Pack gripes thread

[westsloper]

If you were in the driver's seat at your favorite backpack company, what are some changes you would make? Many of us have our favorite packs, but maybe there area few things that bug us that we'd love to see. Of course we're just customers and not designers or manufacturers.

If I were running the show at Seek Outside, it would be the end of the line for gatekeepers once and for all, and I'd bring back the gen 1 hip belt.

If I worked at Hill People Gear I'd offer the Decker Frame in a longer length.

The fact that these are great companies makes the small complaints even more frustrating!

 

[sndmn11]

I LOVE the gate keepers, I swapped out bino harnesses over to them and can't stand side release now.
I wish someone would come up with a bow carrier as cool as the gun bearer. I have various bow slings and holders, but haven't landed on the one yet that beats my god given booger pickers.

 

[Ferrulewax]

I want HPG packs in a modern material so bad. I’d love to have an Xpac/challenge Tara or Junction or Umlindi.

 

[sndmn11]

I want HPG packs in a modern material so bad. I’d love to have an Xpac/challenge Tara or Junction or Umlindi.

They seem like the kind of company that would make you a pack from your material if you sent them the correct yardage x width.

 

[Kevin_t]

If you were in the driver's seat at your favorite backpack company, what are some changes you would make? Many of us have our favorite packs, but maybe there area few things that bug us that we'd love to see. Of course we're just customers and not designers or manufacturers.

If I were running the show at Seek Outside, it would be the end of the line for gatekeepers once and for all, and I'd bring back the gen 1 hip belt.

If I worked at Hill People Gear I'd offer the Decker Frame in a longer length.

The fact that these are great companies makes the small complaints even more frustrating!

With just a few minutes of time, you can make gatekeeper buckles into Side release and then still have the ability to move them where you want. Basically, take one gatekeeper off, add a side release. You need twice as many straps. You can even move it over to one inch hardware if you like .. just contact us for 1" Gatekeepers.

I also take gatekeepers straps, and add a 3/4 SR on the end so the strap acts as a compression strap and hold down for the roll top.

Want more rugged, contact us and do the same with aircraft aluminum bachelor buckles. Never want to remove the strap, then just crimp the end.

It's easily solvable , and the modular framework really should let you get exactly what you want.

 

[sndmn11]

With just a few minutes of time, you can make gatekeeper buckles into Side release and then still have the ability to move them where you want. Basically, take one gatekeeper off, add a side release. You need twice as many straps. You can even move it over to one inch hardware if you like .. just contact us for 1" Gatekeepers.

I also take gatekeepers straps, and add a 3/4 SR on the end so the strap acts as a compression strap and hold down for the roll top.

Want more rugged, contact us and do the same with aircraft aluminum bachelor buckles. Never want to remove the strap, then just crimp the end.

It's easily solvable , and the modular framework really should let you get exactly what you want.

That's why I love gatekeepers; I only need one piece of hardware instead of two. If there's no loop where I need I can just make one wrap around whatever it is and glose the gate in the strap itself. When off, they are super clean and slick.

 

[trophyhill]

If i owned Kifaru, i'd get our azzes moved in and concentrate on R&D rather than podcasts that have gone stale, and going all Hollywood and shit. I haven't seen anything earth shattering or improved upon since The Hoodlum. Although i am happy to say it will probably be the last pack i buy unless something tragic happens to it. That is 1 pack that will be hard to do better than fo sho.......

 

[svivian]

I wish they wouldn’t make a different pack every year. Every couple years would be perfect. Don’t come out with one little change every year make several then release a new one.

 

[Rokwiia]

If I were running the show at Seek Outside, it would be the end of the line for gatekeepers once and for all,

I was skeptical of gatekeepers when they first came out but am a firm believer in them now. I would never switch back to a pack that had buckles. There are times I don't wish to cinch the pack bag laterally. That allows me to remove those straps and have a lighter pack, less clutter, and with fewer straps to deal with.

As Kevin mentioned above, you have other options. I have the aircraft aluminum bachelor buckles which are are solidly made. They have been collecting dust ever since the gatekeepers were released.

The good news is Seek Outside provides lots of options in this regard.

