What are your favorite packs for both multipitch and cragging?

Thoughts? Any bags that do both well? I'd ideally like to carry a rope, rack, shoes, helmet, harness etc

Metolius Sentinal..
For gear intensive routes, big enough and strong enough.
To big for you minimalist chaps.. get the express or the mescalito. You can't go wrong with these beauties!

Different size packs for different uses. I'm sure you can find one that will do both, but it won't be as good as the individual ones for the specific use.

For carrying on a multipitch, you want as small as possible to carry what you need. That will vary depending on whether you are carrying shoes for the descent. Some people prefer to clip everything to their harness, but that is strictly a personal preference over carrying a small pack. Neither is right or wrong.

For cragging, you can carry a much larger pack to stow everything.

Metolius Sentinal would be alright if you were actually hauling the bag but you wont want to want to carry it up a route of any length

I use a Black Diamond Speed 22 for "up and over" climbing/guiding in Eldorado and Red Rock. It will hold a double rack of cams, harness, chalkbag, shoes, water, extra clothes, with helmet and rope carried on the outside. Comfortable on the approach, and not too big to wear while climbing.

For cragging, I think the Black Diamond Creek 35 is one of the best packs I've ever used.

slevin wrote:I use a Black Diamond Speed 22 for "up and over" climbing/guiding in Eldorado and Red Rock. It will hold a double rack of cams, harness, chalkbag, shoes, water, extra clothes, with helmet and rope carried on the outside. Comfortable on the approach, and not too big to wear while climbing. For cragging, I think the Black Diamond Creek 35 is one of the best packs I've ever used.

I have a 30 year old Black Diamond Son of Crag, that has been bombproof, I felt a loyalty to the
brand,
I replaced the pack out of appreciation, not need.

I chose a Black Diamond, Stone 45,
the pack is light enough and carries very well with 35 lbs loads.
A side zipper + top loader, with a removable top, a basic time tested design.
With side compression straps that will carry Skis or ropes.
Noticeably streamlined, I made the mistake of getting a black colored one.
In my defense I saw a bright blue 'Draw cord' top collar,
and thought that like all Black Diamond packs in the past, the bag would be lined in blue. It is not.

The Stone 45 is a single layer of sewn pieces, no beefy ski guard sides or crampon proof front .,
in extremes, loaded, stashed or dropped one might have to worry about pack / seam failure. ( in black it is hard to see into it,)

I added a very thin foam sheet & nylon stuff sack, reducing the packs' volume from the 2900 sq.in. original. But giving the bulletproof feel of a haul bag.

The extra bag allows for leaving things & climbing with the stripped down Stone45., where again you feel the lack of a full strength loop Is real negligence .

My customization - The thin foam, stuff sack & dual haul straps have some draw backs. A bit less streamline & the thin ensolite foam yoga style mat needs to be kept in the large stuff sack.
But are needed imo.

This is no 30 year pack,
or a good pick for daily use,
if I was in Colorado I would be replacing this
I hope to get 3 years of 15 weekends out of it though, so for me right tool for the job.

The problem is the Total lack of a of durability or a full strength anything.
There is no redundancy built into the current packs from Black Diamond.

I have added a 2 strap haul system 1 of 9/16 & 1 of 1inch tubular webbing, these wrap around
the pack going through the slot where the waist belt has a dedicated sleeve.

My world is not all flat approaches to nice level starts, I often want to anchor my bag to the slope or the base.
I think that the Black Diamond Stone45 .& the Line is a disposable one season line of packs,
with planned obsolescence built in.

Cold Cold World Ozone. Add a custom removable lid. 20 year lifespan, big enough to carry your stuff, small enough to climb with. Mine is a daily driver, and it's awesome.

coldcoldworldpacks.com/ozon…

Join the cult.

^^^^
+1 CCW
Once you have one, you'll know.

I use a Kelty 90L. People love to tell me it's too big, but it fits me well, stores everything I need with ease, and is comfortable. It cinches down just fine to stop things flopping around inside, and I don't have to worry about packing things just so or hanging anything on the outside.

I am a huge fan of Cold Cold World
&
For the choice of the one pack to do it all :

FISH Products, makes a do everything quater-size haul bag,

The Atom Smasher Deluxe, (you need a lid).
The bag is well copied, but the knock offs can't compare to the original .
( with drain holes and a zippered pouch )

I Also
still have a old Granite Gear, a Wild Country, a very old Lowe,
And a

26 year old North face that is identical in design to the stone 45
but has a vertical Velcro, storm flap that protects the burly zipper,
is fully double lined with full strength daisy chain & haul points etc.

I would Go with boomproof strength, over light is right, when it comes to packs.

There are hundreds, of backpacks to choose from.

