Exo vs Kifaru review

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,671
After using both packs for a while now I thought I'd share a few thoughts about them and how they work for me. I'm no expert and certainly haven't done the trips or put the miles on a lot of you have with them so take it for what it's worth. I have had the opportunity to switch back and forth between them all summer training so I just figured I'd share my thoughts.

Both have worked well and are very well built. I won't be bashing either here, I really like them both.

I have an Exo 3500 with the Crib attachment I bought last year and used last season. This year I also bought a Kifaru 26" tactical frame with the Nomad 2 bag, Grab It 2, and Guide Lid.

The Exo worked great and I really like the pack. I love the lay-out on the 3500 bag for even day hunting with my gear and optics. I was unsuccessful on my muley hunt so I didn't get to pack meat with it yet, but packed loads up to 80lbs training with it last year and this year. The Kifaru I purchased for my moose hunt this year. I'm hunting a unit where quarters are required to be carried bone-in. Others who have done this hunt also ended up carrying bulky loads like boat motors and inflatable boats. I thought the Nomad 2 on the bigger frame would be easier to secure such loads to.

I have a lot of muscle but also pack to much weight around my middle at 5'11" and 250lbs. Ranch work plus my training provides lots of opportunity to build muscle, but home cooked meals and my love for them keep me from dropping the extra weight. My experience with the loaded packs is from walking 2-4 miles through the worst hills and rocks near home with 25-80lbs 3 to 4x per week depending on the day and goals.

I'll start with the Exo. I love the way this pack moves with me as I hunt. The lateral flex this pack has makes it feel like I'm not wearing a frame pack when just hunting. Our hunt last fall we hunted from a base camp due to a 15" snow so I didn't put a full camp load in it. I also really like the bag layout. It's simple but really effective, it has the pockets I need without a bunch of extra I don't. The long side pockets are quick and convenient for my tripod and spotter, but will also hold my rifle if I want to get it out of my hands for a long hike. The stretch pocket holds my rifle rest for my tripod, wind meter, and drift chart, the items I might want quick if a shot presents itself. The main pocket holds food, puffy jacket and pants, possibles bag, whatever else is needed. I sometimes use the lid and sometimes don't depending on the day. It works well but is extra straps for some stuff that I don't need. I even use the pack whitetail hunting so I can carry my warm stuff into the spot I'll hunt without overheating.

Loaded the pack is comfortable for me with up to 80lbs. I have not loaded this pack heavier than 80lbs that I can recall right now. The hip belt doesn't let me transfer as much weight off my shoulders as the Kifaru version does. The shoulder straps are comfortable enough and it transfers enough weight though that I really haven't ever been bothered by it. I think if I was slimmer around the middle the belt would work better. I like that the shoulder straps don't really bother me shooting, and that the slimmer frame makes carrying a rifle on a sling more comfortable and stable. The lateral flex hasn't bothered me with a load. Also the design gets a lot more airflow between my back and the pack than the Kifaru does. This is especially nice for me training on days where the heat index is over 100 degrees.

The Kifaru pack is stout. I went with the tactical frame instead of the hunting frame primarily because I was buying it for the moose trip. My plan for this pack is to use it when loads will be very bulky or just plain heavy. It isn't uncomfortable at all but you also won't forget you are wearing a frame with this pack. I haven't got to use this pack hunting yet, so I can't say as much about the layout of this one. It holds the gear I'll want for day hunting moose fine. Gear I want access to goes in the pockets of the Nomad and my clothing layers will go in an Outdoor Research 35L dry bag held between the wings in the Grab It. I don't think I'll use the Guide lid for this hunt, I just don't see needing the extra capacity. The pockets inside the wings hold my tripod and Kowa 55mm spotter well. One disadvantage I've seen is that the load lifters want to push the sling of my rifle off my shoulder. I plan to add a sling keeper to the strap before my hunt to help with this. When the pack isn't loaded heavy I just leave my right load lifter a bit looser and it stops being an issue. The Exo I don't notice this as much.

