FYI.....


http://kifaru.net/timberline.html

I ordered one of the T3's. I may order a T1 to replace my LH standard.

T3 in the work for me as well! No just gotta be patient for them to build it.

They look nice but 6 bills seems a little high for me.

6 bills does seem a little ridiculous for what they are. I am fighting my self not to order one, I need to save up for a Mchale.

I can totally relate and find irony in the fact that 6 bills may be a lot for the pack, but still saving up even more money for McHale. No doubt you'd be happy with either. HAHA!!!

I can justify buying a lot of things if I try hard enough, and K packs are awesome.

Plus I've been selling stuff for a month to be able to afford this one.

I expected the Timberline 3 to be just over $400, that is what i wanted and i was going to buy one. I now see they want over $550 for it, which i think is just a little ridiculous.

BTW, Kifaru packs are far from custom made/fitted, cant even compare to a Mchale.

I don't own a McHale, so I can't comment. I realize that Kifaru can't compare to Mchale like you said as its like comparing a Jansport to a Mystery Ranch. Just found the irony between its too expensive but I'm gonna buy a more expensive pack. Like I said I can see your logic, just at the same time find the ironic. Not meant to make you take offense. More to just laugh about all of us gearheads as a whole on this site. Sorry.

Far be it from be to miss the hypocrit boat, I just dropped over 7 bills on a tipi .

Thanks for the post!

I do like this new line of Kifaru packs but their prices seem too steep IMO. Seems Kifaru could figure out a way to lower their production costs (and I don't mean moving it overseas or outsourcing) and they would sell alot more packs.

Just my 2 cents only,

MtnHtr

Yep.
Two rich for my blood..

Hoping too see some reviews of these around here soon...

Not many times in the years that I have spent premium money for good gear have I ever commented on prices, but I gotta say those prices are crazy!

^ I'll second that!!! I'll splash big for top-notch gear - no worries - i'm a "cry once (at the checkout)" kinda guy, but kifaru is over the top with this matrix IMHO.

I've noticed Dan McHale has boosted the price of entry for his packs too, but still from *everything* i've ever read his gear is top notch.

When you call Kifaru, the same people answer the phone, by that I mean the same people who used to answer it a long time ago. Intelligent, capable, and resourceful people won't hang around a jobsite a decade or two if you don't compensate them for their time and effort. I'm pretty sure Patrick Smith has forgotten more about how to run a business than most of us will ever know. He's had to suspend production of the clothing line to get the KU packs into production, and it remains to be seen if he'll ever get it back up because of demand for his "overpriced" packs.

Ok fellas, I backpack a lot, for one and two night jaunts, usually with a dog and my 8yo daughter. I have many packs, as some of you may know, including two McHales and the MR NICE system. I'm currently mostly using the medium sized McHale as my default pack, the only thing hat bugs me is the lack of a water hose port. I got the Timberline, and was thrilled with the setup. I packed it full for a two day outing with my little girls gear and all. We make about five miles a day, and I'm real proud of her for that.
Anyway, when I hoisted my full Timberline onto my back in the basement, I was disappointed. It seemed that the upper part of the pack was woefully unsupported, flopping right to left as I walked. I looked at the frames of the McHales and MRs and their stays both go above the shoulders, supporting the bulk. Did I load it wrong?
Anyone else notice this?
Don
PS I have such respect for Kifaru that I'm not willing to believe that the problem is that I'm used to a Porsche and the Timberline is a Miata???

Shot you a PM docdb.

You just can't compare Kifaru to Mchale, but Kifaru is almost asking Mchale prices.



BTW, seems like a good time for a little hijack, i have a KU5200 bag for sale if anyone is interested.

I am a little disappointed with the T3. I was hoping it would be under 4lbs and in the $450 price range. To be dropping closer to $600 seems like to much. The bag is a glorified day pack. Its to expensive and to heavy for my daypack needs yet it seems like its to small for a multiday pack. With pods and pockets you can squeeze 3-4 days out of it but its not ideal imo. The t3 is basically a spike camp with the exterior pockets, not a big bag.

I was looking for a day pack that could be used for overnights when needed. I think for me it just too much weight for a daypack and just to much money.

I am sure it will fit others needs but I am just disappointed that it hasn't turned out to be my dream pack. On the other hand maybe I am talking myself out of it cause its so darn expensive.

I'll agree that, at a glance, the prices seem high.

Considering the T series come with the UL carbon stays ($40 option on the other packs) and all the extra sewing for the pockets, the pricing starts to make sense.

I like the fact that they are all top-loaders with the 'lid' which allows them to be much 'bigger' than the spec's.

I'm hoping Patrick will bring them out the the ECR this winter. I'd like to paw them over a bit before I take the plunge.

Yep, the extra sewing and UL stays make the price of the packs increase pretty quickly. The material isn't any different, but the labor is where the money goes too.

Don't get me wrong, they are pricey, but my Timberline 1 is on it's 19th pack out this season and is still looking like new, so the K packs will last a long time and backed by a great company.

And here I thought the 17 critters I have helped pack out this year was something.

If Kifaru can offer some discount for loyal customer that will be great.
Ha..ha.. Dreaming

In analyzing the features of the Timberline packs compared to the rest of Kifaru�s pack offerings I believe the price of the Timberlines are in line with the price of other Kifaru packs. Here is my analysis of a T3:

As allheart correctly pointed out the T3 is basically a spike camp with exterior pockets. So if you configure a spike camp in a similar way how much would it cost?

Spike Camp -----------------------------------$364.00
Composite Stays -------------------------------$40.00
2 500D long pockets ($44 apiece)---------------$88.00
1 500D Mid long (to match T2 front pockets) ---$43.00

Total -----------------------------------------$535.00

But a Spike camp or Express configured this way is still not equivalent to T3. The T3 has some additional features:

1. Ability to support 24� stays. This is a deal breaker for tall people who need functional load lifters

2. Upgraded waist belt and lumbar pad (Wraptech versus Omni).

3. Double layer of Cordura on bottom of pack versus single for the Spike camp.

4. Additional attachment points such as the Hunter PALS matrix.

Another advantage the T3 has over a �configured� Spike camp or Express is weight:

Spike Camp ------------------------------ 4 lbs 2oz
Subract weight for using composite stays------ -5 oz
Add weight for two 500D long pockets--------- 18 oz
Add weight for 500D Mid long pocket----------- 8 oz

Total weight of configured Spiked camp----- 5 lbs 7 oz
Total weight of T3 -------------------------4lbs 9.5 oz

If you browse the Kifaru forum you will find that a number people configure their Spike camps and Expresses in a fashion similar fashion to what I've shown and use them for overnight trips.

You can break it down anyway you want too but they are still spendy.

Ain't that the truth Big_W. I have no doubt most of us could do all the hunting we needed to do with a simple LL Bean external frame:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/6439...107999-_-productname_link&qs=3000086

and dry sacks. But thats half the fun. Finding what works for us and what not. What else we gonna do once the seasons are winding down but cuss/discuss what we like best.

If we all tried hard enough we can justify anything we buy for backpacking and hunting.

I have been thinking about getting a ULA Catalyst for a while now. I believe their packs are made 100% in the USA out of Logan, Utah. Their top of the line ultralite packs are all under $300 and you don't have to shell out your money and wait 2 months for them to be built.

Sounds like a fun project to test out. Be interested in what ya think of it. Wouldn't be my first pick for heavy hauling a critter out of the woods, but so long as it works and you like it....who cares!!