# Kali badlands pack



## MNArrowFlinger (Jul 8, 2008)

I'm assuming that since noone's posted, they are pretty new :dontknow: I just thought I'd ask here 1st since many of you gals have tried a lot of different brands/products.


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

Looks interesting! I love my Redhead pack but its too "tall" for my torso and the waist strap won't go tight enough.


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

I was wondering the same thing. It's so hard to find any packs that remotely fit smaller-framed people and will hold a bow. Even kids packs don't quite do it. 

Anyone tried the Badlands Kali? Anyone?!


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## smurphysgirl (Mar 6, 2007)

pm sent


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## MNArrowFlinger (Jul 8, 2008)

I bought one - so far so good. It definintly is made for a lady. It fits completely different than my husbands - he has a badlands as well. The Kali actually has more space than his  I'm going to field test it next week out west spot & stalk muleys. I'll let everyone know what I think when I get back.


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks in advance for the field report, MNArrowFlinger. I'll keep an eye out for it!


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

Good news, MNArrowFlinger confirmed that the pack is designed to hold a bow (or rifle). I'll order one as well, and will report back later.

In the meantime, there are also two videos that review the Kali Badlands pack. Guess I didn't look hard enough the first time! 

BugsnBullets.com: Badlands Kali, The New Women's Hunting Pack!

Payson Outfitters: Badlands Kali Pack in HD


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## MNArrowFlinger (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks for the video review sites ABQ_Chica - I completely forgot that those were on there. :thumbs_up


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## Idaho Huntress (Aug 28, 2010)

I just got the Kali pack and so far it fits great. I love that I can throw my bow or a rifle on to it.
We walk back in quite a ways so its nice to throw the bow on my back. Plus it is pretty easy to get to with out having to take off your pack.

The over all fit is way better than any of the mens packs that I have tried.

I am going to take it out for the first time this season so we will see how it does after a 16 mile day.


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## MNArrowFlinger (Jul 8, 2008)

so... after 6 days of using the new backpack, here's some of my thoughts. I really like the overall fit! It holds A LOT of stuff!!! I was able to put our video camera, extra batteries & tapes, the digital camera with case & extra accessories, snacks, my water bladder (filled), tripod (strapped to the side), binos (when they weren't around my neck), hat, gloves, book, & a windstopper sweater and jacket (strapped to the back). And I still had extra room for stuff as well - I was pleasantly surprised. When our friend shot his muley were able to pack meat in it as well. The only real complaint that I had is that when the weight wasn't distributed evenly that it would poke into my lower back/hips. It was almost if the weight wasn't close enough to my back. I will continue to give my thoughts as I get to use it more in the field


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks for reporting back, MNArrowFlinger. Sounds pretty promising! Mine won't arrive until after our short turkey season is over. I guess I'll be a step ahead for spring. . .


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## absolutecool (Mar 26, 2006)

Ok so without me doing any searching what do these things cost? I have never used a backpack as I always have a stand on my back, I have always used a fanny pack so I can spin it around front when I put the stand on my back.

I am always looking for new and improved ways to carry stuff, my only problem with a bigger pack is I am afraid I would carry too much stuff....


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

The Badlands Kali pack runs $129.95 at OneSourceOutfitters.com. Same price at PaysonOutfitters.com and Bass Pro.


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## Idaho Huntress (Aug 28, 2010)

I got mine at one source outfitters and even got a free hydration bladder with it. There are not many places that offer that deal. It’s an additional 30$ normally.

I took mine out over the Labor Day weekend and love it. I have tried a bunch of different packs and none of them have ever felt as comfortable as the Kali. 

I packed about 15 - 20 lbs on my back for 4 days and did not have any issues with my back or shoulders being sore. 

I would highly recommend it.

You just can’t beat it for the price and not to mention the fact that if anything at all happens to the pack they will replace it or fix it for free. 

There are some good you tube videos out there on it as well that show how big the pack is and what it looks like.


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

*Badlands Kali pack review*

My Badlands Kali pack finally came in!








It's a step in the right direction, but I'm a tiny bit disappointed. 
First the bad news: I have some of the same complaints about this pack as I do about the smaller men's packs that I've been trying. 
1. The waist straps do not cinch anywhere near tight enough. I'll have to sew in a layer of padding all around the back and waist to keep it snug so the weight is distributed around my torso instead of tugging down on my shoulders.
2. Along the lower backside of the pack, the internal frame is not padded in any way. I got frame-shaped bruises after wearing it for only an hour. At the time it was loaded with only about 11 lbs of gear + my 4 lb. bow strapped on it. I'm assuming that most of the problem was not being able to cinch it tight enough so that it distributes weight around the entire torso/hip area, so adding the padding might resolve that.








3. The little zip-out pocket at the bottom rear of the pack does hold the bottom of a bow, but it looks like it was designed more for a rifle. I might rework that pocket to fit the cam better.








