Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

Rave About Your Rack Please do not post retail SPAM.

Author

pack size

stingray4100

3-Sep-2007
9:54:48 PM

Hi, Looking to buy a new pack for climbing, what are you all using (brand, size etc)

cheers
Paul

IdratherbeclimbingM9

4-Sep-2007
10:57:06 AM

Welcome to Chockstone stingray4100.

The likely answer/s would depend on the type of climbing you are going to use it for, and could range from a bumbag to a multi-day wall pack.

I use a home made one.

Smaller is better.

Other features worth considering could include; harness system padding, ventilation, compression straps etc.

Any pack that swings away from your body while on lead is bad news imo, though not half the hassle if your second is carrying it ! ... heh, heh, heh.

You should have been here 'recently', ~> a forum member offloaded a lot of packs cheaply!
:)

evanbb

4-Sep-2007
11:42:53 AM

I agree, make sure that it's small, and doesn't sit against your back too much, top to bottom. I tried climbing the other day wearing my hiking pack, which is a beast. Because of the stays I couldn't tilt my head back far enough to look up ahead so just had to respond to each hold as it came in front of me. It wasn't fun.

EB

stingray4100

4-Sep-2007
9:33:22 PM

Thanks for the welcome M9.

I should have been more specific I think..... What I am looking for is a pack to carry gear to the crag (primarily Grampians based climbing), not up the cliff. I

have a bushwalking pack that I currently use, but it is miles too big and bulky.

I generally only carry a rope, trad rack, food and water, but occasionally there might be two ropes (a couple of 10.5's).

I reckon about 40 litres should do the job, and maybe it will then be able to double as a bushwalking pack for lightweight overnighters as well, but am open to suggestions.

I live in Portland, it is not easy to get to Melbourne to try on packs - I will probably mail order when I buy.

wallwombat

4-Sep-2007
9:39:35 PM

Check out JBM's 'Packs for Sale" thread. He had a Black Diamond Predator 45 liter pack going for $120. Sounds like a good deal to me.

JamesMc

4-Sep-2007
10:19:53 PM

I use a Kathmandu Iguana. It's about 40 litres which seems an ideal size. I like a climbing pack to be big enough so you can just throw everything in without taking particular care to squeeze everything in. Remember that you may pack and unpack it completely several times per day as you move from one climb to another.

Also sometimes use it on light weight weekend bushwalks.

James Mc

adski

4-Sep-2007
11:36:24 PM

Leading with a pack on, are you for real?
What an interesting demographic of 'rock climbers' there are on Chockstone.

Of course you should get a big pack, one with room for all the billy tea making apparatus, a large brush for keeping that grey beard looking respectably fluffy, and the seventeen volume 'complete guide to Grampians obscura', not to mention the birdwatching gear.

ha! :-)

I have a huge cheap pack because being dehydrated, cold and unable to see in the dark is bad for the health. It comes with a certificate from Mountain Designs guaranteeing a one hour per week saving of time due to the fact I never have to unpack or pack the thing, it's always got the essentials in its cavernous bottom.. speaking of offwidth cracks, there's probably a few big bro's in a my pack also from a few years back...

IdratherbeclimbingM9

5-Sep-2007
9:13:17 AM

LOL

>Leading with a pack on, are you for real?

The original post did not have enough detail to work out the application. Could have been practising for mountaineering for all I knew, ... where light/fast and self contained is the norm?

If I was going to buy a 'cragging pack' today, I reckon the smallest size Black Diamond haul bag would be the go. Can't remember its specs off hand, but it is built of indestructo material, is about the size of a large day-pack (which it comfortably doubles as), but also has the ability to fold accoutrements out of the way and can be hauled as a streamlined item, ... which could be useful on multipitch where chimneys are involved.

Hey adski, you would be pleased to know I have taken a tip from the modern culture of boulderers. I no longer carry
>a large brush for keeping that grey beard looking respectably fluffy,
Instead I use a toothbrush!
8-)
Heh, heh, heh.

sliamese

7-Sep-2007
6:58:48 PM

i wouldnt buy black diamamond packs, there normal ones wear out waaay too quick, and metolius haulbags seem to be better. i use a grivel alpine light 42L pack, is awesome. been used to crag and also 3 day missions. only US$150 online and here in a week! any pack about 45L will be great! then you could use it while leading if u wanted to!

but id reccomend spending a few extra bucks now for a better pack, its always worth getting the best if your gonna use it!!!

Tris

7-Sep-2007
8:16:14 PM

If you have a massive bag you can use it as a sleeping bag in an emergency bivy.

But that's not usually an issue.

I like the mont quartz:

http://www.mont.com.au/index/catalog/product/099

And the Lowe Alpine Bear tooth 45L

http://www.lowealpine.com/Products/Detail.asp?ProductTypeID=12&ProductGroupID=845&Position=5&SpecificActivityID=

The quartz is heavier, but more durable, the bear tooth is lighter, comes with a rain cover and has a mesh-less air zone on the back (like a mesh air zone, except without the mesh, which = less surface area to prevent the sweat being evaporated).

The quartz is a little bigger in terms of overall size, but you can still get a fair amount in the bear tooth, also the bear tooth has top and bottom loading, the quartz only has top.

My pick out of the two would be the bear tooth, but depending on your needs the quartz might work out better for you.

I have used both of these packs. I also sell both of them (in a gear store in queensland).

Tris

wallwombat

7-Sep-2007
8:38:08 PM

I want one of these.

http://www.cilogear.com/40lws.html

Unfortunately I will have to get one from the US.

sliamese

8-Sep-2007
11:30:58 PM

dont get the quartz unless u plan on skating/snowboarding!! its got this gay flap on the front which just adds bulk and is shite! also hip pads are massive! theyre ok but theres much better out there for climbing!

stingray4100

9-Sep-2007
7:26:11 AM

On 4/09/2007 wallwombat wrote:
>Check out JBM's 'Packs for Sale" thread. He had a Black Diamond Predator
>45 liter pack going for $120. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Hi All,
I checked out the JBM thread and picked up a sweeeeet Marmot Eiger for $70 bucks - couldn't go wrong at that price. Perfect size for the climbing gear, but if I work hard enough at it, I reckon it would do for lightweight overnighters as well. Thanks Brad and Wombat for the suggestion.

cheers

Paul

crackers

12-Sep-2007
7:35:51 AM

I'm currently looking for a distributor for your neck of the woods. I do ship down there fairly often, but it would be a lot easier to have distribution, wouldn't it? Sorry.

A fellow from NZ who works for a certain NZ pack company picked one up from me for his trip to Shishapangma, and he told me that he'd try to find somebody who might be interested when he got back from the Himalaya. So there might be some developments in this regard over the next six months, but who knows...

JBM

12-Sep-2007
8:48:59 AM

Hi All -

I've got the following Cilogear packs if anyone wants to have a look at one:

1) 60L Worksack (old model)
2) 60l Worksack new dynamite model
3) 45 Liter worksack new model

The packs are sweet. Just used my new 60l in Peru. It survived stupid loads, being strapped to a donkey (many times) and cinced to many taxi rooftops used as a dufflebag.

They rock...hence why I am selling all the other packs.

B

There are 15 messages in this topic.