Why so many Kifaru packs for sale??

[TikkaT3X67]

I just ordered a Kifaru pack to try out and will likely be selling my seek pack in the near future if you’re interested.

Any reason you're going from seek to kifaru? And which pack do you have?

 

[jnawalaniec]

Any reason you're going from seek to kifaru? And which pack do you have?

I couldn’t get it to fit quite right and just want to try something different. It seems like a lot of people on here switch between different packs before finding one that works best and I was a sucker for the 20% off sale I have the Fortress 6300 on a revolution frame, lumbar pad, frame extensions, talon, and lid

 

[pc3]

I couldn’t get it to fit quite right and just want to try something different. It seems like a lot of people on here switch between different packs before finding one that works best and I was a sucker for the 20% off sale I have the Fortress 6300 on a revolution frame, lumbar pad, frame extensions, talon, and lid

Yeah the 20% off sale got me too. Ordered a Ma deuce last month (on special) already had the 44.....with the 20% off "had" to have a larger belt (medium is too small)....shipping was exorbitant just for just the belt and thought hey why not buy a duplex lite frame, throw the 44 on the lite frame and put the Ma Deuce on the tac 26" frame. Also added a blaze Sherman and a couple of X Pac medium belts. Extravagant having two frames I think, but convenient. Not much more shipping to get the extra frame etc.

My 44 on the lite 26" frame will be 1.6 pounds lighter I think than the Ma deuce on the Tac 26".

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

For the record I sell a lot of packs on here as I'm one of the ones that is always testing new ones and sometimes I get it wrong and go back to a pack that I previously liked. I have used Stone Glacier the most and and recently went back to Kifaru and so far am very happy. The overall comfort (belt, lumbar and shoulder straps) is just better than my SG. Now, that doesn't mean my stone was bad it was just stiffer and I had more pressure in the lumbar area than I do with Kifaru.

As for the weight. I was one of those guys for a long time that I wouldn't use Kifaru because they are heavy. If you actually compare similar bags with an Xcurve frame and a duplex lite would are around 8 - 12oz heavier with the Kifaru. On my last 2 hunts I didn't even notice any weight difference while day hiking from base camp all day. If you are going to use overall weight to compare at least use comparable frame, bag and accessories.

 

[Anschutz]

I bought my DT2 on here back in 2017. I was looking at MR but they were sold out everywhere so I drove up to Denver and tried out the frame and placed an order. I bought it to hunt elk in Colorado but it has been up Pike's Peak twice, a few other 14'ers, several backpacking trips, several timed 12 mile rucks, the Norwegian 18.6mi ruck, and some EDC carry an extra uniform. It's been on my back at -45F up to 100F. We have a little one now and my wife will be carrying her in a baby carrier next summer so I may be looking to add a Ma Deuce or some other big bag to carry the whole family's camping gear. I'm sure I'd be happy with MR, EXO, or SG but my experience with Kifaru has gained them a lifelong customer.

 

[Bosco]

Kifaru had new items up for sale so people want the newest and the best. As many people have said before kifaru gear is an addiction. Best bags I have had though

 

[Fito]

Hahaha.
Just read this entire thread. Every post.
Kifaru’s business model is amazingly well done.

 

[roosiebull]

Personally I don’t want to carry a heavier pack. Can I? Sure I’m in good shape and plenty big enough, but why carry more than you have to? Ounces=Pounds and Pounds=Pain. Telling someone to get stronger so they can carry a heavier pack is asanine.

i don't give a rat's ass about empty pack weight, i care about how comfortable it is with 100# in it.... in hunting mode, when you are hunting with your day gear, i won't notice a couple pounds, and as weight increases with gear, and/or meat, i REALLY won't notice 2 pounds.

i think the ounces=pounds, and pounds=pain is a lot more related to accumulation, and bringing things you don't need, not empty pack weight

this concept became clear over time... several years ago i bought a kuiu pack, and it was light as a feather, and got worse and worse as weight increased... my upgrade from kuiu was a horn hunter full curl, which really is an anchor of a pack, but way, way better with a heavy load. i have used every pack system that i have been remotely curious about... besides the 2 above, in the past few years i have had a couple MR, a couple EXO's, a seek outside, and a kifaru. i really like EXO, and i really like Kifaru, for my body type, those 2 are big standouts, and the 2 systems i have kept.... i pretty much just wear the kifaru now, because it does the best with really heavy loads for me... not by much compared to my EXO, but enough that i would rather carry the extra weight all the time in preparation for those really heavy walks out.

some weight is worth packing to me, but i plan on hauling a lot of meat every year, and understand well how your pack of choice can make a hard pack out easier or completely miserable. a light pack that doesn't do well with weight in it doesn't matter to me.

