TL;DR
This is a DIY post, not a review, but the two takeaways from this post are
The Problem
Up front, it can be said that I'm a bit ambitious and overzealous in the pursuit of my hobbies. After leaving MD for AZ this year, I found myself in need of a new hunting pack. The Stryker I made for myself is too small (I don't like the weight distribution of the "add a camp bag" option"), so the logical solution was to make or use another pack on my DIY Kifaru Duplex Lite frame. I happened to have a Marine FILBE bag sitting unused, so I modified it to connect to the frame like a proper Kifaru pack. It worked alright, but the bag lacked organization and the lid was less than ideal. Not only do I HATE the idea of a lid that is free on the bottom and sewn on the top (throwing shade at the MR Pop Up 38 right now), but the zipper to access the lid is on the bottom. It's awkward, at best. Still, it served me well on some mountain hunts, but really sucked for day hunts with the lack of organization. Plus, it's sort of heavy with a ton of 55301 webbing and 1000D Cordura construction.
Between wife, kids, career, and hunting, sewing time is limited, so I figured I wouldn't spin my wheels trying to design and build a complex pack based on my ideal uses. That takes a lot of time for me as 3D design isn't my strongest suit (remember that point) and as a result, I often have to make multiple failing prototypes when figuring out how to make something. You may be thinking to yourself, "Why not just buy a Kifaru bag to mount to your existing frame?" That would be the next logical answer. But what if I could learn about a new frame and learn exactly how Kifaru makes that cool horseshoe zipper and lid? That would be cool.
Pic from the same trip, just because.
Solution: Kifaru 357 Mag
So, yeah, I bought a Kifaru 357 Mag. Study it, learn from it, and use it. Easy day, right? Well, that wouldn't be much of a DIY story. I said I wasn't great at 3D design, and the 357 design perplexed me, especially the lid. It really wasn't clear how everything went together (maybe I'm dense). So the path was clear to me--I should tear the entire thing apart, stitch by stitch, and learn as much as I can, straight from the masters, then create a pattern and make another one. That's what I did.
Kifaru's Value
Besides some cool, almost origami-like techniques to use in making bags, I learned a fair bit about how Kifaru makes bags. It's obvious when you pick one up just how robust they are, but consider this--almost every single seam is triple stitched, and fabric is doubled up in higher stress areas. From those seams I've ripped on other packs, to include Mystery Ranch, the default is generally two lines of stitching. Beyond the robustness, this bag took me a number of hours to stitch back together as a hobbyist.
Lest you think I'm one of those toxic Kifaru fanatics, I assure you they annoy me as well, as does Aron Snyder's general attitude--I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt though and assume that what comes off as whininess is really just defensiveness for and a sense of responsibility to the employees (America!) and the brand/company as an entity.
For those interested in learning how the lid goes together, here are two key pictures that show how the bottom for the main top lid pocket is actually part of its sides as well.
The Bag
Here's my mostly finished product. I didn't take many construction pics, but can post some of those if anyone is interested. I'm still using Kifaru stays until I bend the aluminum in my garage to fit my back, and I need to make my own shoulder straps and belt. My initial intent was to stretch the pattern to make a 26" frame while adding some extra volume, but realized that might require a frame sheet and horizontal stay to maintain good handling characteristics. I've also been hunting brushier areas lately, so that idea is going back on the shelf for now.
You'll see I added a stretchy pocket to the front in lieu of most rows of webbing, and added a G-hook to secure any overflow. The pocket is made from a beige Tweave fabric I bought off of eBay a while back and dyed with Rit. For those interested in purchasing Tweave or a similar fabric, I know Whiskey Two Four stocks it and SAM1. I think I read SAM1 has more stretchiness, but the price was right on the eBay Tweave at $10/yd (haven't seen it since, should have bought more).
This was really a fun experience, and I would recommend the same for anyone crazy/adventurous enough to demolish a perfectly good pack. I had planned to embark on a similar journey with my Kifaru Eastern Ruck (sweet pack), but never got around to it, and found the pack made a good loaner. As always, a big shoutout to @JCLINE84 for bouncing ideas back and forth with me.
