Looking for feedback on Tenzing 6000

[hflier]

I am a Kifaru diehard, but I have a faily member that doesn't want to spend as much on a pack. They are looking at a Tenzing 6000. I was wondering if anyone here has some first hand experience with this pack under load. Feedback before they drop their cash would be helpful. This pack has not been talked about much here, so I was wondering if anyone owns one?

Ron

 

[rileybassman]

I would guess most people will say try and pick up a used Kifaru, stone glacier, or Exo... the Tenzing is $420 at Cabelas... that will get you a great used pack.

Just a thought.

FWIW, I use a small Tenzing daypack for close stuff and an Exo for the heavier loads/backcountry stuff

 

[airlocksniffer]

Or Horn Hunter Full Curl or Outdoorsman Optic would be good options at that price.

 

[ams]

Hflier, you've been around the forums long enough and sold/bought plenty of stuff........so what is it about the Tenzing 6000 specifically that you/family member is looking for? I think the general issues people had were zippers/materials and stitching. That was earlier on and not alot of info as of recently about them. I would think it would be a decent pack for around 250ish and would expect that Tenzing would take care of any major issues.
Once upon a time I had a friend who wanted a badlands ox. I found him a deal on a kifaru timberline for the same price......long story short badlands was what he saw on hunting shows and magazines so that's what he got. Why Tenzing for your family memeber?

 

[johnnylaw]

I ran the 5000 for a year with no issues. but have now moved to a kifaru

 

[Rizzy]

I think Tenzing was a site sponser early on. IIRC, The pack didnt get very good reviews durability wise. They might have improved though....

 

[Jacob_Outdoors]

I had a TZ5000 for a year, there were parts I liked, and parts I didn't like.

I didn't like the "turtle" feeling it gave me, it felt like the would bulk out to the side or to the back, giving me the feeling of being a human "turtle". It also made it tough to strap a bow or rifle to it because of this.

I didn't like some of the zippers, the bottom compartment for one specifically. The fabric overlapped (I assume for weather protection) and this made zipping and unzipping that compartment a pain.

The hydration pocket sucked, a half full bladder would slide down or go sideways inside. It also made packing around it in the main compartment tough.

The pack weighs to much empty, I think when I looked last time it weighed something like 8lbs empty, that's too much for me before you even start adding gear.

As far as likes, it was a half decent off the shelf pack. I used it to pack out my bear and mule deer, and pack in camp plenty of times. But had I known then what I know now, I never would have bought one. For a retail price of over $400, there much better options.

 

[hflier]

Good info, thanks!

 

[luke moffat]

For something in that price range I would look at the Kuiu Ultra long before I looked at the Tenzing personally. A buddy used it on a sheep hunt and promptly sold it there after. I personally think the Kuiu Ultra 6000 is a great value pack when compared next to Arcteryx, osprey and Gregory. Lighter and stiffer frame and still quite a bit less than a Kifaru, Stone Glacier, Exos, or Mystery Ranch.

 

[Lbshooter]

I have the TZ 5000 and the pack some cool features but the cool features are the best part of the pack. I don't think
it would be a bad pack if you keep the load under 40 lb but above that the pack components won't hold up, well at least they didn't on my 5000. I loaded up my 5000 with a quartered WT doe and backstraps this fall and hauled it .5 mile and the waist belt is starting to tear the saddle cloth of the hip belt system. The load was only 60-70 lb and a short distance. I'm gonna take the hip belt to a boot shop and have the sew the strap to the actual hip belt instead of the saddle cloth so I have a functional pack again but the pack won't see anything more than turkey blind and decoys from now on. Could be a individual occurrence but it doesn't sound like it.

I picked up a like new/used bikini frame and 4800 highcamp right here in the classifieds in the price range you're talking about. The pack will be here tomorrow and I'm super stoked to get it and I'm positive it's gonna be a great pack.

Cory

 

[Idaho Brad]

I personally don't own a Tenzing, but my hunting partner does and just seeing the way the pack rides with any amount of weight in it, I would look for a used Kifaru or Kuiu. The load rides below his ass with just his daypack contents. It doesn't appear to be good for much of a load.

 

[Usmcvet]

I run a Tenzig 6000 & really like it. During the off season I pack a 70lbs sandbag in it for my training sessions. It performs flawlessly and sits very comfortably on my back. It bought mine at StonyCreek for $250 brand new.

 

[FWilliams]

I am old and hardheaded, even after being warned about possible issues I bought the 6000. after a couple of scouting trips I started having zipper problems and some strap issues, it was painfully obvious that it wasn't going to be able to haul gear AND a boned out animal, I decided to just use it as a meat hauler on my montana breaks deer hunts, where I would only be hauling a very small amount of day hunt gear and hopefully a animal. after hauling a couple of mule deer out of extremely flat country the pack was literally falling apart. I ended up just tossing it and purchased a used kifaru t2 for less than I paid for the tenzing.... just my experience with the pack...as mentioned above I would also look at the kuiu as a possible other choice.