This is fan "F'ing" tastic. About time someone was polite but laid out the facts and said it with a straight forward approach. I TRULY appreciate your hard work, time and money it took to complete such an ACURATE and THOROUGH unbiased review. I wish there were more like this. Hope you do these kinds of reviews on other hunting products. Take care, Mindful Hunter!
The dedication and detail is unmatched in this review. I’m tired 😂 But feeling way more comfortable making a decision for costal elk bag. Thank you for the time!
Unreal video. No issue watching this for series for 2 hours. Great to see some content with some Canadian perspective. Loved the way you broke down every category with all the bags. Definitely gave me some things to consider as am I currently researching for my first real pack out bag and with being in Alberta this is kind of information is hard to come by. Keep up the great work.
Great Pack Review Jay! I really appreciate the unbiased, unsponsored and honest technical review. Not a review from a guy looking for some hits on the gram or a sponsorship from brand x. Great technical analysis! EXO had my vote prior to this video and always will. Thanks again Jay!
Not sure if you are already aware, but the exo can extend the frame a bit taller to change the load lifter angle for heavier loads. At the bottom of the frame pull out and flip around the 2 metal inserts. Looking forward to the rest.
@@MindfulHunter I wonder if this changes your ranking for EXO since you said the only reason it didn't win was 2 pts, maybe a better load lifter score changes ranking?
Great review man. It's awesome to see someone on CZcams not run by sponsors. I heard you mention on the hunt backcountry podcast, you had a seek outside pack on order. I would like to see you compare it to the backpacks in this review.
I enjoyed this first video comparison of the packs, do you know when you'll be posting the second video? Looking forward to the rest of the testing & your conclusions.
This review has created a lot of conversations between 3 guys who have kifaru, exo, and stone glacier. Really looking forward to the 80lb review. Really hoping the kifaru starts to shine through… thanks for putting it all togther. Big fan
I left a longer comment on IG but just wanted to say here thanks for putting this series together. Hopefully it helps a lot of other people who are looking for a new bag find the one thats right for them. Looking forward to the rest of it.
Amazing video and honest review. Everyone is different in pack choice/fit. Everyone hunts different. I personally use Exo and used stone glacier before. It just fits me best and when it comes to simplicity, Exo takes the cake. Load shelf access is unreal easy. Im a simple straight forward hunter and it has everything I need with no bells and whistles. Again, great review man. Great content
Heard about you on the EXO podcast. Not sure how I didn't know about your content earlier! Really wish you could have gotten your hands on the Initial Ascent pack it would have been really intriguing to see how it stacked up. I've been stuck at a cross roads between the Stone Glacier and the Exo packs for a couple months and getting close to pulling the trigger. The only thing I didn't like about it is now I added the Kuiu pack to the mix, too many options lol.. Now just got to find a bit more time to watch the next video and see how it shaped up. thank you for putting in the work!
This is about as real as real gets. If you don’t have these categories in a pack review. Your “opinion” is null and void. Well done mindful hunter, on being absolutely real for this review
Man I think your approach is awesome vary unbiased opinions on everything! I laugh when you said you don't care about other people opinions. If only more people had this type of mindset 👍
Nice, that amazing country over there. I'm from alberta just east of you and I do quite a bit of hunting in the rockey mountains myself. It's a fun and harsh place sometimes.
Great review. I have an exo k3 4800. Kuiu pro 3600 and a kifaru frame with a kuiu 5500 lt attached to it. They all work great for me. But I don't carry more that 30-40 lbs in them.
Listened to the Exo Podcast and decided to listen to this. Its very interesting. I actually own your first and last place frames. Different bags but same frames. The Stone was added last year so have limited experience but did haul a bull out 7.2 miles with it last September. I'm not sure how much you think body types go into this but I can't really say I noticed a comfort difference between my MR and now the Stone bag. Great info. Subscribed.
I think body type plays a huge role in backpack selection and at the end of the day if it fits you and does what you need it to do then it's a great pack.
I use the internal straps on the Kuiu 7800 to strap my food bag securely to the back of the bag and up off the bottom a bit. You are right, wouldn't be much use for a large load, but holds 15lbs-20lbs just fine
Your hair makes me wish I still had hair. Impressive man. Impressive. Loved the podcast with exo. I loved your opinion, frame over all. I use a kuiu or kifaru duplex and kuiu bags. My main advise is the same, pick your frame; the bags all fit.
