My Kifaru Wish List !

[worx53]

After my first hunt with a Kifaru Bikini/ DT2 this is what I want:

1. I want a quieter bag. The bag is very noisy against the oakbrush. If they could make this bag with a laminated microfleece type material on the outside(similar to Eberlestock) to quiet the "cordura aginst brush" sound it would be perfect.

2. I want the bag attached to the frame better. There are lots of attachment points on the sides where the bag could be connected to the frame that aren't being used . I say it needs to be attached better because after one elk packout, I had the lower two attachments tearing off the bag. In one video on here someone demonstrates how the bag when loaded can roll from left to right with a heavy load (we had prolly 135 lbs in it.). On our trip home we stopped at Kifaru and they promptly disassembled it and reattached (sewed) the two double bar tack attachments back together while we waited. Super people and great meeting everyone I talked to on the phone the last couple months. After discovering the torn attachments, I had a grabit that we installed and an extra lash kit to cinch it down with. However I noticed several places where the bag could be attached to the frame if they were sewn just a little differently and lined up to attach easily it would take some roll out of it without extra lashing or a grabit.

3. I want a Kifaru waterproof pack cover: Eberlestock fits perfectly but you get my point, and in Colorado this year it was nice having the cover in the monsoons.

So there it is. I've had every pack/bag on the planet before this one and this is the best I've had. I love it but that's what would make it better imo.

 

[flyinsquirel]

#2 is right on the money. A secured load is high priority.

 

[MattB]

I presume you are talking about the delta straps when you mention the 2 lower connection points tore off of the pack. How much tension did you place on them? For proper pack function, you only want to snug them up, and if you really tighten them it adversly impacts how the belt fits (you can actually cause the belt to fold) and how the pack rides. Before I figured this out, I overtightened them and it caused the hip belt to ride down a little bit. I do not throw this out to imply this is your issue and not Kifaru's, but rather that the pack will likely fit and perform better with only light/moderate tension on the delta straps.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Quite is nice but I personally want durability and the Cordura is tough as hell. Do you have any lash straps?? I haven't had any issues not using them but it seems like they might help a little.

Packed out two bulls this year in mine and loved it over all my previous packs!

 

[Lawnboi]

1. Kifaru used to have add on fleece panels to their hunting packs, not anymore though

2. Would another lash strap work?

3. Kifaru also used to make a raincover. I too would like to see them come out with a new rain cover made of the same material as their shelters. You would think one could be had for under a few ounces.

 

[Daniel_M]

I would think that from a marketing perspective the return on rain covers is null considering the amount of companies that make them in production runs. Gotta remember everything they make is done by hand one stitch at a time. I acquired one of their old skool rain fly's and even a rifle barrel cover, pretty need but time consuming. The demand against their other products is likely so high.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I too like a rain cover like those Eberlestock makes, blaze on one side, camo on the other. I like customizing em a bit too.

 

[lintond]

I too like a rain cover like those Eberlestock makes, blaze on one side, camo on the other. I like customizing em a bit too.

That needs to be a t-shirt!!

 

[worx53]

It was not the delta straps. It was the bottom main bag attachments. We noticed that they were sewn without a tag end protruding all the way through by 1/8" or so, missing a tripled band of strapping and exposing a lot of stitching thread. Mine pulled away from the same direction on both attachments in less than 3 days in the field. What can happen is if the tag end of the strap is not all the way through, exposed stitching can be easily seen and therefore easily cut, frayed, pulled, etc. Being on the bottom of the bag and always getting set down here it would eventually get a stitch cut and come apart. The person in charge of stitching at Kifaru thought the stitching was defective on mine. I personally don't think so and its more of making sure the stitching catches all of the attachment strapping with the double bar tacks at the bottom of the bag. I attached the bag to the other single bar tack attachment points on the bottom of the bag to finish the hunt before stopping at Kifaru for the repair. My hunting partner had the same pack and comparing the two we noticed how his stitching caught all of the strapping leaving a 1/8" tag end out and my stitching missed the end with exposed stitching actually going over the end.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

That needs to be a t-shirt!!

It is! http://www.shop2wear.com/product.asp?idProduct=58

 

[MattB]

worx53, got it, thx.

Once upon a time I had Day One camo can make me a fleece pack cover for my G1 Longhunter, I bet you could go that route and get the best of both worlds (durable and quiet).

 

[Where's Bruce?]

How resistant to water are the Kifaru DT packs w/o a cover? Is it even an issue?

 

[Beastmode]

How resistant to water are the Kifaru DT packs w/o a cover? Is it even an issue?

Had mine in a rain storm a few weeks ago. Could have used a cover. It got wet a long with the stuff in it. It was 2-3 hours of heavy rain though.

 

[MattB]

The material is pretty water resistant, but the seams let water in. I underestimate the amount of water that the seams can let in until I hiked with my KU 5200 in the rain. The amount of water that came in through the seams was surprisingly large.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Who makes soft covers for them? Anyone?

 

[worx53]

I would like to see quiet bag material. Rain is noisy so I can put up with the nylon rain cover. I don't like the noise of cordura on brush and neither do the critters. Might as well blow an air horn.

 

[luke moffat]

I would like to see quiet bag material. Rain is noisy so I can put up with the nylon rain cover. I don't like the noise of cordura on brush and neither do the critters. Might as well blow an air horn.

HAHA..really?

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Is there a good way to seal those seams?