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.
Price and availability on Kifaru’s site may differ.
Specifications
What do these specs mean? →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.
Common Questions
Compare the Kifaru Absaroka
Related backpacks
More from Kifaru →
Kifaru
Kifaru Hellbender
Kifaru's answer to Stryker XL owners who wanted more room: roughly 2,250 ci (37 L) of internal storage — 350 ci more than the Stryker XL — plus a large Bane-style stash pocket and an X-Pac meat sling that wipes clean after a pack-out. Complete price is $875 ($375 bag + $500 ARK frame), about 3 lb for the bag and 6.1 lb as a system, making it Kifaru's compact do-everything meat hauler.
Weight
6.1 lbs
Capacity
37 L
Frame
External Frame
Kifaru
Kifaru The Maniml
A day pack for the ARK frame designed with champion archer Levi Morgan: a 2,200 ci top-loading main bag with 120 ci dual-access lid plus the included 750 ci Cinch breakaway daypack, about 3,070 ci (50 L) total. A full-length pleated load shelf, autolock weapon straps, and a Chamber Pocket organizer round out the $875 complete system ($375 bag set + $500 25-inch ARK frame).
Weight
6 lbs 11 oz (bag + Cinch + 25-in ARK frame)
Capacity
50 L
Frame
External Frame
Kifaru
Kifaru 22 Mag
Kifaru's load-hauling day bag: a 2,400 ci (39 L) full-zip panel loader (2,250 ci main + 150 ci lid) that bridges a daypack and a full expedition system, sold complete for $850 ($350 bag + $500 ARK frame). A full-length load shelf positioned high on the frame, a bottom carry sleeve for rifles or tripods, and laser-cut MOLLE define the current ARK-era version, at about 3 lb for the bag and roughly 6.1 lb complete.
Weight
6.1 lbs
Capacity
39 L
Frame
External Frame
Also in 44 Mag (77 L)
Kifaru
Kifaru 44 Mag
Kifaru's flagship multiday hauler, redesigned in G2 form for the carbon-fiber ARK frame: 4,720 ci (77 L) split across a 3,670 ci clamshell main bag, 340 ci lid, and dual 355 ci side pockets, with a horseshoe front zip for fast access. The complete system is $850 ($350 bag + $500 25-inch ARK frame) and weighs 6 lb 6 oz. The G2 swaps sewn MOLLE for laser-cut laminate tracks, adds a built-in weapon-carry sleeve, and moves compression straps outside the zippers.
Weight
6.4 lbs
Capacity
77 L
Frame
External Frame
Also in 22 Mag (39 L)
Kifaru
Kifaru Bedlam
A 4,900 ci (80 L) multiday workhorse designed in the open with Rokslide community input — Kifaru's first pack produced in its Riverton, WY facility. A near-full-length two-way side zipper, enclosed spotting-scope pocket, and Hellbender-style front stash pocket define the asymmetric layout. Complete price is $850 ($350 bag + $500 ARK frame); the bag weighs 2 lb 12 oz, roughly 5.9 lb as a full system.
Weight
5.9 lbs
Capacity
80 L
Frame
External Frame
Kifaru
Kifaru Hoodlum
Kifaru's guide-driven expedition hauler since 2019, updated in Gen 2 form (fall 2025) with a full-length main zipper. Total capacity is 6,500 ci (107 L): a 4,340 ci main bag, 1,000 ci expandable snow collar, and dual 580 ci zippered side pockets sized for spotting scopes. The complete system is $850 ($350 bag + $500 25-inch carbon ARK frame) and weighs 6 lb 7 oz.
Weight
6 lbs 7 oz (bag + medium 25-in ARK frame)
Capacity
107 L
Frame
External Frame