Awesome, awesome review. Wish your SD8 card didn’t mess up. So we could have seen some of the points you were making. But awesome job in the descriptions was able to get the jest of everything you were saying. Wish I would have seen this a few days ago as I just ordered a Stone Glacier 6900. But after seeing this I’m quite confident I’ll be happy with it
Awesome review. Sorry about your SD card. Can’t wait for the heavier weight review. I have the 7800. The thinner straps and buckles make me concerned as well. Also I’d like to see auto locking buckles
Yeah man. Dumb mistake on my part. Wont happen again. I’m a big fan or auto locking buckets especially high tension spots like shoulder straps etc. The kuiu really impressed me by using metal buckles in a couple of key places.
My hip belt was the wrong size on my stone glacier. I didn't realize it until I went in to there store in Montana a year later. They got me the right size free of charge. Pretty descent customer service.
@@MindfulHunter love how deep ya go ta give yer feedback and if I had the cash I would git mea sweet one. But I have 5 kids 3 grandkids 4 dogs anda wife that come first....not mutch in my broken budget fer campin fun when all is sed n dun.....love yer vid nun the less.hopein fer that budget cut.have a good one.
Great video, despite the SD issues. Wouldn't mind seeing the Eberlestock F1 Mainframe (tall version) being thrown into the gauntlet in a future comparison. I don't expect it to do well, but I feel it should be included as a budget option.
Possible for you to touch on the material of each bag in how it relates to weather. I know exo has an added accessory dry bag. But anything else you notice as far as managing moisture? dwr? Rain fly?
I have the mystery ranch Marshall, would highly recommend against ever buying this pack very wobbly when you’re hiking whether you’ve got it completely tied down or not very uncomfortable leaves you with sore shoulders and sore hips. I will be going out and buying another bag before my next hunt. Thinking about the KUIUor the XOmountain gear. Great review !!!!
Thank you I have a place here locally where I can grab an XO and try it out as well. I have a buddy that has the QU and seemed pretty comfortable. We have similar body frames but I’m open to giving EXO a shot. It.
I just ordered my first kifaru early today passing up the exo k3 6400....I don't know why but after all the videos I looked up about the kifaru reckoning kifaru bags I didn't see ur awesome video till now. I'm not gonna lie I'm a bit worried and bummed. It sucks so bad that most bag buying is online. The most important thing is to be able to try on packs first. It was in my head to buy the exo in a couple months k3 6400. I'm just so attracted to kifaru. And the fabrics to me look sooo durable and cool. The organizer guide lid with the 3 pockets is the one I got. The lid u showed didn't do it for me when I had to choose. It looked floppy and blah. I got the reckoning 83liters plus 13 for the lid and 14 total for both side pockets but it can extend to 98litere, 13 and the 14. It has a center zip and lotsa compression straps. I just soooo wish I wuda saw ur video. U dud great. Best review I ever heard. I need a serious lumbar pad tho. I have a curve in my spine from arthritis. I've been using hill people gear and they were a mistake for me. I love love their stuff but the Frame and harness is not working. I pray i love my kifaru.!!... I do know every bag fits so uniquely to each person.. but adjusting ur shoulder straps for angles sounds awesome. Im a bigger guy like u. Very similar. I hope all goes well. I wish u luck ND good fortune on ur hunts!! Be well and stay safe sir. Those exos sure have my interest now. Keep doin ur thing and blessings to ya.
The lumbar pad on my frame is like a Cadillac. It’s nice leather and sturdy. The hip belt is phenomenal. I have no other bag to compare it to other than an older Gregory.
Have you looked into smaller companies like the black creeks guide gear? I’d love to see a comparison of some of these smaller guys that make high quality looking stuff.
Just got back from 3 days in the back country and i had 75lbs in my pack kuiu 4000LT loaded like never before( I know stupid)lol. Had to put 2 gals of water and tent in the meat shelf because we couldn't find water on the mountain (8000feet) and the pack was so loaded out and nothing broke and I thought for sure the zippers would split and I am shocked. Im 6'2 200lbs and it fit perfect but it took little adjusting on the lower pad and straps to get it perfect. I had sleep bag Sleeping pad Sleeping pad pillow Jet boil with gas Headlamp (18650 batterys 2sets) Kuiu puffy paints Kuiu puffy jackets Kuiu Axis jacket (on me half time) Kuiu attack paints( on me) Kuiu 260zip (on me) Kuiu top and bottom thermals spaire socks Swaro Spotter 85 Tri pod suri with Vx5 head Swaro Els on chest Browning Hells cannon Long range with Big scope on it also.. Plus food for 3 full days Kenetrek boots (amazing) and all the backup battery's and everything else needed plus my Sissy Sticks(trekking polls) that I love. But you get the drift it was packed and the pack held up and has lifetime warranty so I said F it lol cant say enough about how well the Kuiu pack did. But I would thing with the Kuiu pack 90lbs would be about all I would want to put on my back because I was just about on the boarder with the weight I had. Thanks P.S great Videos Derek
Well done and much appreciated. I’ve been looking at packs but can’t seem to find one to replace my Outdoorsman’s optics hunter. Have you used or reviewed the outdoorsman’s frame/pack?
