Kifaru 14'r / Tarryall vs Mystery Ranch 3DAP

[Cboyd]

Hey All,

Bought a MR 3DAP (technically the Komodo which is identical but slightly larger) as a new assault pack to replace the cheap Condor one I had. After buying it though, I can't help but think...man, I really should have done more research first, because now I really want to get / try the Kifaru 14'r or Tarryall.

I'm looking for some insight and suggestions - I'd be using it for the tactical side (military background), for several days at a time.
I already have a frame + bag for much longer stays, but this would effectively be my carry-on and EDC bag. I tend to pack heavy (I try to preempt / think of things I or others might need)...

The komodo dragon is 2288 ci or ~38L.
The 14'r is hardly any bigger at 2400 but has a lot of attachment points and I think a better approach to the bag.
The tarryall does away with the modularity, but from what I've read, people seem to like it much more, + it's almost 30% larger than the komodo dragon.

Long story short, I want a decently big EDC/Travel bag, but not so much that it just looks goofy as a day bag.
Can anyone shed insight that went from one to the other (or have a 14'r / Tarryall + comments)?

Thanks!

 

[mrbillbrown]

Loved the tri zip layout and organization of the 3DAP but never really cared for it when loaded down. Just didn’t carry right for me not having stays and a supportive belt. Was a great smallish edc day pack but never get good about carrying much in it. 14’r is a great size, rides well, and has stays and belt to carry pretty decent weight. My issue with it was the lack of full tri zip and the need for pockets hanging off of it for extra space and organization. (almost cut it myself to alleviate the non-tri zip issue but couldn’t follow thru). The Tarryall, which I currently use now, has been a perfect blend for me. It’s not overly big, has built in pockets for organization and doesn’t require adding anything to it, and stays and belt provide plenty of load carrying capacity and training with 60# loads. Of the 3 I like the Tarryall the best for my uses.


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[Cboyd]

Exactly the kind of response I was looking for - thank you for laying out what you liked / disliked about them!
Ultimately, I think I'm looking for an excuse to switch from one to the other, but swinging between a 400-500$ bag isn't so easy.

 

[Cboyd]

Anyone else have experiences with the Tarryall? I think i've seen only two videos (Aron's and Jordan's ) regarding design and review. From the few comments I've seen, people love it, but it seems to be a minority that actually have one.

 

[Agustus]

I’ll echo much of what mr Bill brown said with the exception of not trying the tarryall.

I’ve had a 3DAP and used it hunting and for edc. For me, it was plenty big but without much of a waist belt, it didn’t work well for when carrying a heavier load. Thought it would work well for hunting but I couldn’t get comfortable with the trizip.

I decided to switch to the 14’r that I got slightly used and like it better than the 3DAP. It carries weight considerably better for me with the Omni belt and is a perfect size. The center zip had been great so far. I’ll put it through it’s paces this fall and know more.

Best of luck with your decision

 

[Kotaman]

I ordered the Tarryall and 14’er when they first came out. After using both for an extended period of time, I sold the 14’er. I liked everything about the Tarryall better than the 14’er.

 

[ezmorningrebel]

I ordered the Tarryall and 14’er when they first came out. After using both for an extended period of time, I sold the 14’er. I liked everything about the Tarryall better than the 14’er.

The 14r is the perfect size for a daypack but I like the features on the tarryall better. Is it that much bigger of a pack?

 

[Kotaman]

The 14r is the perfect size for a daypack but I like the features on the tarryall better. Is it that much bigger of a pack?

To me it doesn’t”feel” like it is much bigger, but it holds a bunch more. I love the front pocket layout. It does everything the 14’er does and more.

 

[DirtAddict]

Long story short, I want a decently big EDC/Travel bag, but not so much that it just looks goofy as a day bag.
Can anyone shed insight that went from one to the other (or have a 14'r / Tarryall + comments)?

Thanks!

What are the weights of your different loadouts?

Also, how do you travel? Military travel only? If you want to also use your bag in the civilian world, and are concerned about standing out, I would suggest to keep it to about 32 liters. Anything bigger and my feeling is that you start to stand out from the rest of the crowd of every day travelers. Also, if you are traveling on a plane...you will want it to fit (compressed) within the carry-on size limits. Frame stays can limit that.

As far as the suspension of the pack is concerned, how far are you walking with it at any one time? For how I travel and to where, I've found that up to 30 pounds isn't an issue with a pack with less structure/support. YMMV

Because my loadouts change depending on what I'm doing, I like packs without a lot of built-in organization. I swap my own pouches/gear in and out as I need it.

The 3DAP checks all the boxes for me in terms of size, ease of access, carryability and expandability. The others look just a little too big for every day carry, IMO. FULL DISCLOSURE: I own a 3DAP, but have not physically handled the other bags you mention. I have physically handled bags of similar dimension to the Kifaru's however.

