Trail Kreitzer reviews the brand-new multiday Absaroka backpack from Kifaru. This pack is full of features of current and past pack designs and is the perfect option for your next backcountry trip
The Kifaru ARK Frame is made out of carbon fiber, high-density nitrogen enriched foam, and laser-cut reinforced MOLLE.
Today Kifaru launched a brand new pack within their expedition line they are calling the Absaroka. Overall, the Kifaru Absaroka backpack is a really well-rounded, versatile hunting backpack. Originally, when I spoke with Kenneth at Kifaru, I told him that I was interested in a pack that would ideally serve as a hunting pack for a week-plus hunt and that I thought the Kifaru Dall backpack would be a good option for me. He mentioned that they had a new pack in the works that somewhat married the configuration of the Kifaru Kutthroat backpack with the increased volume of the Dall. That pack is the Absaroka, and I’m fortunate that he made the recommendation because it really feels like it’s going to be a pack that suits my style of backpack elk hunting and compresses so well that it can be used as a solid front country day hunting pack as well. It’s easily large enough for a week-long backpack hunt, but, as stated, it compresses so well with the various straps and auto-locking buckles.
With that, let’s dive into the specs and features of the backpack. The first topic of discussion is the access to the bag and zipper configuration. I’ve used a lot of packs over the years, and I’ve chased weight savings, size, gear organization, and comfort, but I haven’t ever given a ton of thought to the simple detail of how easy it is to access the main compartment of the pack. I always figured that I had the time, and if I had to dig into my pack from the top opening or from a side zipper that it wasn’t that big of a deal. Perhaps it still isn’t, but I can say that over the years, I’ve developed a preference for a center zip or a beavertail/horseshoe style opening in addition to top access to the bag. The reason I prefer that is that it makes it so much easier to unpack and pack with the biggest benefit that when you make a stop midday and need to grab something, you don’t have to completely unpack and repack the bag.
In the above image, I'm loading up the pack on a recent coastal bear hunt. You have easy access to the inside of the Kifaru Absaroka via the top snow collar or the large beavertail-style zipper.
The Absaroka offers two access points into the main compartment: one from the top where there is a tall snow collar and a drawstring closure and a second option that is a large beavertail style zipper that allows you to unzip it, fold that tail back to provide direct access to the front of the pack. The way it’s designed, I can lay the pack flat with the frame to the ground, unzip the beavertail opening, fold that back and it’s like having a large duffle bag, which is easy to pack and unpack.
Additionally, there are two additional external pockets within that beavertail portion of the pack. One is on the face with a vertical zipper and the second sits behind that and also has a rounded zipper configuration similar to the access zipper on the main bag. The two external pockets are great options for quickly storing a spotting scope, headlamp, kill kit or any extra clothing items that you’d need quickly like rain gear or a set of gloves or a beanie. Internally, the pack has a hydration bladder open top pocket that sits against the frame as well. As with every Kifaru pack, you can add additional pockets, Nalgene bottle holders or weapon slings to customize the pack to your own personal needs.
The Absaroka is a great size for a week-long backpack hunt, with a total cubic inches of 6,580. The main portion of the bag is 5,000 cubic inches, and the top lid adds an additional 1,000 cubic inches. The pocket is another 580 cubic inches. The volume of the pack feels larger than other packs I have used from various brands. Typically, I’ve used a pack that was 7,400 to 7,900 cubic inches for long backpack hunts, so I was somewhat skeptical that a pack listed at 6,580 would be large enough, but it is — easily. What size backpack for elk hunting? Well, this backpack will be perfect for the elk or deer hunter. I’ve also been vocal about my own personal disdain for top lids, so I was curious to see if it would be big enough without the lid and how well the pack collapsed and cinched in without it. I’m happy to report that there is still enough room for all my backpacking equipment, gear, and food, and with the two top compression straps, it does fold in nicely without a top lid.
