Everyday Carry is hot right now so even manufacturers that don’t normally cater to the community are coming out with “EDC packs”. Kifaru is better known for manufacturing bags and accessories for hunting and the military but their fans have been after them to design a pack that is more urban and EDC friendly. Their first attempt was the Urban Zippy …
Urban Zippy
I think even the most ardent Kifaru fan would admit that the Urban Zippy still looks like a Backcountry pack. So, earlier this year and with much fanfare, Kifaru added a second pack in their EDC line called the Kifaru Antero.
Kifaru Antero
EXTERIOR
In my opinion, the form factor of the Antero borders on perfection for most Everyday Carry. The 1,500 cubic inch (24.5 Liter) capacity will not force its wearer to leave an extra layer behind due to lack of space and it will not be too bulky for daily use. The pack itself is low profile, which is important for a city commuter that could spend time on crowded trains, buses, and in cramped taxis. The appearance is understated making it suitable for recreational and casual business use.
The exterior of the pack is largely slick, except for one panel of MOLLE that could be covered by a MOLLE compatible admin pouch. Overall, a nice looking pack that could be used in a variety of settings.
The large padded grab handle is an ideal design for taking the pack on and off. The 550 paracord pulls are long enough for glove friendly manipulation during cold weather months. Kifaru even included a nylon loop to secure the top pulls…
And the bottom pulls for security purposes in large crowds.
The pack has a unique 4-way zipper that allows partial access to any part of the main compartment. There are also detachable compression straps to secure a loose item to the bottom of the pack (see above picture).
The bottle pockets are a wonder. They’re an open design that will take larger bottles like this 32 ounce Hydroflask.
And yet somehow the retention straps manage to keep the bottles from falling out the pack even when inverted.
Although the design clearly favors bottle use, Kifaru still provided a pass through for a hydration tube if the wearer prefers to use a reservoir in the main compartment.
I also used at least one of the bottle pockets for pouch storage – like this Tom Bihn Mesh pouch that holds cables and power adapters.
I wear both reading glasses and sunglasses. I found the sunglasses pocket on the top of the pack to be a little small if you keep your glasses or sunglasses in a case. Definitely a tight squeeze!
INTERIOR
Moving inside, Kifaru also includes one of their removable Chamber Pockets that attaches via metal three-bar clips to buckles at the top of the main compartment.
It’s also a good place to store glasses – especially if they don’t fit in the exterior sunglasses pocket. A wallet, smartphone, or something else could easily go in there also. The pocket is fairly deep.
The internal sleeve, which Kifaru says doubles as a laptop and hydration sleeve, is poorly done. On a $300 pack, there’s no excuse for the sleeve to not be padded. I had to add a Tom Bihn Cache with Rails to provide adequate protection for my laptop, which adds another $30 to the cost if purchased separately.
It attaches via Gatekeeper clips to the same loops that are used to attach the Chamber Pocket and on the plus side, it is a nice step-up because it rotates out of the pack for easy access to the device.
The Antero also does not have padding or even double layered Cordura to protect the bottom of the pack and the laptop sleeve is flush with the bottom. So any device loose in the main compartment or carried in the sleeve without a case would be exposed to accidental damage if the bag is dropped on a hard surface.
Other than the Chamber Pocket, Kifaru did include an extra small zippered mesh pocket on the inside of the front panel.
However, as far as organization goes, that’s it. No integrated admin panel. No internal MOLLE or hook and loop. No way to build out the inside of the pack for specific types of carry. There’s plenty of real estate inside this pack to accommodate it, but Kifaru didn’t include it.
CARRY COMFORT
I’ve heard good things about the straps on other Kifaru designs but I just couldn’t get the Antero straps adjusted to my liking.
Everything I tried on loads of 10+ lbs put stress on my shoulders to the point that the pack was uncomfortable. I also noticed that the straps tend to get twisted easily when taking the pack on and off, which was a bit frustrating. Of course, everyone’s body is different and these straps might work for some. They just didn’t work for me. Your mileage may vary.
I did like the 3/4″ open cell foam back panel and removable HDPE frame sheet. But the support they provided couldn’t overcome the issues with the harness under load.
Even worse, the metal three bar clips that attach the bottom of the shoulder straps to the pack had a nasty tendency to dig into my side. It was especially noticeable when I wore just a t-shirt. It caused enough discomfort that it limited the length of time I could wear the pack. I heard similar complaints on Kifaru’s forum so it is a known issue and its hard to imagine how it escaped the notice of testers before the pack was shipped.
SUMMARY
PROS
Near perfect size for EDC
Best aesthetic of any Kifaru pack for Urban Use
Typical (excellent) Kifaru quality
Best open bottle pocket design we’ve tested to-date
CONS
Expensive considering the lack of features
No protection for electronic devices
No integrated small EDC organization
Straps were not comfortable for loads that exceeded 10 lbs for the reviewer (6’4″ tall with broad shoulders and long torso)
Strap design flaw that could cause some (most?) users discomfort
Overall, it’s difficult to recommend an EDC pack that isn’t set up well for EDC. Couple that with the comfort issues that I experienced with just moderate loads and I’m sorry to say that the Kifaru Antero was a huge miss for me. Given Kifaru’s reputation, I’m anxious to try some of their other packs since this was my first experience with the brand. But, for the time being, I will be looking elsewhere for an EDC pack.
The Kifaru Antero retails for $300 and is sold on Kifaru’s website. It comes in a number of colors including black, coyote brown, wolf gray, and various camo patterns.
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