These streamlined packs have ample pockets to organize a range of mission-critical gear, whether it be sustainment gear and mags/ammo or daily-driver gear and hydration. In these situations, it's usually most comfortable to carry as much gear as possible in/on your daypack for the hiking instead of letting it jangle around on your harness or a shoulder sling. This organizational monster, the new TOWER 47, is feature-filled with the functions you demand as a climber.
Almost all of our packs were hydration system compatible, with sleeves or pockets along the back to tuck a bladder, a hole through the top to pass a hose, and tabs on the shoulder straps to secure a bite valve. The Rock Blitz is a comfortable pack for medium to taller folks. From the glacier-polished granite of El Capitan to the coarse volcanic phonolite of Devil's Tower, we climbed steep crimps, featureless slabs, strenuous chimneys, and even hauled these packs to in our efforts to select the best. Contribute.
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Its perfect for climbers with a bit more to carry or for climbers of a taller stature.
Our testers found this to be sufficient for all but the most problematic hauling. Jeff tests the Tower 47 on the crag. We also really appreciate the Black Diamond Bullet for those that want a super streamlined option and the Petzl Bug for an impressive combo of comfort and volume.
There are no restrictions on filling the main compartment of your bag with books, avocados, or anything else.
External pockets with a "bag" on the inside of the pack can be harder to use because they get squished by whatever is inside the pack.
These packs can be used as an everyday backpack while still supplying the mission-specific needs you may require. Other factors, like the density of the weave or additional coatings, can affect abrasion resistance and muddle denier's descriptive usefulness. We think this is especially useful on trips where you hike into a base camp with overnight loads and climb several long climbs over successive days, as you might do in Wyoming's Wind River Range or California's Sierra Nevada. All of the contenders in our test have slightly different back lengths and shapes.
Most climbers we know wear packs mostly for long moderate routes where weight is less important. In turn, these heavier materials add durability.
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The amount of padding on the shoulder straps of our tested packs varied but was always adequate. The design of the pack is the shape and layout of features, the location of the seams, redundancy of haul loops, etc.
This is the pack for that C2C backcountry day you've been scheming about. Profile: Wendy Bruere - More Than It Hurts, PROFILE - Marisa Michael - Nutrition for Climbers, Train the Mind: Mental Toughness Tips for Quaratraining, 8 Reasons I Carry a Full Rack on Every Trad Climb, Absolutely Hypothetical: Introducing the Graham Scale.
This is one of our trickier metrics, as there are endless ways to use a small backpack. The main compartment zipper is much deeper on one side than the other. Our testers compared all the top climbing packs on the market, keeping an eye out for comfort, versatility, ability to climb, pockets, and so on. This is the small pack for you, This well rounded pack is a good choice for long rock climbs, This eye-catching pack is great for all sorts of outdoor pursuits and okay for climbing too, This comfortable and versatile pack is ideal for climbers who want to dabble in other mountain sports.
The hip belts on these packs shouldn't be padded.
Padding is also of obvious importance. Overall, Mystery Ranchs foray into the wild world of crag-bags is a raging success. All the models except the BD Bullet have a few attachment points and a way to secure a rope. And the multiple PALS panels, both external and internal, add organization and tactical gear attachment options.
With over four decades of design and manufacturing experience coupled with simultaneous in-the-field testing and real-world hammering we've learned a thing or two about load transfer, active framing and the importance of using only the most top-shelf materials.
The Creek 20 as part of a simple hauling setup.
Most of the packs we tested are composed primarily of nylon. And, while its design is simple, this pack is only in the middle of our group when it comes to weight. This long and lean pack can simplify your on-the-go needs, whether its cities to warzones or anywhere in between; this will become your go-to performance pack. The potential emergency signaling use of a whistle is way too valuable for this light, simple device not to be included on any pack designed explicitly for a sport like rock climbing.
No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers.
He now lives and guides in the Sierra Nevada as an AMGA certified alpine guide and makes annual trips to Red Rock, Yosemite, Washington's Cascades, Utah's desert, and Alaska.
At the same time, a climbing pack shouldn't be positioned too high because your helmet will hit it every time you look up.
At the same time, the 1000D Cordura means it has no problem holding its own against the skin-macerating Albuquerque granite. Differentiation in our tested packs came from designs that taper (wide at the top, narrow at the bottom) to match a body's shape more closely.
The shoulder straps on the Bug can also be crammed into the special topo pocket on the back of the pack. Fortunately, most of these are removable. However, if you have to haul, you probably want to do it using two beefy haul points. Our favorites were contenders that balanced external carry options with a snag-free design.
Well, dear reader, I am confused about a lot of things, but when I tell you Mystery Ranch offered us the opportunity to test out their newest daily climber, I can tell you I was excited. If youre not: they are brilliant, which is good because If Im going to lug a bunch of gear a few miles down a trail I want to be sore from the routes I climbed, not the load on my back.
It is hard to imagine another sport with as much variety of movement as rock climbing.
This is easy, bomber, and takes minimal gear. Denier doesn't measure strength but rather the fineness of an individual yarn (determined as the mass of a 9000-meter long strand). Get In Touch
Photo Credit: Ben Herndon IG @donofhern, The Scepter ice climbing pack worn by Mystery Ranch ambassador Becky Switzer up a multi-pitch route in Hyalite, MT. As far as rock climbing daypacks go, weight may not be quite as critical. All that aside, this is a great pack for multi-pitch climbers, and we're happy to give it top honors.
