Anyone own a Kifaru backpack?

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berettaman12000

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I'm looking at the Kifaru packs and was wondering if anyone here owned one and I'd like to hear their advice/recommendations on them? Thanks! BTW, I was looking at the smallest one, fanny pack.
 
I can vouch for the Scout and the EMR. I actually have two Scouts...excellent design, and you can haul a ton. We've (the family) planned a hiking trip this next weekend (our first two nighter :D !), and I'm taking my EMR and Scout. I actually have the Scout pretty much empty, but it'll be my day-hike pack. Since Kifaru has the same genes as Mountainsmith, you know it's quality. The Scout can ride as a lumbar pack, and does so very well. You can also use the shoulder straps and carry it like a fanny pack with suspenders. I've attached two of the Kifaru Liter Plus pouches to the sides of the scout and a small first aid kit to the back. It will take some of the smaller Camalbak pouches...I've got a newly designed one that is a 72oz and it fits well.

I don't think the belt pouch comes with it...you have to purchase separate, but definitly get the padded PALS one. Depending on how you want to use the Scout...it'll ride low or high.

As to the EMR...it's pretty big. I still want to get an MMR, but until my kids are big enough to carry more of their own gear, the EMR will hold a lot of stuff! It's also a very comfortable pack and is quite robust (should be for the price :eek: ).

Well, if you like bomb proof, top-of-the-line, quality gear with a great warranty...you'll like Kifaru. As to the price...well, if you use it ALOT, you'll be able to understand and swallow the price :) .

ROCK6
 
They look and sound great. I'm thinking of travelling with them. My heavy duty bag is a monster mountaneering pack, my Mchale Super Inex Bayonet, and it's overkill for most purposes. And it can't be locked, so I bag it for travel. Not the most convenient.
Can the Kifarus be locked up through the zipper pulls? I appreciate that they weren't designed for travel, but hard-use bags are better than anything designed for tourists that I've found.
 
Hey HJK, some of their packs like the Maurader may be able to be locked, but I do know they are designed for rugged use. My recommendation is a large, cheap duffle bag that zips up, and lock it inside...it would add additional abrasion resistance as well. If I take off the external pockets from my EMR, it will fit in a GI duffle bag and that locks up pretty well. Not too mention, a beat-up old duffle bag doesn't draw a lot of attention, plus it has shoulder straps attached.

Here's my EMR/Scout loaded out (about 72lbs) for this weekends trip...that's about the max weight I want to do (my top is 80lbs if I keep it under 10 miles)...or I won't enjoy the hike :D

KifaruEMR.jpg


ROCK6
 
I own a Kifaru Zulu with an E+E and two long pockets. I love all of it. Great carry and it's built like a tank.
 
I have been using the Pointman and the E & E. These are outstanding bags. Expensive, but super tough, very flexible and very, very well designed and built.
 
ROCK6 said:
Here's my EMR/Scout loaded out (about 72lbs) for this weekends trip...that's about the max weight I want to do (my top is 80lbs if I keep it under 10 miles)...or I won't enjoy the hike :D
Click to expand...

LOL -- 72 pounds !!!!!

Last time I carried that much, it probably included the canoe ;)

Sorry, but I have to say it : empty the pack, remove half of the stuff, repack. Repeat twice, and you'll still have useless crap. Seriously.

That's what I'd do anyways. To each his own...

No offense I hope.

David
 
Given the "first" family backpacking trip, I was trying to keep the kids' and wife's pack weights manageable. But you're right, after the trip, I repacked excluding unnecessary or unused items (to include unused food), and it dropped to about 55lbs. I also took a few "extra" knives for T&E, so it wasn't a true pack weight for trip.

Bottom line, my time of humping a ruck in the Army (which still continues), proves that anything over 60 lbs, just plain sucks :) The nice thing about Kifaru is that it really does make the heavier loads more bearable. I've carried the ALICE, Lowe, Mountainsmith, REI-brand, Kelty, Eagle and Kifaru. Kifaru has been the best of the bunch so far...Kifaru packs are not lightweights, but are much more durable for the long term. I've blown duffle bags and rucks from airborne jumps, drops from 5-tons and the standard "Joe" baggage handlers. Kifaru has really impressed me so far.

ROCK6
 
I have a Berghaus Crusader which is pretty much the standard bag for the high speed chaps in Europe. Mine is over 15 years old and its only downfal is that the waist belt is a tad thin and when you are sweating yomping stuff up a mountain side in Japan in summer the combination of sweat and pressure can rub you a bit raw. How does the lumbar support/belt work out on this model? I was a bit shocked at $500.00 but when I consider I bought mine for 150 pounds 15 years ago, $500 doesnt seem unreasobable considering the aparent build quality.

Has anyone experience with their tents?

Huh, just visited the Berghaus site and its called a Vulcan now, same spec though, 100L or 80 + 2 x 10

full_vulcan_cedar.jpg
 
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