Kifaru Rucks
 

A bit delayed, but does anyone else here like the Kifaru line of rucks?

The make some great riding packs. Feels like the weight is significantly less just by the way they carry it.

I have a Navigator and love it.

TR

I love my Marauder.

They look comfortable as hell... too bad they are so expensive! I'll have to wait to give them a shot!

-skipjack

I just received a ZXR with the XTL today in the mail. Compared to most military rucks that size, it's light as hell. I played with it a little and am itching to take it through the ropes to see how it holds up, but I think I am going to love it.

I have a Zulu with the XTL. The other day I carried two interceptor vests with Level IV plates on a walk all over the IZ with just the sternum strap fastened. Comfortable as all git out.

Have a Marauder and love it. Am thinking about getting a ZXR but will probably wait til after Sage since I have to use the ALICE.

Crip

Another happy Marauder user here. Great customer service too. The stitching on one or two areas of PALS webbing on my pack started coming out, so I called them up. They said no problem, send it back. I got the pack back within a couple of weeks with all of the PALS webbing double-stitched.

No lie.

Mel and Patrick are great people and they stand behind (or in front of, in this case) their products 100%.

A few pics of my Nav are attached. It is a front loader, quick access to everything. Construction is superb. It feels light empty, and loaded, carries incredibly well. Lots of options, too. Only issue other than the cost is the lack of outside pockets, I need to order some as add ons. You only need to buy quality once though.

They can be hard to find on the net, http://www.kifaru.net/MGhome.htm if you are looking.

No, before you ask, they are not permitted at SFAS.

TR

After I posted the first time, I started thinking that "I love my Marauder" doesn't provide any really useful info.

I was hestitant to speak to TR's question about Kifaru's load bearing as; 1) I've a somewhat limited basis of experience, and 2) I don't carry very heavy loads in my Marauder. With those as caveats, however, I think he's right.

While I've never used an ALICE, RAID, or other assault pack, I have used civvy packs for years. My favorite is a Gregory (don't recall the model name and it's not on the pack), about ten years old, IIRC, with an external frame. It is quite simply, the most comfortable pack I have ever worn. The Kifaru Marauder, which has aluminum stays internal to the pack rather than a frame like the Gregory, is nearly as comfortable. With both packs there have been times when I literally forgot that I had the pack on and while I don't carry heavy loads (never much over fifty pounds and in the Marauder usually about half that), I think that speaks pretty highly of the comfort factor. (This is a little surprising given the hip strap on the Marauder is essentially unpadded.)

HTH

PS - TR, that's a good looking pack. The Marauder was a gift and while I'm very happy with it, I've wondered if I should have returned it for the Navigator.

TR-
It looks very similar to the Lowe Vector we were issued at 10th - slightly shorter, a bit squarer, and a better waist/hip strap from the look. the Lowe carried funny (too many years with an alice?), kind of top heavy, the internal ribs rubbed a little, and was a bitch to rig for a jump, especially after I went 18D. Any of those issues show up with the Kifaru?

I had no idea that we had issued a front loading pack. The Lowe I had was a top-loader. The Kifaru, in my limited experience, has none of those issues and allows you to reposition the weight onto whatever part of your body you want it on. For me, it is usually the hips. The ruck is very easy on your back.

I have not rigged this to jump, but it looks pretty straightforward to me, MFF or static line.

Cincinnatus:

This is a significantly larger pack than I expected. For a day pack, the Marauder is probably better. The Navigator will allow for camping type loads. I threw in three 500 round cases of .45 ACP ammo padded with a couple of sleeping bags and it still had plenty of room.

HTH.

TR

I took a Kifaru Zulu and an EMR with me to Iraq. They performed flawlessly. No doubt they are going out with me next time around.

Gentlemen

Is this an actual ruck or more of an assault pack? It seems a little small, at least when compared to the M4 in the picture. How much weight do you gentlemen usually carry?

Not sure how much humping you have done at age 22, Fonzy, but I was sweating under an ALICE pack for almost ten years before you were born. I have carried ruck loads from Nerf to 145 lbs. in the bush.

