Backpack Shootout - 9 Backpacks Go HEAD to HEAD ***Updated 8/5/2020***

[bozeman]

Fantastic review! I'm still diggin my Seek Outside Unaweep 4800 after 3 years...…glad to see their acknowledgement in this video. Also, very impressed with the Kuiu.....

Thanks again for the work and time you put into this for our benefit.

 

[Zach Herold]

What were the lengths of each of the packs? I ask again because you are on the shorter end of the spectrum and may be the reason you couldn't look up on several of them. For Instance the KUIU frame looked shorter than all of the other packs followed by the Seek and those seem to be the ones you liked the most. I ask because I am at the opposite end of the spectrum 6'2" with a 21" torso and my son is even longer at 23" since he is 6'5".

Frame Lenghts as Follows:

• Stone Glacier: 26"
• Kifaru: 24"
• KUIU: 22"
• Seek Outside: 24"
• Initial Ascent: 25.5"
• Sitka: 22"
• EXO: 24"

I have an 18" torso referencing the size guide given by KUIU and Initial Ascent.

 

[Zach Herold]

Great review , thanks for doing this.
Looks like a great season for you guys and gals . Any field pictures of the elk and deer for us to check out?

Yeah you can check out some Instagrams to see that: @hannahherold1 is my wife's, @zachherold1 is me, and @battlemountainmedia is my company and where you can see the photos from my filmed hunts.

 

[Zach Herold]

Nice job. Any reason Mystery Ranch wasn’t included in part 2? Iv been looking at the Beartooth 80, the Kuiu and the Sitka. Had been curious to see how it ranked.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmiW15ShUu343CG0MCGquQ

If you watch part 1 you'll see why, but here's the explanation. In part one I reached out to Mystery Ranch and they didn't get back to me so I used the MR backpack I had. I was not comfortable for my body so it didn't make it in part 2.

 

[twall13]

Frame Lenghts as Follows:

• Stone Glacier: 26"
• Kifaru: 24"
• KUIU: 22"
• Seek Outside: 24"
• Initial Ascent: 25.5"
• Sitka: 24"
• EXO: 24"

I have an 18" torso referencing the size guide given by KUIU and Initial Ascent.

This is very helpful, thanks for posting it up for comparison and thanks for the detailed review. As I have a long torso I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum and pack fit can really vary from person to person. I appreciate your attempts to make it clear that your review was based on your experience with how they fit you and it may be different for others with a different body size, etc.

I don't know about their new frames, but about 4 years ago when I measured a 26" Exo frame and a 26" Kifaru frame side by side the Exo was spot on while the Kifaru was a good 1.5" taller than spec. That actually worked better for me but I can see it causing problems with head clearance for shorter people. Here's an old photo for reference.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[brn2hnt]

Great process for the review.

Big takeaways for me:

Your favorite was the smallest frame, not a big shock given your height being on the lower end of the bell curve.

You love pockets and pretty much only carry meat on a meat shelf.

Packs are like boots. Find one(s) that fit you and you can make pretty much everything else work. (mitigating squeaks, poor buckles, etc)

 

[brn2hnt]

This is very helpful, thanks for posting it up for comparison and thanks for the detailed review. As I have a long torso I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum and pack fit can really vary from person to person. I appreciate your attempts to make it clear that your review was based on your experience with how they fit you and it may be different for others with a different body size, etc.

I don't know about their new frames, but about 4 years ago when I measured a 26" Exo frame and a 26" Kifaru frame side by side the Exo was spot on while the Kifaru was a good 1.5" taller than spec. That actually worked better for me but I can see it causing problems with head clearance for shorter people.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Same here, I tried an exo in whatever their tallest size was and I couldn't get any lift, whereas the Kifaru was just a little taller. I attributed it to a difference in how the pack rode, but never did measure them, that makes a lot of sense based on my experience with the two.

 

[Zach Herold]

Hey Zach great job on part #2 very well done. It was obvious you took your time and put a lot of effort into it.

curious if you pinpointed why the exo lumbar started to hurt after lengthy use?

No I didn't.

 

[Zach Herold]

Great process for the review.

Big takeaways for me:

Your favorite was the smallest frame, not a big shock given your height being on the lower end of the bell curve.

