Kifaru Frame Weight

Marbles

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That’s a good example, and have personally been through the same exact thing more than once.

Many folks prefer the SO frame over any, I genuinely wish I was one of them… I am going to buy another seek outside, but going to try the integrated system, and plan on bugging the heck out of the good people who run that business if I once again can’t get it comfortable with a heavy load… might fit the description of insanity, but I really like their packs, and enough people prefer them over any other frame that I think at least part of my issue could have been user error… there is a ton of adjustments on their packs, maybe I did not ever get it right for me.

I am all for a lighter option as long as it doesn’t punish me when it really matters

I know if I have to carry a few more ounces, or even pounds to get comfort on really heavy loads, my body will adapt and not know any different with a little time… but I don’t count ounces… last archery season I carried an ammo pouch in my pack with about 25 rounds in it the whole archery season for no reason other than thinking I would lose it if I took it out😂

I’m in my packs pretty much all year, whether scouting, looking for a lion track to call on, deer, elk, turkey, bear, etc hunting… I rarely go 2 weeks ever without putting some miles on my boots with my pack… I am shed hunting today trying to find one particular bull’s sheds, but packed the kitchen sink in case I cut a lion track… our bodies are good at adapting, and that’s easier to me than crunching numbers.

I certainly agree with them posting honest weight figures for everything, doesn’t make any sense for them not too… and post real world numbers, not totally stripped down numbers like bow companies.

I hope kifaru doesn’t get too big for their own good, I’m a little nervous with their current trajectory, but as for right now, they carry weight the best for my body, but EXO isn’t far behind, and I appreciate how they run the company… I will be buying their next generation of pack regardless, they have earned my business over the years and I will continue to buy their stuff as well, and if they build a frame that hauls a heavy load as good as anything else, that will be my go to… my k2 isn’t going anywhere either

I’m far from brand loyal, I just primarily use the best option for me, and one of the heaviest pack systems is the one that works best for me currently.

I will pay a lot more to shave weight where applicable, but not at the cost of performance
Unfortunately, I have not gotten the Seek Outside frame to work well for me. It is great for strapping a child carrier too. However, when I put 60 pounds on it (even with the lumbar pad and extra stay) it is not supper pleasant. With 120 pounds on it, I want to take the thing off and stomp on it after a mile. Seek Outside is a great company, and I was hoping to save some weight as I love their shelters. However, the frame does not work for me when it comes to heavy loads. Clearly it does work well for lots of other people though. Disapointing as even with the cross stay and lumbar pad adding 6 ounces it is still 14 ounces lighter than my Exo if I drop the Exo lid.

When I have the funds, I want to give the Stone Glacier Terminus a try. Exo works so well on my body I don't see the point of trying something else unless it shaves a decent bit of weight. If it was not for the velcro on the hip belt and how wet cordura gets, I probably would not have started looking at alternatives to the Exo at all. Some people love the micro adjustability of the velcro hip belt though. And if not for living in a wet area, I would love the simplicity of Exo's fabric selection. The real solution is I need as many packs as my wife has shoes.
 

sivart

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It seems there are a lot of Kifaru ass kissers on this site for some reason? Any time someone criticizes, they get bashed.

I own the duplex w/ Hoodlum, shape charge, door gunner, and a long hunter from Patrick's days.

The only Kifaru pack I have that is at the advertised weight, is Patricks long hunter. All of the other late model packs are significantly over the listed weight.

Do I think it sucks, yes. I just deal with, as their belt fits me better than the other models I've tested.
 
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Unfortunately, I have not gotten the Seek Outside frame to work well for me. It is great for strapping a child carrier too. However, when I put 60 pounds on it (even with the lumbar pad and extra stay) it is not supper pleasant. With 120 pounds on it, I want to take the thing off and stomp on it after a mile. Seek Outside is a great company, and I was hoping to save some weight as I love their shelters. However, the frame does not work for me when it comes to heavy loads. Clearly it does work well for lots of other people though. Disapointing as even with the cross stay and lumbar pad adding 6 ounces it is still 14 ounces lighter than my Exo if I drop the Exo lid.

When I have the funds, I want to give the Stone Glacier Terminus a try. Exo works so well on my body I don't see the point of trying something else unless it shaves a decent bit of weight. If it was not for the velcro on the hip belt and how wet cordura gets, I probably would not have started looking at alternatives to the Exo at all. Some people love the micro adjustability of the velcro hip belt though. And if not for living in a wet area, I would love the simplicity of Exo's fabric selection. The real solution is I need as many packs as my wife has shoes.
Same exact here
 
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It seems there are a lot of Kifaru ass kissers on this site for some reason? Any time someone criticizes, they get bashed.