That was one of the first packs I had. I still use the frame for the atlas trainer attachment. I love the outdoorsman’s crew and they make some great stuff but the fact of the matter is that pack can’t compete with the top of the line hunting packs today like the ones covered in this review. Although I would definitely take it over the mystery, ranch or the kuiu.
SIR. Can you do a review on the Barney's Yukon with the Frieghter frame. It's 11,000 cu in. It's said to be the best pack in the world for carrying heavy weight. Love to see a 150 pound sandbag comparison for carry. Reach out to Barney's see if they'll hook you up with the pack & frame.
I ran the kuiu 7800 last year. The pack looked nice and was light, but like you say, "there's no free lunch". The overall quality of the build was just not there. Maybe this was intentional as they tried to cut weight. On my first hunt I broke two buckles and the pack back developed several rips. However, the main issue I experienced was when loaded heavy (+80lb), the pack would not stay on my hips. It slid down and all of the weight was being held on my shoulders. I ended up buying the Kifaru Hoodlum, which I have yet to use on a hunt. Just an observation on your pack selection; did you choose the fulcrum because it is what you already had? Even Kifaru is not big on that pack, although I know Omer loves it. I think the Dahl or Hoodlum would have been a more comparable option to the other packs selected. Anyhow just my thoughts, keep up the good work!
Great feedback on the kuiu and consistent with other reports I’ve received. And you nailed it. I’ve owned the fulcrum for 5 years. I love the flexibility of the bag itself but now, after comparing with the other bags I see why Snyder rarely recommends it and tends to prefer the Hoodlum, 44mag etc.
You can get the Mystery ranch for $430 right now. After your 1st assessment of it, I'm wondering if it might i might be better off spending a little more and get one of the others.
That’s a pretty good deal. If you’re just looking for a pack to carry 40-50 lbs for a few days I think it works. If you need a legitimate expedition pack I can’t recommend this one.
@@MindfulHunter copy that. thankful I came across your channel. I've been running an external frame for years and am going to upgrade, thinking I'll probably go with SG.
The first 2 min you had me I don't trust sponsored reviews even from honest reviewers if it's given to you the review will be biased to a point. Look forward to the outcome Thanks.
Any way to add a category of how it performs in heavy rain - waterproof materials etc. Seems like this is where I always have difficulty with my packs. In heavy downpoors.
It’s a good comment. I e been trying to figure out a way to test it. Is there anything in particular that fails or frustrates you when your pack gets wet? Or is it just that is soaks out all your gear?
@@MindfulHunter Electronics get wet - that's a biggie - if it gets soaked - it doesn't effect some packs - while others weigh like a ton of bricks - comfort is effected too - to me its like entire different animal in storms vs. dry weather - P.S. You gained a subscriber today and man loved that video - very thorough.
Good stuff. I just found your channel. Any thoughts on the Seek Outside stuff? I have a similar SG I have had for 5 years now. I agree with your sentiment on the lid, I think its poorly designed and feels "sloppy". I am looking to move away from it due to its lack of organization, honestly which is why it weighs less than the others. Great bag, I just feel like I have never been fully comfortable using it. Though to be fair, SG's selling point is the minimalism. Also I know Mountain Exo gives a decent military discount (20%?)
I ordered it and after waiting three weeks of then being out of stock had to cancel my order to proceed with the review. Hoping to still review it at some point.
That's one heck of a review! Looking forward to Part 2. I have a freaky long back and use a Seek Outside Brooks with frame extenders that take me to a 28" frame. Very comfortable load lifters... belt a bit floppy. Good under a load but I prefer the Kuiu with the updated suspension.
You wear an outdoorsman’s shirt but didn’t review their pack? I have bought and tried kifaru, kuiu, alps, eberlestock, mystery ranch and exo. I agree closely to all of your findings.
I’ve owned the outdoorsman’s long range pack for the last 5 years. I only use it to train with now. Nothing against them but that pack isn’t in the same league as the rest of these packs.
@@hawkbabby Ordered one and after waiting three weeks I had to cancel the order so that I can continue with the rest of the review. Hoping to try one in the near future.