the other tradeoff for weight is durability, again, i'm hard on stuff and am in my packs a lot every year, so i do appreciate a bomb proof pack that weighs 2 more pounds, that i get another season or 5 out of vs the lighter packs that don't survive long (another thing i didn't like about the kuiu is i trashed it in a season and a half, and speaking of squeaky!

i have never used a stone, because i don't want a 26" frame on the coast, a 24" is bad enough getting hung up in brush, and you do see more durability issues with them, i will go with the little bit heavier but way tougher myself.

i think EXO does a great job of riding that line of weight vs durability, but they show more wear for sure. they build an awesome pack, but when it comes down to it, i appreciate the durability of kifaru. MR seems to do a good job with durability too, the couple i have owned and hunted were very tough packs, but their full frame packs (guide lite frame) don't carry well for me with a heavy load of meat, and of course are not sourced here.

we all have to find that compromise that fits us best, i do think a fair amount of people that complain about kifaru being heavy aren't carrying a lot of heavy loads, and don't spend enough time in the woods to exploit durability issues... if you hunt in a pack for 15 days a year and don't pack a lot of meat every year, i could see the weight emphasis making more sense.... some packs are lighter and still haul a heavy load well (EXO, stone, SO) but they aren't going to be as durable... maybe durability isn't a factor for many, because even the less durable packs still take a lot of punishment.

empty pack weight will never be very high on my list for choosing a pack, because i don't care or notice... day hunting, i'm always packing more stuff than i need anyways, i could easily shave the difference in taking gear out i don't need, but i just don't notice a couple pounds on my back.... carrying my bow around by the string for a month i notice differences in weight, boots i notice extra weight, but packs, not so much, and i always have more than a couple pounds of gear i don't need (hell, i packed a box of bullets around all archery season, haha) saw them a few times, meant to take them out, just never thought about it at home, so they stayed, and i wouldn't have noticed a difference taking them out.

 

[Blandry]

People go through a LOT of gear to find their preferred.. it takes years and 1k's of expense. Then everything changes and you have to go through the process again.

 

[roosiebull]

People go through a LOT of gear to find their preferred.. it takes years and 1k's of expense. Then everything changes and you have to go through the process again.

there is some truth to this.... it's not logical at all, but many of us do it.... i know better, but still guilty... not just with packs.

as i sit, i don't need anything (besides a little clothes to replace some ragged articles i have) i have stuff i'm happy with across the board, and will go as far to say, my lineup of gear is about as good as it gets for the hunting i do....... that being said, i'm buying a bunch more **** before next season, because that's what i do.

the only way to know if you have the best gear for what you do is try everything else, haha....

i am finally to the point (for now ) that there isn't that much stuff that makes sense to replace.... as far as kifaru, i have a reckoning bag that hasn't seen the woods, i didn't have any hunts that i needed more than my stryker xl, and i never will use the reckoning, because i replaced it with a gnargali already, so i will be contributing to the madness of selling an unused kifaru bag when i get around to selling it.

it appears that i'm not the only one with a problem, i like refining my hunting gear, which means buying and selling, keeping the keepers, and releasing the ones that don't suit my needs as well... i'm certainly not rich, and i like good gear, so i sell off the stuff i don't like, and keep refining my system, and i have an awesome wife that puts up with the fluid and constant "upgrades"

upgrades don't always mean better, just better for me, for a certain niche. i also don't have any other form of recreation besides hunting and fishing, so those are the things i spend money on.... i told my wife i would take a year off buying hunting gear, but if i do, i'm going to start drinking and gambling, then we can assess the best route going forward, i'll let her pick gear or gambling and drinking.... i'll totally leave it up to her

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

i don't give a rat's ass about empty pack weight, i care about how comfortable it is with 100# in it.... in hunting mode, when you are hunting with your day gear, i won't notice a couple pounds, and as weight increases with gear, and/or meat, i REALLY won't notice 2 pounds.

i think the ounces=pounds, and pounds=pain is a lot more related to accumulation, and bringing things you don't need, not empty pack weight

this concept became clear over time... several years ago i bought a kuiu pack, and it was light as a feather, and got worse and worse as weight increased... my upgrade from kuiu was a horn hunter full curl, which really is an anchor of a pack, but way, way better with a heavy load. i have used every pack system that i have been remotely curious about... besides the 2 above, in the past few years i have had a couple MR, a couple EXO's, a seek outside, and a kifaru. i really like EXO, and i really like Kifaru, for my body type, those 2 are big standouts, and the 2 systems i have kept.... i pretty much just wear the kifaru now, because it does the best with really heavy loads for me... not by much compared to my EXO, but enough that i would rather carry the extra weight all the time in preparation for those really heavy walks out.

some weight is worth packing to me, but i plan on hauling a lot of meat every year, and understand well how your pack of choice can make a hard pack out easier or completely miserable. a light pack that doesn't do well with weight in it doesn't matter to me.

