New Product Highlight: Kifaru Hoodlum

Need to carry a bunch of gear a long distance without waking up the next day feeling like you got hit by a bus?

Maybe you’re gearing up for hunting season this fall, or maybe the nightly news has you thinking that being self-sufficient and foot-mobile isn’t such a bad idea.

Either way, the new Kifaru Hoodlum is a behemoth of a backpack that’s up to the task. Let’s open it up and see what it’s all about.

Kifaru Hoodlum Specs & Features

Specs

• Volume: 6,500 ci / 107 L
• Frame: ARK
• Material: 500 D nylon
• Weight: 6.4 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA
• MSRP: $850

Features

• Based on the super-comfortable ARK frame
• Full-length zipper access
• Lots of external storage
• Laser-cut MOLLE hip belt

This pack marks major updates to Kifaru’s flagship backcountry pack, which has been around since 2019.

The new version features a total of 6,500 cubic inches (107 liters) of storage. Most of that is a massive main compartment with full-length zippers for easy access, internal storage pouches, and a sleeve for hydration bladder complete with a tube port over each shoulder.

Outside, the pack comes with secure rifle storage and large side compartments for gear like a spotting scope with an objective lens up to 115 millimeters and warming layers. Two rows of tabs let you add customized storage depending on your goals and gear.

The whole system weighs 6.4 pounds. The pack itself, independent of the frame, weighs only 3.3 pounds.

For those of you who already own a Kifaru pack, the latest Hoodlum is compatible with Kifaru’s ARK and Duplex line of frames. 

While I haven’t gotten my hands on the Hoodum or a Duplex frame, I do have experience with the ARK frame on a Kifaru KU4300. It’s one of the most comfortable large packs I’ve ever used, if not the best outright.

The broad hip belt disperses weight evenly, and offers lots of laser-cut MOLLE. Want to add a water bottle holder, rangefinder pouch, or MOLLE-compatible holster? There’s room. 

That bodes well for the new Hoodlum, which has higher capacity and more organization options.

Kifaru lists an MSRP of $850 for the Hoodlum with the ARK frame. If you already own an ARK frame, the pack only is available for $350.

Best of all, it’s made in the USA from US-sourced materials.

What do you think of the new Kifaru Hoodlum? Let us know below. Need help with your survival gear? Let us teach you How to Build a Family Bug Out Bag!