Cilogear Worksack 60L

[Jim]

I've had this for over a year now and taken it on a number of trips. The good - it carries very well and balanced even with big loads.

 

The bad part just out-weigh the good for me.

 

The strap systems, meant to be versitle I suppose are very cumbersome and not intuitive. Working on things in the early morning or evening with a headlamp I found difficult to figure out the complicated strapping system. If you like to fiddle this is your pack. If you just want to put it on and go - it isn't.

 

The ice axe holders are a clip system instead of a simple loop. They require putting in the ax from the bottom and cliping in. they hold the ax loosley and it kinda jiggles around. Why not use just a dang loop? And there is not tie down poing for the ax shaft!! WTF? So you have to make some add on.

 

The top pocket does not adequately pull down over the main compartment and I've had snow drift into the main compartment.

 

Likely there have been changes to this pack but mine will be going on Craigs List soon.

[builder206]

I think the idea is you settle on a strap arrangement that suits you then you go forward with that. I don't think one would need to make constant changes, so after some initial fudging around you have a system that you get used to.

 

On the other hand, different strokes for different folks.

[kevino]

how much do you want for it?

[G-spotter]

I have one and I like it better than my old Nozone.

[syudla]

I've got a 45L sz. Med. for sale if someone is interested. Been to lazy to Ebay it.

[crackers]

I've had this for over a year now and taken it on a number of trips. The good - it carries very well and balanced even with big loads.

 

As everybody should know, I own CiloGear. Shoot, I am CiloGear for the good and for the bad. And I really appreciate all the feedback we get; via email, phone calls, letters and post cards, I appreciate it and it makes our packs better.

 

My first thought on reading this is that I'm very glad to hear that it carries very well and balanced with big loads.

 

My second thought is that as Builder206 writes, I really don't think our packs are for everybody. There is some tinkering with these packs. At the risk of sounding pedantic and stupid, I will risk reiterating that the simple strap system works exactly like a climbing harness: the tail goes out the way it comes in. {obviously}I don't think it's all that complex. {/obviously} I recommend what others have already: find something that works for you and leave it that way for 90% of your trips. For 60% of my trips, I just use a quick release buckle straps on top, and maybe a simple strap on the bottom. I leave the straps at home the rest of the time.

 

There are two points that I wanted to respond to:

Why not use just a dang loop? And there is not tie down poing for the ax shaft!

 

In the words of Mark Twight in an email to me a few years ago when we were working on a pack project:

Leashless tools prevent the old way from being easily used. Even a Slider on a relatively straight alpine tool can be a hassle. I think most people put modern "deer antler" tools inside the pack because no one has provided a better solution. But I wouldn't say it is their first choice.

 

We had the same experience as he did, and in conjunction with feedback from our users and most of those fancy climber studs who show up in magazines it seemed like an area that could use improvement. I will note that Jim has an ally in the loop discussion in Colin Haley, aka Superman.

 

Our current design receives more accolades than brickbats. The Alpinist reviewer wrote "The pack held ice tools well: the picks were protected; the shafts attached securely to the pack; the tools were easily accessible—even with the pack on." While the review was of the Dyneema pack, it's the same system on all of the packs.

 

Jim, we really thought long and hard about the strap versus bungee thing. On one hand straps can ostensibly last longer than bungees, on the other hand bungees are simpler and lighter. If we got a lot (call it 20) of interest in velcro straps for the shaft, we'd make them available. To date, we've had almost no interest in a strap. There have been one or two folks confused about how the bungee works, but that's been the minority.

 

We might well put out a simple loop on one of the packs as an option this fall, and see how many folks actually want the pack like that.

 

The top pocket does not adequately pull down over the main compartment...

 

We heard a lot about this, and all of the lids now clip onto the pack in the middle to prevent the lid from slipping over the front. Replacement lids are of course available.

 

Thanks for your feedback, and I'm sorry to hear that the pack didn't work out for you.