I haven't watched the video yet but I'll throw in my 2 cents. Back packs are so dependent on the person using it. I own a SG pack I thought it carried weight well until I tried out an initial ascent pack. Holy smokes was I blown away! They stacked 160 lbs on that IA pack and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We then compared that to my SG with 100 lbs and it SUCKED. Moral of the story. If it's a high end pack it's high end for a reason. I hear guys rave about this pack or that pack. But if it doesn't fit your body well it won't perform with weight. Does SG make a good pack? Of course! It just didn't carry weight as well for ME.
Mystery Ranch has its fingers in too many markets to put out a really quality niche product. It’s a lot of peoples first or second pack…then they realize how shitty they are. I laugh every time I watch a Randy Newberg vid where they have the Metcalf loaded. Literally watch it sliding down their backs. All the while Randy is smiling and praising it….that’s what a paid opinion looks like. Couldn’t pay me to take a MR pack in the back country. Good review!
Hahahaha. A man after my own heart. This is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. If I hear Steve Rinella say that the Vortex Razor are the best bino money can buy one more time I’m gonna puke.
Not sure why this is on youtube rather than just a podcast. You are talking about stuff as if we can see it, but you have no video to go with it. If you want this to actually be of value to people you should take the time to reshoot it and get your SD card issues figured out. I'm interested in your take on all of this, but this is of very little value without video.
This is fan "F'ing" tastic. About time someone was polite but laid out the facts and said it with a straight forward approach. I TRULY appreciate your hard work, time and money it took to complete such an ACURATE and THOROUGH unbiased review. I wish there were more like this. Hope you do these kinds of reviews on other hunting products. Take care, Mindful Hunter!
Thanks brother! Definitely more on the way!
The dedication and detail is unmatched in this review. I’m tired 😂 But feeling way more comfortable making a decision for costal elk bag. Thank you for the time!
Thanks man, glad you found it useful.
Been listening to you from early on. Love that you're getting back into the gear geek out!
Thanks for the support man. And me too!
Unreal video. No issue watching this for series for 2 hours. Great to see some content with some Canadian perspective. Loved the way you broke down every category with all the bags. Definitely gave me some things to consider as am I currently researching for my first real pack out bag and with being in Alberta this is kind of information is hard to come by. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment man. Greatly appreciated!
Great Pack Review Jay! I really appreciate the unbiased, unsponsored and honest technical review. Not a review from a guy looking for some hits on the gram or a sponsorship from brand x. Great technical analysis!
EXO had my vote prior to this video and always will.
Thanks again Jay!
Appreciate the support!
I’ve been looking into a new pack for a while now, This is exactly the info I needed. Can’t wait for the rest of the testing.
Will do my best to finish in the next two weeks
Not sure if you are already aware, but the exo can extend the frame a bit taller to change the load lifter angle for heavier loads. At the bottom of the frame pull out and flip around the 2 metal inserts. Looking forward to the rest.
Actually just became aware of this feature yesterday and will definitely be using it for the heavier load testing. Thanks for reaching out.
@@MindfulHunter I wonder if this changes your ranking for EXO since you said the only reason it didn't win was 2 pts, maybe a better load lifter score changes ranking?
Now this is why I keep coming back to CZcams, amazing content
Thanks bro!
Great review man. It's awesome to see someone on CZcams not run by sponsors.
I heard you mention on the hunt backcountry podcast, you had a seek outside pack on order. I would like to see you compare it to the backpacks in this review.
Thanks! Will definitely be posting the seek review. Still waiting on the pack.
That's a lot of money in backpacks! looking forward to checking this out and digging more into your channel man
Thanks man! Huge fan here as you know.
I enjoyed this first video comparison of the packs, do you know when you'll be posting the second video? Looking forward to the rest of the testing & your conclusions.
Went up 5 mins ago
Great review. You got me at the "sick and tired" part at 1:35.
Thanks!
This review has created a lot of conversations between 3 guys who have kifaru, exo, and stone glacier. Really looking forward to the 80lb review. Really hoping the kifaru starts to shine through… thanks for putting it all togther. Big fan
Love hearing that. And from personal experience it’s gonna be hard to beat the kifaru with 120lbs in there so we’ll see ;)
I left a longer comment on IG but just wanted to say here thanks for putting this series together. Hopefully it helps a lot of other people who are looking for a new bag find the one thats right for them. Looking forward to the rest of it.
My pleasure man. Glad it’s helpful.
This is probably the best review of bags in existence. Everything else is a review of a singular bag and hard to comapre to others
Well thanks man. Damn nice thing to say. Glad it was valuable for you.
Amazing video and honest review. Everyone is different in pack choice/fit. Everyone hunts different. I personally use Exo and used stone glacier before. It just fits me best and when it comes to simplicity, Exo takes the cake. Load shelf access is unreal easy. Im a simple straight forward hunter and it has everything I need with no bells and whistles. Again, great review man. Great content
Thanks for the feedback man. Agree completely.
