Kifaru packs?

ironmike86

ironmike86

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
868
Anyone have experience with these? Any pic of use? Quality info ect? And favorite color. TIA
 
I've heard several of the guys in the W&SS forum sing their praises. Hopefully they will see this post and give you some details.

DancesWithKnives
 
I have the Kifaru x-ray and it's one hell of a pack. The one I have is in the OD green but the koy. brown also looks great.
I'v not had any problems with fading on the Kifaru like I have had on other packs in the past. Where I live its pretty much
either raining or blazing sunshine so it's not too kind on your gear colours.

I have been through several back packs like the TAD fastpacks (They pretty much just fell to bits on me :thumbdn:)
and a few maxpedition packs. I have really had no problems with the Maxpedition packs other than the pocket/zip
paterns just not being quite right for me.

If you don't mind spending the extra cash for the Kifaru they are pretty much the best out there and are worth it IMO.
 
ironmike86 said:
Thanks i'm going to invest in one just need to decide what I want. :)
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I certainly wouldn't call it an investment:D but I am also going to buy on just to see what all the hype is about.I hope it isn't the usual.

I have a bunch of other crap the armrest warriors have recommended.:jerkit:
Osprey crap. Vasque garbage,North Face'z utterly useless attire, Salomons latest fall ....APART.... specials.

If I lived in Ohio or Kansas some of that stuff might have survived.
My climate can destroy anything. I help :p
 
Have an XRay and a Marauder... They are totally bomb-proof, really easily configurable, carry well and I love 'em... But...
They are the heaviest packs I've ever carried and about the most expensive... :eek: :D
I managed to get a RAID pack from a member here... Much lighter, really comfortable... but... it probably wouldn't hold up anywhere near as well as the Kifarus...
If you just need a daily commuter pack, there are others out there that will service you well and cost you much less... But if you want a pack that can go the distance, and still be passed down to the next generation, then Kifaru is the bomb!!!! (And yes, I'm an arm-chair commando - but, I also hike around the northwest, so that's why I went for mine!) :thumbup:
 
Any pics? Yeah almost 5 lbs is heavy but you have twice the weight in the pack vs others? What 2 lbs more but have 2-3 x the quality?
 
The packs are great....just wait till you start getting into their shelters, stoves, packlock clothing, pods, pockets, pouches....the list goes on :)
 
What do you want to do with it? If you're looking a decent trail pack, their are lighter (and less expensive) options. With the construction, they are "overbuilt" which makes them pretty heavy; however, that's the beauty if you have activities that could abuse a typical pack. With that said, I have an EMR, two Scouts, Pointman and Zulu. I really like the Zulu; I have that here with me in Afghanistan.

The EMR is a monster-sized pack. Depending on your area, I would get a solid color: tan/coyote brown, OD green or foliage.

I think Kifaru's piggy-back options are excellent; custom service is top notch and they have several other excellent products. They are expensive, but again, if you want a bomb proof pack...it's near the top of the "pack" (pun intended:D). A couple of my packs have deployed with me and my Zulu has been punished quite a bit just traveling around...it's gets thrown, sat on, smashed, pulled, dropped, kicked, you name it. It's holding up just fine but not something I would expect my civilian packs to withstand.

For size, you really need to determine what you want to carry and how much capacity will be required. I like their ZXR pack for a full-szie...good size that you can compress or expand to carry enough for a decent trip or adjust to seasonal clothing. Additional pockets are a plus, but you can add a lot of weight with pockets alone, so just be cautious. Kifaru's suspension is incredible...one of the best I've ever used. One the smaller end, I like the Zulu...it's about the same size as an ALICE pack.

I've had no issues and I've had my EMR for about 10 years now...just needed to replace a couple of broken fastex buckles, but it's still looking like a new pack.

ROCK6
 
I've been looking around the Chinese made packs aren't much less really. I may as well buy a USA made tank for a little more? Weight I'm not concerned about if the pack is a few lbs heavier. I'm an Ironworker I move heavy objects allday long :)
 
I have one of the new G2 E&E's. It is a little pack, so it doesn't weigh much.
Some day I'd like to get a Marauder or X-Ray. Someday.
 
I've had the marauder with E&E for 3 years now. It's been loaded with over 70lbs of gear and performed excellently. Been used in everything from -40 to 120 degrees. It is extremely heavy duty and has taken abuse that would rip any normal pack in two. You do pay for that in weight though. Beyond that, they are great people to work with and do business with. They will customize your pack in just about any way you ask.
 
I've got a Zulu in Foliage:
100_0095.jpg


They are heavier than the thin gossamer packs that will shred an take a dump on you if you do much beyond walking prepared trails. Yes, Kifaru is heavier, but their suspension systems really work, so they feel better than lighter packs with inferior suspensions.

I picked the Zulu for a few reasons:
1.) It doesn't have a zippered bottom. I've never heard of a Kiafru zipper blowing out, but other packs have made me paranoid about them.
2.) It's small enough to cinch down for summer use, big enough for 3 season camping with everything inside, and with the PALS webbing on the outside, it's easy to add PODs, Long pockets, or any MOLLE-compatible pouches by any manufacturer (I can't afford all the Kifaru accessories, so I run with GI sustainment pouches and such, they work fine), to add cold weather gear, extra supplies, etc.

One thing though, you might want to go to Suppyl Captain and get s set (or two) of Web Dominators -- as you can see by my photo, Kifaru gives you lots of adjustment straps, and you look like a flying spaghetti monster if you don't reign them in. The Zulu used an entire set of 10 web dominators.

http://www.kifaru.net/militaryhome.html
 
ironmike86 said:
Looks nice. There is a belt? I just don't see it. Just wonderinf you use it.
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Looks like he has the simple belt on it, as it looks like the buckles peek out from under it.
I have one of the padded belts, which also has the MOLLE webbing on it - it fits both my XRay and Marauder, which was another reason I went and picked up the Marauder after the XRay. That and I can detach the belt for lighter loads or for daily carry, which is what I use my XRay for... Kifaru's Omni-belt system is possibly the pinacle of systems for carrying stability... I have had several of the original Mtn Smith packs w/t Omni-belt and was so taken with it's ability to carry big loads both comfortably and stabley (is that a word?) that I've had a local repair company adapt a form of it to a few other packs I had until I found Kifaru....
 
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