Kifaru Absaroka vs Kifaru Hellbender
Quick take: The Kifaru Hellbender costs $2 less; the Kifaru Absaroka carries more (108 vs 37 liters); the Kifaru Hellbender is lighter (6.1 vs 6.25 lbs).
Which one to buy
Two dollars separate Kifaru's biggest expedition bag from its most versatile day hauler, so trip length decides it outright. The Absaroka is 108 L for 5-12 day hunts, built with Ultragrid and EPX400 panels that make it the most weatherproof bag in Kifaru's line; owners on a 12-day wet hunt reported no water problems. It has dual access through a horseshoe zipper and a snow collar, integrated pockets that save buying belt pouches, and stock weapon carry. One owner runs it from compressed base-camp day hunts to 10+ days of gear.
The Hellbender is a 37 L day bag that hauls. Its X-Pac sling wipes clean after a bloody pack-out, an upgrade over the Stryker XL's Cordura, and one owner packed out an entire cow elk in one trip. One guide praises how it carries stands, blinds and camera gear in, then slides the bag aside to load meat. Its front stash pocket swallows everything from boots to a rifle. Stretching it to overnights means buying a Camp Bag and lid, which pushes it toward 44 Mag money.
Each has documented annoyances. Absaroka owners find the long autolock side buckles clumsy, with the bag flopping off the frame in compressed day mode until one owner swapped in ladder locks; the combo ships only with the 25-inch frame, so hunters under 5 ft 8 in must source the 22-inch frame separately; and the lid in product photos is not included. The Hellbender's sling has some slop and noise when empty, which one owner fixes by clipping the straps to the frame, and it lacks stock weapon carry. Both have unventilated backs and no hipbelt pockets.
Kifaru Absaroka
For 5-12 day expeditions in wet country, where weatherproof fabric, dual access and built-in organization justify a 108 L bag.
Kifaru Hellbender
Best for guides, saddle and treestand hunters and western day hunters who carry gear in and want a wipe-clean sling for meat on the way out.
| Spec | Kifaru Absaroka | Kifaru Hellbender |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $877 | $875 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 108 L | 37 L |
| Weight | 6 lbs 4 oz (bag + medium 25-in ARK frame) | 6.1 lbs |
| Max Load | Not published by the manufacturer | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Torso Fit | Combo ships with the 25-in ARK frame (recommended 5 ft 8 in+); XS-XL belts cover 22-46 in waists, and the bag also mounts to the 22-in frame for shorter hunters | Two ARK frame heights: 22 in (14-18 in torsos) and 25 in (18 in+), with XS-L belts covering 22-46 in waists |
| Material | 500D CORDURA with Ultragrid and EPX400 panels for weatherproofing and puncture resistance; made in USA | 500D CORDURA with X-Pac load sling, Autolock buckles, YKK zippers; made in USA |
| Back Panel | 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 | Carbon-fiber ARK frame sheet with high-density nitrogen-enriched foams; wipe-clean X-Pac meat sling rides between bag and frame |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship |
Pros & cons
Kifaru Absaroka
- ✓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.
- ✓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 one 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'.
- ✗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.
- ✗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 forum 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.
Kifaru Hellbender
- ✓One forum guide's dedicated thread names it 'the most versatile whitetail pack' — she hauls blinds, lock-on stands with sticks, saddle gear, camera equipment, and layers on the load shelf, then uses the same rig for western spot-and-stalk.
- ✓The load sling is X-Pac instead of Cordura specifically so it wipes clean after a bloody pack-out — a direct, deliberate upgrade over the Stryker XL sling.
- ✓A kifaru.net owner packed out his brother's entire cow elk in one trip and reports it performs 'whether the pack is almost empty or loaded with more than 100 lb' — on a bag that's nominally a daypack.
- ✓The Bane-style front stash pocket is absurdly versatile: one long-term owner has carried boots, a food canister, sheds, an arrow quiver, a spotting scope, a fly rod, and even a rifle in it.
- ✓Compression straps relocate from the main bag to the back seam for the pack-out, so your optics stay protected inside while quarters ride the shelf — a detail no Exo or Stone Glacier day bag replicates.
- ✓A working guide on kifaru.net calls it her 'new favorite guide pack': day gear stays organized, and after the client shoots, the bag slides away and the meat shelf loads in seconds.
- ✓Belt-pouch matrix above the stash pocket, front zip pocket with key hook, dual bottle pockets, Chamber pocket, and bladder sleeve with dual hose ports give it real organization for a hauler.
- ✓Rated 4.8 from 13 kifaru.net reviews with 100% recommending, and one meticulous owner says Hellbender + ARK + Camp Bag + Claymore lid is 'THE best combination' he's found for carrying camp in, hauling meat out, and day hunting early through late season.
- ✗At $875 complete ($375 bag + $500 ARK frame) it's the priciest of Kifaru's day-size bags, and even fans wince — one forum user cracked that at this price 'it better rub my feet when I'm done using it.'
- ✗Kifaru publishes almost no specs for it — owners had to measure and weigh it themselves (~2,250 ci, ~3 lb bag), which the same thread called out as a real annoyance at an $875 price.
- ✗The X-Pac sling has some slop and noise when empty — one owner k-clips the compression straps directly to the ARK frame to 'nearly eliminate the slop and noise,' a workaround you shouldn't need at this price.
- ✗Around 6.1 lbs complete, it's heavier than an Eberlestock Modframe/Vapor combo (~6 lbs) and well above a Mystery Ranch Pop Up 28 (~4.9 lbs) that fills the same treestand-hauler role for hundreds less.
- ✗37 L can't do true multiday trips — stretching it means buying the Camp Bag and Claymore lid, at which point you're within sight of 44 Mag money.
- ✗No lid, no hipbelt pockets, and no dedicated weapon carry come standard; the Gun Bearer and pouches are extra, and Kifaru's Autolock buckles are fiddly with cold or gloved hands.
- ✗Owners note it's overkill when nothing heavy is on the menu — the foam-on-carbon back has no ventilation and the 500D Cordura build is denser than modern ultra-weave day bags.
- ✗Direct-only sales with 13 total site reviews means most buyers commit $875 without ever trying the fit, versus try-on-in-store options from Mystery Ranch at big-box retailers.
Kifaru Absaroka vs Kifaru Hellbender: common questions
Can the Hellbender work for multi-day hunts instead of the Absaroka?▾
Not on its own. Its 37 L caps it at day duty, and stretching it means adding the Camp Bag and Claymore lid. The Absaroka is built for 5-12 day trips.
I'm under 5 ft 8 in. Does the Absaroka fit me?▾
The bag mounts on the 22-inch ARK frame, but the combo ships only with the 25-inch frame, so you would need to buy the shorter frame separately. The Hellbender is offered on both 22-inch and 25-inch frames.
Which handles bloody meat better?▾
The Hellbender's X-Pac sling is designed to wipe clean after a pack-out. The Absaroka uses a load shelf between bag and frame, and owners have hauled front and hind elk quarters on it at once.
How weatherproof is each pack?▾
The Absaroka's Ultragrid and EPX400 panels make it Kifaru's most weatherproof bag, and owners on a 12-day wet hunt reported no issues. The Hellbender is built from 500D Cordura without those weatherproof panels, so plan on dry bags for anything that must stay dry.