Heard about you on the EXO podcast. Not sure how I didn't know about your content earlier! Really wish you could have gotten your hands on the Initial Ascent pack it would have been really intriguing to see how it stacked up. I've been stuck at a cross roads between the Stone Glacier and the Exo packs for a couple months and getting close to pulling the trigger. The only thing I didn't like about it is now I added the Kuiu pack to the mix, too many options lol.. Now just got to find a bit more time to watch the next video and see how it shaped up. thank you for putting in the work!
Appreciate the feedback!
This is about as real as real gets. If you don’t have these categories in a pack review. Your “opinion” is null and void. Well done mindful hunter, on being absolutely real for this review
Deeply appreciate that man!
I forgot to mention I purchased an Exo as an Albertan as a result of your findings
love my stone glacier, i could not believe how easily i carried 90+lbs in it, and the quality of the simple stuff like the oversized zippers.
I’m very impressed so far.
Love the intro. Keeping it real. 💪🏼
Always bro!
Man I think your approach is awesome vary unbiased opinions on everything! I laugh when you said you don't care about other people opinions. If only more people had this type of mindset 👍
Thanks brother!
Also ypu said your from Vancouver. Is that Vancouver Canada?
@@adamvisser9815 yessir!
Nice, that amazing country over there. I'm from alberta just east of you and I do quite a bit of hunting in the rockey mountains myself. It's a fun and harsh place sometimes.
Great review. I have an exo k3 4800. Kuiu pro 3600 and a kifaru frame with a kuiu 5500 lt attached to it. They all work great for me. But I don't carry more that 30-40 lbs in them.
Great selection
Thank you for doing this Jay!
My pleasure bro.
Listened to the Exo Podcast and decided to listen to this. Its very interesting. I actually own your first and last place frames. Different bags but same frames. The Stone was added last year so have limited experience but did haul a bull out 7.2 miles with it last September. I'm not sure how much you think body types go into this but I can't really say I noticed a comfort difference between my MR and now the Stone bag. Great info. Subscribed.
I think body type plays a huge role in backpack selection and at the end of the day if it fits you and does what you need it to do then it's a great pack.
This is a great survey, with results that surprise me.
💪
I stumbled upon your channel and I’m very impressed.
Thanks bro!
I use the internal straps on the Kuiu 7800 to strap my food bag securely to the back of the bag and up off the bottom a bit. You are right, wouldn't be much use for a large load, but holds 15lbs-20lbs just fine
That would be useful! Thanks for sharing.
@@MindfulHunter I have the Kuiu 7200 and I have done the same as Jon. It holds a bear bag or game bag full of food really nicely.
@@north61 good to know!
awesome review
Thanks bro!
Your hair makes me wish I still had hair. Impressive man. Impressive. Loved the podcast with exo. I loved your opinion, frame over all. I use a kuiu or kifaru duplex and kuiu bags. My main advise is the same, pick your frame; the bags all fit.
Hahahahaha. Easily one of the best comments yet. Thanks bro.
Awesome, awesome review. Wish your SD8 card didn’t mess up. So we could have seen some of the points you were making. But awesome job in the descriptions was able to get the jest of everything you were saying.
Wish I would have seen this a few days ago as I just ordered a Stone Glacier 6900. But after seeing this I’m quite confident I’ll be happy with it
You'll be happy with that pack for sure. Thanks for the feedback.
Awesome review. Sorry about your SD card. Can’t wait for the heavier weight review. I have the 7800. The thinner straps and buckles make me concerned as well. Also I’d like to see auto locking buckles
Yeah man. Dumb mistake on my part. Wont happen again. I’m a big fan or auto locking buckets especially high tension spots like shoulder straps etc. The kuiu really impressed me by using metal buckles in a couple of key places.
@@MindfulHunter agreed they did a lot right with that pack. Like you said in the beginning of the video no single pack is perfect for everyone.
My hip belt was the wrong size on my stone glacier. I didn't realize it until I went in to there store in Montana a year later. They got me the right size free of charge. Pretty descent customer service.
Definitely a good crew over there
Whooooo buddy.sweet packs.beond my broken budget.lol.ever do a budgets best on yer opinions? Great reviewin of every aspect. love yer channel.
I’m definitely getting more requests for budget friendly reviews. I’ll do my best to get some out together. Appreciate the feedback.
@@MindfulHunter love how deep ya go ta give yer feedback and if I had the cash I would git mea sweet one. But I have 5 kids 3 grandkids 4 dogs anda wife that come first....not mutch in my broken budget fer campin fun when all is sed n dun.....love yer vid nun the less.hopein fer that budget cut.have a good one.
