MR Cabinet and Kifaru Nomad as do-it-all packs?

[trom2k]

Looking to get into a hunting rig that will easily haul meat and gear. I’ve got a lot of miles on a Cerro Torre 40L Gecko climbing pack but not with heavy loads and it’s not up to the task. 2016 was all day hunts around the Wasatch Mtns. and I imagine that will be the majority in 2017 however, I’d like to get into overnights and longer in the future if not this season.

In my research, I came across the MR Cabinet and Kifaru Nomad which seem like the best of both worlds: Day packs when you need them and the ability to haul enough gear for multi-night trips and also get your kill back to the truck. I tried on a Cabinet with 40 lbs and I thought I found my pack. I also went to the SLC Hunt Expo and tried on an empty EXO (not sure why they didn’t have sandbags), SG Xcurve w/65 lbs., Kuiu w/40 lbs., Kifaru w/80 lbs., and MR Cabinet w/65 lbs.

Can these packs really do it all? My biggest question/concern is if you’ve hiked in for a multiday, punched your tag, broke camp, and now where do you pack your meat? You’ve already got gear in the area that you would haul meat. Do either of these packs allow you to separate the bag from the frame, place meat against frame, bag against meat, and then your dry bag/camp bag? Do you make an extra trip to go back and get gear/meat? Obviously, depending on the animal, terrain, and the crew, it could take quite a few trips but I don’t want to make any more than I have to.

Is a larger, compressible bag that can be used for multiday the better option? That would definitely increase my options. I thought I had this figured out but having second thoughts. Can someone that’s used one or both of these provide some insight into their practicality?

Thanks for helping a new guy.

 

[oldgoat]

I have the Nomad, I'm not strong enough and I'm also old enough to know not to try to carry it all out in one trip. I have the camp bag for carrying my gear and you can carry stuff under or over or behind it. The top pack in the pic is my Nomad, I have shovel and seat under camp bag, have the wife's dry bag between the lid and the camp bag and that's our wood stove in the black bag. I also have carted in ground blinds, tree stand etc when deer and turkey hunting. Its possibilities are only limited by my strength and imagination!

 

[elkyinzer]

I have the MR crewcab which was the old version of the cabinet. Short answer, the assumption that the crewcab is so versatile is what sold me on it, but now I think there are better packs out there for those applications. In regards to your 3rd paragraph, it's a yes/no kind of answer. The crewcab does not have a meat shelf, so it does not give you that capability as easily as packs that do. If you are really good and careful at packing it, you can stack a good amount of weight vertically and get decent height above the frame and possibly accomplish it that way, which I've done. I ultimately switched to a Metcalf bag for 95% of my hunting and only use the crew cab to carry odd loads like treestands. In my opinion the Metcalf, and the numerous other 3-6k packs with meat shelfs, are more versatile in doing exactly what you are asking with the addition of the meat shelf feature. Once you get the hang of strap management it actually cinches down into a more compact and lighter day pack than the crew cab anyway.

 

[bbrown]

When the Nomad first came out I was following your same line of thought and quickly ordered one thinking this would be "THE" pack. After several trips I quickly figured out that the Nomad was "Jack of many but Master of none" when it came to pack in trips. The bag got the job done but was too wide with camp between the wings and had too many straps to mess with - especially when running a lid for me.

The one exception to that was day hunting trips when I expected to be hauling game out and over the years I have found that to be the Nomad's niche for me and I still use the Nomad for guiding and day hunts, typically without a lid. I much preferred the larger bag for pack in trips such as the Reckoning or Duplex Timberline 1.

As far as packing meat and camp all in the same trip that is simply too much weight for me. When solo I usually plan on 3 loads to get everything out of the woods on a back country elk hunt. First and second trips out I usually pack a heavy load of meat (usually a front and hind quarter) with some of the non-essential camp gear filling any voids in the bag. The final load consists of the last bit of meat (back straps, loins, and neck meat) and possibly the antlers along my tent, sleeping bag and pad. For back country deer hunts I can usually pack all the meat in 1 load and my camp in another.

 

[jquarnberg]

I wanted the nomad for the same reasons as you. I tried it and sold it. But I do actually think it was my favorite kifaru bag I have tried. bbrown really nailed it on the head I think.

Its pretty awesome in day pack mode when the plan is to kill and haul back to the truck. Or scouting and your haling in camera bait.

But things really bugged me about it...

In "day pack" mode you have a million straps everywhere and the two big pockets are big and deep to dig things out of, and you have adjust at least half of those million straps to get in and out of it. Like all kifaru packs I find any lid on it to be very awkward when using the pack in any configuration other than 100% full. So I ran it without a lid.

When using it to haul camp or a big load it just didn't work for me like I had hoped. Your bag will become very big and wide and for me it was just an awkward load. And its not a great bag to run in load shelf mode. Its possible but was an afterthought in the design.

