Kifaru waist belt lumbar help

bellboy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
260
I have a 24" tactical frame and reckoning that I have been training with. At 40-50 I have no complaints the pack does as it's supposed to, lumbar stays in place and I have plenty of load lift. When I load my big sand bag at 90lbs I start having issues. The belt gets plenty tight and everything starts out ok. As I walk the load seems to allow the whole pack including lumbar to slide down eliminating the load lifters and transferring most of the weight to my shoulders making it uncomfortable. The belt itself stays in place, it never moves. I previously owned nomad and bikini frame, but sold it and upgraded to the new frame and reckoning for ease of use and pockets. I know on the bikini frame I had two straps that went to the belt that seemed to keep the pack and belt as one unit. Now with only one strap the belt can move a couple inches up and down which is why I think this is happening. Anyone have any suggestions? Maybe something can be adjusted or tightened that I'm not aware of. Thanks
Jake


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thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,341
Location
Alaska
Is your belt too big? I was having that EXACT same problem and I finally realized I'd gotten the wrong belt size, getting the L changed for an M fixed the problem immediately.
 

welpro222

WKR
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Messages
961
Location
Great NW Washington
Gravity wins every time at that weight. I have the same problem, but I find that if I loosen the load lifters and tighten the shoulder straps and give my shoulders about 30-40% of the weight it helps. The shoulder straps on the kifaru frame are padded nicely so my shoulders never feel burned out.
 
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bellboy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
260
New Mexican ya that may be the case but I don't think so. I have tried tightening the waist so tigh it about cut me in half. The belt itself isn't slipping. The lumbar/pack is riding down.

Welpro222 I didn't have that issue with the bikini/nomad combo. The only reason I didn't like the bikini frame was because it had so much slop side to side. If you got on a side hill with a heavy load the pack would about pull you off the edge because of the way the two pads were designed on the back.


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Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
848
What stays do you have? I had the arrow stays and experienced the same problem with heavier weights. Call Aron if you get can a hold of him.
 
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bellboy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 9, 2012
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260
I have the straight back composite stays. Ya it's a little frustrating. I can try getting ahold of Aron I'm sure he can help me out


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kcm2

WKR
Joined
Feb 26, 2012
Messages
345
When I put on a heavy load, I start with the belt above my hips, tighten as much as I can and let it settle down. The pads tend to stop at about half above the hip bone, and half below.

That being said, Aron will know better than almost anyone, with the exception of Patrick Smith.
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
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I have the straight back composite stays. Ya it's a little frustrating. I can try getting ahold of Aron I'm sure he can help me out


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Maybe you don't have a flat back and need the curved ones.
 
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bellboy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
260
I have tried the curved back stays with my first kifaru the original t2 that had the frame and pack as one unit. It caused me a LOT of discomfort. The flat fits my back profile perfectly at 60lbs. The issue I am having is at 90lbs. There is a lot of vertical play between the belt and the lumbar pad


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Joined
Oct 2, 2016
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2,652
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West Virginia
Are you tucking the frame into the belt pouch completely? Meaning is the belt getting caught on the buckles or are you properly covering the adjustment buckles with the belt? Is the lumbar pad velcro'ed on with the straps trough the frame as well?






That's the only thing I could think of causing "vertical play" between the belt and the frame. God Bless
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2015
Messages
2,814
Location
Littleton, CO
I have tried the curved back stays with my first kifaru the original t2 that had the frame and pack as one unit. It caused me a LOT of discomfort. The flat fits my back profile perfectly at 60lbs. The issue I am having is at 90lbs. There is a lot of vertical play between the belt and the lumbar pad

Sounds like the belt isn't correctly on the bottom of the frame. The frame should slip all the way into the pocket in the belt. See the video link

Duplex Frame - YouTube

If not, having the incorrect stays can cause this problem as mentioned before but you seem confident that it's not the issue. Aron is pretty easy to get a hold of; just call or text him (and he will usually call right back) at 720-937-1418
 
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bellboy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
260
Thank you all for the help. I couldn't believe it but my belt wasn't installed at all. This is how I found it
6da2e1cdfebc27c7676ac2d1c8566a6e.jpg
IMG_1848.JPG

It was never even on the frame! 🤣haha. Also my shoulder straps were 3" out of adjustment from each other. Man I'm sure glad Aron makes such informational videos and there is a resource like rockslide. It's a life saver! I went on a short hike with the pack adjusted and loaded to 90lbs and it was like night and day. So much better! Thanks again for all the help
686af1135d8d4c80f89860bf3da2d8f4.jpg
95ad3230938e2e52a13f0c5af02da14c.jpg


Pics before and after the hike and you can see the pack never slipped which I'm sure is how it was designed. It goes to show you should check your gear! Learn how to adjust and fix it


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