Kifaru Whitetail pack

Deepshax

WKR
Joined
May 27, 2015
Messages
306
Location
NJ
I have tried the sandwich deal as well. Greatly prefer slapping a stand on the back for most distances I was traveling. Granted everyone is different in how far they are going.

I found sandwiching a stand to be loud, and take too long to get attached/detached. Slapped on the back with a grab it and strap was quick, quiet and easier.


This pack intrigues me. I need to see more info on it. May replace my 14r depending.

Iv also been eyeballing he MR treehouse.

I stopped even using the grab it, i just us two compression straps through the LW platform grid > even quicker and quieter (and lighter)! It also allows you to strap the stand a little bit lower on the pack so you have some more clearance.
 
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
2,652
Location
West Virginia
I have a Molle II. Tried it the way you suggest but ended up just putting the straps and belt directly on the stand because there was basically no difference in how it carried. There is a big freaking difference in how my SO pack carries the same weight. This discussion is about a high end pack company dipping thier toe in the whitetail world. I do not know Aron but I suspect he values straight ahead no BS feedback on products good, bad or indifferent more than a bunch of fanboy drool. I can clearly see where a good number of whitetail guys would thoroughly enjoy using this new pack but there are also a lot guys that have an entirely different gear criteria and some of us have expressed those thoughts here. How is it, given the shear enormity of different gear configurations that these western hunting companies have designed and produced for western hunters, all whitetail guys should just do back flips and be happy with the first thing they produce for our predominant species to hunt.

Fact is I am tickled to see a company like kifaru take a step towards the whitetail world because as a broad stroke statement, western gear companies produce higher quality gear than the average whitetail company when you are talking about fit, function and weight. Our answer to a good pack system capable of hauling your gear and quartered out deer is a 2 wheeled cart that just flat out suck if you arent hunting right next to a 2 track or in wide open woods in flat ground. This new pack doesnt work for me but I am hopeful that it is the first step not the only step. Maybe Kifaru, SO, Exo, SG or MR will jump on in and take a serious look at this market, get feedback from hunters as to why and how they want gear to function and build in those directions. I spend 40 days or so chasing whitetails every year and it would be nice if my gear for that was on par with the gear I have now for hunting elk for a week.




You have felt free to tell others what you think and, seem to feel that anyone who disagrees is being confrontational. You also seem to insinuate there is groupie love here because people asked about why you see this as non essential. Not much here has seemed to appeal to you. You have kept saying you don't see the pack doing a good job for you but, have gave only one example of what you want. If your purpose is to truly be constructive, burn us up with your idea's please. I'm certain Kifaru people are watching. And, I evidently need the education.
 

Btaylor

WKR
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
2,441
Location
Arkansas
You have felt free to tell others what you think and, seem to feel that anyone who disagrees is being confrontational. You also seem to insinuate there is groupie love here because people asked about why you see this as non essential. Not much here has seemed to appeal to you. You have kept saying you don't see the pack doing a good job for you but, have gave only one example of what you want. If your purpose is to truly be constructive, burn us up with your idea's please. I'm certain Kifaru people are watching. And, I evidently need the education.

I went back and read some of my post in this thread and re-read the one you quoted twice to try an understand your reply I quoted and I am sorry I just can't make the connection. I haven't thought anyone was being confrontational. The fanboy comment was not directed at anyone posting in this thread it was to point out that Aron probably appreciates constructive comments more than fanboy praise which I am sure he gets a lot of.

If you do not understand the concept of the system I described please let me know and I will try to be more clear in what it is and the why I would want such a system.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Chad.frank

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Messages
162
I went back and read some of my post in this thread and re-read the one you quoted twice to try an understand your reply I quoted and I am sorry I just can't make the connection. I haven't thought anyone was being confrontational. The fanboy comment was not directed at anyone posting in this thread it was to point out that Aron probably appreciates constructive comments more than fanboy praise which I am sure he gets a lot of.

