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.