For multi-pitch climbs, I'll carry the 20+-year-old 'bullet' off my BD Super Genius. The Bullet holds a quart of water, shell jacket, munchies and descent shoes. It's also super-clean so it doesn't hang up on anything, and has a tiny excuse of a waist belt that doesn't interfere with a harness.

The Super Genius itself is a good one, but can be a little small. I upgraded to the Mtn. Hardwear Splitter a few years ago, and like it very much. It holds and organizes *everything* thanks to internal gear loops and pockets. It also came with its own ground tarp. Since it's made of what amounts to truck-tarp vinyl, it stays dry and wears like iron.

I'll use the Splitter to lug stuff in to wherever I'm climbing, whatever I'm climbing. The Bullet gets crammed into the bottom for multi-pitch adventures. This system hasn't failed me yet.

Multipitch cragging: Take a 'big bag' i.e. Arc'Teryx Miura 50, carry an REI flash for wearing on route, or small Metolius harness mounted pack (do they make this anymore?), or best is no bag at all on route. Depends on route, weather, season, etc.

Multipitch alpine, or separate descent route: wear the helmet, smallest pack possible, often REI Flash 18 with added corrugated plastic sheet as frame, harness, rack, shoes inside, food and water, can wear the harness if needed. Single half ropes over the top of the pack (partner takes other), or full single tied as backpack and partner takes rack. Light is right. Even climbing with an 18L stinks as soon as it gets steep.

I use my BD Epic 45 for most cragging, multi-pitch, and alpine these days and Im really happy with it.

I got a Patagoina craigsmith 35L and love it. It is a little hard to pack a full trad rack + rope and draws, but awesome for sport climbing. If you carry the rope on the top then your have enough room for pretty much anything inside.

Eric K wrote:I got a Patagoina craigsmith 35L and love it. It is a little hard to pack a full trad rack + rope and draws, but awesome for sport climbing. If you carry the rope on the top then your have enough room for pretty much anything inside.

I have one also, and it's very good. the back opening is great for unloading and loading. Mine takes a full trad rack with one set of gear, plus shoes harness and helmet. The 60m rope attaches to the outside via the rope strap.
The shoulder and waist straps are comfy although a little short in the torso for me.
I haven't used a bladder in it yet.
The down side would be for me that there's no external pocket for a water bottle.

I've had my Cilogear Hauly30 for 6 or 7 years now. It is the most bomber pack I have ever had, it just got it's first hole this year. I can't wait to buy another one.

Linnaeus wrote:Even climbing with an 18L stinks as soon as it gets steep.

This. I like to go shoes, water bottle, and light shell clipped to harness, snack in the pocket. Or a low profile camelback for more water if it's hot or there's a lot of hiking involved. At least one headlamp for the two of you. Bonus points for a small roll of tape on your chalkbag belt or elsewhere for first aid etc. A backpack on steep terrain is so tiring it can ruin the fun of climbing, so if both partners want to free the gnar you will need to go as light as possible or haul a single bag for the team, possibly just on the crux pitches. A backpack allows room for luxuries like lunch and summit beers though...

slevin wrote:I use a Black Diamond Speed 22 for "up and over" climbing/guiding in Eldorado and Red Rock. It will hold a double rack of cams, harness, chalkbag, shoes, water, extra clothes, with helmet and rope carried on the outside. Comfortable on the approach, and not too big to wear while climbing. For cragging, I think the Black Diamond Creek 35 is one of the best packs I've ever used.

The BD Speed 22 (I have the new version) is a great pack for multi-pitch and alpine climbing. You can remove the foam insert, lid, and a few other straps to cut the weight almost in half... I find this really adds to the versatility of the bag.

Probably a bit too small for a day at the crags.

BD Creek 50 is great for cragging

I use an Osprey 33. It's super comfortable and the water bladder is awesome (I almost always bring and drink the full 3L when cragging), but I wish it were a little bigger. I've also realized that I probably could be more efficient with my space, as I've normally been bringing my pack, the rope in its own bag, and my rack on a gear sling. I could probably fit my rack in the bag and use the rope straps, but I do like having a rope bag or at least a tarp. What do you guys normally do when cragging if your pack isn't big enough to fit the rope in a rope bag?

Linnaeus wrote:Even climbing with an 18L stinks as soon as it gets steep.

Did a carry over on the complete north ridge of Stuart last year with a bivy mid route last August. Climbed with a 40L pack with the frame sheet out. Pad, 11oz bivy sack, a thin puffy, 3oz water filter, no sleeping bag, etc... As light as I could make it. However it was hot as shit, didn't expect any water on route. Leading out that first 5.8 pitch with 4 liters of water seeming like an angry midget strapped to my back was certainly woke me up. The 4 liters still wasn't enough.........should have started with less and moved faster.

For a small bag I have been using the flash 18 also, but those daisy chains don't inspire confidence and I frequently need to bring an axe. I just picked up the new BD speed 22 and it looks like it will perform great for those routes.