If you do not understand the concept of the system I described please let me know and I will try to be more clear in what it is and the why I would want such a system.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve been keeping up on this thread and I like all the comments so far. What I don’t like is someone saying I don’t like it and it won’t work for me. In my opinion comments like that are of no help here. You however have explained your reasons and have put out what sounds like it would be a pretty kick butt system. I think the reason that there won’t be a specific “whitetail” pack is because of the size Kifaru is. It’s not a large building and unless they feel that a “Whitetail” specific system is going to be a huge seller they just won’t do it because of the size of the building. They can’t dedicate resources to something that’s not going to be a money maker.

That’s my opinion, maybe I’m wrong. But I believe this is why this pack came out to scratch the surface for the Whitetail hunter but also fill other areas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
867
i said this in a previous thread but i'll say it again as i think this thread kind of backs it up. you could take 5 whitetail treestand hunters and ask them to describe their perfect pack and you will get 5 completely different descriptions. to expect kifaru to please all whitetail hunters in one fell swoop with a single pack is ridiculous. i'm glad to see them thinking about us and i like a lot of the ideas that went into this pack.
 

Btaylor

WKR
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
2,441
Location
Arkansas
Fair enough comment re: my it doesnt fit or work for me comment. I guess what I heard myself sayin was like so many post on here where guy will say I tried X pack and while it is a well built quality pack, I moved on to Y pack because X just didnt work because of fit or function or whatever. That was the intent of my comments.

You hit on an important topic though with the whole dedication of resources to venture into the whitetail market. My initial impressions in comparing markets would be that while there are way less people that that backpack hunt in the west than truck or base camp however you want to term it, most everyone still has need for a quality frame pack or at least frame. The same obviously is not true in the whitetail world where a large percentage of guys hunt where they can take a machine to retrieve game. I still think there is a relevant population of folks that hunt in such a way as to find great value in purpose built whitetail system. That is why I have been looking at kifaru and SO so far with regards to what they already produce that could be tweaked to build out a really functional whitetail system. I can not speak to the economics of that and it very well may not work for those companies, especially if they are already reaching their limits as far as physical capacity.

And since WV asked for some of my other ideas, I will throw this out. I would like it very much if Black Diamond would put hip loops on the Vario speed rock climbing harness so it could be more easily used with a linemans rope. I prefer that harness to a fullbody but it would function better imo for hanging sticks with hip loops rather than being tied off center waist.
 

elkyinzer

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
1,257
Location
Pennslyvania
I think it looks all jazzy like everything else Kifaru, but I am in the camp that it really doesn't have a place in my setup. It's just overkill. I lash everything to my stand and have a small fleece pack for my kill kit and incidentals.

I want to see a frameless treestand carry system. I've been begging for someone to listen for 5 years. Look at how mobile guys are modding MOLLE belts and straps and improve on that. See my two treestands below. Kifaruize it. That is ripe for innovation. You already have a rigid treestand to work with, the redundancy of a full pack frame to carry one is just dumb.

K1MIqAl.jpg


SZS9bjJ.jpg
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
848
I remember when Kifaru made a very similar pack 15 years ago. It was called the zulu! Haha. You could put any assortment of pouches on it. You could also mount it to a frame.

IMG_1027.jpg

kifaru-zulu-g1-patrol-pack-bergen_360_3631aae734d2b5949da9803daea3847b.jpg
 

elkyinzer

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
1,257
Location
Pennslyvania
XOP recently introduced a $60 treestand transport system.

I saw that awhile back. I haven't tried it yet, but I got the feeling it looked kind of cheap just from seeing photos. I'll stick with my MOLLE while I wait for reviews to come in. It is going in the right direction but I feel like one of the Western backpack companies like Kifaru could just knock this out of the park if they set their mind to it.
 

Squirrels

WKR
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
1,468
And since WV asked for some of my other ideas, I will throw this out. I would like it very much if Black Diamond would put hip loops on the Vario speed rock climbing harness so it could be more easily used with a linemans rope. I prefer that harness to a fullbody but it would function better imo for hanging sticks with hip loops rather than being tied off center waist.

Get rid of that vario and get a petzel, you can thread a closed loop climbing sling between the belt and padding and you have a hook point on either side for your linemans rope. I really like mine that way.
 

Btaylor

WKR
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
2,441
Location
Arkansas
Get rid of that vario and get a petzel, you can thread a closed loop climbing sling between the belt and padding and you have a hook point on either side for your linemans rope. I really like mine that way.

Which petzl harness do you have?
 
Top