Ah, Kifaru

[yellowhammer]

Mine's an old one - green 'military division' tag, black hardware, green grab handle on a CB pack kinda old. It's been around a bit too, someone has sprayed it with Krylon in the past as well.

Having said all that, it is in fantastic condition for its age, with not a rip, mark or loose thread. I'd say they don't build 'em like that any more, except they do, of course. The XTL (I already had) & the Grab-It are minty so that's no worry either.

I'll have to get another belt so I'll have this one up for sale at some point, and I've swapped all the buckles out for tan split-bars already. I like it, it's got character.

[Mr_Yarrow]

Mine's an old one - green 'military division' tag, black hardware, green grab handle on a CB pack kinda old. It's been around a bit too, someone has sprayed it with Krylon in the past as well.

Having said all that, it is in fantastic condition for its age, with not a rip, mark or loose thread. I'd say they don't build 'em like that any more, except they do, of course. The XTL (I already had) & the Grab-It are minty so that's no worry either.

I'll have to get another belt so I'll have this one up for sale at some point, and I've swapped all the buckles out for tan split-bars already. I like it, it's got character.

Dear lord no wonder it was such a bargain buy But...as you say, the bloody things will take the abuse and still keep going

For a second I did think you were talking about selling the bag as you needed a differnt belt, but then I remembered the modularity, not like its what kif are known for or anything

We demand pics of course, I'll try and get some of mine when its fully stacked/adorned.

Looking forward to working out what all these loops, tabs, buckles and bits are for on it as I currently have very little clue on alot of it

Rgds

[yellowhammer]

Off the top of my head -

G1 Zulu, CB
G1 XRay, CB
G1 E&E, OD
G2 E&E, OD

G2 Malice Claymore, OD
G1 D&L Claymore, OD
Skinny Mini long pockets, OD x2
G1 2 Quart, OD
XTL, CB
Organiser, CB x1, OD x2
Malice GPS pouch, OD x2
Grab-It, OD
Small pod, OD

Unpadded PALS Omni belt, CB
Padded shoulder sling, OD
L&Ls, #6, #10
XL chamber pocket, CB
normal chambers, x lots
Ultralite pullouts, x lots

Padded chamber & universal GPS pouch, MIA somewhere.

[Mr_Yarrow]

One thing I should say is when I met Rob aka rcs at Jacks 09 he told me about how he started with a £200 Woodlore knife and £50 rucksack, but had now swapped to a £200+ Kif and a Mora.

I told him it would never happen to me, I was happy with my Bergan and £200+ custom bushy and could never thing of spending that much on a bag...piffle thought I

Problem is I still have the expensive knife but now have a £300+ rig

Oh well, if you're going to benchcraft you may as well do it with the right toys

Rgds

P.S
Rob, I hate you

[yellowhammer]

Si, Patrick gave a good explanation of how to fit a Kifaru pack over on their forum. It isn't quite like anything else you've used so it may take a bit of getting used to. Here's his post, unedited;

Hello Gents,

It would seem that this is a good time to intervene with a small essay about our design philosophy. Most of the fit issue being discussed is due to expectations of what is "normal" with any other pack. So perhaps I need to explain "Kifaru Normal". I've done this before in these Message Board pages; I suspect it's time we put this explanation somewhere "permanent", such as in a Frequently asked Questions venue. (Mel, let's try to remember to do that.)

The idea of "carrying" a backpack "on" the back itself is actually impossible. Both the back and the pack are vertical planes...the weight of the pack means it is going to sheer downwardly (even empty!) no mater what. The ONLY really possible weight bearing surfaces are the tops of the shoulders and the lumbar shelf and hips--the somewhat horizontal surfaces. If you are feeling significant "contact" across the back in the shoulder blade area it means that you are carrying considerable weight on the tops of the shoulders! The load is "hanging" on the shoulders, which is the force that drags the pack inwardly against your upper back. Understand? We have worked very hard designing a suspension system with specifically contoured lumbar and waistbelt componentry that carries virtually ALL (depending on load--which is surprisingly high) the pack's weight on the lumbar/hip girdle. So that you DON'T feel that weight-induced "contact" at the upper back. Yes, it feels initially "abnormal" compared to every other pack you've likely worn, and that it actually a GOOD thing. It is Kifaru Normal. In attempting to get back to everybody else's normal you are in effect overiding the goodness of not having to carry any weight on your shoulders due to our design.

The pack has plenty of stability built in--it comes from the bottom, not the top. The feeling of very little to no contact across the back of the shoulders is actually liberating--it proves there's no weight on your shoulders, aids ventilation, and frees up your shoulders for unemcumbered movement. DO loosen the shoulder straps--if they feel like they are going to fall off the sides of your shoulders take that as a sure sign there CAN'T be any weight on your shoulders and loosely fasten your sternum strap to simply keep them in place. It's a great indication that you're wearing the pack correctly!

