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What should I be looking for in a multi-pitch trad climbing pack?

Nick Drake · · Kent, WA · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 651
Parker Wrozek wrote:

As far as bags go the Tufa climbing mochilla bag is nice. If you add a waist belt to it...might be pretty perfect. 

It's faster than cramming the windshirt in the pocket that's typically too small to stuff fast.

Brie Abram · · Celo, NC · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 493

Our mochilla has a waist belt.

The arc alpha 30 is actually about 25L.

Rich Brereton · · Pownal, ME · Joined May 2009 · Points: 175
Mark Hudon wrote:

They certainly don't suck. For the size pack we are talking about here, and it's intended use, they are probably the best pack out there. They are not the most comfortable pack you'll ever own, but they will be the most indestructible pack you'll ever own.

Thanks for clarifying - for a sec I thought one of my climbing heroes was saying Metolius haul packs are crap!

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526
Nick Drake wrote:

It's faster than cramming the windshirt in the pocket that's typically too small to stuff fast.

I agree, especially if you are putting the windshirt on and off at every belay.  Stuffing them into the small pocket is a time-waster.

Nate K · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 240

BD speed zip 24 is good for full day climbs or overnights with a superlight bivy. Anything less than grade V I go with a BD bullet 16. 

Ken Duncan · · Ft Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2004 · Points: 5,719

I've got a Free Range Stud that I really like.  Tough, simple with haul straps and a top rope strap.  http://www.freerangeequipment.com/vertical-series/

z t · · Spokane, WA · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 1,112

Simplicity - I would recommend an REI Flash pack and remove the waste strap.

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

I don't know about all you other guys but when rgold writes something, I always read it. 

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Mark Hudon wrote:

I don't know about all you other guys but when rgold writes something, I always read it. 

Funny, I was going to say the same about Hudon.

Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

Ha! Thanks.

Andrew Rice · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 11
Kyle Espinosa wrote:

I've been looking at the new packs, but how do they suck in comparison to the older models?

You know, I have an Ascenionist 25L from a couple years ago and consider it a big miss by Patagonia. It's just ridiculously minimalist to the point of generic uselessness. I end up using any number of other non-climbing-specific packs way more often. 

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

I think the important takeaway from all the different posts here is that there is no one best system. It is all situational, depending on you, your partner, the route, the weather, etc. No pack, one pack, two smaller packs, hauling the pack on a tag line, huck and haul-- all have their merits. I've used each of those strategies at some point in the last year.

If you use the same approach every time, you should expand your thinking to include other strategies. The more tools you have in you quiver, the better you can adapt to each situation.

Hauling the pack ona skinny tag line is a great method in the right situation (steep and hard long routes) and is underutilized by most climbers.. 

Josh Kornish · · Whitefish, MT · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 800
JCM wrote:

I think the important takeaway from all the different posts here is that there is no one best system. It is all situational, depending on you, your partner, the route, the weather, etc. No pack, one pack, two smaller packs, hauling the pack on a tag line, huck and haul-- all have their merits. I've used each of those strategies at some point in the last year.

If you use the same approach every time, you should expand your thinking to include other strategies. The more tools you have in you quiver, the better you can adapt to each situation.

Hauling the pack ona skinny tag line is a great method in the right situation (steep and hard long routes) and is underutilized by most climbers.. 

+1

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

I agree about hauling a pack with a skinny tag line if the free climbing is "hard enough," whatever that means for the party involved, and in that case something super-burly like the Metolius packs Mark mentioned or the Free Range Stud pack Ken mentioned or the Cilogear 20L Hauly makes the most sense.  But if at all possible I try to avoid hauling, as it takes up time, can be tiring (especially with a thin line)  even with a little pack, and can lead to bad delays, say if the pack swings off route and hangs up. (Sometimes you don't realize how diagonal a pitch is until the pack swings way off to the side.)  Depending on the party's preferences and the details of the route, it can be better to "haul the second"---meaning have the second climb with the pack and with tension in the belay, not literally pull the second up---than to haul a pack. 

Having the pack dangle from the second's belay loop still forces the second to raise the pack weight.  If there isn't too much friction up above, the second can clove hitch the pack tether onto the climbing rope close to the second's tie-in knot, and then the belayer gets to raise the pack.  But for this to work, the belayer has to keep the belay snug, othwise a loop develops in front of the second and they are back to raising pack weight as well as having slack in their upper belay.

Paul Deger · · Colorado · Joined Sep 2015 · Points: 36

It does sound as though sub 20L is adequate for single day multi-pitch. Perhaps it has more space than I thought after adding my approach shoes for water, shell and snack.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Paul Deger wrote:

It does sound as though sub 20L is adequate for single day multi-pitch. Perhaps it has more space than I thought after adding my approach shoes for water, shell and snack.

A good approach is to have a small pack, and pare down your kit ruthlessly to fit. One of my favorite multipitch packs is 10L. The key is to take as little as you can get away with. So:

- MInimalist running shoes instead of burly approach shoes (90% of the time thats enough). Better yet, if you can get away with it, walk off in flip-flops. 

- Houdini instead of hard shell. Again, most of the time you don't really need a hard shell. For the times you do need one, make it the lightest one you can get. Alpine Houdini, etc.

- "Soft bottles" or a bladder instead of hard water bottles

- Nuts and bars instead of a sandwich. A ziplock of almonds and raisins can easily pack 1000 calories, and takes up little space.

- Pre-hydrate starting the night before (eat a very salty dinner, drink lots of water). This way you can get away with packing less water.

Once you do these things, you'll be surpised how little space you need. If you really need to go heavy and comfortable, that's where the haul pack comes in.

Nick Drake · · Kent, WA · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 651

Paul, adding on to JCM's comment about starting with a small bag. I used a BD speed 22 to do the north ridge of stuart, if you don't know that's a grade IV route with an approach that takes up and around the mountain over a few passes (think the whole route is 9,000 feet of elevation and maybe 14 miles). 

I carried a 60m rope INSIDE the pack. Only thing outside of it on the approach was a pair of aluminum pons. Even got the helmet outside. Nothing outside on route, lid was stuffed inside pack. 

For regular multipitch routes you really don't need much room. 

Sam RC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2016 · Points: 15

It's so easy to rip a jacket off your harness those stuff sack pockets are so flimsy. Also putting a pack off your belay loop below you in a chimney works ok 

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

I realized there is another issue lurking.  I've mentioned relatively small sizes because I'm thinking of the pack as being used on the climb itself, not for the approach.  In other words, I'm thinking primarily of climbs with very little approach or climbs where you go in with a bigger pack that is left at the base (or some other spot that you'll come back to).  But there are many situations in which the approach is significant and the return, which might also be significant, is not the same way.  In that case, you're likely to want your climbing pack to carry climbing gear as well as shells and puffies and shoes, and that suggests a little bit bigger bag then some of the sub-20L options discussed.

Phil Sakievich · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 131

The BD Creek 20 is awesome. Everyone talks about the 50, but the 20 is an amazing multipitch bag.  Durable material, no frills to hang up on, designed to turn into a haul bag if necessary, and has enough space to fit a ton of stuff.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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