Kifaru to Stone Glacier

[HankBC]

Anyone make the jump from Kifaru to SG? Like the Kifaru I have a lot but the fit just isn’t perfect on me. Waist is too small for the belt (yes it’s their size small) so it can end up riding in the wrong spots. Curious if anyone has experience with both, or just with Stone Glcier

[twoSevenO]

I bought a stone glacier this year and they are amazing. I gawked at the price of these things (and still don't think they're worth almost $900) but they are good packs. I don't think you'll find a better pack that weighs 4lbs.

Ive had it on 4-5 overnight hikes and 2 overnight hunting trips and it's worked very well. I have packed out 2 bucks this season with it and it is very comfortable. Once you get used to all the straps, loading the meat shelf is quite easy and fast.

But, i didn't pay anywhere close to the $900 brand new it would cost you to order one out of the USA now. Here's what i did: I bought a frame off a member here for $400. Then, i contacted Kurt at SG and asked if they had factory seconds or anything like that for the bags. Ended up getting a near-new 6200 archer bag with lid for it for $120us. The bag had a hole, which Kurt sewed up and put a SG patch over so you can't even tell there ever was a hole. Apparently someone was testing it out and put a hole with their broadhead arrow in it. Contacting him directly definitely paid off.

The pack is definitely light enough (and when cinched down small enough) to be used a day pack. I gave my Badlands day pack to my father as i might as well have my full pack to carry a deer out with me at all times and at 4lbs it's probably the same weight as my Badlands day pack was.

Now the bad: When in bivy mode it's very tedious to open the pack up, so you rely on the side zipper a lot. But even then, you have to undo 2 buckles to get to the stuff inside. Kind of annoying when you're pulling your spotter out multiple times during the day. Also .... it has no pockets. The lid kind of flops around too much so i don't use it. The side pockets are crap ... can't even hold a water bottle. No inside pockets. No hip belt pockets. Will definitely have to order some hip belt pockets for things like GPS or my point-and-shoot camera etc.

Good luck.

[HankBC]

I’m glad you mentioned the good and the bad. I actually left a message at SG a couple days ago but they haven’t gotten back to me. I imagine they’re busy in the field and with Black Friday.
thinking of the sky 5900, seems to have easy access and a reasonable size.
twoseven0 did your lid come with the bag when you ordered it? Also, what’s your waist size / belt combo?
Thanks!

[Citori54]

I have the Talus 6900 and am very happy with it. I did a ten day back pack hunt and it fit everything I needed. The 6900 has the side pouches and the optional rifle bearer worked great. I am a size 34 waist and the large belt fit me with still a little room to adjust smaller and plenty to go larger. Very comfortable pack. I have two optional hip belt pockets which will hold gps/camera/range finder, I have the optional water bottle pouch, and the inside swing pockets that are great for organizing. The pack comes with a pouch on each side which will fit a one litre water bottle.

[twoSevenO]

Send an email instead. A person can answer your email at midnight, whereas they sure aren't going to give you a call back at that time. Sky 5900 is the bag i really wanted, but when you're asking for factory seconds at a deep discount you can't really afford to be too picky on what's available.

I think the 5900 will be a good pack. I have the 6200 but to be honest when i packed up for my 5 day Alpine hunt in early September the pack still stayed in bivy mode and didn't have the lid on. I think that even in bivy mode it was something like 75L which is plenty. I have a feeling i probably won't ever need the lid, but i'm going to hang on to it. Maybe need it in a late season backpack trip when you're bringing extra winter clothing etc.

yes, the bag came with the lid because i asked for it. They are not normally supplied with the lid.

I'm 6'5" 210lb and have a 35" waist. The Frame i bought had a medium belt. It fits me fine but if i was 36" or above i would DEFINITELY go with a large belt. However, due to my torso length, the shoulder straps are almost maxed out on their adjustment.

[todbartell]

Exo Mtn Gear

[Seth]

I also have the Sky Talus 6900 and have no complaints. I purchased it for a 9 day August stone sheep hunt this season and it performed flawlessly. Plenty of room for the 9 days, as light weight a pack as they come, fit was awesome and customer service from SG was second to none as I did talk to Kurt when trying to decide between two different models of bag. I'm 5'10", 180#, 33 waist. I have the large belt and there is still room for adjustment to go tighter. I have the one piece belt as I purchased just before they began offering the three piece belt, but have tried the three piece belt as well and saw (felt) no difference.

[Blockcaver]

Hank, Call Kifaru and discuss your fit issue with the belt/pack. They have an excellent customer service track record. Bet they can get you a belt that fits.......but also sounds like you may need to make adjustments on the rest of the pack to optimize fit too. They can walk you through it on the phone. Worth a try before buying another pack in my opinion. Today may not be a good day for the the phone lesson with it being Black Friday sales day and in the middle of a US holiday. Good luck with it.

[backcountry99]

I have both and can say they are both excellent options but I prefer the weight and simplicity of the SG. I will be writing a review shortly on the difference of the new x-curve frame vs the old krux.