 

[Kotaman]

Skip the Nomad, get yourself an EMRII or AMR (or even a Mountain Warrior if you don't need the volume) and you'll be good to go. I put the Crew Cab/Cabinet in the same category as the Nomad. "Jack of all trades, master of none", plus there is really no functional "load lift" with the CC. Don't be afraid of the size of a Kifaru EMRII or AMR. They go into daypack mode like a dream.

 

[1signguy]

I got rid of my EMRII and went to the Nomad just because I felt like it was too much pack most of the time. Between the Nomad, camp bag and guide lid I have plenty of space which can be adjust to day mode or an over night very easily.

 

[ChuckIII]

I think the remark of "jack of all trades, master of none" is a fair assessment. Kind of like the 30-06 of backpacks. That being said, I love my Nomad, I mean love it. I have hauled everything in it. It shines most when I have to haul odd loads, like ground blinds. I don't think there is a pack out there that can come close to it's range of hauling capabilities. I've even been running mine as my chukar pack the past couple seasons. As previously mentioned, if you are looking for a pack to fulfill a specific niche, there are other options you should consider. If you are wanting a do everything pack the Nomad is the way.

 

[oldgoat]

See, it's clear as mud! I will say this about lids, because something was mentioned above. I bought mine with a Longhunter Lid which isn't available anymore, it has sort of a skirt on it and lends itself very well to both the Nomad and EMRII, I tried a Guide Lid and it didn't cover the top of the slot pockets in daypack mode which was a deal breaker for me, don't want the pockets filling up with debris hiking or water if it rains. There as easy ways to manage the straps and with use of a lid there's not much need for me at least to be in and out of the pack pockets very often.

 

[trom2k]

Oldgoat – your comments are what is so appealing to me about this style of pack; versatility with various load sizes and shapes. From what I’ve seen online, it looks like the Nomad has more options regarding configuration than the Cabinet. I think your second post sums it up the best, definitely clear as mud at this point.

Elkyinzer – I was originally looking at the Metcalf and others in that size range. Interesting that it actually gets smaller than the CC/Cabinet. Do you ever feel that items get swallowed up in the main bag while in “day” mode and you’re having to search through a massive compartment for items? I wonder if you kept a lower strap tight and just used the top half – third of the bag it would feel like a smaller bag?

Bbrown – Thanks for the insight/strategy on pack outs. I do worry about the width of the nomad when fully packed; inorder to compensate you’d have to not use the wings which removes functionality. I can also see the EMR II being a bit wide. Another concern I have regarding the Nomad is the top zip for the wings; seems like it could be a hassle to find something that fell to the bottom. I think I would prefer the longitudinal zip on the CC/Cabinet.

Jquarnberg – The Nomad definitely looks complicated. They didn’t have one at the Expo but from what I’ve seen it’s like you said a million straps. I assume this is what provides the adaptability but in a catch 22 situation. You and bbrown have highlighted some of my concerns.

Kotaman – I agree with your Jack of all trades statement. I think this can apply to just about any piece of gear. The EMR II is appealing however out of my price range – around $500-600 – and not sure I’d ever be able to fill it. The AMR is also nice but I’d like to strap my bow to the back if needed, off the side seems like it would get hung up on the oak scrub.

1signguy and ChuckIII – The versatility you mention is what got me started on this and why I keep thinking about the Nomad.

Thank you all for your field insight regarding these packs. This has been a big help. Of the packs I tried on at the Expo, the SG, MR, and Kifaru felt the best, probably in that order. I’m 5’11” with a torso length of about 20.75”, my chest is 49”, and I have a normal/curved lumbar shape. Are there any frames I should stay away from? I know I wouldn’t have any issues using a 26” Kifaru, the MR GL is 25” which should be fine. Anyone know what the length of an SG Xcurve frame is?

I think I’m leaning toward a new/used Metcalf or SG or used Nomad at the moment. From what I’ve read on this thread and in the forums, if the Metcalf or SG compress as well as stated they should fit the bill for me but the Nomad has some great features that I keep coming back to. The CC/Cabinet setups are great but I have some reservations.

 

[stratofisher]

I think I am going to have to see these packs in person. Really split between the Nomad and EMR II. I plan to pack camp in for a weeklong elk hunt, but will likely want to use as a daypack carrying whitetail stands as I am not doing elk every year from Illinois. Afraid the EMR might be overkill, but it might work well for boy scout trips. Really split on the two.

 

[bbrown]

On the Nomad, I run 2 med belt pouches on the inside panel between the wings - usually food and other necessities in the top with gloves, beanie and head lamp in the bottom pouch. Then I run my water bladder behind the belt pouches hanging from the loop at the top of the frame. Usually run my spotter and tripod in the "slot" pocket on the inside of either wing. Then I stuff rain gear and/or puffy, kill kit and possibly a stove and water filter in the zippered pockets on the wings. At first the wings seemed to be too deep but once I figured how to load the pack best for me - i.e. stuff that gets used the least goes to the bottom - that is not an issue.

