Fish Atom Smasher

Looking into picking one of these up to use as a crag pack. Anyone used one for this purpose? What do you love / dislike about the pack. It looks pretty rad to me.

Thanks man. Do you happen to know the volume of this pack?

From the given dimensions, I'd say it's around 40 liters.

It's awesome; I've had mine for 5 years and have beat the crap out of it. No other crag pack will stand up to the abuse a smasher can take, and the price is right. I have no dislikes; it is a super tough tube of fabric to dump all my shit in.

I recommend getting the "delux" version with the draw cord on the top.

As far as size, I can fit a rope, double rack, shoes, helmet, harness, water, and a bit of food in mine. Everything I need for a day of cragging.

Go for it; you won't be disappointed.

Aaron Nash wrote:It's awesome; I've had mine for 5 years and have beat the crap out of it. No other crag pack will stand up to the abuse a smasher can take, and the price is right. I have no dislikes; it is a super tough tube of fabric to dump all my shit in. I recommend getting the "delux" version with the draw cord on the top. As far as size, I can fit a rope, double rack, shoes, helmet, harness, water, and a bit of food in mine. Everything I need for a day of cragging. Go for it; you won't be disappointed.

So true, almost all of (brother) FISH products will out live you. you can count on it surviving your adventures
Also there may be a few upgrades possible if you ask nicely, and offer to pay, to add a pocket just under the top edge. And a flat full length pouch down the back, for an ensolite pad.
It's been 15yrs so ymmv, but if you ask &(maybe) buy Russ a beer*
( *Is the link to do that still there?) ~the Deluxe is the way to Go.

The best crag pack ever. My first one survived 10 years of weekly abuse including a several walls. As the gents above point out, get the deluxe.

A better alternative is the Cilogear Big Hauly. 60liters, muy mucho more comfortable. Has a lid as well. The Fish sac will outlive you unless you are hauling it, the Cilogear would as well, but it's made out of Cordura. If you are Mostly carrying it any amount of time, Cilogear. Mostly hauling: Fish, but you'll hate hiking it in-) . 

Another vote for the Atom Smasher. It's my second. Wore out the first one (but I bought it moderately beat up already from a guy who was hauling it).

I took an old foam pad and cut it to fit the inner diameter of the pack, rolled up end to end. Works perfectly for padding the back and keeping the bag stiff so it stands on it's own. I recommend laying a nice thick bead of seamgrip across all the seams on the bottom when you get it - the seams are raised and consequently all the wear on the bottom is concentrated right there.

I have one, its awesome. Got it for walls and ended up using it as my go-to crag pack. You'll get used to packing the #5 away from your back. Definitely worth it, and you're supporting an awesome small business while you're at--and getting a damn good deal.

Atom Smasher is a great pack. Carries well, especially if you flake your rope into the bottom of the pack.

Cilogear is great, but you will wait a long time to get your pack unless you happen to find one on the shelf. My Cilogear orders have taken from 3-8 months. Love their packs, but you really have to plan ahead to get one.

YMMV

Anybody have some decent pictures? The one on their website is small and doesn't give a great idea of what the pack looks like.

I don't know if this helps...

Dave K wrote:

http://www.fishproducts.com/catalog/haul_bags.html

38 liters, deluxe is 51 liters

Never owned one but I've carried them a few times. They carry like what you would expect them to be: a tube with no suspension or padding. Bearable for short approaches but not built for comfort.

Personally I don't see the point in using a mini haulbag as a crag pack. The situations where it makes sense to haul a crag pack are next to zero. There are other packs out there made of the durable plasticy suff that fit and function more like backpacks.

One looks super fly with an atom smasher though! Big street cred points at the crag is not to be overlooked as a "feature"! 

They are horrendous to hump any kind of load in any distance at all (mine hurts on my 200ft uphill hike home w groceries from the car) but they are a dream to use on the wall (great size for quick access and will get passed down to your kids).

Alex Styp wrote:

One looks super fly with an atom smasher though! Big street cred points at the crag is not to be overlooked as a "feature"! 

They are horrendous to hump any kind of load in any distance at all (mine hurts on my 200ft uphill hike home w groceries from the car) but they are a dream to use on the wall (great size for quick access and will get passed down to your kids).

1 - The first rule of climbing: Look cool. Atom Smasher helps with this immensely.

2 - See my post above. Just stick an old thermarest inside to line the walls. Makes it infinitely more comfortable. It feels like any other alpine pack with no frame, just a foam pad, e.g. Cold Cold World, Patagonia Ascenionist, etc. Obviously a pack with a proper frame will (generally) be the most comfortable. But no style points.

Dave K wrote:

Never owned one but I've carried them a few times. They carry like what you would expect them to be: a tube with no suspension or padding. Bearable for short approaches but not built for comfort.

Alex Styp wrote: They are horrendous to hump any kind of load in any distance at all (mine hurts on my 200ft uphill hike home w groceries from the car) but they are a dream to use on the wall (great size for quick access and will get passed down to your kids).

Atom Smashers (and other haulbags) can be quite comfortable after you dial in how you pack. The stuff you put inside of the bag is the suspension system and padding. I've carried loads in my Atom Smasher on all sorts of approaches and descents without discomfort. Play around with where you put cams, jackets, rope, etc and you will find a system that works.

Dave K wrote:

Or buy a backpack that doesn't require you to do all that shit just to be comfortable.

If you can't pack and backpack properly you shouldn't be climbing. 

that guy named seb wrote:

If you can't pack and backpack properly you shouldn't be climbing. 

thank you, we agree on this. packing is an essential skill and shouldn’t take an overwhelming amount of thought 

Dave K wrote:

lol, are we gatekeeping now ?

Hey man if you can't do basic shit you shouldn't be out there doing stuff that actually requires thought, you wouldn't go big walling if you cant set up a tent. It's hardly gate keeping.