Kifaru 22 Mag vs Kifaru Hoodlum
Quick take: The Kifaru Hoodlum carries more (107 vs 39 liters); the Kifaru 22 Mag is lighter (6.1 vs 6.44 lbs).
Which one to buy
Kifaru's smallest load-hauling bag and its biggest cost the same $850 on the same ARK frame, so the question is how long you stay out. The Hoodlum is the week-plus expedition pack: 107 L across a main bag, a 1,000 ci expandable snow collar and two zippered side pockets sized for spotting scopes. One reviewer ran it fully loaded through a 16-day Alaska sheep hunt and rated the weight distribution 10 out of 10. One owner also says it cinches down as tight as a small day pack, which is its whole argument: one bag from day hunts to expeditions.
The 22 Mag is a day bag that can still haul meat. One owner packed an elk rear quarter, a backstrap and day gear on it and said it balanced nicely. Its edge is narrow: on the 22-inch frame it is carry-on compliant for travel hunts, and its full-zip panel opening and built-in rifle sleeve suit day organization. It has no roll top or collar for overflow, a bear canister only squeezes in, and on the 22-inch frame the bag hangs about 3 inches low.
The Hoodlum has a fresh risk. Its Gen 2 full-length main zipper fixed the main complaint about the old top-entry bag, but early reports include it creeping open under load. No lid is included, and owners grumble about loose bag-to-frame feel in compressed day mode. Both share unventilated backs, add-on hipbelt pockets and DWR-coated 500D Cordura. Unless flying with the pack matters, the Hoodlum covers the 22 Mag's job and a great deal more for the same money.
Kifaru 22 Mag
Only if you fly to hunts and need a carry-on-legal load hauler, or you never stay out overnight and want a full-zip panel day bag.
Kifaru Hoodlum
For guides and hunters who live out of one pack for a week or more, and want it to compress down for day hunts as well.
| Spec | Kifaru 22 Mag | Kifaru Hoodlum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $850 | $850 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 39 L | 107 L |
| Weight | 6.1 lbs | 6 lbs 7 oz (bag + medium 25-in ARK frame) |
| Max Load | Not published by the manufacturer | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Torso Fit | XS-XL belts: XS 22-27, SM 28-34, MD 35-39, LG 40-46 in | XS-XL belts: XS 22-27, SM 28-34, MD 35-39, LG 40-46, XL 47+ in |
| Material | 500D CORDURA with 500D/1000D Squadron laminate laser-cut panels, #8 and #10 YKK coil zippers, Duraflex buckles; made in USA | 500D CORDURA nylon with laser-cut laminate panels and #10 YKK zippers; made in USA |
| Back Panel | Carbon-fiber ARK frame sheet with high-density nitrogen-enriched foams; full-length load shelf rides high on the frame to keep meat weight tight to the back | Carbon-fiber ARK frame sheet with high-density foams in the shoulder straps, belt, and lumbar pad; load shelf between bag and frame for meat hauling |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | Yes | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | Yes |
| Warranty | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship |
Pros & cons
Kifaru 22 Mag
- ✓The full-zip clamshell panel opens the whole bag like a suitcase — owners who cross-shopped it against top-loaders consistently pick the 22 Mag for organization, with one calling it simply 'a great pack' for exactly this reason.
- ✓One owner packed an elk rear quarter, a backstrap, and full day gear — 105 lbs total — on his 22 Mag and frame and reported it 'balanced nicely,' then finished the whole bull in three more trips.
- ✓The current version adds a full-length load shelf positioned high on the frame, keeping meat weight tight to your back instead of sagging low like bolt-on shelf setups.
- ✓A bottom carry sleeve for rifles, tripods, or trekking poles is built in — dedicated weapon carry that the Stryker XL and Hellbender still need the Gun Bearer accessory for.
- ✓Carry-on compliant on the 22-inch ARK frame, which makes it one of very few real load-hauling systems you can take in an airline cabin for travel hunts.
- ✓Dual water-bottle pockets plus horizontal compression straps secure a tripod or spotting scope against the bag, and the included 150 ci lid with mesh organizer keeps small essentials out of the main bag.
- ✓Owners stretch it past day use — one runs full day gear plus one-night spike-out kit for solo elk hunts, processing at night and packing out in the morning.
- ✓500D Cordura with Squadron laminate reinforcement, made in the USA, with Kifaru's lifetime warranty — the same build quality as the flagship 44 Mag in a smaller envelope.
- ✗$850 complete ($350 bag + $500 ARK frame) buys a 39 L daypack — that's more than complete 75 L+ flagship systems from Exo, Stone Glacier, or Mystery Ranch cost.