I do not have the capacity of an ALICE Medium or Large handy, but the Kifaru had 60-90 pounds when I was testing it out, it would have carried more with no problem. Did you read my description of what I put in it? try stuffing three 500 rd. cases of .45ACP ammo and two sleeping bags in an assault pack. I would certainly call it a mid-sized pack (like the ALICE) rather than an assault pack. It has an internal frame and holds over 65 liters (4,000 cubic Inches), I suspect that is more than a Medium ALICE and probably more than the Large as well. Kifaru makes one pack which is slightly larger, at 4200 c.i. and one that is a lot bigger at 7500 c.i. that if loaded down fully, would probably crush you like a bug. This ruck will take an external Cargo Chair that will safely carry over 200 lbs., if you can.

Trust me, this is a serious pack.

TR

IIRC, an ALICE is 3200ci of space including the 3 external pockets. My ZXR is 3800ci internal space, with 2 external pockets for 1300ci and the XTL is another 600ci. These are not "assualt packs", although, Kifaru does make much smaller rucks. The EMR, stated above, is a 7500ci monster of internal space. www.kifaru.net I will post pictures for you in the next few days.

TR,
Thanks for posting this info and your insight. I have been looking for a good ruck, and now I know where to get one. Looking to go with the ZXR w/XTL, or spend the extra eight bucks and get the MMR. Eight bucks for an additional 400ci isn't bad IMO. Thanks again.

You are correct - the Lowe Vector was a top loader, with the lower compartment 'accessible' with the around the middle zipper. and the 'lid' was removable as an assault/E&E pack. They were tough to load, tough to get at gear, hard on the back, and too big(long) for a short guy like me (5'8") - especially for jumping (almost had to rig a line to the lower part of the harness to lift it off the ground to get to the AC). A good number of outside pockets allowed you to get at the stuff you needed pretty often, but yu really had to plan your load - especially as a medic. And it never sat where you wanted it.

I always wondered why they didn't just redesign the frame for the Alice to make it a little more ergonomic/comfortable - it is a well designed ruck, but the frame sucks. Still have mine, sad isn't it?

I ran into this when I first started looking at them thinking the same thing. Although, comparing apples to apples, the ZXR is 3800ci and the XTL adds 600ci for 4400ci total. So it is actually $8 more for 200ci less.

Hey guys, I'm pleased to hear that your Kifaru packs are working out for you. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about our gear. Just for info, our new ZXR is the closest in size to a large ALICE ruck. We get asked that question quite often by guys when trying to decide what ruck to buy. It seems most guys are familiar with the large ALICE, and will use that as a size reference.

If any of you guys are out here on the West coast, I'd like to invite you to the Kifaru Beach Demo & BBQ that I will be hosting on the weekend of Sep 30/Oct 1. It will be on the central coast near Santa Cruz/Monterey. This will be a chance for you to see and handle ALL the Kifaru gear in person. Also, we will be unvieling our new sleeping bags for the first time at the demo. Here's a link from a thread on our message board with all the info:

http://forums.kifaru.net/ubb/ultimat...c;f=1;t=001512

I hope some of you can make it, and look forward to meeting you.

Mel

Great offer Mel, thanks. Wish I could be there. Kifaru throws one hell of a good party.

Appreciate the info, too.

Guys if you have any questions about the Kifarus, Mel is the expert.

TR

TR,

Re: the Navigator vs. Marauder differences and applications. My thinking was pretty much the same as you outlined.

There is a fairly active SAR team just across the river, and if I ever get my health issues straightened out, I've thought about joining them. For that type of work, the Marauder is probably a bit on the small side (even adding some pockets.) As it is, I suppose I'll use the Gregory. Or maybe use joining the team as an excuse to get the Navigator, cuz I could use the chair to bring out injured hikers... Yeah, that's the ticket. :D

Para:

I know you are busy, but was wondering if you could give us a review of the ZXR: your likes, dislikes, and how its holding up.

Thanks,

Crip

ZXR review
 

Well, having just spent 22 days under a Kifaru ZXR on combat patrols and recon missions in the jungles of *** I can tell you that I wouldnt take it back for a second go round if I had an ALICE pack as an option.

