Kifaru
Kifaru Absaroka
The newest bag in Kifaru's Expedition line, blending the Dall and Kutthroat into a 6,580 ci (108 L) external-frame pack with dual access via a horseshoe zipper and snow collar. Ultragrid and EPX400 fabric makes it the most weatherproof bag in Kifaru's lineup, with integrated pockets that replace add-on belt pouches. Complete system is $877 ($377 bag + $500 25-inch carbon ARK frame) at 6 lb 4 oz.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓Ultragrid/EPX400 construction is a real step past the plain 500D Cordura on the Hoodlum and 44 Mag — owners report 'the material is as waterproof as I have seen' and 'no issues with water and we got wet plenty' on a 12-day Colorado hunt.
- ✓Dual access via front horseshoe zipper plus snow collar means you can reach the main compartment without unloading — the flexibility Stone Glacier and Seek Outside roll-tops give up.
- ✓Integrated front zippered pocket and dual Nalgene pockets provide organization without buying belt pouches — a rare escape from the usual Kifaru accessory tax.
- ✓Huge real-world range: one owner runs it from compressed day hunts out of base camp to 10+ days of gear, saying 'the capacity of this bag seems more than it states'.
- ✓At 6,580 ci it edges out the Hoodlum as Kifaru's biggest ARK bag while the bag itself is about 3 oz lighter, and the 6 lb 4 oz complete system undercuts a Stone Glacier Terminus 7000 setup.
- ✓Stock weapon carry — .75-in autolock compression straps over the front pocket secure a rifle or bow without a $50 Gun Bearer add-on.
- ✓Proven on hard hunts in its first seasons: a Colorado mountain goat hunter packed all gear plus a life-size cape in one trip, and a Rokslide owner hauled front and hind elk quarters simultaneously on the frame.
- ✓4.9 from 9 kifaru.net reviews with zero below 4 stars — one multi-pack Kifaru owner calls it 'my favorite pack from Kifaru to date'.
Cons
- ✗At $877 complete it's the most expensive of Kifaru's expedition combos — $150-250 over a comparable Exo K4 or Stone Glacier Sky system, and $27 over the larger-name Hoodlum.
- ✗The KU lid shown in product photos is not included — true top-lid storage is another purchase.
- ✗The combo only ships with the 25-in frame; hunters under 5 ft 8 in have to source the 22-in ARK frame separately.
- ✗Rokslide owners find the long autolock side buckles clumsy — in compressed day mode the bag 'flopped loose and hung away from the frame' until one owner swapped in aftermarket ladder locks.
- ✗Load lifters and belt attach through the bag, so using the ARK as a bare meat-hauling frame means juggling four loose webbing pieces (a documented Rokslide annoyance).
- ✗Launched in 2024, so it lacks the Hoodlum's five-plus years of guide-season track record — long-term durability of the EPX/Ultragrid panels is still being proven.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets and zero back ventilation — standard Kifaru trade-offs carried over unchanged.
- ✗Only 9 reviews and sold essentially direct-only, so most buyers commit $877 without ever trying one on.
Compare the Kifaru Absaroka
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