Not enough subscribers! Great content kept me going on a long drive haha
Sweet! Thanks man.
Great video, despite the SD issues. Wouldn't mind seeing the Eberlestock F1 Mainframe (tall version) being thrown into the gauntlet in a future comparison. I don't expect it to do well, but I feel it should be included as a budget option.
This is a great point. Perhaps I could do an entire budget friendly category.
Looking forward to see how the point spread changes as the weight increases.
Same here!
Possible for you to touch on the material of each bag in how it relates to weather. I know exo has an added accessory dry bag. But anything else you notice as far as managing moisture? dwr? Rain fly?
I can definitely get into that in part 2.
I have the mystery ranch Marshall, would highly recommend against ever buying this pack very wobbly when you’re hiking whether you’ve got it completely tied down or not very uncomfortable leaves you with sore shoulders and sore hips. I will be going out and buying another bag before my next hunt. Thinking about the KUIUor the XOmountain gear.
Great review !!!!
Great feedback. I would strongly urge you to look at the Exo’s over the Kuiu. I have a very detailed review on the K4 on my channel.
Thank you I have a place here locally where I can grab an XO and try it out as well. I have a buddy that has the QU and seemed pretty comfortable. We have similar body frames but I’m open to giving EXO a shot. It.
I just ordered my first kifaru early today passing up the exo k3 6400....I don't know why but after all the videos I looked up about the kifaru reckoning kifaru bags I didn't see ur awesome video till now. I'm not gonna lie I'm a bit worried and bummed. It sucks so bad that most bag buying is online. The most important thing is to be able to try on packs first. It was in my head to buy the exo in a couple months k3 6400. I'm just so attracted to kifaru. And the fabrics to me look sooo durable and cool. The organizer guide lid with the 3 pockets is the one I got. The lid u showed didn't do it for me when I had to choose. It looked floppy and blah. I got the reckoning 83liters plus 13 for the lid and 14 total for both side pockets but it can extend to 98litere, 13 and the 14. It has a center zip and lotsa compression straps. I just soooo wish I wuda saw ur video. U dud great. Best review I ever heard. I need a serious lumbar pad tho. I have a curve in my spine from arthritis. I've been using hill people gear and they were a mistake for me. I love love their stuff but the Frame and harness is not working. I pray i love my kifaru.!!... I do know every bag fits so uniquely to each person.. but adjusting ur shoulder straps for angles sounds awesome. Im a bigger guy like u. Very similar. I hope all goes well. I wish u luck ND good fortune on ur hunts!! Be well and stay safe sir. Those exos sure have my interest now. Keep doin ur thing and blessings to ya.
I dont think you’ll be disappointed with that kifaru they make phenomenal products.
The lumbar pad on my frame is like a Cadillac. It’s nice leather and sturdy. The hip belt is phenomenal. I have no other bag to compare it to other than an older Gregory.
Have you looked into smaller companies like the black creeks guide gear? I’d love to see a comparison of some of these smaller guys that make high quality looking stuff.
Never heard of those guys. I’ll put them on the list for a future review.
Just got back from 3 days in the back country and i had 75lbs in my pack kuiu 4000LT loaded like never before( I know stupid)lol. Had to put 2 gals of water and tent in the meat shelf because we couldn't find water on the mountain (8000feet) and the pack was so loaded out and nothing broke and I thought for sure the zippers would split and I am shocked. Im 6'2 200lbs and it fit perfect but it took little adjusting on the lower pad and straps to get it perfect.
I had sleep bag
Sleeping pad
Sleeping pad pillow
Jet boil with gas
Headlamp (18650 batterys 2sets)
Kuiu puffy paints
Kuiu puffy jackets
Kuiu Axis jacket (on me half time)
Kuiu attack paints( on me)
Kuiu 260zip (on me)
Kuiu top and bottom thermals
spaire socks
Swaro Spotter 85
Tri pod suri with Vx5 head
Swaro Els on chest
Browning Hells cannon Long range with Big scope on it also..
Plus food for 3 full days
Kenetrek boots (amazing)
and all the backup battery's and everything else needed plus my Sissy Sticks(trekking polls) that I love.
But you get the drift it was packed and the pack held up and has lifetime warranty so I said F it lol cant say enough about how well the Kuiu pack did. But I would thing with the Kuiu pack 90lbs would be about all I would want to put on my back because I was just about on the boarder with the weight I had.
Thanks
P.S great Videos Derek
Glad that pack is working out for you. Super personal thing at the end of the day.