One other thing to note: the 3DAP does look a little more paramilitary than other slick bag options. When I'm concerned with that, I stowe the backpack in a Patagonia black hole duffle, and carry that until I'm in an area where it's not an issue anymore. This particular duffle is nice in that it stows small in its own pocket, which is easily stored in my 3DAP pack when not in use.

 

[Cboyd]

Thanks all for your responses! Definitely some more interesting thoughts and feedback!

What are the weights of your different loadouts?

Also, how do you travel? Military travel only? If you want to also use your bag in the civilian world, and are concerned about standing out, I would suggest to keep it to about 32 liters. Anything bigger and my feeling is that you start to stand out from the rest of the crowd of every day travelers. Also, if you are traveling on a plane...you will want it to fit (compressed) within the carry-on size limits. Frame stays can limit that.

As far as the suspension of the pack is concerned, how far are you walking with it at any one time? For how I travel and to where, I've found that up to 30 pounds isn't an issue with a pack with less structure/support. YMMV

Because my loadouts change depending on what I'm doing, I like packs without a lot of built-in organization. I swap my own pouches/gear in and out as I need it.

The 3DAP checks all the boxes for me in terms of size, ease of access, carryability and expandability. The others look just a little too big for every day carry, IMO. FULL DISCLOSURE: I own a 3DAP, but have not physically handled the other bags you mention. I have physically handled bags of similar dimension to the Kifaru's however.

One other thing to note: the 3DAP does look a little more paramilitary than other slick bag options. When I'm concerned with that, I stowe the backpack in a Patagonia black hole duffle, and carry that until I'm in an area where it's not an issue anymore. This particular duffle is nice in that it stows small in its own pocket, which is easily stored in my 3DAP pack when not in use.

Full military setup (with a mechanized infantry battalion that's deploying soon...), I'm usually looking at around ~25 pounds. I still have my rucksack (which I recently picked up a tactical frame + cavern to serve that purpose) to live out of for longer periods of time, but that's usually in the back of some vehicle somewhere until we actually establish some sort of operations. Generally, I'm expected to carry everything I could possibly need to survive for ~3-4 days out of just my carry-on / assault pack as we would call it.

Outside of the military, I think it's just the itch to have something nice / quality that I can take hiking, camping, traveling, wherever really.
To that end though my load is only ~15-20 pounds perhaps.
I think one of the appeals I liked about the tarryall was the size - it checked the military needs pretty well, as well as the cleanness / built-in pockets for the general civilian side.

Distance...yea, we can do 5-15 miles in a day, and if we are doing jump TOC, sometimes 1-2 times a day, it can become a burden. Something reliably comfortable with my plates, rifle, flic, and then another 20-25 pound bag.

Ultimately, I think I was just looking for excuses and reasons to like the tarryall, but from what I have seen, it checks all those boxes - I did end up ordering one new in black!

 

[SoDaky]

Love my Tarryall.Most comfortable pack I've owned.

 

[DirtAddict]

Thanks all for your responses! Definitely some more interesting thoughts and feedback!

Ultimately, I think I was just looking for excuses and reasons to like the tarryall, but from what I have seen, it checks all those boxes - I did end up ordering one new in black!

Please report back and let us know how it compares...thanks!

 

[rhunter424]

I prefer the 14'er over the tarryall. Despite the tarryall being bigger, it really doesn't seem that way. The kifaru pointman/late season however, seems bigger than the tarryall but I think is technically smaller.

I owned a tarryall and sold it. Kept the 14'r.

 

[Steel Rain]

I love my 14’er. I love it for carry on and for day hikes. However, for your application I’d prefer the Camelbak BFM. I used mine on two deployments and for international travel. It has excellent organization, is extremely rugged, can haul a good load, and can be had for half as much as my 14’er.

 

[Cboyd]

I really like the 14'r as well and was pretty torn between both, but size wise it didn't seem any different from what I had. I really like the zip aspect to get in and get what you need though... I'll have to see how the tarryall feels once I get it, but I've definitely kept my eye out for deals on the 14'r.

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[Davebuech]

Had the 14'r and sold it. Have the Tarryall now and love it. Yes it is a slightly larger pack in the main body, plus it has lots more organization than the 14'r. Don't get me wrong, they are both excellent packs. For me though the favorite is the Tarryall, but I also like to pack a bit on the heavy side.

 

[Cboyd]

Just wanted to come back and update - just received it last week, and initial impressions are...I like it more than the Mystery Ranch.
Maybe it's me, maybe it's Kifaru, but it just 'feels' so much more appealing. As much as I loved the tri-zip of the MR, it kind of detracted from my usable space; I love the organization and pockets of the tarryall. The extra space, and the composite stays to carry the weight better are awesome.
It was a bit more money to switch, but again, initial impressions if you are in the same shoes (multi-day "assault" pack), don't hesitate - go for it!

Quick edit - there was nothing wrong with the MR , and I don't think you could go wrong with either one.
I think I just got to a point where I was really starting to dig Kifaru, and was trying to convince myself I needed it.