A lot of the time I only run 2 of the 3 horizontal compression straps with the third stashed away in the wings for heavy hauling. The straps for the lid typically stay tucked out of the way until it's time to pack out but they come in very handy when lashing a rack on top.

The best part about these top end pack, or any quality gear for that matter, is the resale value. So don't be afraid to watch the classifieds and pick up each setup to try out for yourself. Big difference between trying on at a show or borrowing a buddies compared to fitting the pack to yourself and trying it for several trips to see which features work for you. Might be surprised to find out what actually works for you compared to your intital ideas and theory's. Usually the worst you are out in swapping gear is shipping costs if you can find decent deals to start with.

 

[dreamingbig]

Here is my nomad in daypack mode. I really do love mine. A little Velcro tape turns strap-a-geddon into three buckles.

A long pocket docked horizontally below with kill kit and grab it inside tops off this set up. I hardly ever run a lid in daypack mode. No need to as there is plenty of space without.

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[HankBC]

I just received my nomad from kifaru today.. let me tell you, I am TRYING to like it. The straps and overall layout is a little daunting, but I'm going to give it a chance.

I purchased it as many suggest to be 'the do it all pack.' But it mostly just seems like a pain in the ass to do anything! I bought the camp bag as well and I seen online it's supposed to come with a buckle on top for after you roll it down to secure it. Mine did not (unless I'm just dumb and missing something).

Straps are a bit wild, the Velcro straps work, but then I need to take the time to undo the Velcro and fix it. I'll update in a day or two with my decision, might want to go with something a little more basic like the reckoning, or could try the EMR II but that's obviously got the same strap deal; however, it utilizes the empty space that is currently under my Nomad.

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[oldgoat]

I just received my nomad from kifaru today.. let me tell you, I am TRYING to like it. The straps and overall layout is a little daunting, but I'm going to give it a chance.

I purchased it as many suggest to be 'the do it all pack.' But it mostly just seems like a pain in the ass to do anything! I bought the camp bag as well and I seen online it's supposed to come with a buckle on top for after you roll it down to secure it. Mine did not (unless I'm just dumb and missing something).

Straps are a bit wild, the Velcro straps work, but then I need to take the time to undo the Velcro and fix it. I'll update in a day or two with my decision, might want to go with something a little more basic like the reckoning, or could try the EMR II but that's obviously got the same strap deal; however, it utilizes the empty space that is currently under my Nomad.

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So here's how I manage my straps, might work for you might not. I basically don't have to make any changes to my strap length to go from what's pictured to daypack mode. When pack is fully loaded the buckles are off center, on the short side I keep the Velcro keeper installed similar to the way they come from Kifaru. On the long strap side I just keep it looped around both pieces, this is clear in the top strap in the photo. This is kind of hard to explain on my phone typing, but on the short strap, the tag end of the strap is run back through loop on side of pack and the Velcro keeper is applied there. So then once I drop the Camp Bag, I just tighten up the straps and run the tag end of the long side back through the tab loop on that side of the pack. This is all made possible by having the buckles off center when buckled.

 

[HankBC]

So here's how I manage my straps, might work for you might not. I basically don't have to make any changes to my strap length to go from what's pictured to daypack mode. When pack is fully loaded the buckles are off center, on the short side I keep the Velcro keeper installed similar to the way they come from Kifaru. On the long strap side I just keep it looped around both pieces, this is clear in the top strap in the photo. This is kind of hard to explain on my phone typing, but on the short strap, the tag end of the strap is run back through loop on side of pack and the Velcro keeper is applied there. So then once I drop the Camp Bag, I just tighten up the straps and run the tag end of the long side back through the tab loop on that side of the pack. This is all made possible by having the buckles off center when buckled.

That would make a lot more sense for it, thanks OG! I'll give it a try tomorrow and see if it makes it a bit better, if not I'm already on the list for a Wolf Reckoning.

Does your camp bag have buckles on the top for when you roll it down?


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[oldgoat]

Yes, it basically is like what you see on a dry bag, roll it down and buckles loop around and make like a handle when fastened

 

[HankBC]

Hmmm okay. If you don't mind taking a look at the photo I posted, mine clearly does not have any buckles on the top at all. Am I supposed to have some to attach to it or do they come installed?


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[oldgoat]

I think they goofed, the pics on Kifaru website all show it coming with the buckles, most clearly shown on the pic of the ranger green pic

Camp Bag

 

[HankBC]

I think they goofed, the pics on Kifaru website all show it coming with the buckles, most clearly shown on the pic of the ranger green pic

Camp Bag

That's what I thought but wasn't sure, I guess everyone makes mistakes. I'll be emailing them in the morning! Thanks for all your help man.


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