICE-6500 combo for the longer trips.

As to adaptability, I can't see any difference between the KLH and the MR-NICE systems as they both adapt easily. Get on the Kifaru forum and find someone close who will let you try on a Kifaru and go to Bozo and testdrive a NICE. Both of these rigs are at the "cutting edge" of contemporary design and quality, they are far superior to ANYTHING else I have ever used or seen.

My partner and I were just out with packs doing a training hike on very steep, rugged country. He is currently using a Gregory Denali Pro that was mine and just returned from "free-guiding" a work colleague on a three day hike in the B.C. Coast Range. He is 38 and has climbed and hunted worldwide and he CAN boogie!

His take on the GDPro was the same as mine, very, very good, BUT, noit up to my MR packs that he has carried to "test". He is going to buy a MR BDSB this week and we will use my NICE combo and KLH-Rondy from Sept. 16-23 on our backpack Goat hunt. After using my MR packs, he has bought one and wants others, MR makes REALLY great packs.....so does Kifaru, what more can I say.

I hauled elk quarters for the first time last year with a Kifaru Longhunter, Guide model. I didn't have the cargo chair attachment, but it was no problem to just compress the bag against the frame and lash the quarters to it, there are plenty of D-rings and attachment points. Around 4 1/2 miles one-way and it was never uncomfortable, the pack carries weight very nicely.

Buy the Cargo Chair, it REALLY is worth the $$$$$ and it will hold a large stuff sack with all my camp in it, so, the meat can be inside the bag, a Rondy in my case. The Cargo Chair and the Gunbearer are two of the major design innovations that raise Kifaru packs to the level they are at, equalled only by Mystery Ranch, IMO, and far ahead of anything else I have used.

I did not intend to start a pissing contest about which is better. I read the thread below several times.

I am inquiring as why either or both are touted as being superior to many other systems, and how they are used in the field.

I have looked at both sites a few times and am still confussed slightly.

Do the Kifau packs have a sub frame system that allows the packs or bags to be removed for a frame and harness system ? Meaning, if you are not going to be able to get all of the critter and camp out of the woods in one shot, can the bag be removed, cargo chair attached, and take a monster meat load out, and return for gear and pack bag ??

Do the other Kifaru packs all have the same system as the largest LH ?

On the Mystery Ranch, I am guessing the load sling, is the equivalent to the polymer shelf cargo chair, and must be used to hold the bottom of the load ? Maybe similar to the bottom flap of the Eberlestock (those having seen and handled both).

Lastly, I believe that it's been mention prior, but if choosing a pack for 50% hunting and 50% backpacking, the Kifaru would edge out the MR. Do any of the Kifaru bags come in other than black ??

I really couldn't get into the cargo chair. Just never found enough uses to justify it. I know I'm in the minority on that.

Jesse, I'd suggest you post the questions over on the Kifaru MB for Patrick, he's pretty good about answering them. I've never attempted to take the bag off the frame and haul meat, but my impression is that it's not simple or quick. But, why go to the trouble, you can just compress the bag and tie the meat onto the frame on top of the bag, that's what I did last year.

Many of the Kifaru packs come in other colors, but I believe the LH comes only in black. It comes with lightweight fleece cover panels that are reversible, camo on one side, blaze on the other.

For me anyway, I consider the LH superior for the quality of construction, suspension system, and ability to carry heavy loads. Last time I went out I set up a base camp to hunt from so I had a lot of stuff, 60 lbs., weighed on a scale. Same result as packing quarters, very comfortable, very good suspension that put the weight on the hips where it belongs. Craig Boddington wrote an article a while back wherein he tried to see how heavy a load he could carry on a LH without cratering the pack, he never got the question answered. He put whole wild hog on it and I can't remember the exact weight but it was well over 100 lbs., I think over 150., and the pack was not the limiting factor in how much weight he could carry.

Stillhunter, I own a cargo chair, but haven't used it, like I said, I just lash the meat onto the pack frame on top of the bag, never had a need for it.

I can comment on the Kifaru as I have two of them. I use them for hunting trips or long backpack trips when a heavy load is in the works. For 3-4 days with 25 lbs or so, I'll use a lighter pack.

When game is down, I place the meat inside the bag and use the CC for the light parts of my regular load. So, I might have a load of say 50# of boned out meat inside the bag along with the smaller, heavier parts of my camp. Then on the outside, on the CC, I'll have the light but bulky items of my regular camp load. This keeps the heavy stuff close to your back.

I'm leaving in a couple of hours for an overnighter scouting trip. I'll also be packing in about a 4 gal water cache to use later this month. The water carrier will go inside the pack and if necessary, bag, pad and a few clothes may go on the CC on the outside. Once I drop the water cache, then, I'll put it all back inside.

I just packing today (fun) for the Deer/Grouse opener next weekend and also painting the front steps( not fun, used to bribe wife when Visa bill for gear arrives, old age=cunning). I am using my Kifaru Siwash for this and I do exactly what JimF does and find it works very well.

To me, the NICE is easier to take down into conponent pieces in the field, however, I doubt that one would do this too often. I looked on the Kifaru site and, it seems that the wiley, old geezer aka Patrick has done it AGAIN and now has another frame available, called the Molle Frame...????? Maybe this might be another option for you to consider.

It is not really possible to say that one is better than the other, YOU need to test and decide for yourself.

I could be wrong, but I think he has a cargo chair set-up for a Molle frame. Don't think he is selling/building the actual frame.

If you want a good MOLE frame pack set up, look at Wilderness Packs! Kfaru sells a cargo chair set up. I am going to pick one up for mine.

I seriously considered buying Eberle and Kifaru. They came highly recommended, but I couldn�t get the gear in hand to decide. The NICE Frame seemed equivalent to either, but I could use an ALICE bag until I could afford the Crew Cab, so I asked my wife to get me one for Father�s Day.

I�ve only humped loads in the 30-lb class, but I barely notice them: hand-made gear designed for Delta operators is worth what it costs. I�m increasing the weight as the deer opener approaches, but I�m keeping it light to save what�s left of my knees.

If you�re near Seattle, send me a PM and I�ll let you check out my NICE Frame.


Okie John

Okie, thanks for the offer, I am going to take you up on it if you are genuine in the offer. I may hit up Bushcraft, as I think he's Kifaru guy as well. Kill both birds.

Will have to be between 3 am and 3:30 am on a Sunday morning, in order to get to you in less than 4 hours with the I-5 traffic................

Where are you? We might be able to meet halfway.


Okie John