You love pockets and pretty much only carry meat on a meat shelf.

Packs are like boots. Find one(s) that fit you and you can make pretty much everything else work. (mitigating squeaks, poor buckles, etc)

The KUIU was one of my favorite, but I also really liked the Seek Outside and its a 24" frame.

 

[Zach Herold]

What was the length on the kifaru frame? Looks like the frame reaches up past your ears.

The other packs where you couldn't look up seemed similar, kifaru just seemed like it was about 4" too tall instead of 2" like the others.

Hard to imagine any pack letting you look uphill like you talked about if you buy a frame that reaches that high. Was interesting because I have the 26" and it's right on the border of being too short for me to get enough lift, looks like you need a frame that's about 4" shorter?

Please refer to the thread, I just pasted all the frame sizes and my torso size. Thanks for you input.

 

[NDGuy]

The KUIU was one of my favorite, but I also really liked the Seek Outside and its a 24" frame.

Zach did you try any of the other SO packs? What are the best options for a hunting pack?

 

[Zach Herold]

Zach did you try any of the other SO packs? What are the best options for a hunting pack?

No I didn't, I only tried the Lanner they sent. But I am about to order another bag from them that will fit on this frame.

 

[rclouse79]

Dang it. After I think I have made my mind up I stumble on something like this that makes me rethink everything. Kuiu is out for me based on personal experience with durability and customer service or lack there of. Looks like there are solid packs from multiple brands. Thanks for the research.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I think it should be noted that Exo tweaked the lumbar design on the k3 and started phasing these in this month (February). I went ahead and ordered it to see if it fixed the slip issue. From what they told me they added some other Velcro which doesn’t allow the lumbar pad to slide up like it used to. I’d they solved the slip the Exo will be hard pressed to be beat.

 

[Cliffy12]

Great reviews! I loved my seek outside last year over using mystery ranch and kifaru.

The best quote that made me laugh.
"So, that sucks!" Love it.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

 

[robby denning]

Great review! Thanks for taking the time. For those complaining what packs weren’t in the review, gather up the packs you want a review on and get after it!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[robby denning]

I think it should be noted that Exo tweaked the lumbar design on the k3 and started phasing these in this month (February). I went ahead and ordered it to see if it fixed the slip issue. From what they told me they added some other Velcro which doesn’t allow the lumbar pad to slide up like it used to. I’d they solved the slip the Exo will be hard pressed to be beat.

be sure and let us know


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JNDEER]

I think it should be noted that Exo tweaked the lumbar design on the k3 and started phasing these in this month (February). I went ahead and ordered it to see if it fixed the slip issue. From what they told me they added some other Velcro which doesn’t allow the lumbar pad to slide up like it used to. I’d they solved the slip the Exo will be hard pressed to be beat.

Sure wish this kind of info/details was made public to those of us who use Exo and would give the K3 a try again? @ExoMtnGear

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

Sure wish this kind of info/details was made public to those of us who use Exo and would give the K3 a try again? @ExoMtnGear

I agree and when I found out that’s the only reason I decided to try k3 again. I found out because I called them and let them know why I returned my first k3. I specifically asked if they had plans to fix it the slip issue? They said call back in January as they were working on a small modification to lumbar.

so, I called back beginning of February and they had the new frames.

my new K3 arrived yesterday and sure enough thy added Velcro directly behind lumbar and that bad boy doesn’t move at all now. Before I anoint it a fixed issue I need to get some weight in it and go for a hike. They also changed webbing. The webbing seem much more quality. To be honest the webbing appears to be same webbing that was on my Kifaru pack.

 

[JNDEER]

I agree and when I found out that’s the only reason I decided to try k3 again. I found out because I called them and let them know why I returned my first k3. I specifically asked if they had plans to fix it the slip issue? They said call back in January as they were working on a small modification to lumbar.

so, I called back beginning of February and they had the new frames.

my new K3 arrived yesterday and sure enough thy added Velcro directly behind lumbar and that bad boy doesn’t move at all now. Before I anoint it a fixed issue I need to get some weight in it and go for a hike. They also changed webbing. The webbing seem much more quality. To be honest the webbing appears to be same webbing that was on my Kifaru pack.

Thanks for the update. If you’re able to post some pics- that would be great.