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25-30L Ice Pack?
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As the title indicates, I’m looking in buy a 25-30L pack for multi-pitch ice and fast/light alpine routes. Here’s what I’m considering: 1. Osprey Mutant 28 2. Arc’teryx Alpha FL 30 3. Patagonia Ascentionist 30 4. CiloGear WorkSack 30 I’ve also check HMG, Wild Things & Alpine Luddites. HMG doesn’t appear to make an ice-specific 30L pack & Wild Things doesn’t appear to be making too many mountain-specific products anymore. I’m not that interested in the CCW Ozone, and as much as I’d love a custom Alpine Luddites pack, it’s just not in my price range. I guess I want this pack to be as light & packable as possible, within my budget, so I can haul it in my main pack to the base of a climb, etc. The more I can strip it down, the better I guess. Out of the above-listed packs, which one would you go with & why? |
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I've used an Alpha FL 30 for the last two seasons and I love it. Lightweight, fits everything I need, comfortable enough for long days in the backcountry. I tried out pretty much every lightweight ice pack out there before I bought this one and haven't felt a single shred of regret for buying it. |
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Black diamond blitz 28 L I use the 20 L version and like it, definitely strippable |
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bringing tears to my eyes.... Looks like Patagonia dropped the 35L??? WTF that pack was perfect, so what if it had a removable hip belt and frame that you needed to throw in the garbage day one...!!! That doesn’t mean that we wanted your compressionless and shotty ice tool attachment of the 25L...!!! And then someone down there got a clue that the 45L was an oxymoronic design but then made some quasi smaller but feature stripped variant. How did they release something so perfect and then ‘distil’ it so badly? Now it looks like they’ve got some Velcro tool attachments? Great just how I wanted to hold on to my $400 tools while moving in the mountains... Hope you can still clip into compression straps as it was meant to be. As a male who wears size large clothing the 35L just barely but DID fit everything I needed, not sure how the 30L would handle that. Just like my transporter gloves, probably an item I should have bought two of when I had the chance! |
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Cilo gear, hands down. I’ve had my 30L worksack for 5 years, and it is in great shape—minus a few holes from dragging it up chimneys. It handles a full load with ease and also climbs well as a leader or follower pack. The suspension is great, even for someone tall—I’m 6’3.” It easily carries ice gear plus boots and avi gear if doing a ski approach. |
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Black Diamond Stone 45, strips down & to make a very claimable simple sack.(great to sit on,or in extra straps and room can offer Multiple uses if crap happens) On the other hand theres this Creek 20 Smaller I was given something close to the Mammut Neon 12l I was walking the dog, Reading your post again. . . Im thinking some where in between. Pete Spri · 13 mins ago · Beat me to it; http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/valdez.htm And of Course Give A look at- -TUFA!- https://tufaclimbing.com/products/peaksa-clim JOSH Will Set You UP! , |
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With a little pack the outer attachment systems for crampons/tools are important to me since you're not going to fit much inside. I find the Patagonia and Arc ones less secure and annoying. I'm not sure the Patagonia has a crampon attachment. Cilo's system is probably good. From the big brands I like the BD Speed line. Cheap, easy enough to find on sale. Well designed with good attachments, strippable, not too heavy. I use the 30 without the brain and hipbelt padding (my preference regardless of weight) and it's under 2.5lb. Well under 2lb if you take out the frame sheet. I can reach around and take off a tool without taking the pack off which is nice sometimes. The material isn't that durable but you can't have it all. The CCW Valdez is a good day pack. It's actually not very big, no bigger than my Speed 30. |