- ✗There's almost no public review record: GOHUNT's 22 Mag Combo listing shows zero reviews and kifaru.net doesn't display a rating for it.
- ✗At roughly 6.1 lbs complete it's a heavy day rig — a Mystery Ranch Pop Up 28 does the treestand-and-load-shelf job at around 4.9 lbs, and simple 2 lb daypacks embarrass it when no meat is on the menu.
- ✗Some owners who owned both sold the 22 Mag and kept the Muskeg 2800, preferring the Muskeg's side zipper and expandable snow collar for the same day-hunt role.
- ✗The fixed panel-loader shape has no roll top or collar, so unlike the Muskeg or a compressed multiday bag there's zero overflow capacity when a hunt goes sideways.
- ✗Kifaru sized it around the 25-inch frame — on the carry-on-friendly 22-inch ARK the bag hangs 3 inches below the frame, and one owner noted the load shelf sits noticeably high on taller frames.
- ✗Hipbelt pockets, belt pouches, and the Sherman pocket are all paid add-ons, and the foam back panel has no ventilation for early-season heat.
- ✗The bear-canister question is a squeeze: the main bag is 25 x 11 x 8 inches, so a BV500 distorts the panel zip rather than dropping in the way it does in the 44 Mag or Bedlam.
Kifaru Hoodlum
- ✓Genuine guide pedigree since 2019 — a kifaru.net reviewer ran it fully loaded at 67 lbs through a 16-day Alaska Dall sheep hunt and called the weight distribution 'exactly where it needed to be, 10/10'.
- ✓The Gen 2 full-length main zipper fixes the one gripe long-time owners had — one long-term reviewer called it 'their best bag with a long overdue update,' and reviewer Jordan Budd fit layers, a bear quarter, backstraps, and a full hide inside on a spring hunt.
- ✓Dual 580 ci zippered side pockets swallow a full spotting scope and tripod with one-handed access — organization Kifaru's own minimalist Gnargali and most Stone Glacier roll-tops can't match.
- ✓1,000 ci expandable snow collar takes it from 5,500 to 6,500 ci, putting it in Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900 territory while keeping zip access those roll-top bags lack.
- ✓Bag weighs just 3 lb 5 oz for 107 L of 500D Cordura — the 6 lb 7 oz complete system undercuts a Mystery Ranch Marshall by well over a pound.
- ✓Compresses hard for day hunts — one owner says it 'cinches down as tight or more as any 2200-size pack out there today,' so it genuinely covers day trips to expeditions.
- ✓Laser-cut Belt Pouch Matrix and MOLLE panels take Kifaru's full accessory catalog, and the ARK load shelf hauls owner-reported 100+ lb loads between bag and frame.
- ✓Perfect 5.0 across 9 kifaru.net reviews — one long-term owner: 'When this one wears out, I will buy another Hoodlum.'
- ✗$850 complete is $125-150 more than a comparable Exo Mtn Gear K4 or Stone Glacier Sky 5900 system, before Kifaru's accessory catalog starts adding up.
- ✗Early Gen 2 reports on owner forums include a main zipper that creeps open during the day under load — a new-design teething issue the old top-entry bag never had.
- ✗No lid included — the snow collar is the only top closure, and owners add a Claymore pocket or Guide Lid ($60+) for lid storage.
- ✗Plain 500D Cordura with DWR is behind Kifaru's own Absaroka, which gets weatherproof Ultragrid/EPX400 fabric for only $27 more per bag.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets included — the Belt Pouch Matrix takes Kifaru pouches at $45+ each, a familiar Kifaru accessory tax.
- ✗Zero back ventilation from the foam-and-carbon panel — a sweaty back is the accepted price of Kifaru's load transfer.
- ✗ARK owners gripe about the long autolock buckles and loose bag-to-frame feel in compressed day mode — several modify with aftermarket ladder locks.
- ✗Only 9 reviews and direct-only sales — you're ordering an $850 system sight-unseen unless you can reach Kifaru's Wyoming showroom.
Kifaru 22 Mag vs Kifaru Hoodlum: common questions
Can the Hoodlum really replace a day pack like the 22 Mag?▾
One owner says it cinches down as tight as any small day pack, though some find the bag-to-frame connection loose in compressed day mode. If you mostly hunt days and fly, the 22 Mag's carry-on compliance is its remaining advantage.
Is the Hoodlum's new full-length zipper reliable?▾
It fixed the main complaint owners had with the old top-entry bag, but early Gen 2 reports describe the zipper creeping open during the day under load. Treat it as a teething issue to watch and keep compression snug.
Which carries a spotting scope better?▾
The Hoodlum, whose two zippered side pockets are each sized for a full spotting scope with one-handed access. The 22 Mag secures a tripod or scope against the bag with compression straps instead.