Arcteryx Bora vs Alpha

Hi All,

I'm in a bit of a unique situation... I sent in my Miura 45 to get repaired at arcteryx and they lost the pack... not too big of a loss for me since I wasn't the biggest fan of it and they're offering me my choice of any pack on their line.

It looks like, for climbing packs, my options are going to be the Alpha 45 or Bora 50.

I was wondering if anyone who has experience with both packs could help me make a decision.

My main uses are sport climbing and multipitch trad climbing. While I'm not regularly going on alpine rock missions, I go on 1 or 2 a summer so something that would suit those needs would be great too.

The alpha looks like it'd suit my needs but I have some concerns about it. It's lightweight so I'm worried about durability(however... apparently if I send it back to arcteryx for repair I maybe get a brand new one haha). I'm also concerned that it wont have separate pocket space for stuff like my knife/wallet/phone/keys/snacks when I'm sport climbing since it looks pretty barebones. What about comfort, I notice the waist straps are pretty barebone, am I going to be pretty uncomfortable if I'm taking this thing on a 5 mile hike to my alpine climb?

The one thing I really hated about my miura is that I couldn't fit my rope, water, and sport rack in it unless I packed very efficiently... It looks like the alpha has a tie down strap for the rope though so that wont be an issue, right?

Anyways, let's hear the mountain project spray! which pack should I get?

I would get the Alpha, I have had a 30 for a while and i am not worried about its durability at all. It doesn't really have pockets like you said but the one zippered pocket on the front is enough for key's,wallet, cell phone. and I just use stuff sacks inside the thing to keep stuff organized.

I'm not familiar with the Bora, but I recently got an Alpha and I love it.  It seems very durable and OutdoorGearLab says it's burly - I trust them.  I find the pack very comfortable for loads up to 35lbs.  The only downside, for my use, is that it only has the single small stash pocket. Ideally, I would like one larger pocket or two small ones.  However, the simplicity of the pack is an asset when climbing.

For alpine rock climbs, the Alpha is the ideal pack for me.  I could easily use the Alpha FL 30 for any alpine rock route in the Cascades, but I pack light.  I went with the 45 because I need the space when I'm on alpine ice climbs or when hauling bivy gear.

Michael Diep wrote: if it doesn't cost you anything, get the bora dude.  it's really comfortable and materials seemed bomb proof.  I bought one and used it for a little bit and it's a great pack, but it's 3x more expensive, while not being 3x better than the next option.  I did the only sane thing to do which is return it for something different.

Bora 50: 77oz

Alpha FL45: 23oz

Big weight difference, if you care about such things.

So I just tried both of them on at a store... While the bora is 3 pounds heavier, it seems to be infinitely more comfortable. I'd be concerned about comfort of the alpha for 5+ mile alpine missions...

Can anyone comment on long distance comfort of the alpha?

Obviously climbing in the alpha will be easier but I usually bring a small 18L summit pack anyways(I guess I'd be fucked for climbs that don't take you back to the base though).

Nick Sweeney wrote:

Bora 50: 77oz

Alpha FL45: 23oz

Big weight difference, if you care about such things.

right, i noticed that right away; however, a lower weight is only meaningful if it will allow you to go longer distances... I feel like the comfort of the bora might make up for the weight difference

I've been using an Alpha pretty thoroughly this winter and I have a few minor criticisms, but comfort isn't one of them. The padding is thin, but surprisingly good. With SAR, I carry heavy loads fairly long distances and have never been found this pack uncomfortable. The little waterproof zipper pocket will hold a headlamp, keys, phone, wallet and that's it.The fabric does seem quite durable, especially given the weight. At 23 oz, a separate summit pack is hard to justify. Overall I like the pack a lot.

I made some modifications though. I added some shock cord through the small loops on the sides for a sleeping pad/trekking poles/snow shovel/probe etc. I ended up adding a little Outdoor Research water bottle pocket to the hip belt but it's not really ideal. I wish there was a water bottle pocket on at least one side or a hydration port and sleeve. I may add some pockets to the hip belt, something like this: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/beltpouch-padded.shtml.

