Kifaru Hellbender vs Kifaru Hoodlum
Quick take: The Kifaru Hoodlum costs $25 less; the Kifaru Hoodlum carries more (107 vs 37 liters); the Kifaru Hellbender is lighter (6.1 vs 6.4 lbs).
| Spec | Kifaru Hellbender | Kifaru Hoodlum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $875 | $850 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 37 L | 107 L |
| Weight | 6.1 lbs | 6 lbs 7 oz (bag + medium 25-in ARK frame) |
| Max Load | 100+ lbs (owner-reported; no official rating) | 100+ lbs (owner-reported; no official rating) |
| 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 | Two ARK frame heights: 22 in (under 5 ft 8 in) and 25 in (5 ft 8 in+), with S-L belts covering 28-46 in waists and single-point shoulder-strap height adjustment |
| Material | 500D CORDURA with X-Pac load sling, Autolock buckles, YKK zippers; 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; wipe-clean X-Pac meat sling rides 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 | No | Yes |
| Warranty | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship |
Pros & cons
Kifaru Hellbender
- ✓A Rokslide 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 — a Rokslide user cracked that at this price 'it better rub my feet when I'm done using it.'
- ✗Kifaru publishes almost no specs for it — Rokslide users had to measure and weigh it themselves (~2,250 ci, ~3 lb bag), which the same thread called out as a real annoyance at a $900 street 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 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 — Rokslide 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 — a Rokslide 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 $150-250 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 Rokslide 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.
- ✗Rokslide 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.