I own the duplex w/ Hoodlum, shape charge, door gunner, and a long hunter from Patrick's days.

The only Kifaru pack I have that is at the advertised weight, is Patricks long hunter. All of the other late model packs are significantly over the listed weight.

Do I think it sucks, yes. I just deal with, as their belt fits me better than the other models I've tested.
Out of curiosity, who got bashed? I agree, kifaru, like mathews has fanboys who will go down with the ship for little reason, but I didn’t see that in this thread…

Seems like most pretty much agree that function is the #1 priority in a pack, and seems like most agree they should post honest real world weight of their products, and a few prioritize weight for their own reasons… I didn’t see the bashing or irrational followers in this thread like some
 

bsnedeker

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Out of curiosity, who got bashed? I agree, kifaru, like mathews has fanboys who will go down with the ship for little reason, but I didn’t see that in this thread…

Seems like most pretty much agree that function is the #1 priority in a pack, and seems like most agree they should post honest real world weight of their products, and a few prioritize weight for their own reasons… I didn’t see the bashing or irrational followers in this thread like some
Yeah, some people just love claiming victimization.

Just like there are kifaru fan boys, there are also a group of people on this site that love to jump on every kifaru related thread and talk trash about their products. Everyone has their own biases based on their own experiences. You can take it personally, or you can move on with your day.

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Yeah, some people just love claiming victimization.

Just like there are kifaru fan boys, there are also a group of people on this site that love to jump on every kifaru related thread and talk trash about their products. Everyone has their own biases based on their own experiences. You can take it personally, or you can move on with your day.

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that's just the nature of the internet, haha. this particular forum is better than most in that regard.... pack talk is kinda funny in it's own way, because a pack that i love may carry like crap for someone else with a different body type, knowing that, it's still hard for me to wrap my head around some claiming they are happy with how kuiu packs handle a heavy load :LOL: just goes to show how different pack fit is on each of us... much like boots.

there is also some mixed in opinions from those who have never had to move an 80+lb pack several miles through tough terrain, yet still claiming their pack of choice is way better than X or Y brand.... another thing that comes with the territory on the internet.

luckily, on this forum, people can agree to disagree and nobody gets their feelings hurt that not everybody thinks exactly what they do (for the most part ;) ) that's somewhat of a rare thing on forums/social media
 
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Being a big guy I have learned never to expect my clothing or equipment to be even close to the advertised weight. They are almost always weighed at the smallest/ lightest configuration.

Wearing 13 wide boots and 2xl clothing I am almost always going to have something that weighs 10-20% more than the advertised weight. These weights are just a loose comparison from company yo company.


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tracker12

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Jan 29, 2016
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Appreciate the response but empty pack weight very much does matter to me.

Especially when the empty weight is way over advertised spec
Every time I lean towards buying a KIfaru the weight issues seem to come up.
 
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Marble

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Every time I lean towards buying a KIfaru the weight issues seem to come up.
We all hear you my friend. Just consider that it seems to be the most popular brand on here. For various reasons. Some do it for status, some because it's American made others for its carrying ability and a multitude of others. It is frustrating to weigh my pack (6500ci with pockets and lid) and have it be somewhere around 7 pounds with everything on it. I have a buddy who refuses to buy one because of it. But he also will not backpack in and carry an animal out. That is the main reason I bought it.


Good news is there are some bad ass packs available. I can't even imagine trying to carry 100 pounds in the packs I grew up in.

I still find it hard to beleive that I can put 100 lbs in it and not kill myself.


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I had to weigh mine after reading this , 3# 10 oz with a medium belt
According to the specs it should be 3 # 2 oz so 8 oz diff.
 

thinhorn_AK

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Same...

Worrying about the weight when empty misses the point of what the pack is built for.

However, before this becomes a flame Kifaru thread, someone should actually find out the info on how they come up with their numbers.

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Many people select gear based on the weight or have a target weight they are trying to reach. Imagine finally dropping the $$$ on a high end pack with the goal of cutting weight and having a pack come in 20% over advertised weight. Getting a kifaru pack isn’t cheap or fast, they are hundreds of dollars, shipping is expensive from that company and it takes several weeks to get stuff from them. It’s not unreasonable to expect the product to be as advertised.
 
