Kifaru Bedlam vs Kifaru Hoodlum
Quick take: The Kifaru Hoodlum carries more (107 vs 80 liters); the Kifaru Bedlam is lighter (5.9 vs 6.44 lbs).
Which one to buy
Trip length sorts these two $850 Kifaru haulers. A long-term reviewer puts the Bedlam's sweet spot at 3-4 days and owners stretch it to 5-7 with an add-on lid, though that reviewer still picked a different pack for a long Brooks Range sheep hunt. The Hoodlum is the week-plus bag. Its 107 L comes from a main bag, a 1,000 ci expandable snow collar and two zippered side pockets sized for spotting scopes, and one reviewer carried it fully loaded through a 16-day Alaska sheep hunt and rated the weight distribution 10 out of 10. One owner of each says it compresses well for day hunts.
Access differs. The Bedlam's near-full-length two-way side zipper reaches gear anywhere without unpacking, and its enclosed pocket holds a scope and tripod together. The Hoodlum's Gen 2 full-length main zipper fixed the top-entry complaint about the original, but early reports include it creeping open under load. The Hoodlum also lists stock weapon carry, which the Bedlam does not; the Bedlam's stretch side pocket doubles as rifle carry instead. The Bedlam's extra-wide padded belt drew praise as the most comfortable one long-term reviewer had used.
Shared traits are the Kifaru set: no lid included on either, no hipbelt pockets, unventilated backs, DWR-coated 500D Cordura, and Autolock buckles that are hard to work with cold hands; Hoodlum owners add that the bag feels loose on the frame in compressed day mode. A long-term Bedlam reviewer notes its asymmetric layout takes learning and its interior Chamber pocket is too small. Buying the Hoodlum for short hunts mostly means carrying unused volume; buying the Bedlam for long ones means hunting with a lid bolted on and still running out of room.
Kifaru Bedlam
For 3-4 day backcountry hunts where side-zip access to the whole bag and an extra-wide padded belt matter most.
Kifaru Hoodlum
Made for guides and hunters living out of one pack for a week or more, who want room for a spotter on each side and stock weapon carry.
| Spec | Kifaru Bedlam | Kifaru Hoodlum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $850 | $850 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 80 L | 107 L |
| Weight | 5.9 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 | Two ARK frame heights: 22 in (14-18 in torsos) and 25 in (18 in+), with XS-L belts covering 22-46 in waists; three loops adjust load-lifter height on the bag | XS-XL belts: XS 22-27, SM 28-34, MD 35-39, LG 40-46, XL 47+ in |
| Material | 500D CORDURA with 4-way stretch Tweave in high-stress pockets, #8 YKK zippers, Duraflex Autolock buckles, mil-spec webbing; 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, extra-wide padded belt and oversized lumbar pad; meat stashes between bag and frame | 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 | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship |
Pros & cons
Kifaru Bedlam
- ✓A long-term field reviewer, alternating it with his Seek Outside during 70 lb ruck training, concluded the Kifaru platform is 'the best load hauler of any pack I've used' — and noted nearly every Alaska sheep guide he saw ran Kifaru or Barneys for exactly that reason.
- ✓The near-full-length two-way side zipper reaches gear without unpacking half the bag — access that roll-top competitors like the Stone Glacier Sky 5900 and Seek Outside Divide simply don't offer.
- ✓The enclosed spotting-scope pocket swallowed the reviewer's Swarovski ATS 65 and its tripod together, while the opposite stretch pocket holds two 32 oz Nalgenes or doubles as rifle carry.
- ✓Owners praise the layout as the best in Kifaru's line — one who has 'run a ton of Kifaru packs' calls it his favorite, citing the side zip, enclosed scope pocket, and how small it collapses for day hunts.
- ✓The extra-wide, heavily padded belt with single inward-pull straps and an oversized lumbar pad drew specific praise as more comfortable than any belt one long-term reviewer had used.
- ✓It was designed in the open in a public owner thread with direct end-user input, and owners report getting 5-7 days out of it with a Guide Lid or Claymore added to the 4,900 ci base.
- ✓The DWR-treated 500D Cordura survived a full dunking during a river crossing on a Bob Marshall traverse with the contents bone dry, and shrugged off 30-mile, 14-hour days at race pace.
- ✓At 2 lb 12 oz the bag undercuts the 44 Mag by half a pound while carrying 180 ci more, making the $850 complete system Kifaru's best volume-per-pound and volume-per-dollar hauler.
- ✗Weight is the honest tradeoff: about 5.9-6 lbs complete versus roughly 4.5 lbs for a similar-volume Stone Glacier system and under 4 lbs for a Seek Outside — a long-term field reviewer flagged this as where 'the Kifaru doesn't shine as brightly.'
- ✗Even the positive forum review pegs the sweet spot at 3-4 days — the reviewer chose a different pack for his Brooks Range Dall sheep hunt, so expedition hunters may still outgrow it despite the 80 L rating.
- ✗The interior Chamber pocket is too small to be useful for first-aid and toiletries — the reviewer said doubling its size would fix it.
- ✗Kifaru's Autolock buckles can't slip, but they're genuinely hard to release in the cold or with gloves — a repeated forum gripe across the line that stings most on a strap-heavy bag like this.
- ✗It comes in exactly one color (Ranger Green) and one size of bag, with no lid included — the Guide Lid or Claymore that owners use to stretch trips are extra purchases.
- ✗500D Cordura bucks the industry trend toward lighter, near-waterproof ultra-weave fabrics, and its DWR coating wears off and needs refreshing.
- ✗Just 4 reviews on kifaru.net (albeit all 5-star) is a thin public record for an $850 direct-only purchase you likely can't try on first.
- ✗The asymmetrical layout takes learning — even one long-term reviewer joked about the 'front' pocket being in the back, and meat hauling uses the frame gap rather than a purpose-built X-Pac sling like the Hellbender's.
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 Bedlam vs Kifaru Hoodlum: common questions
Is the Bedlam big enough, or do I need the Hoodlum?▾
A long-term reviewer puts the Bedlam's sweet spot at 3-4 days, and owners stretch it to 5-7 with an add-on lid. If your hunts regularly run a week or longer, the Hoodlum's 107 L and expandable snow collar are built for that.
Is the Hoodlum's new zipper a problem?▾
The Gen 2 full-length zipper fixed the main complaint about the old top-entry bag, but early reports describe it creeping open under load. Keep compression snug and watch for later production updates.
Which compresses better for day hunts?▾
One owner of each says it collapses small. Hoodlum owners note the bag can feel loose on the frame in compressed day mode, and some swap in aftermarket ladder locks to fix it.