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Wild Things makes the Guide Pack but good luck calling their customer service to place an order. Regardless, it’s a good pack. I vote for the FL30. It’s simple and utilitaran, not to mention durable. |
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I've used extensively the Ascensionist 25, Alpha FL 30, the HMG Summit Pack, and HMG 2400 Ice Pack (both standard and full Dyneema versions). My favorite smaller pack is the Tufa Mochilla, and my favorite larger pack is the HMG Dyneema Ice Pack. The Ascensionist wasn't as comfortable as any of the others, and it was by far the least durable. The Alpha 30 was fantastic is general, but the shock cord on mine wore out pretty quickly. Arc'teryx will warranty that, though. I did eventually wear some holes in it despite it being pretty robust. One of my favorite packs. The HMG Ice Pack is by far the most comfortable larger pack for hiking in. Even if you don't use the waistbelt, it still carries well. I had ski edges cut slices into the sides of my standard HMG Ice Pack. Though advertised as pretty tough, the standard cuben hybrid fabric abrades easily. I upgraded it to the full Dyneema when Backcountry had them mistakenly listed at the Standard price. It's a tank. Completely different fabric and experience. After loving the Dyneema Ice Pack, I bought an HMG Dyneema Summit Pack. The Summit Pack is a good size. Without any back padding, it's not very comfortable unless you are very careful about how you pack it. My favorite pack, if I can get away with it, is now the Tufa Mochilla. I have the D40 super burly version that isn't available at the moment, but I believe he has some other options that are nearly as indestructible. Supposedly the Heather LS-42 is pretty tough. Get the daisy chains and elastic web option for tools and crampons. Go with roll top. It will hold just shy of 25L at full extension. Carries and climbs better than any pack I've ever owned. https://tufaclimbing.com/products/peaksa-clim Not ice specific and lacking outside daisies, but here is what one can hold: |
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I'm not posting for your specific question, but for others who may search ice climbing packs in the future. I'm utterly new to ice, so a whole crew helped me get equipped for my first trip. One of the real difficulties was finding a pack. I am 4' 11", and about 18" on the back length. edit: 18 is a typo. Just shy of 16". For a variety of reasons, we went with the BD Ascent series Mission 35. S/M, the smallest size, fits me quite nicely. On the long slog back, when I was very tired, I didn't even have the hip belt buckled and it was comfortable and carried well. Stuffed with 1/3 more crap than I used, lol! The crampon pouch easily took the venerable charlet Moser super12 crampons I had on loan. These are adjusted with a screwdriver, so once set for my boots, not folded up. The pack is a fairly skinny profile, part of what my dinky frame needs. This will now also be my crag bag for trips. And, I'm sure hoping more ice! :-) It was just under $150, with the holiday deals, which was also pretty important. Money isn't as tight as it was, but still tight. Best, OLH |
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I was in the same boat you were in few weeks ago. I wanted to at new leader pack that’s compact enough to stowe in my 50L. I went to the Mountaineer and bought a yellow Gregory 18L pack. Nick gave me 20% off so the price like $58. It’s great all the routes from Multi Gully to Chouinard’s to PT and Neurosis. Any route you’re going to rack up at the bottom climb up and come back down. That pack fits a 16 oz Nalgene, three pairs of gloves, a belay jacket, a energy bar and a small what if kit (spare pick, tape, wrenches). I have a cilogear 30L worksack but I use that on something I’m going walk off or put in some miles for like Cascade Falls, Shoestring Gully or LHMW to the Cleft.