One advantage to this pack set up is how modular it is. It took a while to get all the straps moved to where they work best for me, and I added a few compression straps to the open loops. I can really lock a load in place now. The hipbelt on this pack is awesome even for a fat guy like me. I can cinch it down centered on my hip bones and get it tight enough to get the weight off my shoulders. It's comfortable with the heaviest weight I've tried so far of 90lbs. The Grab It 2 lets me put the weight as high as I want it and keep it there, really similar to the Crib on the Exo when I use it. I'm becoming a fan of having an attachment like that to be able to keep a load from sagging for the little bit they weigh.

I guess the bottom line is that both have their place for me. Both are well built and handle the weights I'd normally carry well. The way I chose to set them up for most of my hunts for game up to elk size I'll use the Exo. The simple bag layout works really well for me and I like the lateral flex of the frame for crawling over rocks and fallen trees. It cinches down for day hunts and still lets me take a load out to the truck, after which I can either grab the Kifaru frame or take the bag off and use the Crib for following loads. I like that it's easier to carry my rifle slung with the Exo also. If I knew I was going to be going a lot of miles without stopping with the pack loaded really heavy, as in 70 plus pounds, I'd choose the Kifaru for that hunt. The way the hip belt fits lets me transfer the weight on or off my shoulders better so I could give different parts of my body a break. The way the Exo fits me it's probably a 60/40 hip to shoulder weight split, the Kifaru I can make it 80/20 or more if I want. At least that's the way it feels to me, again I'm no expert.

The Kifaru the way I set it up has more straps to mess with to access gear quickly. This isn't a negative on Kifaru, they have bags that are much more comparable to the Exo, but I specifically wanted this pack to handle bulky load that the Exo wouldn't handle as well. I think it will do an excellent job of what I need it to after using it for a while. The extra straps really let me lock a load in place. I hope to test that theory next month in Alaska. I can also see myself keeping this locked and concealed in the vehicle on elk hunts to take meat out after the first trip. I could put water bottles and the minimal gear I'd need in the wings of the Nomad 2 and put the meat load between them. It would be simpler than taking the bag off the Exo and using just the Crib, then figuring out where to carry extra water.

Both packs have a Nalgene holder from Pods8 on here on the LH side of the hip belt, back as far as I can put it to be out of my way. Those work really well for easily accessible water. I'm not huge on water bladders unless I'm somewhere really hot and dry. I'll pack a smart water bottle or two if I need extra water capacity.

Anyway that's my thoughts and I hope they help.
 
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Whitty

FNG
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
66
Location
SC
Great post! Thorough and detailed...thanks for the info and good luck on the moose!
 

fbhandler

WKR
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Messages
339
Good read !!

I’m running a 24” tactical duplex with cargo panel and guide lid right now. I really like this set up, extremely versatile/modular with everything I need and nothing I don’t... BUT... I got an Exo 3500 and 5500 coming and will be here next week. I’m only going to keep one but one of these might bring me back to a regular bag. So many options nowa days
 

Whitetaildown215

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 14, 2016
Messages
239
Location
SW Missouri
Nice review, I have a kifaru 24 tactical, nomad 2, with grab it and camp bag. I have been contemplating an exo 3500 or 5500 just because I can and this post confirms it. Thanks for a great read.
 

bozeman

WKR
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
2,639
Location
Alabama
Great review. It's amazing how products can have a diff experience with people as we are all built differently. I tried an Exo and while I liked the bag, it was the most uncomfortable frame I have tried. The MR Guide Light has been the most comfy frame, but I am now going 'back' to Kifaru for the versatility. As mentioned by Whitetail down, I have a Nomad, Guide Lid, Grab-it setup with a camp bag......that is very difficult to match in versatility, weight, comfort.........appreciate the info.
 

Longshot

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
115
There was a post not too long ago about using a Kifaru belt on an Exo frame. Might be the best of both worlds for you


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mcseal2

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,671
Thanks everyone, and good luck this fall.

I looked really hard at the Cargo Panel for my Kifaru instead of the Nomad 2. I think that a Guide Lid, dry bag under the Cargo Panel, and a spotter pocket would be a pretty good set up. I ended up choosing the Nomad 2 because it can do about the same thing but with a little more protection for my spotter and tripod. I run them in the long pockets on the inside of the batwings where they are reasonably quick to access and well protected. I spent a fair amount on my optics set-up, a Promaster 525 tripod with an Outdoorsmans head and a Kowa TSN-554 spotter. I want them protected as much as possible from me doing something dumb.
 
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