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I’m in the I just take it for what it is camp. I will never sell my tactical frame. I am going to sell my lite frame. I can’t tell the difference in felt weight in the hand but, there is a huge difference in my preference for the tactical.


I don’t know what either weigh. But, I suspect they are heavier than advertised as my gear list hasn’t changed over the last 5 years. Only my packs. And, both Kifaru’s with Kifaru bags were heavier. Never weighed them and never will. I just know they weighed more then my other packs loaded with the exact gear.

The tactical gets the call now. Regardless of weight, it fits me like a glove. Is very comfy and it carries weight very well.

Pack weight must matter though because a SO peregrine 3500 was delivered to my house about an hour ago. Figures. I won’t be home till Monday. I’m going to see how that bugger does. I’m suspecting it’s going to be a couple pounds lighter. Hopefully it carries well. We will find out next Saturday as that’s the last day. I have one antlerless tag left and plan on putting the pack to test. Lord willing.


Anyways, variances happen. But, variances don’ add 20%to an item weighing less than 4 pounds. And rather trim on areas that it could matter. Advertise the correct weight. Advertise all size weights too. That’d be my business model. But, I’m not very smart either so, take that for what it’s worth.
 

Marbles

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I’m in the I just take it for what it is camp. I will never sell my tactical frame. I am going to sell my lite frame. I can’t tell the difference in felt weight in the hand but, there is a huge difference in my preference for the tactical.


I don’t know what either weigh. But, I suspect they are heavier than advertised as my gear list hasn’t changed over the last 5 years. Only my packs. And, both Kifaru’s with Kifaru bags were heavier. Never weighed them and never will. I just know they weighed more then my other packs loaded with the exact gear.

The tactical gets the call now. Regardless of weight, it fits me like a glove. Is very comfy and it carries weight very well.

Pack weight must matter though because a SO peregrine 3500 was delivered to my house about an hour ago. Figures. I won’t be home till Monday. I’m going to see how that bugger does. I’m suspecting it’s going to be a couple pounds lighter. Hopefully it carries well. We will find out next Saturday as that’s the last day. I have one antlerless tag left and plan on putting the pack to test. Lord willing.


Anyways, variances happen. But, variances don’ add 20%to an item weighing less than 4 pounds. And rather trim on areas that it could matter. Advertise the correct weight. Advertise all size weights too. That’d be my business model. But, I’m not very smart either so, take that for what it’s worth.
You may have already read the threads on SO pack fit, but incase you have not, be aware there is a huge amount of adjustability. I was ready to sell mine, then made one last adjustment, expecting it to not fix my issue. The SO is now very comfortable and I now have an integrated as well.

So, if at first it does not feel right, play with it.
 
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You may have already read the threads on SO pack fit, but incase you have not, be aware there is a huge amount of adjustability. I was ready to sell mine, then made one last adjustment, expecting it to not fix my issue. The SO is now very comfortable and I now have an integrated as well.

So, if at first it does not feel right, play with it.
Will do.
 
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Sep 28, 2021
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I think it’s reasonable to expect a company that’s charging that much for a frame to get the numbers right. I own a kifaru and bought a stone glacier on sale to try and save some weight. Personally I felt that they are both awesome packs but the kifaru feels better to me. Especially with weight (added 50# for testing). So will be carrying the extra weight:)
 
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My 26” Kifaru Lite Frame with composite stays, a slightly modified DT1 bag, stripped Guide Lid, medium belt, medium and mini belt pouches and Gen 1 nalgene bottle pocket weighs 7.75# and I hate seeing that on the scale. However, no other pack carries weight as well for me. I’ve tried other packs and I’d love to have a 5-6# dry pack weight to make my numbers feel better but can’t deny how much I appreciate that “heavy” Kifaru pack when I’m actually using it.


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valtteri

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Oct 30, 2017
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The funny thing is that my Kifaru Hunter frame with Argali pack + OGL + belt pouch + nalgene pouch weighs 5oz more as my SG Xcurve wit Sky Talus 6900 pack + lid + belt pouch + nalgene pouch. Same size belts.

Granted, the Argali pack is probably one of the most minimal Kifaru packs, but seriously there really isn't a difference between these two setups.

Is the Kifaru lighter than expected or the SG heavier? Is the weight of knowledge lighter or the burden of ignorance heavier? :D
 
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