 

[roosiebull]

I LOVE the gate keepers, I swapped out bino harnesses over to them and can't stand side release now.
I wish someone would come up with a bow carrier as cool as the gun bearer. I have various bow slings and holders, but haven't landed on the one yet that beats my god given booger pickers.

i use my gun bearer for my bow.... works great, even in the brush because it's easy to weave through since it's tucked in and you can see it

 

[roosiebull]

i just want kifaru to straight up copy the seek outside peregrine bag

i do plan to get another SO, but integrated this time most likely, but the peregrine bag on a frame that works well for me under a heavy load would be ideal.... a size between it and the Lanner would be fairytale status perfect.

honestly, from an armchair QB perspective, there are things i would change on all of my favorite pack companies, but in reality, the top pack companies who build their packs here all kick ass.... they do a great job, which is why they have a successful business in a very competitive niche.... the tweaks i would make would be personal and specific, and would not do anything helpful from a business perspective... if i think i could do a better job than Kifaru, SO, EXO.... i would own a pack company... as it is, they are the pros, and am confident the decisions they make are the best decisions for their business, so i'll buy whatever suits me best out of the options they offer and will be happy with it

 

[roosiebull]

I wish they wouldn’t make a different pack every year. Every couple years would be perfect. Don’t come out with one little change every year make several then release a new one.

why? i think options are good, and if they release 50 new packs, and i'm happy with what i have, it doesn't effect me, and it's cool others have different options that may be perfect for them

 

[trophyhill]

I wish they wouldn’t make a different pack every year. Every couple years would be perfect. Don’t come out with one little change every year make several then release a new one.

I was disappointed when the Timberline line went away. That is until i bought tge Hoodlum. This pack is like an improvement of the Timberline series.

 

[MTPipeliner]

Another fan of the gate keepers here, love the versatility they provide.

 

[fisherman983]

I want kifaru to copy the exo bags.. or exo to fix how the rifle carrier attaches to the bag...

How they have designed it isn't very good. There needs to be attachments a little farther up the bag, on the back. Then design a Nalgene holder.



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[Marble]

If I worked at Kifaru, an instruction sheet/booklet would be included with each pack.

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[RGARNER]

The packs i have used are Kifaru, MR (guidelight mt frame), EXO k3 4800, SG sky 5900.

MR and and Kifaru are bomb proof but feel like you have a pallet strapped to your back, they lack flexibility in the frame. The MR hip belt does not agree with me either, it is too dense and rigid. The hip belt and frame flex is what I love about my EXO. I wish EXO had a Nalgene holder available. My gripe with EXO and SG is that there seems to be less room on the hip belt for accessories and I really don't care for the way you attach the accessories on either of them.

 

[roosiebull]

The packs i have used are Kifaru, MR (guidelight mt frame), EXO k3 4800, SG sky 5900.

MR and and Kifaru are bomb proof but feel like you have a pallet strapped to your back, they lack flexibility in the frame. The MR hip belt does not agree with me either, it is too dense and rigid. The hip belt and frame flex is what I love about my EXO. I wish EXO had a Nalgene holder available. My gripe with EXO and SG is that there seems to be less room on the hip belt for accessories and I really don't care for the way you attach the accessories on either of them.

If you ever have the chance to put on a seek outside pack, you should… might be exactly what you have always been looking for… their pack systems seem to address the things you don’t like about the rest of the packs, and you can have the hip belt floating or locked in depending on what you are doing (takes a second to switch) and maybe the least restrictive feeling frame of them all… if they are comfortable with a heavy load, they could be that unicorn pack system for you

 

[fisherman983]

If you ever have the chance to put on a seek outside pack, you should… might be exactly what you have always been looking for… their pack systems seem to address the things you don’t like about the rest of the packs, and you can have the hip belt floating or locked in depending on what you are doing (takes a second to switch) and maybe the least restrictive feeling frame of them all… if they are comfortable with a heavy load, they could be that unicorn pack system for you

Which model mike? I've got the same "gripes" but still like the k3 4800. I think when my new rifle is built it should be lighter and it'll be less of an issue. But still want a better option for packing Nalgenes on the k3.

Unfortunately I doubt there will ever be a "perfect " pack for me but the k3 checks a lot of boxes.

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[roosiebull]

depends on needed volume, i had the peregrine and loved that bag, well thought out and good organization with little weight penalty.... for me, i would pick the peregrine or Lanner (assuming they still make both bags)

i couldn't get the frame comfortable over 80# and had to pack 107# a long ways that was pretty brutal, so i got rid of it, but the vast majority of folks like how they pack heavy loads. i'm going to revisit them, because with all of the adjustability in their packs, i am not convinced that user error wasn't the problem... wish i had kept it and gave it a little longer and contacted them to see if they could get me dialed in.

they are a sweet pack system, and if it hauled weight for me as well as my kifaru or exo, it would be my primary pack.... crazy light, most adjustable frame of any, and well designed, and i like their bag materials, and good head clearance even with the frame extensions.... most like how their frame hauls weight, so i'm either odd man out or just never got the adjustments dialed in

i am going to give them another try, i want it to work, because they check a lot of boxes for me