While the ruck is as comfortable to wear as one can hope for bearing 90 lbs of light weight gear it isnt as great a ruck for this environment as for rucking on flat open terrain. I found the small size of the top opening quite annoying when looking for something and would have liked to see that opening maybe another 5 or so inches in diameter. The bottom opening seemed to be a better size. The pack wore well over my Eagle Riverine LBE but use of the waist/hip belt is mandatory if moving more than 50 meters. Use of the belt would be near impossible if utilizing a vest or other LBE which hangs low (infact I had to raise mine to use the belt). I tried using it sans belt but due to the tendency of the back to round when the cinch straps are used; the shape of the back padding; and the lumber pad, it beat me to death (listing side to side) while trying to maneuver thru the thick foliage and vegetation found here.

It also takes a considerable amount of time to don and adjust before moving out. I found this to be a problem when moving out from a halt (The Indig dont wait for you to get your shit on and adjusted before they start moving out, and they will leave you.) The slide locks for the shoulder straps seem to work themselves loose during movement which required constant adjustments to the shoulder straps, lift offs, and sternum strap; this become more than annoying after a short amount of time. I also found the ruck too tall, for me atleast, to use in this environment due to the number of wait-a-minute vines and low hanging trees; my XTL caught on everything it seems. The side slot pockets were useful for holding my hydration bladders until I bumped into a black palm and pierced one of them on the thorns then I started carrying the other one inside the main compartment.

All that being said, the ability to go "slick" was a benefit as I didnt have side pockets catching on things like the guys carrying ALICE's. The XTL was great for get to quickly items and again the pack was pretty comfortable given the 90 lbs of light weight gear I had.

And the worst part about the whole thing... the inability, due to how low it extends past the lumbar pad and lack of a large diameter bottom, to do a rucksack flop and remain in a reclined position... lol

Now if we could get Mel to make a frame for the ALICE we might be in business... The search for the perfect ruck continues.

Crip

Thumbs up for the Marauder
 

I've had a Marauder for a little less than a year. I've used it for some hiking and international travel. The pack is versatile and bomb proof. I like the modularity of the Molle webbing. I can quickly convert my pack to have pouches (interior and exterior) for a travel(insert bags with medical, toiletries, etc), work(organizers) or hiking(drink pouches) in minutes. That makes me very happy :)

I've also been very happy with all my interactions with Kifaru's customer service. They were prompt, helpful and generally great people. I love to see a small American business doing some great work at a high quality.

I almost wish they made jackets and clothing too, but I guess that stuff falls on TAD Gear, Massif and Beyond Fleece :-D

On a side note, I got to try the X-ray and...while I've had my Arcteryx Wire day pack for about 10 years with no complaints. When it comes time to replace it, it will be with a Kifaru X-Ray.

j

Hey Crip, thanks for your review on the ZXR performance in the jungle. This is the first real feedback I've gotten from anyone that's been on jungle ops with our packs. Your points are well taken, and in fact, what I expected from that type of use. I will say here that there are absolutely no rucks from anyone out there at this time that can beat an ALICE pack in the jungle, and that includes Kifaru. I've always wanted to build a dedicated jungle ruck, and have many design ideas on file, but we have been putting our R&D into gear more suited to the sandbox. From what I hear, we will start seeing more green side ops in the future, so maybe it's finally time for us to develop a ruck that will work well in those conditions. I think we can come up with a ruck for jungle use, that will out perform the old ALICE in comfort, bag design, features, and materials.

I have taken into consideration all of your notes on the ZXR's performance in the jungle, and will add these to my file, which will continue to grow as this project moves forward. Crip, I will PM you soon to pick your brain some more about this subject. I can give you guys one tip about buckle slippage, and how to prevent it. Check out this thread from our message board, and scroll on down to the photos showing how to install a cam lock buckle on top of the shoulder strap buckles. It's simple, and absolutely prevents any buckle slippage. Here ya go:

http://forums.kifaru.net/ubbthreads....age=56&fpart=1

If this link wouldn't come up, then just type it in as shown.

Mel

Mel:

Glad to see you stopped by. I had planned on giving you a call in reference to the ZXR but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

I have attempted to use the camlocks in the past but due to the layout of my kit, getting to the buckles themselves to secure the camlocks is near impossible for me to do alone. As you can imagine there isn't always someone else there to help me into my ruck. Also there comes the issue of getting out of it in the event I am needing to dump it in a hurry.

I have more notes on its performance and the things I would change about its design for use in this environment. I will put it together for you and shoot you a PM or an E-mail hopefully you can use them.

Crip