Now, edwin3060, three inches of kickback at the top is excessive, no doubt of that. Let's start over. The issue began with your thinking you were a bit flat-backed, right? Perhaps you are, but it's entirely possible you were looking for the feel in the upper back you're simply "used to". Perhaps you're conditioned to view that as "security", perhaps also as part of the pack's load bearing job. We've been over our contrarian design philosophy above, so for getting the intended benefits of Kifaru design I'll ask to put that aside and do this: I suggest you re-create the original bend contours of your stays for starters. Shoulder the pack with, say, twenty pounds of weight. Shoulder straps loose enough that the pack hangs a little below your waist. Hoist the pack up to your waist (you should be able to lean forward and shrug your shoulders upward to accomplish this if you have the strap length "just right") and fasten the waistbelt TIGHTLY; the stitch line in the belt should be directly across your hipbone points. Make sure your Delta straps are completly loose beforehand. Repeat, loose Deltas. Next, barely snug the shoulder straps (remember, our job is to put all the weight onto your hip/lumbar girdle). Then snug in the lifter straps, a little more forcefully than you did with the shoulder straps, but not excessively. Note: for tactical reasons the Zulu is built too short for most men to actually get any shoulder strap "lift" from these straps--the function is more "in" than "up". Don't do anything with the Delta straps yet. Now, stand upright. If you've done all this correctly you should not feel any weight on the tops of your shoulders. If you do, loosen slightly the shoulder straps until you don't. All the weight on your hips. Liberating, isn't it. You will also notice that "lack" of contact at the upper back. Fine. Now bend forward, as if you're going uphill...did you get contact up there? If you did, you're probably in good shape with the standard stay bend. That little bit of "freeness" at the upper back is a good thing, not a bad one. Use the sternum strap engaged only enough to keep the straps from falling off if that's disconcerting to you. You'll note that the pack isn't really gyrating all over the place...the from-the-bottom security works fine. With high loads or for even more stability engage the Delta Straps, but only snugly, not cranked. It's very possible you've been cranking those so tightly you've been levering the pack backwardly at the top--accounting for the excessive backward tilt up there!

OK. IF you still have a LOT of backtilt you may well have some flatness of back. Guys who've been told a lot they "have no butt" are pretty surely in the flat back category. Others, like Cass and Mel, are less obviously so. You may be in that category, and can benefit from some flatening of the stays in the lower, lumbar, section. If you still think you are, step on the stays right in the middle of that lower arc. Such that you flatten them maybe an inch from standard. Yep, simply step on them, one at a time. Easy and quick. Match 'em up. Then try the pack on again, repeating the steps above. Less kickback? Good. Remember, you're not trying to get ALL of it out. When you lean forward, and you feel engagement, you're good.

Get to that point and then use the pack. (Again, you may have been there all along and just didn't realize that's characteristic of the design.) See if you'll agree it's significantly more comfy than anything you've used before. And still very stable, etc. When you think about it, "contact" that's really simply hanging there is only "cosmetic" security; not really doing anything at all--sideways slippage can still occur. It just puts unnecessary and unwanted weight on your shoulders. Capish?

In this thread; http://kifaruforums.net/showthread.php?t=13294

Military Moron has a good page on it too; http://www.militarymorons.com/equipm...aru_setup.html

You might not get much shoulder lift with a short pack like the Zulu but you can definitely get all the weight off of your shoulders easily enough.

[Mr_Yarrow]

Thanks Ian, been reading the MM guide and the Kif forum for months as mild amusement never thinking I might need to actually know it

Will have a read and try and set it up on the weekend whilst the wife is out

Still keen to find what all the extra bloody bits are for

Rgds

[fluffy]

Just to illustrate how important a pelvic carry is as opposed to using the shoulders:
I once had four friends help me move an upright piano the length of a long hall, going through a number of doorways with tiny draft excluding ledges which meant we had to keep just lifting the piano.
When we got to the exit there was a flight of steps down to a gravel yard which we would need to cross to get to the van that was to receive the piano.
I bent over and had them push the piano onto my pelvis.
I then stood up with it walked down the steps , across the yard and loaded it into the van without effort.
Anything taking the load off of the vertebral column is a good idea.

[Mr_Yarrow]

Just to illustrate how important a pelvic carry is as opposed to using the shoulders:
I once had four friends help me move an upright piano the length of a long hall, going through a number of doorways with tiny draft excluding ledges which meant we had to keep just lifting the piano.
When we got to the exit there was a flight of steps down to a gravel yard which we would need to cross to get to the van that was to receive the piano.
I bent over and had them push the piano onto my pelvis.
I then stood up with it walked down the steps , across the yard and loaded it into the van without effort.
Anything taking the load off of the vertebral column is a good idea.

Blimey that must have been a long time ago

[Mr_Yarrow]

You might not get much shoulder lift with a short pack like the Zulu but you can definitely get all the weight off of your shoulders easily enough.

Im short dont forget, so it will seem bigger on me than you or Rob

No adjustment yet, popped it on as is last night, just adjusted the waist belt and wore it. I then remembered what you'd said about no straps, so took my arms out and blimey the fit's good

Will have a proper play and add bits to it on the weekend, im already pleased and its not been used yet

Rgds

[rcs]

Rob, I love you

I love you too Si

[jungle_re]

Ian bud the MMR is no bigger than the zulu honest ask Kev, it is though slightly different propertion being much slimmer but wider with about the same height. Trust me had both

Chris, Kev the kit fu is obviously strong got a Silky yet lol

[Dogs]

Can anyone tell me what's inside a G1 malice claymore, if anything, I don't mean your own ones I mean common loops pockets etc. TIA

[yellowhammer]

There's nothing inside the G1, it's just a pocket. Get the G2 if you want some organisation.

[Dogs]

Thanks Ian, G2 it is then

[Mr_Yarrow]

Take one Zulu, a couple of synthetic sleeping bags as filler, a G1 E&E, various SC and other pouches plus some constenation and you get...





Made me smile anyways

May take it with me next weekend to a mates house, only a short walk of a mile or so, but handy for dumping in lots of bits and seeing how it rides bat first, will do the adjusting thing as well before then

Rgds