Now for the good news! It does hold a lot, it holds a bow pretty securely (in spite of the loose, poor-fitting pocket), and is definitely designed for women. The zipper pockets on the belt are very handy and easy to access. 








And even though the waist doesn't cinch small enough, the shoulder straps will tighten to fit women shorter than me (5'3"). The padding along the shoulder and waist straps is ventilated, and there is an awesome ventilation screen between your back and the contents of your pack.








And for those of you who like pink, there is spiffy pink detailing on the pack. 








I tested it loaded with about 15 lbs and 25 lbs (including bow), and I think once I get the waist strap/frame padding sewed in, this pack will work out fine. To be fair, the waists on everything are too big for me, and otherwise, this pack does fit well. So it gets a thumbs up!

Cheers!


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## MNArrowFlinger (Jul 8, 2008)

ABQ Chica - I thought I had read somewhere that you could order a smaller waist size for this pack if needed. I'm not by any means small waisted - probably more "average" - but I had issues with the back poking into my back as well. I was guessing it was the way the weight of the packs contents were loaded but I really have no idea. I'll have to pay more attention when it's loaded with my "normal gear" and report  
I might have to make a stop at their booth at the ATA show this winter to see if anyone else has had the same issues or if there's a way it can be resolved.


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

MNArrowFlinger said:


> ABQ Chica - I thought I had read somewhere that you could order a smaller waist size for this pack if needed.


Thanks for the heads up. I'll call Badlands today to see if there's anything they can recommend or do. Badlands is a good company, and I do feel bad being critical of them, especially since they're finally designing packs for women. :star:

It was just very frustrating to run into the main problem I'd experienced with men's packs. A properly fitted pack should take a lot of the weight off your shoulders, and for me, this one doesn't -- yet! :sad:


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## VicxenNewbie (Jun 7, 2010)

Thank you ladies, this thread made me break down and buy this pack. I got it yesterday and let me tell you...I'm in LOVE! I think my favorite feature is the ventilation screen between your back and the pack. I didn't have any problems getting the pack to fit me (I'm 5'8 and size 6). There is a petite girl in my office who tried on the pack and she would need the smaller waist size for the pack. Needless to say, I can't wait to get this in the field and put it to the test! A big thank to ABQ_Chica for posting a thorough review, I really appreciate it!


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

VicxenNewbie said:


> Thank you ladies, this thread made me break down and buy this pack. I got it yesterday and let me tell you...I'm in LOVE! I think my favorite feature is the ventilation screen between your back and the pack. I didn't have any problems getting the pack to fit me (I'm 5'8 and size 6). There is a petite girl in my office who tried on the pack and she would need the smaller waist size for the pack. Needless to say, I can't wait to get this in the field and put it to the test! A big thank to ABQ_Chica for posting a thorough review, I really appreciate it!


Oh, good! I'm so glad word is getting out that this really is a good pack for women. I forgot to follow up--I did call Badlands, and they offered to cut and resew the straps (for free) to make the waist smaller, but said that usually causes the pack to not fit as well in other ways. Granted, they may be protecting their bottom line, but it was a genuine offer. In the end, I decided to protect my own bottom line and just sew some padding into the back.


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## ABQ_Chica (Oct 29, 2009)

Well, after having this pack for several months now, I'll have to change my rating from a thumbs up to a thumbs down.
It might be a great pack for some women, and it has some features that I really wish other packs had (vented back, pockets/storage on hip belt).
Aside from the problems I noted before (waist/hip belt doesn't go small enough, bow pocket that doesn't fit a bow all that well), the way the shoulder straps join and form a "U" at the neck turned out to be a real...well...pain in the neck. :sad:









I've had this problem with other packs, but the shoulder strap neckline usually settled a bit with use and weight distribution. Not this one. I ended up having to shift the pack lower than normal on my hips and even then had to loosen the shoulder straps (to the point where the pack swung a bit on my back, not good) to keep the "U" from digging welts into my neck and shoulders. 

That said, I think this pack would work much better for women who are longer-waisted than I am, or at least a few inches taller than 5'3". This "U" shaped shoulder strap configuration is on most, if not all, of the Badlands packs, and they seem to work for a lot of people. So maybe I'm just built funny! :embara:

FWIW, I ended up going back to the pack I had originally tried before buying this one: a Blacks Creek Western Pack, which has height-adjustable shoulder strap settings, a cinchable bow pocket designed for compound bows, and much better padding along the hip belt and lower back. Alas, no back vent, but no neck welts, either.


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## c5mrr270 (Mar 3, 2009)

My wife has this pack and likes it a lot. My advice would be to try it on first. When she first got the pack she had issues with the bottom of the frame rubbing her lower back raw. We took the pack back and got a different one which solved the problem. You could actually look at the two packs and see that the two were sewn slightly different. So my advice would be don't order one; make sure you can examine it first.


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