Kifaru - Disappointment

[thinhorn_AK]

Nope. Not on all packs. Just the 44 mag and exos comparable offering. Exo offers 1 bigger pack. Kifaru offers 4 times more. You can choose your price point. Or you can just lump it all together and imply that’s not an option.

Since we are addressing this, I did it because I’ve heard the pricing complaint for years. Nothings changed. Kifaru has always offered more options for customization. All at a price. With that you can buy a more affordable pack. Or, you can spend hundreds more if you’d like.

Im not disagreeing the new pricing can widen the gap on individual choices between the two. However, I personally think that’s fair. Everyone is in this to make money. And, payrolls aren’t cheap. Picking up and moving a business is expensive too. I’ll gladly pay what they ask. Because I’ve had nothing but great business dealing with them.

I understand your personal feelings on kifaru. I’d feel the same way likely. But, I’ve never been in your shoes and, didn’t experience what you did. So, for my needs, I can pay 11% more and get a kifaru. 100% sourced and built in the USA. And, if I didn’t already own a handful of packs, that’s what I’d do.

I’m not trying to rebut your feelings or your opinions. I hope you see that. Only putting things into perspective.

It’s all good man, I don’t really have strong feelings about any of it. I had a kifaru pack, that took a lot of drama dealing with them to get, and I didn’t even like it all that much in the end. I moved on and I’ve been happy since then. I only commented because I find it interesting how they seem to publicly berate customers who have issues with them at least twice (once to me and once in this thread), which seems like a poor business decision since they aren’t the only high end pack maker available and most get you a pack more quickly and for less money.

A quick look shows me that their frames are currently up 100.00 from what I paid for mine a few years back which seems excessive but whatever. In the end, people should buy whatever they want. Kifaru does have some things I really like, for example their hip belts and shoulder straps and their frames in general but the only bags I ever really liked from them were the argali and the muskeg both of which are long gone.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

All that is fine, but my comparison is actually a fair one. And I want to be clear that I'm not stating one is a better value than the other. I'm simply showing that there is indeed a difference in price between the two companies. Kifaru, without a doubt, has more options and is more customizable.

Certain Kifaru configurations will cost less than the example I gave. But the 44 Mag is not a good comparison to the Exo K4 packs. The Hoodlum is very similar and the best apples-to-apples comparison IMO.

Edit to add: I have more Kifaru packs on my rack than any other brand and literally carry one everyday.

I never really implied anything about your reasoning. Certainly not that it’s not a fair comparison.

So, a hoodlum is $250 plus and change more then the 7200 exo. Ok. A 44 mag us $110 more then the 4000 CI exo.


You can call my reasoning what you want. You can wear a field line. I truly don’t care. But, you can’t say it’s not relevant to me. And, that’s all that matters to me. I’m sure you feel the same. Good hunting.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

It’s all good man, I don’t really have strong feelings about any of it. I had a kifaru pack, that took a lot of drama dealing with them to get, and I didn’t even like it all that much in the end. I moved on and I’ve been happy since then. I only commented because I find it interesting how they seem to publicly berate customers who have issues with them at least twice (once to me and once in this thread), which seems like a poor business decision since they aren’t the only high end pack maker available and most get you a pack more quickly and for less money.

A quick look shows me that their frames are currently up 100.00 from what I paid for mine a few years back which seems excessive but whatever. In the end, people should buy whatever they want. Kifaru does have some things I really like, for example their hip belts and shoulder straps and their frames in general but the only bags I ever really liked from them were the argali and the muskeg both of which are long gone.

Yep, I’m certainly glad I have all the kifaru frames I ever intend to buy.

Good hunting brother.

 

[Lewdremarks]

History: I have several Kifaru packs that i have used extensively for years.

I bought a 22 Mag a couple of years ago and the top handle soon started pulling out of the stitching. Apparently it's only stitched through about ⅛" into the pack seam with no reinforcement. I have now written Kifaru 10 (ten!) times over the course of two years, called multiple times, and still receive no customer service response of any kind. I am horribly disappointed in my experience. At this point, I regret putting the money into this company that I have and regret recommending their packs to so many people. Buyer beware.

Your experience with Kifaru CS/Repair I’m sure is 100% real for you, but I’m with most other members on this forum that have nothing but fabulous things to say about them and their quick response times. I had an issue with one of their slider inserts with Molle webbing and they cleared it up for me ASAP; so well and timely that I couldn’t have better things to say for their CS/Repairs people.

 

[KHNC]

Why did you only wait two years to complain about Kifaru CS? The standard is 5 years. Dont expect to get any help in this short time frame. Thats just ridiculous.

 

[Lewdremarks]

Why did you only wait two years to complain about Kifaru CS? The standard is 5 years. Dont expect to get any help in this short time frame. Thats just

Why did you only wait two years to complain about Kifaru CS? The standard is 5 years. Dont expect to get any help in this short time frame. Thats just ridiculous.

I think you misunderstood my post or I’m missing something….bare with me I’m new on this site….I wasn’t complaining about Kifaru’s customer service.

 

[KHNC]

I think you misunderstood my post or I’m missing something….bare with me I’m new on this site….I wasn’t complaining about Kifaru’s customer service.

I was only joking about your post. People get very defensive about Kifaru here. lol

 

[Augie]

Two pack brands I've never had an issue getting ahold of customer service are Kifaru and Stone Glacier. If you are calling during normal operating hours I find it pretty hard to believe no one is answering the phone or returning your phone calls let alone that happening several times on top of 10 unanswered emails...

 

[Lewdremarks]

I was only joking about your post. People get very defensive about Kifaru here. lol

I thought you were being facetious but as the “FNG” I wanted to make positive! I have their X-ray and Bane packs and taken many a fall with both in the NC/Tenn mountain areas…and they’re still both working better than I did from each tumble, lol.