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

What if something breaks when you are 10 miles from the truck and you have some game/gear to pack out? Is Badlands going to help you out in the backcountry?

I agree with your complaints about Kifaru's lack of pockets, they seem to have settled on a marketing strategy of selling extras at ultra premium prices. My money is going to Mystery Ranch nowadays, they include alot with their packs and their accessories are priced reasonable. But seriously, Badlands don't impress alot on here and after owning all three (Badlands, Kifaru and Mystery Ranch) I can see why.

MtnHtr

what sets them apart is cust.service.I'm sure the same is true of M. R.

It all comes down to personal preference. If you like lots of little pockets than kifaru is not for you. Everyone has their own method for packing for the backcountry so find a pack that fits your method and go with it.

Many have problems with Kifaru's lack of pockets, including many Kifaru owners as I mentioned earlier.

I don't think Kifaru's lack of pockets is a marketing strategy. Patrick (owner and designer at Kifaru) takes great pride in putting in a LOT of field time with his gear before he sells it. He relies far more on his own field testing than on market feedback. By the time he puts a product out there, he believes it is the best there is. Again, based on his extensive field testing. He doesn't personally find a use for a lot of pockets, so he doesn't put them on his packs. It doesn't come down to anything more than that.

The military line is a completely different story. PALS and accessory pockets is pretty much the order of the day in that entire niche.

No, it has one large cargo compartment (actually two counting the sleeping bag compartment and the main compartment) but as I said above, it has a pocket on top of the pack that's pretty large and can handle anything you need to have quick access to--that's where I put all my stuff like headlamp, first aid kit, emergency gear, maps, snacks, etc. The top pocket also detaches and has a strap to carry over your shoulder as a day pack.

I still like to supplement with the combination handwarmer/zipper pouch that attaches to the sternum strap, it has room for camera, binos, cow call, snack, headlamp, etc.

The thing that makes the packs worth it is their load carrying capacity and weight distribution, like the other poster said.

First of all, a camouflage pack for backpack hunting (particularly your load hauler) is far from necessary for almost every user. Nothing wrong with camouflage, and I have this feeling you'll disagree with me, but plenty of very successful backpack hunters don't use camo packs.

Regarding pockets: some people like 'em, some don't. I personally don't like more than 2-3 total, including the lid. Pockets add weight and are an inefficient way to add space to packs.

It sounds to me like you have your heart set on a Badlands anyway, but if you try one up against a Kifaru or MR you will know what we're talking about.

Mtn Hunter's tried all three and saw the difference; try them all and see what you find.

camo is a joke, even mostly in bowhunting.... I have plenty, but once I realized it was a gimmick, I don't buy it specifically anymore, I look for gear that works. Not if its in camo.

Bird hunting is another thing though....

What sets them apart is lighter weight, high quality made, made in CO, USA, and it's all in the suspension! No sore shoulders and all day comfort. No regrets in buying mine, just regret all the money and pain wasted with the others.

"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."

Aren't you trying to sell your J105? I had one and it does not even come close with heavy loads even with my LS. The new J104 and the likes put those loops on the sides to keep the gun scabard when empty from sagging, but I had the J104 G1, J105, J104 G2 and loved it it with 45-lbs and less, but way too far from my back.

Badlands makes a great design, but their zippers and buckles are crap. I hear they fixxed this, but after my attemp with them, I am weary.

Features and function are two very separate things. Evan Hill is right on as far as the design approach. Kifaru packs are what works for the designer. I suspect he seldom, if ever, uses any optional pockets other than the possibles pouch or the occasional pod to add volume to a Late Season or similar. They are meant to be trim.

If getting at layers is an issue, consider the Grab It. It adds almost no weight and allows you to get at that sort of stuff easily. No pockets are a legitimate criticism of Kifarus but the lack thereof is certainly not in insurmountable problem. I added some $10 3.5 ounce Jannd side pockets to my Guide and got all the organization I needed. That new Koala designed by Evan provides a whole new dimension to my organization approach regardless of pack.

If camo makes or breaks a pack for you, then you have a different set of criteria than I do for backpacking. I'd prefer mine wasn't black but I survive.

As far as pockets go on Kifaru packs, the top lid on the LH will hold a lot of gear and has an additional "Chamber" pocket inside the top pocket. A possibles pouch will hold a range finder, camera, and plenty of snacks. If you by the complete package with the pack you get the possibles pouch and camo DQ fleece panels that reverse to orange. Then you can add a hand warmer pocket, side pockets, back pockets, GPS pouch, grab it, pod's etc. I'd rather buy a pack that lets me choose what extras I want rather than have a bunch of features built in that I never use.

Take most of the new Osprey packs. they have so many pockets you could spend an hour looking for something. And I don't dislike Osprey, I just find them to be more on the bells & whistles than on carrying loads.

Kifaru packs are very well thought out designs IMO.