The only other minor complaint is the back panel doesn't breath, but I see that as an acceptable trade off decision made for waterproofness in a bag that was designed primarily for use in ice and snow. In hot weather I may use a more breathable Osprey but in colder weather the Alpha has been really great!

Not to derail the thread, but what are other people doing for hydration with this pack?

   

dsauerbrun wrote:

right, i noticed that right away; however, a lower weight is only meaningful if it will allow you to go longer distances... I feel like the comfort of the bora might make up for the weight difference

The weight difference is huge - and the Alpha is a comfortable pack.  I have never found myself in a situation where my pack was uncomfortable enough that I aborted a climb - what are you carrying?! I've done 22+ mile days on car to car alpine climbs and have never noticed an uncomfortable pack, probably because I pack so light.  My packs never weigh more than 20lbs on car to car missions.  If you plan on backpacking or like to carry a ridiculously heavy pack, then maybe the Bora is a good option. 

Nick Sweeney wrote:

The weight difference is huge - and the Alpha is a comfortable pack.  I have never found myself in a situation where my pack was uncomfortable enough that I aborted a climb - what are you carrying?! I've done 22+ mile days on car to car alpine climbs and have never noticed an uncomfortable pack, probably because I pack so light.  My packs never weigh more than 20lbs on car to car missions.  If you plan on backpacking or like to carry a ridiculously heavy pack, then maybe the Bora is a good option. 

Rack/rope (5 pounds or 8.5 if i've got the rope), harness/helmet/shoes/etc...(probably another 3 pounds), jacket(1 pound), snacks(.5 pound), 3L water(6.5 pounds). This is just the stuff I can think of which amounts to 16/19.5 pounds so I guess I'm probably under 20... it always seems heavier at altitude though :(

dsauerbrun wrote:

Rack/rope (5 pounds or 8.5 if i've got the rope), harness/helmet/shoes/etc...(probably another 3 pounds), jacket(1 pound), snacks(.5 pound), 3L water(6.5 pounds). This is just the stuff I can think of which amounts to 16/19.5 pounds so I guess I'm probably under 20... it always seems heavier at altitude though :(

Then why would you buy a pack that is three times heavier and designed for carrying heavy loads? Sounds like you have things plenty light to use a minimalist pack. 

One thing that really lightened my pack weight was to never carry more than 1 liter of water unless it is absolutely necessary - I usually can fill water from snow melt or streams along the way.  Obviously this doesn't work everywhere.  Good luck with your choice, I don't think you can go wrong between those two packs!

Nick Sweeney wrote:

Then why would you buy a pack that is three times heavier and designed for carrying heavy loads? Sounds like you have things plenty light to use a minimalist pack. 

because the pack will mostly be used for cragging... I'm just one of those assholes who wants to buy one piece of gear that will do everything without sacrificing anything.

My Bora 50 is great for overnight/2 night backcountry trips, it's sturdy, comfortable and carries well on rough terrain (bushwhacking, boiler fields and negotiating downed trees). I just don't see it as a cragging pack, though. the idea of leaving a $500 pack sitting at the base of a multi-pitch climb while I'm gone for up to a full day is a little scary.

Slightly unrelated, Black Diamond made or still makes (I’m not sure) a pack with a similar hip belt. I’ve used it for ages and love it. It’s called the infinity 60. 

Get the Bora. Sell it for 350 dollars. Spend 150 dollars on a dedicated crag pack, spend 150 dollars on a dedicated alpine pack. Keep 50 dollars for beer.

DRusso wrote: Get the Bora. Sell it for 350 dollars. Spend 150 dollars on a dedicated crag pack, spend 150 dollars on a dedicated alpine pack. Keep 50 dollars for beer.

very tempting, but also pretty unethical :( I already went with the Bora anyways... I'm hoping to get out to the winds this summer so maybe i wont regret my decision for that trip