Kifaru Molle Express

[tiogatires]

I ordered one last week in foliage. anyone else have one? Do you like it? I already have a G2 Zulu and love that for larger load outs but wanted one for edc or day type packing. How does it work for you in those areas? On body pics are appreciated.

 

[JV3]

i have one (it's only 3 weeks old)...the stays are too short for me so there's no shoulder lift at all so i'll probably sell it it sucks waiting weeks for it only to find out it doesn't fit me. it's nowhere near as comfortable as my zxr and ku3700 - both have 24" stays.

 

[crossada]

That really sucks JV3 When I originally bought my Xray I didn't care for it much either and wished I would of got the Mollex instead. Now though I use it for about everything except heavy overnighters where i'll take the Zulu instead.

I know what you mean about shoulder lift though and being less comfortable on small frame packs. Any chance you are still going to do a review?

 

[JV3]

That really sucks JV3 When I originally bought my Xray I didn't care for it much either and wished I would of got the Mollex instead. Now though I use it for about everything except heavy overnighters where i'll take the Zulu instead.

I know what you mean about shoulder lift though and being less comfortable on small frame packs. Any chance you are still going to do a review?

sure, i'll do a review. it'll start out with lots of negatives though. d'oh!

it's still up in the air whether i can salvage it. the only logical choice next is the tactical cargo panel hauler (24" or 26" stays) and then use one of those 30-liter outdoor research dry bags for the main compartment. question is will i save significant weight over the zxr? i wish they hadn't cancelled the whole ultralight line - my original choice was the ku2200. the mollex was a backup that i got forced onto.

 

[tiogatires]

Any pics of the molle express on body? I'm on the shorter side at 5'7" so thinking this bag will fit ok. With the G2 Zulu, it took me a while to get it fitted right but once it was it fit great. For some reason, these packs just take more effort to get them set up and fitted properly.

 

[Thunderhorse]

I am 6' 4" and have a molle express, it would be a nice pack if I were a bit shorter. Quality is superb, I just need a bigger pack, and a little more room for my needs.

Thunderhorse

 

[JV3]

Any pics of the molle express on body? I'm on the shorter side at 5'7" so thinking this bag will fit ok. With the G2 Zulu, it took me a while to get it fitted right but once it was it fit great. For some reason, these packs just take more effort to get them set up and fitted properly.

in my experience, with the packs with the 24" stays and longer there's no effort required to get it to fit properly - just put it on, pull all straps tight and it's instantly comfortable. with the mollex, there's no adjustment i can make to make it comfortable - pull the shoulder straps to where it feels right and the waist belt is way up on my belly button...but if i adjust the waist belt so it's right at the illiac crest then i have the shoulder straps so loose that it feels like a lumbar pack.

i understand the really short stays like the x-ray where it's designed so soldiers can carry it on their load-bearing vest or way above their weapon belt...but the packs like the mollex, zulu, etc. where the chances are high the user will use it with a waist belt, the suspension is really lacking compared to the navigator, zxr, etc. i apologize for the rant - it's directed at kifaru, not you you're lucky you like the way the zulu fits you/your torso length matches it and in that case, the mollex shouldn't be any different.


just the kifaru doobie inside to puff it out...i'm 5'9":

ku3700 on the left, mollex in the middle, and the zxr on the right. both the ku3700 and the zxr have 24" stays and the ends are about 2" above my shoulder. the mollex stays are about 3" below my shoulder already with just the doobie inside. if i put just 10 lbs inside the mollex the whole pack sags even lower because the stays aren't supported directly by the waist belt.

in comparison, the osprey kestrel 28/38 has excellent shoulder lift too - in this case, it's already loaded down with day hike gear.

 

[crossada]

Thanks JV3 for the great comparison pics. I know it takes you a lot of time.

I know how you must feel in the disappointment. I had recently received a Scout from Kifaru that I ended up sending back. I was wanting it for a hot weather edc, day hike type bag and save the Xray for the colder months but had trouble getting it to fit properly. The funny thing is I owned a G1 version years ago that I got along with great.

 

[JV3]

Thanks JV3 for the great comparison pics. I know it takes you a lot of time.

I know how you must feel in the disappointment. I had recently received a Scout from Kifaru that I ended up sending back. I was wanting it for a hot weather edc, day hike type bag and save the Xray for the colder months but had trouble getting it to fit properly. The funny thing is I owned a G1 version years ago that I got along with great.

you're welcome! here's a couple more thoughts after someone in the esee board asked for more info. when i say "you" here i'm referring to that person, not you crossada :

the mollex and the whole omni-suspension line is a pos. the only ones worth buying are the navigator and up. aside from the too short stays for normal adults, here's why:

1. the shoulder straps are removable and connect via these wide webbing. if you put your pack down, turn it over 2-3 times to simulate being in the back of a car for example being tossed around the shoulder strap twists around and can get tangled with the load lifter straps. just putting the pack on my back and using the other arm to reach for the other strap to put it on is sometimes enough to grab it the wrong way and it'll twist around...then i don't know if it twisted counter-clockwise or clock-wise so i gotta stand there and figure out which direction to un-twist it.

