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Kifaru Steelhead

Bushman Team




The amount of chest-rigs I have gone through each season is embarrassing. Whether chasing elk in the backcountry, treestand hunting whitetails in the midwest, or fly fishing for trout at the base of the mountains in Washington, organization of my gear is crucial to my success and sanity, so finding the best pack to keep all of my essentials at a convenient location for quick release has been a never-ending journey. I feel like the perfect chest-rig is the one that fits the hunter's paradox: "Make it minimalistic, but I want all of the features too." Kind of like when your wife says she doesn't expect anything extravagant for her birthday, but will be pissed if you don't spend months planning it. It makes no sense, but there's some hidden logic there. We don't claim to understand women. It's no secret that a traditional backpack is going to allow for more options in regards to what tools you bring with you on your pursuit, but the beauty of a chest-rig like this is, you have all of your essentials in the perfect position for quick access, and the design of the Steelhead still allows you to pack with confidence, even if you have to get creative with it. The front panel has three pockets, which I have used for everything from hemostats, rangefinders, extra mags for my handgun, to more outlandish things, such as my chewing tobacco. The pack doesn't discriminate. The first thing you notice when you open the main compartment is a zipper mesh pocket, which I use to hold my pliers, nippers, GPS, cell phone, and even a snack from time-to-time. Inside the mesh pocket is a key hook and a bottom pocket, which is pretty convenient for your fishing license, game tag, etc. The main compartment has two stretch gussets on the sides, which I'm convinced I would lose all of my shit without, so thank you Kifaru for that. The back panel has three larger pockets which I assume were put there for spare fly boxes, although I typically just use them for miscellaneous tools. Perhaps my favorite feature of this pack is the hidden firearm pocket, which I have doubled as a work station when cleaning my guns. It's the perfect size for my FN 509, but can still comfortably fit my bigger handguns such as my 1911. There are two rip tabs that have sewn in handles to lace through the zipper, giving you immediate access to your firearm, which is the position I like to keep mine in. Judging by the name, it's probably obvious what pursuit this pack was designed for. And while we have brought this rig with us to the river for steelhead, it has been strapped to my chest for whitetail sits, backcountry hunts, and even a bird hunt, although I got shit from my hunting buddies for that one. Overall, I prefer a pack that has some versatility, as that keeps my bank account happy not having to buy different gear for every trip, and also keeps my garage from getting cluttered with gear that will only get used once. The versatility of this pack is incredible, especially with how seamless you can integrate other Kifaru products onto it to give it even more utility, such as the Steelhead and Hydro Harness. Which we also love. Price: $200 Pros: comfortable; perfect amount of pockets for easy organization, but not so much that it's annoying; easily integrates with other products based on specific pursuits; not bulky like some other chest-rigs; made in the USA. Cons: none; this is my favorite rig at the moment.

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