I have a LHG. I initially struggled with not having pockets b/c it just seemed to make sense. With the top pocket, large MISC bag, GPS bag and hand warmer accessories, I have plenty of space for frequent touch items. Granted, I don't know what I'm missing b/c I've never had pockets. I have been blessed to tackle some wooly country the last 5 years with my Kifaru gear - including carrying some game out. I'm very pleased with my investment. I'm sure there are other options and that's a beautiful thing. I trust Kifaru though and have benefited from the customer service - fixing my screw ups mainly. Its a lot of money anyway you slice it for quality gear (Kifaru or otherwise) and you need to feel comfortable with your decision. Best of luck and have fun. If you're like me, you don't get to buy this stuff very often so you want to make the best decision for you.

No I'm NOT trying to sell the J105. I have 2 of those, a cheapy pack and a Longhunter. I"ll say this much, I grab the J105 almost all the time and rarely use the longhunter. I used it for 2 years feeling it out though. And am back to the J105. I can't make myself sell the longhunter either, since its supposed to be so wickedly better.

I"m not saying that LH isn't better, its certainly sewn a bit better, but I've had to repair both so far. I just know for my body, the J105 carries weight as good if not better, and I like the pockets.. and pack arrangement and the gun bearer vs the LH one. Doesn't mean it works for everyone though.

BTW I keep reading about the big top side of the LH... How I operate is the top pack holds all survival stuff, spare batteries, fire starters, flares, maps, GPS, Epirb and the like, and I guess I like the extra room, but it ends up pakced full of weight because it has more room... thats a negative for that much extra weight to be that high for me anyway. I"m shorter and need all weight lower. Who's fault? Mine, I could load the top with socks and such but I don't.... I"m a mini pack rat... and since it doesnt' have side pockets... I stash more stuff in there like trail mix, water filters etc.. so they don't get buried down deep in the caverns.
I will have to buy a set of the whatever they call the zipper packs I guess. Just kinda pissed me off to pay that much for the pack and then have to pay more still to organize it better.

Wouldn't trade my 6 man or paratipi for anything though and bought the paratipi off the guy from BC that got ran off here, that had done everything under the world, he hated that paratipi... for us its been a Godsend literally.

Jeff

Jeff,

Is your LH a G1 or a G2? If it's a G1, I would say that they didn't carry well for me with heavy (over 75 lbs) weight. The G2 is a whole different best. Carries fantastic with over 125 lbs.

Ed

Honestly no clue and not sure how I'd tell. But if there is an upgrade I'm willing to spend just to see.

Thanks for the heads up but I've no clue on how to tell or what to do?

I'm with Ed. I like to add or remove whatever pockets I want or don't want. The same thing with the Cargo Chair. Kifarus allow this with the add on extras sold for their packs.
For me, the pack needs to be as compact and out of the way as possible. Try working heavy cover with one of the popular back packing/mountaineering packs from the other makers. That's where you find that tall packs hit too much in the way of branches thus making noise. Pockets in the wrong places interfere with carring the gun, etc. Stiff suspension belts make bending over to get through tight places much tougher to do.
What I really like about the Kifarus is their suspension belt is soft and wide. It features both upper and lower Delta Straps to lock the pack's load into the center of the lower back. Again, try using a conventional pack made for back packers and mountaineers. They don't have to sneak quietly through off trail heavy cover, bending at the waist and twisting to get some where very quietly. Neither do they walk for days lightly loaded then have to pack some dense weight on a trip out.
I'm sold on the Kifarus. Lots of options and designs that work well for the needs of the hunter. My only complaint is they cost alot. E

I had the G1 LH and sold it as well. I love my Siwash and LS though. Sorry rost495, I saw 1-for sale from a Tx guy and got dislexic. I think the 105 was a better than the J104, it just needed those side loops to pull things in like they added. I would agree though I liked it better than the LH.

I hear the G2 are even better than the originals escpecially in the Siwash and LH. I will have to wear the others out before I can try though.The cost is stiff, but in line with MR or even alot of the off the shelf ones are $300 now, so money well spent I think, just not often.

Jeff,

What color is your LH? If its black it's a G1. Other clue would be the packlock on the hip belt, the power pull waist belt. Much easier to remove the bag as well.

Black with a camo/orange something cover somewhere thats removealbe...

Great I buy a LH and get the wrong one....

Hunting... mine does have the cinch straps, thats one thing I really like aobut the j105 too, you can pull the center gear out and really shut it down basically to nothing, so that when we are out, once we find elk, the para goes up and gear stays with it and we use it as a spike and try to stay half a mile or so away from the elk, and carry small light loads for the day portion....

Going to the military pack (at least with the Gen I packs) came at a fairly high price in extra weight, although it looks like the Gen II Longhunters are quite a bit heavier than the old ones.

Kifaru's big thing is the hip belt. Kelty's have a similar hip belt with a similar level of comfort, but there is no way a Kelty pack could be loaded to the same max weight as a Kifaru or be used as long as a Kifaru without falling apart.

The lack of pockets isn't a major issue, just use their silnylon pull outs or something similar and pack your gear in some sort of logical needs based fashion. Adding external pockets to their pack is do-able, but really jacks the weight up.