Best pack for ice climbing

[sja5150]

There are a lot of ice climbing specific packs out there, and I am wondering what you guys would consider to be the best. Right now I am using a Lowe Alpine Attack 40 and it's a little small for me. Any help or experiences w/ good packs would be appreciated. Thanx!!

[Dru]

The best pack for ice climbing is the one having the most fun.

[PaulB]

Right now I am using a Lowe Alpine Attack 40 and it's a little small for me.

"A little small" as in it doesn't fit you very well, or as in it isn't big enough to hold all your stuff? Either way, you may just need to get a bigger pack.

 

I have an Arc'Teryx Khamsin 38, and it works great for me. It gets a bit overloaded while all my gear is in it, but once I'm wearing my harness and racked up, it's perfect for carying my belay jacket, spare gloves, water, food etc. on long routes.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

If I could have my choice I'd probably get a WT IceSac. Then again, my deuter guide 35+ and Arcteryx Nozone seem to offer a size range to fit most needs as well as most of the good features except tool tubes.

[AFIVE]

That's the same pack I am using (Khamsin 38) for that purpose. It is a great ice pack. There are some really cool Arcteryx packs comming out for 2006. The Naos 45, 55, 70 and the Acrux 40, 50, 65. The Acrux is a barebones alpine pack with no foam on the back to gather snow. It has fixed harnessing and a minimal hipbelt. The Naos has a foam pannel for your back as well as a sized hipbelt. The coolest things with these packs is that they are totally waterproof. They are essentially drybags that carry great. I got to use the Naos 45 for two weeks in Indian Creek. I was loading the thing up with a monster rack that was a good 20 pounds heavier than what it was designed to carry. The pack is totally welded with no stitching!! They weld on a disk in the lower part of the bag for the hipbelt to twist onto. This connection makes for an awesome carry. The hipbelt allows your hips to move up and down in their natural motion without tossing the pack from side to side on you. This all translates into a pack that gives you very good balance and doesn't seem top heavy when you slip or step over something tall. These bad rides won't be cheap. The smallest Acrux 40 is 329.00 and the largest Naos 70 will be going for 475.00!!!!! Super comfortable, totally waterproof, great performance. These packs should be available in shops in April. Expensive, but I was really impressed with the performance. If you used the thing for what it was designed for I'm sure it's even better! If you have time and don't need it this winter...I would wait and at least check these rigs out.

[kurthicks]

I use the Khamsin 38 too, but I replaced the framesheet with a foam bivy pad--making it more flexible/comfortable. too bad they discontinued that pack. the CCW packs are good too. some of the newer BD packs look like they could be good.

[Dru]

Hey AFIVE why do all your posts read like they are quotes from a gear catalog? Are you a climber or a spambot?

[Don_Serl]

depends whether you mean a pack for CLIMBING ice with, or a (so-called) "ice-climbing" pack for approaching ice climbs. pretty much anything works for the second category. i can see a 40L pack being a bit small for approaching ice routes, but surely you don't CLIMB with something like that one your back.

 

seems to me there was a thread on this topic a year or so ago, but to restate my opinion, all you want to climb with is a jacket, a thermos, a snack, a headlamp, some rap tape, and spare gloves and/or mitts. the MEC Blitz Crag works fine for me - nearly the same size as the BD Bullet, and half the price. it's tiny, so it fits in the middle of your back with no interference with your swing. a few changes improve (lighten) it:

 

1. cut out the inside back panel (unless you use it for a water bladder)- there'll never be a piece of foam in it.

2. hack off the sternum straps - it's tiny, you don't need to "work" to keep the straps on your shoulders, and they only get in the way and restrict upper body movement.

3. cut off the hipbelt - there'll never be much weight in the pack, and it's actually nice to have the pack floating totally "free" on your back when you're in motion - plus they also just get in the way.

 

leave the "big" pack, whatever it is, on the ground.

 

cheers, don

[glassgowkiss]

i like the new bd packs. and the price is ok too. i think they are a better version of wild things (which i like too and still use andinista from time to time).

[Chad_A]

Cold Cold World Chernobyl for shorter trips, BD Shadow 55 for longer ones. Both under 180 bucks.

[Bergretter]

Check out BCA's Alp 40. It is not a ice climbing specific pack, per say, yet it holds tools very well along with other winter necessities. The feature that sets it apart is it's ability to give you a hydration tube that is hard to freeze since it is sewn into the shoulder strap, with convenient zipper access. If you are looking for more volume then this pack will not help you out much.

[sja5150]

The best pack for ice climbing is the one having the most fun.

 

I coulnd't agree more! Thank you all so very much for the input. GOD BLESS!!!!!!!

[AFIVE]

how come you are such a smart ass? I am a buyer for a gear shop and I am a prototype tester for a lot of companies because I climb every week! I am just sharing my experiences with new gear comming out so that folks can get an early opinion on the stuff before it hits the stores. I try to use this site as a tool, rather than being a tool on this site!!!!

[Orange_Julius]

Relax, and get over yourself

[Zoran]

I liked your post.

Don't worry too much about comments.

Dru is giving this forum specific flavor. Without him (and people like him) forum will be so dry and boring.

So,

I always appreciate to hear some news about new equipment. It's funny that I live in Burnaby BC where Arcteryx is located but I didn't know anything about Naos packs. I read after your post about them on some sites in Netherlands.

[Dr_Crash]

If I could have my choice I'd probably get a WT IceSac. Then again, my deuter guide 35+ and Arcteryx Nozone seem to offer a size range to fit most needs as well as most of the good features except tool tubes.

 

WT also has the Ricesac, which is a smaller Icesac (45 liters instead of 52). I have it and like it. It is somewhat heavy (as in 3 lbs something when one can find 2 lbs something bags of similar capacity nowadays) and the velcro'ed lid is a PITA, but it's very sturdy, carry very well, can be hauled... I expect it to last.

 

drC

[sja5150]

What company is BCA? I probably know it but I just can't think of it right now.

[AFIVE]

Back Country Access!

[bcollins]

My old Khamsin 38 is a great pack for ice and general mountaineering, however it was limited due to it's lack of a floating lid, so I had it modified by Transition Threadworks out of Tacoma. Now it'll handle bigger loads without restricting head movement, and the buckles allow the top to function as a butt pack..........nice!!!