Well done and much appreciated. I’ve been looking at packs but can’t seem to find one to replace my Outdoorsman’s optics hunter. Have you used or reviewed the outdoorsman’s frame/pack?
That was one of the first packs I had. I still use the frame for the atlas trainer attachment. I love the outdoorsman’s crew and they make some great stuff but the fact of the matter is that pack can’t compete with the top of the line hunting packs today like the ones covered in this review. Although I would definitely take it over the mystery, ranch or the kuiu.
SIR. Can you do a review on the Barney's Yukon with the Frieghter frame. It's 11,000 cu in. It's said to be the best pack in the world for carrying heavy weight. Love to see a 150 pound sandbag comparison for carry. Reach out to Barney's see if they'll hook you up with the pack & frame.
I’ll see what I can do
I ran the kuiu 7800 last year. The pack looked nice and was light, but like you say, "there's no free lunch". The overall quality of the build was just not there. Maybe this was intentional as they tried to cut weight. On my first hunt I broke two buckles and the pack back developed several rips. However, the main issue I experienced was when loaded heavy (+80lb), the pack would not stay on my hips. It slid down and all of the weight was being held on my shoulders.
I ended up buying the Kifaru Hoodlum, which I have yet to use on a hunt.
Just an observation on your pack selection; did you choose the fulcrum because it is what you already had? Even Kifaru is not big on that pack, although I know Omer loves it. I think the Dahl or Hoodlum would have been a more comparable option to the other packs selected.
Anyhow just my thoughts, keep up the good work!
Great feedback on the kuiu and consistent with other reports I’ve received. And you nailed it. I’ve owned the fulcrum for 5 years. I love the flexibility of the bag itself but now, after comparing with the other bags I see why Snyder rarely recommends it and tends to prefer the Hoodlum, 44mag etc.
You can get the Mystery ranch for $430 right now. After your 1st assessment of it, I'm wondering if it might i might be better off spending a little more and get one of the others.
That’s a pretty good deal. If you’re just looking for a pack to carry 40-50 lbs for a few days I think it works. If you need a legitimate expedition pack I can’t recommend this one.
@@MindfulHunter copy that. thankful I came across your channel. I've been running an external frame for years and am going to upgrade, thinking I'll probably go with SG.
Do you have any experience with the initial ascent packs?
I don’t. They’re on the list for the next big pack review.
The first 2 min you had me I don't trust sponsored reviews even from honest reviewers if it's given to you the review will be biased to a point. Look forward to the outcome Thanks.
Appreciate the feedback!
Great video
Thanks!
Kuiu 7800 pro inside straps definitely will work to hold a 40lb bag of salt. I run 2 bags while training without any issues. How old is your bag?
Good to know. Was brand new when I did the testing.
I was hoping to see an Initial Ascent bag tested as it is one of the 2 or 3 I have short-listed. Any plans to test an Initial Ascent?
Tried, they were out of stock and after three weeks had to cancel my order to do the review. I'll try to fit them in soon.
I know you cant reveiw every pack out there, but im curious if you have heard of or ever used inital ascent packs?
I tried to for this review. They were out of stock for so long I had to leave them out. I’d like to look at them in the future for sure.
Loving the reviews! Can you or would you be interested in reviewing the Forloh Method Pack? Thanks! Keep up the good work.
Never even heard of that one. I’ll put it on the potentials list. Thanks.
Fantastic work here. New subscriber.
Thanks bro!
@@MindfulHunter just curious. What was the final take on the Pro LT 5500?
I would have liked to see the Marshall or Beartooth 80 from Mystery Ranch instead of the Metcalf.
That was the Marshall. And I compared the biggest pack from each company. Apples to apples.
Might also be worth checking out Hill People Gear
I’ll check them out.
Any way to add a category of how it performs in heavy rain - waterproof materials etc. Seems like this is where I always have difficulty with my packs. In heavy downpoors.
It’s a good comment. I e been trying to figure out a way to test it. Is there anything in particular that fails or frustrates you when your pack gets wet? Or is it just that is soaks out all your gear?
@@MindfulHunter Electronics get wet - that's a biggie - if it gets soaked - it doesn't effect some packs - while others weigh like a ton of bricks - comfort is effected too - to me its like entire different animal in storms vs. dry weather - P.S. You gained a subscriber today and man loved that video - very thorough.
@@DR4Christ all good points. Let me think on it. I’ll work it in somehow. And thanks for the support.
Good stuff. I just found your channel. Any thoughts on the Seek Outside stuff?
I have a similar SG I have had for 5 years now. I agree with your sentiment on the lid, I think its poorly designed and feels "sloppy". I am looking to move away from it due to its lack of organization, honestly which is why it weighs less than the others. Great bag, I just feel like I have never been fully comfortable using it. Though to be fair, SG's selling point is the minimalism.