With over four decades of design and manufacturing experience coupled with simultaneous in-the-field testing and real-world hammering we've learned a thing or two about load transfer, active framing and the importance of using only the most top-shelf materials. backcountry
Disclaimer: The Tower 47 was provided by Mystery Ranch for use in this review.
While it lacks some of the bulk Im used to in a normal MR pack, I was easily able to haul everything I needed and keep it off my shoulders with the removable hip-belt.
The compression-molded back panel adds structure and increased comfort during the approach to the base of the crag. However, there is a subjective quality affecting this application style. Whether carrying tactical gear or your laptop, these packs feature a rip-zip style opening for quick access when time is of the essence. All trademarks property of their respective owners Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products.
Therefore, we factored in the packable bulk of these bags when empty. The simple and solid girth hitch is the best way to attach a hip belt. The most widely listed metric to describe nylon durability is denier. We genuinely appreciated the simple, utilitarian design. This is the price for impressive abrasion resistance. A small internal pocket, usually large enough for a phone, keys, and headlamp, is a common feature we've come to appreciate.
The Creek 20 and Skyline each has a pair of loops that can be clipped together with one locking carabiner when the pack isn't overstuffed.
If you're going to be hiking around with a daypack full of water, layers, snacks, big cams, a helmet, and rope strapped to the outside, the total weight can get heavy; support and stabilization become a concern. An important feature that we wish was included on all climbing backpacks is a safety whistle. We also suspect a lot of rock climbers will want to stuff their small climbing pack inside a larger bag for carrying gear to the cliff or on an overnight trip. The back tapers about 2" from top to bottom.
I don't even know how tags work on this site, Stays true to the MR standard of high comfort, high quality, Super Clamshell design makes everything easily available at the crag, High amount of customization makes it a great choice for any gear-heavy outdoor activity or travel, Would love integrated hip-belt pockets and maybe a rope-mat, Some of the deeper compartments are very hard to access on the fly, Random buckles everywhere makes the pack seem chossy.
This gives an okay idea of how durable a given fabric is; a higher number corresponds to a higher level of durability.
Larger, and all the fun is sucked out.
The Multipitch (left) and Creek (right) each with one shoulder strap tucked in to the protective flap for hauling.
The Creek 20 lacks these niceties, but if you prefer to have your water in a bottle, this may not be a dealbreaker. Sustained corner climbing can cause damage to some packs but generally wasn't a problem for the Rock Blitz. Pack designers seem blissfully unaware of this. And the multiple exterior PALS panels add organization and tactical gear attachment options.
While no pack is going to tick every box for every climber, the Tower 47s strengths lay in its versatility and durability. The dual interior/exterior opening on the pocket of the Route Rocket is a tester favorite.
One of the big problems I often run into with climbing gear is the strength:weight ratio.
The opening is great for quick and easy access with out having to fear the loss of any equipment. However, although this might help keep the bottom of your pack from falling out, we believe the more likely places to get worn on a climbing backpack are the front and sides.
Our most common secondary use for these packs is everyday urban activities like going to class, shopping for groceries, or toting around a laptop.
When multi-pitching, it's common to 'carry-over,' meaning you approach from one direction and descend another, not returning to the base of the route.
With good packing, most climbers can expect to fit a couple of liters of water, a pair of approach shoes, some snacks, and a layer or two in most of these packs.
A light pack like the Rock Blitz is important when linking routes on a big limestone face.
Privacy | Cookies | Terms, We put climbing backpacks from The North Face, Black Diamond, Mystery Ranch, Petzl, and many more through rigorous alpine days and multipitch climbs to help you find your perfect match. At $275 its far from a bargain-bin find, but if youre looking for a bag that can handle weekends on the rocks, weeknights in the gym, and a variety of experiences in between, the Tower is a treat-yo-self candidate that will long outlast your so-called climbing phase..
Multi-pitch routes often have a long approach, and climbing daypacks should be able to tote gear on that approach with a (reasonable) level of comfort. We conducted our testing out in the field, in locations ranging from Cochamo in South America to Devil's Tower in Wyoming.
Made for those that want to get to a bottom of the crag, drop the bag, and have it sprawl out with all of their equipment.
Climbing-specific packs should ride high on your back to prevent them from obstructing access to the back of your harness. Another bag is is highly likely. We felt like the Rock Blitz struck a nice balance of weight and durability.
This sternum strap buckle doubles as an emergency whistle.
The mountains are where our legs burn, our lungs heave, and our spirits soarand its where MYSTERY RANCH packs shine. While your high school bookbag can certainly hold stuff, we set out to discover what packs explicitly built for multi-pitch rock climbing have to offer.
During all these pitches, we discovered which models were the most durable and comfortable and which had the most practical climbing features. The same is true in the alpine realm, where extra weight can wear you out before you even get to your route. scree 32l Two of the features we missed on this pack were a sternum strap buckle that doubles as an emergency whistle (a feature found on some other BD packs) and external attachment options aside from the rope strap on top of the pack, there aren't any. Photo Credit: Ben Herndon IG @donofhern, Skyline 23 Pack on Mystery Ranch ambassador Becky Switzer, at The Fins in Idaho.