[MBOGO]

EXO mountain gear check them out. Going to sell my Kuiu and up-grade

[nazarow]

+1 for EXO. One trip this fall was with some gear, two elk font quarters, both backstraps and tenderloins as well as all the neck meat. No issues over 4 km of blowdown and alders.

[todbartell]

+1 for EXO. One trip this fall was with some gear, two elk font quarters, both backstraps and tenderloins as well as all the neck meat. No issues over 4 km of blowdown and alders.

fun times :mrgreen:

[300rum700]

Your not the first with that issue, I'd call them and get a custom belt made. Provably can't go wrong with a SG either as long as the belt goes small enough for you.

[huntcoop]

I've got the XCurve with a Solo 3300, amazing pack with even better customer service.

[HankBC]

I called Kifaru when I originally got the frame and pack a couple of times. They made it better but still not exactly what I wanted for what I payed. I figure if I’m dropping this much money I should have it fit just the way I want. So I’m thinking I’ll try SG. Lots of people love Kifaru but I just can’t nail down the fit.

thanks for your sizes Twosevwn0 and seth, I’m 5’10 178 with a 30.5” waist. On SG it says a Small is 30 and under. Medium is 31-36. Left an email like two seven said, just not sure what belt would be right.

The more ore I look at SG the more I want one. Looks to be more stream lined like everyone says. Thanks for all the replies!

[pg83]

I will probably make the jump to SG from MR this year. looking forward to more info in this thread.

[SR80]

ive had them both, but am now back to kifaru :p Both are great companies to deal with as far as customer service, had more dealings with SG though, kurt made me some custom stuff, belt and lumbar pad and supplied them free of charge which was great. I do like the SG bag layout a bit better than the kifaru bags. I have the argali bag, and have added some extra straps which makes it compact really good when using it as a day pack. I am also using a SG lid on my kifaru, as well the SG water blatter bag, and swing out bags which are awesome. So really im using a kifaruglaicer :p . As far as weight, the kifaru i have is like approx 1 pound heavier than the SG i had. But most importantly it comes down to fit, and for me the fit of the duplex fits better. Something about that SG belt rubbed my hips raw. Even the newer excurve with the supposedly softer belt.

https://i.imgur.com/2MXv9TI.jpg

[HankBC]

Right on SR80! Awesome photo bro.
Placed an order with Pete at SG. He’s making me a ‘smedium belt’ for the sky 5900 and xcurve. Excited to give it a try this winter. I’ll post up the results after a bit of training.

[twoSevenO]

What gun carrier is that SR80? Is that a gun-bearer?

[Hadda]

No experience with the SG but I've phoned in and had extra small waistbelts made by kifaru and mystery ranch. The kifaru one is hugely overpriced when you factor in shipping and currency, but it solved my problem

[Kopper]

I've got a Tatonka and SG 6900. In all accounts the SG is marginally better except a few. SG has better organization, aesthetics and I really enjoy the rifle sling for two handed climbing or when using hiking poles. I'm still on the fence about its durability; guess I gotta take more tumbles. Also, impressed with the SG how it can easily fill the roles of daypack or week long trekker.

I was fortunate enough to haul out my first animal with it last week. As a daypack (10-15 lbs) or loaded with 100 it's probably as comfortable as it gets. Still only marginally better than the Tatonka tho IMO.

But I do have complaints. Price (obviously) and size. Unless I'm doing something wrong I have roughly the same amount of free space in the Tatonka as I do in the SG once adding the sheep gear. That's silly as the SG is advertised at 6900 CI w/lid and the tatonkas 70L is 4271 CI. Again, maybe I'm screwing up somewhere....

[twoSevenO]

I've got a Tatonka and SG 6900. In all accounts the SG is marginally better except a few. SG has better organization, aesthetics and I really enjoy the rifle sling for two handed climbing or when using hiking poles. I'm still on the fence about its durability; guess I gotta take more tumbles. Also, impressed with the SG how it can easily fill the roles of daypack or week long trekker.

I was fortunate enough to haul out my first animal with it last week. As a daypack (10-15 lbs) or loaded with 100 it's probably as comfortable as it gets. Still only marginally better than the Tatonka tho IMO.

But I do have complaints. Price (obviously) and size. Unless I'm doing something wrong I have roughly the same amount of free space in the Tatonka as I do in the SG once adding the sheep gear. That's silly as the SG is advertised at 6900 CI w/lid and the tatonkas 70L is 4271 CI. Again, maybe I'm screwing up somewhere....

Best if you could post a pic of the loaded stone glacier so we can see what it looks like.

For a 5 day hunt mine fit everything I needed and was still in "bivy" mode. Properly expanded, you're looking at a LOOOOOT of capacity. And mine is only the 6200. So 700ci less than yours.

[Kopper]

Best if you could post a pic of the loaded stone glacier so we can see what it looks like.

For a 5 day hunt mine fit everything I needed and was still in "bivy" mode. Properly expanded, you're looking at a LOOOOOT of capacity. And mine is only the 6200. So 700ci less than yours.

imma send you a pm