Kifaru The Maniml vs Kifaru 22 Mag
Quick take: The Kifaru 22 Mag costs $25 less; the Kifaru The Maniml carries more (50 vs 39 liters); the Kifaru 22 Mag is lighter (6.1 vs 6.7 lbs).
| Spec | Kifaru The Maniml | Kifaru 22 Mag |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $875 | $850 |
| Rating | 5★ (4) | 4.8★ (10) |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 50 L | 39 L |
| Weight | 6 lbs 11 oz (bag + Cinch + 25-in ARK frame) | 6.1 lbs |
| Max Load | 100+ lbs (owner-reported; no official rating) | 100+ lbs (owner-reported; no official rating) |
| Torso Fit | Two ARK frame heights: 22 in (under 5 ft 8 in) and 25 in (5 ft 8 in+), with XS-XL belts covering 22-46 in waists and single-point shoulder-strap height adjustment | Built for the 25 in ARK frame (18 in+ torsos); runs on the 22 in ARK (14-18 in torsos) with 3 in of bag below the frame; S-L belts cover 28-46 in waists |
| Material | 500D CORDURA with laser-cut MOLLE tracks and four-way stretch side pockets; made in USA | 500D CORDURA with 500D/1000D Squadron laminate laser-cut panels, #8 and #10 YKK coil zippers, Duraflex buckles; made in USA |
| Back Panel | Carbon-fiber ARK frame sheet with high-density foams in the shoulder straps, belt, and lumbar pad; full-length pleated load shelf runs to the top of the frame | 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 |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | Yes |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | No |
| Warranty | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship | Kifaru lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship |
Pros & cons
Kifaru The Maniml
- ✓The full-length load shelf runs to the top of the frame with a pleated bottom — a kifaru.net owner says 'paired with the ARK frame packing out is no problem' and the weight distribution is 'unbelievable', hauling ability no Exo or Stone Glacier day bag matches.
- ✓Includes the 750 ci Cinch breakaway daypack and Chamber Pocket organizer — the Cinch compresses the main bag or pops off as a standalone bag with stowed shoulder straps.
- ✓The forward-opening dual-zip lid opens from inside or outside, closed or open — designed with Levi Morgan specifically for accessing gear while hanging in a saddle or tree stand.
- ✓Ships with a K-clip strap kit so the bag also mounts on Kifaru Duplex and Newplex frames, not just the ARK.
- ✓Sewn-in .75-in autolock compression straps carry a bow, rifle, tree stand, or climbing sticks stock — owners strap platform, sticks, and saddle on with room for layers inside.
- ✓Owner-proven toughness: one reviewer fell 30 feet — 'the Maniml pack and ARK frame were fine, I wasn't' — and another calls it 'tougher than nails'.
- ✓Serves the whitetail/saddle niche the western pack brands mostly ignore, with a perfect 5.0 on kifaru.net and 100% recommend rate.
- ✓Four-way stretch side pockets and laser-cut MOLLE take bottles, spotter, tripod, bugle tube, or full-size belt pouches for match-your-hunt customization.
- ✗Rokslide's reception was skeptical: hard to justify against Kifaru's own Stryker XL, Hellbender, 22 Mag, and Minikeg — 'it looks like a 22 Mag without the full horseshoe'.
- ✗A Rokslide member's direct comparison: the Exo K4 3600 is over a pound lighter, has better access, roughly 1,700 more cubic inches, and costs $200 less.
- ✗Top-loader only — no horseshoe, tri-zip, or panel access, a step backward from the 22 Mag and Hellbender for digging out gear.
- ✗At 6 lb 11 oz complete it outweighs the 77 L 44 Mag combo (6 lb 6 oz) while carrying far less — a lot of pack weight for a day system.
- ✗The main bag alone is only 2,200 ci; one verified buyer found it 'a bit smaller than I thought', and the 50 L figure depends on counting the Cinch.
- ✗Quality niggle from a verified buyer: the burned zipper pull cords fray — three came apart within the first few uses.
- ✗Only 4 reviews since its 2024 launch — the thinnest track record of any Kifaru ARK bag.
- ✗$875 all-in is serious money for a whitetail day pack, and the ARK frame is overkill unless you actually drag deer out on your back.
Kifaru 22 Mag
- ✓The full-zip clamshell panel opens the whole bag like a suitcase — Rokslide 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.
- ✓A Rokslide 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 on Rokslide 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, so the rating here is an estimate from scattered owner posts.
- ✗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 Roksliders 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.