Ice Climbing pack

What pack and its features do you like for ice cragging  and same question for multipitching ice climbs?

I have so many packs...  but for ice cragging, the features I like are: external crampon attachment,  very easy to use ice tool attachment (this means either metal tabs and bungee or nice big buckles), rope strap and side compression straps with buckles. My favourite pack is a CCW chernobyl, but I bet a valdez would work great, too. I also like my BD speed packs and the one that seems to be getting the most use at the moment is a Lowe Alpine Alpine Attack 40:50.  for multipitch ice, I'm a big fan of small, sil-nylon, backpacks like Salewa's Vector UL series. I don't really like having gloves and a belay jacket hanging from my harness, so I stuff it all in a tiny little backpack. 

t.farrell wrote:

Honestly, they’re all kinda the same in that they will all be missing one feature that you think is really great on some other pack.

Ha, yes!

I like them pretty simple. I have a few packs in different sizes that are basically the same other than the suspension (or lack thereof). These are custom so they do have pretty much everything *I* want. 

- Reasonably durable (most packs at the shop fail on the first requirement) and water resistant

- no superfluous breakable shit (side zippers, other gadgets etc..)

- double daisies (primarily used to carry crampons)

- rope strap over the top

- modern tool attachment with buckles (I personally hate fiddling with those metal shock cordy things through tool heads with gloves on) and a fabric slot so the picks don't swing around

- side compression straps

- simple cinch + optional roll top (latter used in case significant precip). I hate brains, more fuss. 

- zippered backpad compartment so I can easily replace the foam with an inflatable mattress on overnights

- a separate pocket for Avy stuff (or I guess belay jacket if you really want, as mentioned above) can be clipped to either one

- the bigger pack has removable hip belt padding with option for simple 1in webbing, a plastic framesheet w/ alu rod, diag ski carry strap, and wand pockets because I'm more likely to strap a bunch of shit to the sides (helps with trekking poles, shovel handles etc..) 

I'd rather use the smaller one for multipitch (obviously) if I'm climbing with it on and don't have a lot of stuff to bring (eg overnight gear). I do have a little ~5oz stripped down CAMP Ghost that I bring along as a lead pack if it's more "cragging multipitch" and it's a quick climb I'm rapping back down. It only fits my puffy and mitts. Wearing it here. 

t.farrell

Honestly, they’re all kinda the same in that they will all be missing one feature that you think is really great on some other pack.

respectfully, I disagree. I’ve had many packs over the years, but for the last 10+ have used only two Cold Cold World packs, one for rock and one for winter / alpine work. I firmly believe they are hands down the best climbing specific packs available.

http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/

I love CCW but I personally want a framesheet on an overnight pack (I'm weak). 

CCW are beautiful packs, very comfy to climb with too. But shit, too strappy, and the damn opening isn’t very wide, so I find it very annoying to pack and unpack. Seriously a shame, I should alter the shroud and flare it out, so it more easily folds over the top while packing. But things like that, ie ease of packing unpacking can make it nice or shitty to use the pack. I cut off the buckle for ice tools and crampons also—I don’t like fixed items. When not in use, I don’t like all that crap dangling around. Well built and beautiful packs though, I should have chosen different feature sets when I ordered. My fault. 

RWPTwrote:

What pack and its features do you like for ice cragging  and same question for multipitching ice climbs?

I’ll tell you a really cool opening, in terms of a feature I don’t see other places, is my Millet Trilogy 35. It’s like a roll top opening, but it also has a zipper at the top. The whole thing extends or folds down in a slick way I haven’t seen on other packs. People shit on zippers a lot for climbing packs—-zippers are convenient, if they don’t fail. 

For cragging, I've been pretty happy with the Osprey Mutant 52.  Plenty of room for a big belay jacket, layers, mittens, 700 pairs of climbing gloves, Thermos, snacks, etc.  I also appreciate an exterior crampon pouch, but the Mutant comes with a climbing helmet sling, which makes attaching your helmet and tools to the exterior pretty easy.  It's nice having the helmet strapped to the front, center and not occupying space within the pack.  For long approaches, I've found the Mutant to be pretty comfortable, too.

I agree with the Osprey Mutant. Really wonderful pack all around

Thanks all. Leaning towards arcteryx as I hear it climbs well and hmg because its dyneema and waterproof 

I also like the Osprey Mutant 38 enough room if you're splitting gear with your partner. For multi pitch I use a simple nylon pack 15-20 liters with no padding, no waist belt, no hood just an external pocket. All I carry is a belay puffy, extra gloves and maybe the route is long enough a Thermos. That's it. It does require that we return to the base but that doesn't seem to be an issue around here

i personally really dislike the roll top design on the Alpha FL, which is why I went with the Patagonia Ascensionist. 

I like the Alpha FL packs for carryover climbs, where you need to use the same pack for the approach and climb and you cannot leave a pack at the start of the route.  

Otherwise, I much prefer to use an Osprey Mutant (or similar pack that carries heavy loads well) for the approach and a BD Blitz (or similar small and compact bag) on the climb.  Unless you are doing alpine big walls, I think having two separate packs is the best way to go.  

I have an alpha fl. ripped a big hole on its first climb. easy enough to fix with tenacious tape, but made me question all the claims of the “tough fabric”. Super comfy to climb in. hardly notice it. don’t care for the shock cord/tool attachments, easily removed (which I did). Very resistant to rain or wet snow. zippered pocket (I have the pre 2020 version) sucks if the pack is full. oh well. really about as simple a pack as it gets though, which is good or bad depending on your sense of aesthetic. I like simple, so I think it’s a great “on route” pack. as opposed to a poster above, I like the roll top extension and the shape. seems wider at the top, so it’s easy to get in/out of. wish the CCW had that instead of the (crappy) extension it has.

On an alpha FL with the shock cord removed, how do you attach your tools? 

billy harasykowrote:

On an alpha FL with the shock cord removed, how do you attach your tools? 

I don’t. I carry them in my hand.

I like a tough, compact backpack. As simple as possible. Possibilities to attach 2 tools and crampons outside as well as rope outside. Being able to haul it in a secure way is also important. 

Acteryx alpha FL 30 is good so is the Exped Black Ice 30 or the Exped Serac 35 and you also have cuben fiber options (Prism etc...) if you re richer than me. 

Use my Exped Black Ice 30 for ice cragging, ice multiptiches (on the back or hauled) for the approach as well as the climb, also use this pack for summer mountaineering; ski touring and freeride - Keep things simple

I have an Alpha AR 55 for cragging because I bring a lot of stuff. Had to modify the plastic clips that capture the brain closure loops but I like it overall. It's certainly comfortable and light.

My Mammut Trion Zip 28 is a great small pack for multi-pitch.

 I want to add that, for multipitch, if you re organized, one pack for 2, when you re climbing, is more than enough (carried by the follower), here is what we carry with my partner(s):

Emergency food (like 4 energy bars)
One litre of water
2 belay jackets
1 extra pair of glove per person
One shovel, one probe (if needed)
Small emergency kit (band aids, headlamps, emergency blanket etc...)
Car key

That's about it, the rest in on your person, you don't need a gigantic pack to carry that.

Most of the time, the rest (more food, more water, trekking poles, etc...) stays at the bottom of the fall in the other backpack