This is a DIY post, not a review, but the two takeaways from this post are
- Kifaru packs are probably 100% worth the money spent for the overwhelming majority of people who want to own one, and the folks designing gear there have some great minds for 3D design.
- If you're DIY inclined, you should rip up your expensive backpack to learn from it.
The Problem
Up front, it can be said that I'm a bit ambitious and overzealous in the pursuit of my hobbies. After leaving MD for AZ this year, I found myself in need of a new hunting pack. The Stryker I made for myself is too small (I don't like the weight distribution of the "add a camp bag" option"), so the logical solution was to make or use another pack on my DIY Kifaru Duplex Lite frame. I happened to have a Marine FILBE bag sitting unused, so I modified it to connect to the frame like a proper Kifaru pack. It worked alright, but the bag lacked organization and the lid was less than ideal. Not only do I HATE the idea of a lid that is free on the bottom and sewn on the top (throwing shade at the MR Pop Up 38 right now), but the zipper to access the lid is on the bottom. It's awkward, at best. Still, it served me well on some mountain hunts, but really sucked for day hunts with the lack of organization. Plus, it's sort of heavy with a ton of 55301 webbing and 1000D Cordura construction.
Between wife, kids, career, and hunting, sewing time is limited, so I figured I wouldn't spin my wheels trying to design and build a complex pack based on my ideal uses. That takes a lot of time for me as 3D design isn't my strongest suit (remember that point) and as a result, I often have to make multiple failing prototypes when figuring out how to make something. You may be thinking to yourself, "Why not just buy a Kifaru bag to mount to your existing frame?" That would be the next logical answer. But what if I could learn about a new frame and learn exactly how Kifaru makes that cool horseshoe zipper and lid? That would be cool.
Pic from the same trip, just because.
Solution: Kifaru 357 Mag
So, yeah, I bought a Kifaru 357 Mag. Study it, learn from it, and use it. Easy day, right? Well, that wouldn't be much of a DIY story. I said I wasn't great at 3D design, and the 357 design perplexed me, especially the lid. It really wasn't clear how everything went together (maybe I'm dense). So the path was clear to me--I should tear the entire thing apart, stitch by stitch, and learn as much as I can, straight from the masters, then create a pattern and make another one. That's what I did.
Kifaru's Value
Besides some cool, almost origami-like techniques to use in making bags, I learned a fair bit about how Kifaru makes bags. It's obvious when you pick one up just how robust they are, but consider this--almost every single seam is triple stitched, and fabric is doubled up in higher stress areas. From those seams I've ripped on other packs, to include Mystery Ranch, the default is generally two lines of stitching. Beyond the robustness, this bag took me a number of hours to stitch back together as a hobbyist.
Lest you think I'm one of those toxic Kifaru fanatics, I assure you they annoy me as well, as does Aron Snyder's general attitude--I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt though and assume that what comes off as whininess is really just defensiveness for and a sense of responsibility to the employees (America!) and the brand/company as an entity.
For those interested in learning how the lid goes together, here are two key pictures that show how the bottom for the main top lid pocket is actually part of its sides as well.
The Bag
Here's my mostly finished product. I didn't take many construction pics, but can post some of those if anyone is interested. I'm still using Kifaru stays until I bend the aluminum in my garage to fit my back, and I need to make my own shoulder straps and belt. My initial intent was to stretch the pattern to make a 26" frame while adding some extra volume, but realized that might require a frame sheet and horizontal stay to maintain good handling characteristics. I've also been hunting brushier areas lately, so that idea is going back on the shelf for now.
You'll see I added a stretchy pocket to the front in lieu of most rows of webbing, and added a G-hook to secure any overflow. The pocket is made from a beige Tweave fabric I bought off of eBay a while back and dyed with Rit. For those interested in purchasing Tweave or a similar fabric, I know Whiskey Two Four stocks it and SAM1. I think I read SAM1 has more stretchiness, but the price was right on the eBay Tweave at $10/yd (haven't seen it since, should have bought more).
This was really a fun experience, and I would recommend the same for anyone crazy/adventurous enough to demolish a perfectly good pack. I had planned to embark on a similar journey with my Kifaru Eastern Ruck (sweet pack), but never got around to it, and found the pack made a good loaner. As always, a big shoutout to @JCLINE84 for bouncing ideas back and forth with me.