Along those lines, there are ample compression straps. There are three on each side, two on top that work without a top lid or in conjunction with one along with two front compression straps that can be used to strap in a bow or a rifle to the front of the pack. There are also two stretch pockets on the sides of the pack for a water bottle or to cradle the legs of my tripod. I believe almost every strap on the pack has heavy-duty auto-locking buckles, too. While I appreciate auto-locking buckles in some spots, generally, I’m not a huge fan of them and find it harder to use them with one hand or when you have a glove on, or your hands are cold. If I have any change I’d make, it will likely be in the buckles, which is a minor detail. One thing is certain: the buckles are heavy-duty and built to cinch in tight and not let up.
The material used in the Absaroka looks different than several other packs in their lineup. It is primarily composed of Ultragrid and EPX 400 fabric, which is said to be more weather-resistant and just as durable. This material is also used on several of their new 2024 backpacks. I like the color of the pack and the way it looks, and it does feel durable. It’s not overly noisy and feels on par in that regard to many other Cordura packs that I’ve used. Time will tell, but I don’t have any doubts that it will be extremely durable.
The overall weight of the Kifaru Absaroka backpack is listed at 3 pounds, 2.5 ounces. Add that with the weight of the Kifaru Ark Frame, which was also launched this year and weighs about 3 pounds, and you have a total bare pack weight that is right around that 6 pound, 3 ounce mark. That weight is a smidge heavier than some of the other brands on the market, but lighter isn’t always better just for the sake of being light. The pack has to be comfortable, durable, and function well with a lot of weight, and those are more important to me than a half pound gain in bare pack weight. Admittedly, I haven’t used this pack and frame on long hunts, but I have, on many occasions had a 50-pound bag of gravel in it and done morning rucks. I’m sincerely impressed with how well it handles the weight and how comfortable it is. Kifaru has always been bold in stating that they make the most durable packs and there’s no question that it’s been tested and will perform as advertised.
I have done other pieces about the ARK Frame, so I won’t go into a deep dive here, but the ARK looks like a molded carbon fiber sheet with two main stays that run vertically with a few horizontal sections running between them. The frame is curved a bit to more comfortably fit the shape of your back. The shoulder harness is easily adjustable up and down with velcro tabs that feed through slots on the frame. The base of the frame sits in a sleeve on the hip belt and is then secured further with a velcro strap. The foam in the shoulder harness and hip belt is high-density nitrogen-enriched, and although it’s not overly thick or plush, it does feel comfortable and, more importantly, seals to your hips. One thing I always liked about Kifaru packs is the width and wrap that the hip belt provides. It is a very comfortable hip belt. The lumbar pad offers a great cushion, and it does not shift or slide due to the texture of the face fabric. The ARK frame comes in two heights, a 22-inch and a 25-inch, which will offer everyone a good torso fit regardless of how tall or short they are. The hip belts come in three sizes: small (28 to 34), medium (35 to 39) and large (40 to 46). I am commonly a size 33 in a pair of jeans, and when I ordered the pack, I was worried that the small would not offer me enough wrap and coverage to be comfortable, but they nailed the sizing of the hip belt. It provides a comfortable wrap around the crest of my hips and isn’t so long that I would run out of room to cinch it in and begin to hit the buckles when the pack is loaded very heavy.
I should also add that the ARK frame and the Absaroka pack have a load shelf that fits between the bag and the frame. The shelf can be adjusted to secure the load higher up the frame and your back so that the bulk of the weight is above your hips, which allows for a more natural gait and comfort when packing heavy loads.
Overall, the Kifaru Absaroka backpack is a really well-thought-out and designed pack. I can see it being the pack I pull off the hook in my equipment room 99% of the time. I have no questions about the durability. All Kifaru packs are built in the USA from materials that are also made entirely in America. I’m looking forward to this fall and hope to give a couple of mule deer bucks and a bull elk a ride out of the backcountry in this Kifaru pack.