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https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/core-28l/ I know... you're gonna say, "that's no ice pack". The thing is, it matches your desire for lightweight, 25-30L, AND it's packable. AND cheap- $85 bucks! Rigging two axe heads to the daisy chain loops is a snap with the axes secured at the top by the shock cord which also holds your crampons. I love the simplicity, weight, and, cheap too. |
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I’ve been using a CCW Valdez for the last half dozen years or so and love it. Started using a BD Blitz 28 for shorter adventures this year and it’s a pretty solid pack. If you read this Helen - get someone who knows what they’re doing to measure your torso length. I’m an Osprey certified pack fitter - you’re not 18”. I’m about 5’9” and measure 18”+ for torso length. Most manufacturers tools would probably have you measure similar to Osprey. You’re gonna have a hard time getting a properly fitted pack. |
Mark NH wrote: Uh, oops, typo. I had REI and a friend both measure, by the directions online. Just shy of 16", and right at the bottom on the BD charts, 15 1/2". I chatted online live with a sales rep, and had them confirm that the pack would indeed fit me, even though it listed a broad range on the size. I've been burned by "fudging" on sizes more than once. And, the pack does fit nicely. It is not nearly as skinny on me as on a full size person, but it is still narrow enough to work well. Basically a full size pack, for me. Thanks! I'll edit upstream. I mainly posted for others who may be an outlier on sizes. And, it's a fine size as an only pack for a hike in, easy day, ice trip, for this neophyte, at least. Best, Helen |
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If you want something that will disappear at the bottom of your main bag, and is the lightest, check out the Arc'teryx Cierzo 28. I use the 18 as a leader and/or follower pack and love how light, versatile, and packable it is. |
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Big fan of the Alpha FL 30 I love how it carries tools and crampons and that pack fabric is great. |
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I already offered this on another thread, but: those BD Blitz packs are crap. I had to throw mine away after 6 days of climbing; it was shredded beyond redemption. |
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Didnt read all the responses but check out the REI flash 22 |
Paul Morrison wrote: My Blitz 20 has already been up a few mixed routes (i.e. not super easy on it) and a bunch of ski tours; I'd say it has 10-20 days on it. So far it's holding up great. Maybe you got a bad pack or maybe I just haven't beat mine around enough yet to tell, but my outlook is currently more optimistic. I will definitely keep an eye on it and be wary of issues, but looking ok so far. |
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Not trying to be a dick but it sounds like you don't really know what you want. I think most of these 25-30L packs are designed to be "standalone" for your hike in, strap all your crap to 'em, then climb with them with just your layers / food / water in the bag. I think compressing down an Osprey Mutant 28 or Cilo 30L into a bigger bag would just be annoying and impractical. As such, I wouldn't even consider how "foldable" they are as something worth thinking about. I think it is more doable to cram all your stuff into a 30Lish pack for a cragging day with tools, crampons, and rope strapped to the outside. I've had good luck with the Cilo 30L and the Cold Cold World Valdez in this capacity. If you're thinking of a "leader pack" that's tiny and folds into a bigger bag where essentially you're carrying a puffy jacket, some spare gloves and water, those tend to be like 20L-ish tops, and don't have outside lashing options for carrying tools and whatnot since it's assumed you got there with some other bigger bag to haul the rest of that stuff. I think of these smaller packs as being completely differently designed than the ones you're listing, and I'd look for different features in them. For examples here I'm thinking the tiniest BD Blitz, Cilo Leader Pack, or even those REI Flash packs as one poster suggested. Maybe the Patagonia Linked pack. If I were buying a 30ish liter pack for both carrying in and climbing, I'd look at BD Speed 30, CCW Valdez, Cilo 30, Patagonia Ascensionist 30, and Osprey Mutant 28, and make a choice based on how they feel on your back while swinging tools over your head. Key differentiators for me were the shape of the shoulder straps, how they met the pack in the "yoke" area behind my neck, and how the curvature of the straps felt across my chest / rib cage. I'd also load it up with the weight I envision for the approach and think about if the suspension is comfortable or not, and then meditate on my personal tradeoff between approach comfort and how it feels swinging tools overhead with only jacket / water / gloves in it. Put a helmet on and see if I can wear the pack in a way that feels sensible for leading and not have it annoyingly bonking the back of my helmet when I look up. I think this is all personal fit stuff like a boot, and hard to assess on the internet. Along these dimensions I described, the Cilo 30 fits me basically perfectly (in a size medium) for both approach and climbing (and it was good enough that I felt it was worth buying despite being one of the spendier options; I also had the luxury of being able to try on a friend's). The CCW Valdez is pretty tall and has the most comfortable shoulder straps but I'd bump my head on the pad looking up, but it also felt like the most durable / burly. The shoulder strap shape / yoke of BD Speed 30 doesn't fit me well, but I'm a skinny guy; seems like guys with bigger traps and pecs do just fine with the shape of this pack. The back shape of the Patagonia 30 pack was weird for me as well. |