2. i put a couple of textbooks inside and ran up and down the stairs and skipping the last step and jumping on the floor to simulate say hiking on rocky terrain or jumping over a small puddle. when the pack gets unweighted the shoulder strap and the lifter strap almost always slips away from each other and when the pack comes down those two straps are now jammed against each other. so now that metal 3-bar slider is jammed against my neck and i gotta stop and realign everything again.

try to make those two things happen with your ku3700 - i guarantee it will never happen because the shoulder straps are sewn in place. why they made the mollex straps (and the entire omni line) removable, i have no idea...like i said it's a pos...can you tell how mad i am that this pack is a pos after i waited 6 weeks?

i will say this though - some on the kifaru board were quick to blame me when i posted that i didn't like the mollex's suspension. you've seen all my kifaru reviews with nothing but high praise for their stuff. if anything, the negatives i've posted here regarding the mollex will only help kifaru in the long run because people will now know that i'm not a kifaru fanboy. i won't hold back from saying negatives if i find any and all the positive comments i've made in the past are truly unbiased

 

[tiogatires]

I appreciate your reviews as well. How old is your pack and are they still making the shoulder straps like that? My Zulu straps are attached. Can't understand why they would make them unattached?? I can completely understand your issue and only hope mine is bearable when I receive it. My only issue with my Zulu was figuring out those shoulder straps. It will be a real disappointment to end up hating this feture especially on a 400 setup.

 

[JV3]

I appreciate your reviews as well. How old is your pack and are they still making the shoulder straps like that? My Zulu straps are attached. Can't understand why they would make them unattached?? I can completely understand your issue and only hope mine is bearable when I receive it. My only issue with my Zulu was figuring out those shoulder straps. It will be a real disappointment to end up hating this feture especially on a 400 setup.

it's only 3-weeks old. you can tighten the main webbings to their shortest and it should prevent it from twisting like that - only question is will it fit you when set up like that? kifaru customer service is excellent though. i spoke with angie, explained my complaints and since it's still within the 30-days limit and it's in the same condition as i received it (i only put a couple of textbooks and a doobie inside to load it out) i sent it back for a refund.

i think the shoulder straps will still be like that since even the xing shows it - from their website.

i just got an idea though - tie a loop of paracord on each shoulder & load lifter strap pair so when you set the pack down they stay aligned at all times...i can't try it if it works since i don't have a mollex anymore.

 

[crossada]

I think i'm going to stick with my Xray and be happy as it has done what i've wanted for the most part and doesn't have the load lifter straps to get in the way.

I know I appreciate a honest review and a different prespective too. High end equipment isn't cheap and I like to gather as much info as possible before I buy something so thanks for taking the time. Some people can be over zealous in defense off their favorite gear and instantly criticize anyone who has different experiences than their own.

I think the reason why the omni packs have removable shoulder straps is so they can be mounted to a duplex frame more easily but could be way off on that.

Are you going to shop around for another pack in this size range? Have you ever tried Mystery Ranch before?

 

[JV3]

I think i'm going to stick with my Xray and be happy as it has done what i've wanted for the most part and doesn't have the load lifter straps to get in the way.

I know I appreciate a honest review and a different prespective too. High end equipment isn't cheap and I like to gather as much info as possible before I buy something so thanks for taking the time. Some people can be over zealous in defense off their favorite gear and instantly criticize anyone who has different experiences than their own.

I think the reason why the omni packs have removable shoulder straps is so they can be mounted to a duplex frame more easily but could be way off on that.

Are you going to shop around for another pack in this size range? Have you ever tried Mystery Ranch before?

well said. what's funny is that two other people said they had similar problems i had after i posted it - they could've mentioned that a long time ago before i ordered mine but yeah people can be hesitant to say anything negative.

i've looked at mystery ranch before but they don't seem to have a top lid/drawstring closure which is almost a must have for me. the mollex was at the time my only remaining option. what i really want though is an osprey atmos in 30-40 liter range that's also top lid/drawstring (i know they sell a smaller atmos but it's a panel loader). as a side note, if you're ever looking for a 50 or 65 liter pack, i highly recommend the atmos 50/65. i've tried quite a few ospreys too and the atmos 50/65 suspension is on par with the kifaru suspension with reasonable loads (30 lbs or lighter).

i think i'll order the timberline 3 next: http://store.kifaru.net/timberline-3-3700ci-p6.aspx. i overlooked it the first time because it says 60 liters but when i read the actual specs yesterday it says the main body is only 35 liters (right at the range of what i'm after) and the exterior 4 pockets adds the extra 26 liters...same exact suspension as my zxr so i know i won't have any complaints there.

only problem is black is not an option and i'm tempted to cut off those 4 exterior pockets as soon as i get it (it adds extra weight for something i usually don't use on packs) so i have to think long and hard first to make sure the mollex fiasco doesn't happen again, haha.

 

[tiogatires]

If I'm seeing the pics correctly, I misspoke in my last post. It would appear that the mollex has the same type of shoulder straps as the Zulu. I threaded that 1" webbing adjustment strap through the large height adjustment buckle to avoid the twisting. It works on my zulu just fine.

 

[tiogatires]

Just an update. I just received the mollex from kifaru. I got it in foliage with the organizer pouch. Quality is on par with my zulu which means phenomenal. The foliage is a grayish green and is (hate to use this word) tactical or military looking with enough subtlety to get around without bothering the sheeple - not that I care though.

It took me about five minutes to get it all fitted up. I'm 5'7" and it feels great. One thing I noticed while fitting it is that the distance between the waist belt and shoulder straps must be correct for your back or it doesn't feel right and I'm sure it wouldn't carry well. I definitely concur with earlier posted comments about the shoulder straps and pull down straps should have some sort of management added to keep them from rolling around themselves. It doesn't really bother me but on a pack of this price point it should be addressed to neaten things up. If I were still soldiering and needed to get this on quick it would be a royal pia getting it on correctly. Since I'm just a weekend warrior - armchair ranger - now it is something I can overlook since everything else is soo awesome.

One more small thing I would include - again something I knew it lacked but would still have liked is strap management. Even though I have ordered web dominator a to fix that, I would like kifaru to provide something from the factory at this packs price point.

All in all its awesome though and am very happy with it. It's perfectly sized for weekend hikes or for a day at the pool or beach. It will no doubt end up being my favorite pack. I love it.

Oh - the organizer is a must have on this set up. Get one!!