rock-ice Posted July 27, 2003 Posted July 27, 2003 I've had the same pack since I started climbing about five years ago. It was an "pine forest" that my uncle grabed for me when he was in korea for about $20. It has done allright, I guess. But in the last year its been ripping and generally falling apart. Over time i've repaired it but now that one of the shoulder straps has ripped off, its just dead. So, with no previous experience shopping for a climbing pack I was hoping for some good advice on what to look for and any brands I should avoid or pay extra for. Note: I need something to accomidate a couple days gear. Quote
Thinker Posted July 27, 2003 Posted July 27, 2003 Not sure what your price range is, but many of my friends rave about their McHale packs, custom made right here in Seatle. www.mchalepacks.com Quote
highclimb Posted July 27, 2003 Posted July 27, 2003 The BD ice pack.....quality. you can get it in the 50 L size to have more room which i think is what your looking for. i have a 44L and love it! and its cheap  Aidan Quote
Figger_Eight Posted July 27, 2003 Posted July 27, 2003 What kind of climbing are you going to do with it? If you're humping heavy loads, I might suggest a pack with good suspension. Quote
lummox Posted July 27, 2003 Posted July 27, 2003 i recently threw down the dough to buy a arcteryszx (however the fuck its speled) rt35 pack. its the one with a roll top (thus the rt i reckon). pretty snaz fucking pack. i bought it cuz it fit real good when loaded. that said i have used many packs and basically the simpler the better imo. too many pockets dont help me. whatever the fuck you buy load the thing up in the shop and wear it around. then put it back on the shelf and sleep on the decision. aint nothing but bad fitting boots make a trip more miserable than a bad fitting pack. Quote
rock-ice Posted July 28, 2003 Author Posted July 28, 2003 I do a lot of scrambling and steep snow and ice (not much class 5 rock). This last weekend I was on colonial and snowfield peaks. I do alot of stuff like that. That happened to be where my pack strap broke too. Luckily I was only two miles from the trailhead on the way out. Quote
EastCoastBastard Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 Go for a Serratus www.serratus.ca awesome packs, bomber, comfy and cheap. Quote
snoboy Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 I've heard good and bad about the Arc'teryx NoZone. Â I'm getting one, so I will weigh in on it in a few months... Quote
Stephen_Ramsey Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 I recommend checking out the Black Diamond Ice Pack, size 50L. I used to use a fancy Dana Designs pack (Arclight Glacier, 90L), and it was really comfortable with big loads. However, I found that for climbing and scrambling, I'm typically trying to "go light" these days, which means I rarely need more than 50L capacity. The Dana pack itself is just too heavy. So nowadays I use the BD pack almost exclusively. It is great because you can reach around behind the pack and actually unhook and retrieve your ice axe or ice tool from the holder without having to take off your pack. That's very handy when you are climbing something steep and want to grab your ice tool, but there is no convenient ledge on which to take off and set down your pack. I also like how the top part of the pack is attached with fastex buckles. Easy to attach & detach, even with heavy gloves on. Quote
eric8 Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 if your not going to use it for carry overs buy one you can get a deal on. If you are try and borrow a friends pack that likes theres and see how you like it. Quote
bunglehead Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 For what it's worth I have a Dana Astraplane that I hiked 350 miles with. This pack is a monster, and it's held up very well. I certainly wouldn't recommend it for alpine, but I thought you'd like to know that this is one Dana Designs pack owner that' really happy with his pack. I also have a 3600 cubic inches (ballpark) capacity Gregory with this see-through to panel that's been great for winter snowshoe stuff. Anyway, I'm happy with both of them. Quote
chilly Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 I second the Mchale's recommendation! You get custom fitted, the colors you want as well as the options that you want. If you want super light you can choose spectra fabric, strong and light. Mchale's are also super versatile, changing from an expedition load hauler to a summit pack is as easy as removing a couple of stays and slapping on the summit flap. My .00000001 cent. Quote
AARON1 Posted July 28, 2003 Posted July 28, 2003 I have a Mchale and an Osprey ether 42. Both of these packs I would recomend. I use the Mcale for multi day trips and the Osprey for skiing. I would suggest going to a shop and trying on what they have. With a lot of packs today you can't really go wrong if it fits you. Quote
Pencil_Pusher Posted July 29, 2003 Posted July 29, 2003 I use a Jansport pack(~3000ci) for the small one and a Kelty pack (~4200ci) for the big one. The Jansport was about 60 bucks while the Kelty was 52. Check out those two brands for some cheaper packs. The Jansport has been one helluva pack, too bad they don't make it anymore. It is now sewn together with plenty of dental floss. Dental floss holds up well if you think you can sew that shoulder strap. Big 5 Sporting Goods has some good, cheap, alpine packs too. Quote
ncascademtns Posted July 29, 2003 Posted July 29, 2003 McHale all the way! I have 2 McHale packs and I think they are the best packs made. If you are going to complain about the prices, don't even stop by Dan's place. He doesn't make junk! His packs are built to last! Â ON! Quote
fleblebleb Posted August 3, 2003 Posted August 3, 2003 The Wild Things Andinista seems to work really well for the Cascades - big for those walk-ins, low profile for the climb. It's a one pack alternative to the big-ass load hauler extra summit pack. I use mine for day trips too, with both zippers closed. Quote
mwills Posted August 5, 2003 Posted August 5, 2003 McHales if you can, bite the bullet on the price - otherwise that pack you picked up for $100 will be replaced by many others and eventually you will wish you had the mchale. not to mention a mchale on your back will be a great conversation piece with the ladies . but seriously, they are the best packs made . Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted August 5, 2003 Posted August 5, 2003 mwills said: McHales if you can, bite the bullet on the price - otherwise that pack you picked up for $100 will be replaced by many others and eventually you will wish you had the mchale. not to mention a mchale on your back will be a great conversation piece with the ladies . but seriously, they are the best packs made . Â how much would a mchale pack cost me... no frills like 45 liter bare bones? Quote
ncascademtns Posted August 5, 2003 Posted August 5, 2003 Fence_Sitter said: how much would a mchale pack cost me... no frills like 45 liter bare bones? Â Do I need to convert that into Cubic Inches ? 3500 cubic inch pack is going to run you around $350. If you choose spectra material, it will run a bit more. Dan McHale is a great guy and he'll set you up with what you need. He may even tell you what you need. Â Check his website http://www.mchalepacks.com/ Â His SARC line of packs will get the job done. Â Thanks. Quote
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