Also I know Mountain Exo gives a decent military discount (20%?)
Was just chatting with Seek and will do one of their packs in the near future.
how come you cut out the initial accent pack? i’m super curious about it.
I ordered it and after waiting three weeks of then being out of stock had to cancel my order to proceed with the review. Hoping to still review it at some point.
Good job
Thanks man
Here we go…
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What’s up with the footage being cut out of some of the reviews? The audio is ok, but this is a visual media.
Yeah man. My fault. Had an SD card error and just didn’t have time to re-record. Definitely something I will improve on for future reviews.
That's one heck of a review! Looking forward to Part 2. I have a freaky long back and use a Seek Outside Brooks with frame extenders that take me to a 28" frame. Very comfortable load lifters... belt a bit floppy. Good under a load but I prefer the Kuiu with the updated suspension.
Thanks man!
You wear an outdoorsman’s shirt but didn’t review their pack? I have bought and tried kifaru, kuiu, alps, eberlestock, mystery ranch and exo. I agree closely to all of your findings.
I’ve owned the outdoorsman’s long range pack for the last 5 years. I only use it to train with now. Nothing against them but that pack isn’t in the same league as the rest of these packs.
@@MindfulHunter i forgot, i have one of those too and it is my training frame and that’s it.
Will you sell them off to us after, I got an exo 4800 but I really want that kuiu bag.
Absolutely
Any Hill People gear?
You’re the second person to ask. I’ll try to get them in the next round of bags.
Second that, the Decker pack might be worth looking into.
@@khomatech6428 noted.
Are your cost with shipping included? I got my Kuiu pro for $640.
I did not include shipping but I did use the Canadian Kuiu site so that could account for the price difference.
@@MindfulHunter oh ya, my bad. Great video. Ever tried the Initial Ascent backpacks?
@@hawkbabby Ordered one and after waiting three weeks I had to cancel the order so that I can continue with the rest of the review. Hoping to try one in the near future.
I haven't watched the video yet but I'll throw in my 2 cents. Back packs are so dependent on the person using it. I own a SG pack I thought it carried weight well until I tried out an initial ascent pack. Holy smokes was I blown away! They stacked 160 lbs on that IA pack and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We then compared that to my SG with 100 lbs and it SUCKED.
Moral of the story. If it's a high end pack it's high end for a reason. I hear guys rave about this pack or that pack. But if it doesn't fit your body well it won't perform with weight. Does SG make a good pack? Of course! It just didn't carry weight as well for ME.
Looking forward to testing the Initial Ascent pack. I've heard good things.
I'm gonna leave a comment. Cause you need them not. Because I want to swamp your comments Thank you
This man understands the power of the algorithm! Much appreciated.
Dang sad your video cut out. Nice video though
Yeah I was pretty pissed. My fault. Wont happen again.
I wish the video was saved!!!
You and me both. Will never happen again man.
MEGA！
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@@MindfulHunter just recently ordered a Madeuce from Kifaru. If it arrives in Jun. u r welcome to give a a test
I had a ma duece. That bag is massive. It was too big for my needs but a well designed bag
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks
Great job. Wish blacks creek would have been included. They intrigue me. Still can't decide
Try to hit them up in the future.
Great review. too bad about the video.
Thanks man. Yeah I was gutted. It’s my own fault I usually have a back up in. It won’t happen again :-)
Mystery Ranch has its fingers in too many markets to put out a really quality niche product. It’s a lot of peoples first or second pack…then they realize how shitty they are.
I laugh every time I watch a Randy Newberg vid where they have the Metcalf loaded. Literally watch it sliding down their backs. All the while Randy is smiling and praising it….that’s what a paid opinion looks like.
Couldn’t pay me to take a MR pack in the back country.
Good review!
Hahahaha. A man after my own heart. This is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. If I hear Steve Rinella say that the Vortex Razor are the best bino money can buy one more time I’m gonna puke.
Not sure why this is on youtube rather than just a podcast. You are talking about stuff as if we can see it, but you have no video to go with it. If you want this to actually be of value to people you should take the time to reshoot it and get your SD card issues figured out. I'm interested in your take on all of this, but this is of very little value without video.
i disagree.
@@khomatech6428 I disagree with your disagreement.
@@bradsnedeker3833 great, seems like you're the only one out of all these comments though.
@@khomatech6428 Yeah, lots of people have very low standards.
I also disagree. I thought the content was great despite the tech issue. Do you work for Mystery Ranch (sorry, bad joke).
Kifaru the best by far. 4000 dollars could have been saved lol.
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