Small Kifaru waist belt issue

WV Dan

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Mar 31, 2013
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West Virginia
I got my high camp/bikini yesterday. Unbelievable, quality and it feels perfect. I haven't really taken it for a test run yet but there seems to be one small problem. When I cinch the waist belt up tight, my 6 pack turns into a keg! :pMy wife says it looks like I'm in my second trimester. Seriously it is incredible how tight this thing will go. Anyone else experience this? It is a rockin piece of gear, I can't wait to get it into the hills.
 

dotman

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Feb 24, 2012
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Yup all part of the Kifaru experience, remember always wait atleast an hour after eating before suitin up in the pack :)
 

crumy

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Dec 27, 2012
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Most definitely. Now while I don't have a 6 pack I can definitely tell you I have the "donlop" disease.. You know.. my belly done lopped over my kifaru belt.
 

TheRambler

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Jan 13, 2013
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This is common with most any properly fitted backpack be it a kifaru or not. Makes you look like you have one hell of a potbelly.
 

armyjoe

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Every kill picture you take with the pack on or even just hiking picture - unbuckle the strap! Haha. Learned that trick from Aron and the wife laughing at me too!
 

dotman

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Every kill picture you take with the pack on or even just hiking picture - unbuckle the strap! Haha. Learned that trick from Aron and the wife laughing at me too!

Haha, that is funny! My wife had a good laugh as well.
 
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You will appreciate that when you have alot of weight in there...or should I say your shoulders will appreciate it
 

Becca

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This is common with most any properly fitted backpack be it a kifaru or not. Makes you look like you have one hell of a potbelly.

At least that's what I keep telling myself :)


Power pull waistbelt is the best invention ever, but nothing makes you feel fat like a well cinched pack!
 

Snyd

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At least that's what I keep telling myself :)


Power pull waistbelt is the best invention ever, but nothing makes you feel fat like a well cinched pack!

Kelty has a patent on this belt cinch system. It's called "Kelty's patented Scherer Cinch". I wonder how Kifaru has been able to use this system but just give it a different name. Maybe it cost em some $$? It works great, been using it for years on a couple different Kelty packs. I'm looking forward to the Bikini.

Here's the belt on my old Kelty 50th Ann. Pack.

keltyBelt_zpsc674efca.jpg
 
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Ray

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Oct 5, 2012
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Alaska
I bought a used Longhunter G2, and I can't get the belt webbing to slide through the buckle ends when I use the power pull. I cinch it down creating a huge dunlop and it just pops back. I have looked to see if the webbing or buckles are damaged, but they appear fine and should slide. They slide freely when not under tension.
Since the belt does not tighten up, I have changed over to my Hill People Gear Prairie belt. It has a "power pull" design that uses ladder lock buckles that hold the belt tension. The belt webbing slides freely through the side release buckle. It works well enough to suck my belly all the way back to my spine and keep it there. I am way too squishy.

Synd, when researching ideas for how to rebuild a Dana Design frame suspension system, I found a post on a backpacking site that listed a patent for the power pull system held by Dana Design from the early 1980s. I didn't look into the patent. However I then wondered why that system did not appear on DD packs. None of the DD pack photos I had collected for ideas on how to remake the torn up DD I have showed anything other than a standard belt system. Makes me wonder if the patent was sold. My Kelty Cache Hauler suspension that I adapted to an old pack frame works well with its power pull system. Good enough to force the air out of my lungs like the HPG belt does.
 

sab

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Kelty has a patent on this belt cinch system...I wonder how Kifaru has been able to use this system but just give it a different name. Maybe it cost em some $$?

Interesting. On their web site, Kifaru refers to the Power Pull as an "exclusive" feature. I pulled the Kelty patent (#5,465,886), and it sure looks like it covers the Power Pull exactly. That patent was filed on 3/15/94 and issued on 11/14/95, which means it does not expire until 3/15/14 (I think). Therefore, if they don't have permission, I would think Kelty would have a claim of patent infringement.

Scott
 

sk1

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Interesting. On their web site, Kifaru refers to the Power Pull as an "exclusive" feature. I pulled the Kelty patent (#5,465,886), and it sure looks like it covers the Power Pull exactly. That patent was filed on 3/15/94 and issued on 11/14/95, which means it does not expire until 3/15/14 (I think). Therefore, if they don't have permission, I would think Kelty would have a claim of patent infringement.

Scott

there are plenty of others using this system, not sure how the whole patent thing works though, such as REI

http://www.rei.com/product/844652/rei-xt-85-pack
 

Snyd

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I noticed that Kifaru says "Power Pull TM" as in trade marked the name. Maybe they had the system before Kelty but only had the name tradmarked, not a patent on the system. Maybe then Kelty patented it. Somebody knows somewhere. Either way, it works pretty darn good.
 

cmeier117

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Salem, OR
Interesting. On their web site, Kifaru refers to the Power Pull as an "exclusive" feature. I pulled the Kelty patent (#5,465,886), and it sure looks like it covers the Power Pull exactly. That patent was filed on 3/15/94 and issued on 11/14/95, which means it does not expire until 3/15/14 (I think). Therefore, if they don't have permission, I would think Kelty would have a claim of patent infringement.

Scott

I know from some experience that patents, especially patents on clothing, or things that are sewn that you have to be very specific and you can change one little thing and all of the sudden it is different than the patent. I am sure they did there homework.
 

Aron Snyder

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Kelty has a patent on this belt cinch system. It's called "Kelty's patented Scherer Cinch". I wonder how Kifaru has been able to use this system but just give it a different name. Maybe it cost em some $$? It works great, been using it for years on a couple different Kelty packs. I'm looking forward to the Bikini.

Here's the belt on my old Kelty 50th Ann. Pack.

keltyBelt_zpsc674efca.jpg

There system is different than ours.
 

ScottR_EHJ

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Kifaru uses two loops, retains pressure. Kelty uses only one and keeps pressure on the buckle.
 
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