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 6.44 lbs).
Which one to buy
The smaller Kifaru costs $25 more, which says a lot about what each is for. The Hellbender is a 37 L day hauler built for the trip out: its X-Pac meat sling wipes clean after a bloody pack-out, its compression straps move to the back seam so optics stay protected inside while quarters ride the shelf, and one owner packed out an entire cow elk in one trip. One guide praises it for carrying stands, blinds and camera gear in, and its front stash pocket has held everything from boots to a rifle.
The Hoodlum is a 107 L expedition bag. One reviewer carried it fully loaded through a 16-day Alaska sheep hunt and rated the weight distribution 10 out of 10, and one owner says it still cinches down as tight as a small day pack. Its two zippered side pockets each take a spotting scope, it has stock weapon carry, and its Gen 2 full-length zipper opens the whole bag, though early reports include that zipper creeping open under load.
The Hellbender cannot do multiday trips without the Camp Bag and a lid, which pushes it toward 44 Mag money, and its sling makes slop and noise when empty until you clip the straps to the frame. It also lacks stock weapon carry. The Hoodlum's catches are a loose bag-to-frame feel in compressed day mode and no lid. If you stay out overnight even occasionally, the Hoodlum is the better use of the money, at the cost of a bag that never feels quite as tidy on a light day.
Kifaru Hellbender
For guides, saddle and treestand hunters and western day hunters who want a wipe-clean meat sling and a bag that gets out of the way after the shot.
Kifaru Hoodlum
The better fit for hunters who spend nights out, from a few days to a week-plus, and want one bag that also compresses for day hunts.
| 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 | 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 | XS-XL belts: XS 22-27, SM 28-34, MD 35-39, LG 40-46, XL 47+ in |
| 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
- ✓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 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 Hellbender vs Kifaru Hoodlum: common questions
Can the Hellbender haul as much meat as the Hoodlum?▾
On the ARK frame, owners report both handling heavy loads; one Hellbender owner packed out a whole cow elk in one trip. The Hellbender's wipe-clean X-Pac sling is better for bloody meat, while the Hoodlum adds room to carry camp in as well.
Is the Hoodlum too big to use as a day pack?▾
One owner says it cinches down as tight as a small day pack, though some find the bag feels loose on the frame when compressed and swap in aftermarket ladder locks. The Hellbender is the more natural day bag.
Does either include weapon carry?▾
The Hoodlum lists stock rifle and bow carry. The Hellbender does not; the Gun Bearer is an extra, although its front stash pocket has held a rifle for one owner.