the other tradeoff for weight is durability, again, i'm hard on stuff and am in my packs a lot every year, so i do appreciate a bomb proof pack that weighs 2 more pounds, that i get another season or 5 out of vs the lighter packs that don't survive long (another thing i didn't like about the kuiu is i trashed it in a season and a half, and speaking of squeaky!

i have never used a stone, because i don't want a 26" frame on the coast, a 24" is bad enough getting hung up in brush, and you do see more durability issues with them, i will go with the little bit heavier but way tougher myself.

i think EXO does a great job of riding that line of weight vs durability, but they show more wear for sure. they build an awesome pack, but when it comes down to it, i appreciate the durability of kifaru. MR seems to do a good job with durability too, the couple i have owned and hunted were very tough packs, but their full frame packs (guide lite frame) don't carry well for me with a heavy load of meat, and of course are not sourced here.

we all have to find that compromise that fits us best, i do think a fair amount of people that complain about kifaru being heavy aren't carrying a lot of heavy loads, and don't spend enough time in the woods to exploit durability issues... if you hunt in a pack for 15 days a year and don't pack a lot of meat every year, i could see the weight emphasis making more sense.... some packs are lighter and still haul a heavy load well (EXO, stone, SO) but they aren't going to be as durable... maybe durability isn't a factor for many, because even the less durable packs still take a lot of punishment.

empty pack weight will never be very high on my list for choosing a pack, because i don't care or notice... day hunting, i'm always packing more stuff than i need anyways, i could easily shave the difference in taking gear out i don't need, but i just don't notice a couple pounds on my back.... carrying my bow around by the string for a month i notice differences in weight, boots i notice extra weight, but packs, not so much, and i always have more than a couple pounds of gear i don't need (hell, i packed a box of bullets around all archery season, haha) saw them a few times, meant to take them out, just never thought about it at home, so they stayed, and i wouldn't have noticed a difference taking them out.

Lots of really good information in this post. Listen and read what he's saying, not just what you want to read and hear.

 

[Blandry]

I should really say.. a LOT of people decide to get into hunting that requires a pack.. then deicide that it hurts lol and sell everything.

 

[mfllood3800]

I have yet to find a pack that will carry meat out and feel good. I have yet to find a dentist that does a root canal and feels good. I have yet to find going to the MVD, feels good. I have yet to buy quality hunting related items I thought were under priced.

My point is coming out heavy isn't about feeling good, it's about being able to go back the next day and hunt again, and not dread the descent into a steep canyon on a screaming bull, because the soreness from last nights pack out with a "light weight" set up, is weighing heavy on my mind and muscles.

For me I use 2 pack systems, Kifaru/Exo. I have used every pack company out there with the exception of just a couple of the main players. For me it's my old Kifaru AMR and Tahr, and an EXO K2 2200. all of these allow me a heavy pack out, and a return to the mountain the next day with no cautious hesitations.
As you get older, you will understand this importance way more than ever.

 

[fatlander]

i have never used a stone, because i don't want a 26" frame on the coast, a 24" is bad enough getting hung up in brush, and you do see more durability issues with them, i will go with the little bit heavier but way tougher myself.

.

My xcurve frame is the exact same height as my 24” duplex light. This has been noted by others in the past, not sure where the two inches gets got lost between Bozeman and Denver.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trophyhill]

I dont know that I'll buy another pack. Perhaps a Duplex Light if i get tired of the Tactical and the Duplex UL. But the Hoodlum would be awefully hard to beat for my many styles of hunting. This bag just does it all and does it well. Although the Reckoning has always intrigued me.

 

[roborob]

I think in general it can just be hard to find the pack that best suits you. The best way to know is after trying it in the field. I have started with Kifaru and have used it on a few hunts but there is always that itch to potentially find something different that will cater best to how you want to use it. I still have to use mine a couple more seasons before I can say for sure.

 

[Cowboylicious]

Someone help me understand...Why do I see so many Kifaru packs for sale in the classifieds?? I don’t currently own a Kifaru, all though I have been contemplating buying one.
Is it because there are so many out there or are there other reasons? I just don’t see near as many Exo, Kuiu, or the other top tier packs up for sale.

Must be where you live. I see lots of kuiu for sale. I cannot find kifaru's

 

[Cowboylicious]

Weren't they on sale on Campfire awhile back? A person could buy several while on sale and then resell them below MSRP and may a quick buck.

When was that. I have been watching camofire since November.

 

[zacattack]

When was that. I have been watching camofire since November.

It’s been a while since any were in Camofire. However there were quite a few at good deals. I picked up a kryptek e&e off of there.

 

[Gapmaster]

Must be where you live. I see lots of kuiu for sale. I cannot find kifaru's

Just look on the Rokslide classifieds, they’re everywhere.