UKC

Looking to reduce the weight I lug around the hills this year, and I think the biggest saving I can make is with my rucsac. Up til now I've been using a Deuter Guide 35+ year round; great for carrying winter loads, but it weighs something like 1.6 kg on its own.

I'm looking for a pack that is:
- less than 1 kg
- 20-30 L
- climbing design (no big sidepockets, rope loop, daisy chain or similar for attaching gear to outside)
- plain back, not mesh/frame nonsense.
- still fairly durable, prepared to accept a little more weight than some gosammer thin mountain marathon things that'll wear out after one chimney.

So far the Black Diamond Speed series is looking the most promising, but interested to hear recommendations, cheers.

In reply to Taurig:

Blueice Warthog 26 or 38.
http://www.blueice.com/products/en/backpacks/26-warthog-38l.html

Or BD Speed 30 or what ever it was.

In reply to HeMa:

There are heaps out there - North Face Verto Series, Macpac is coming out with one, MH has one, my personal favourite is a MEC Genie DSL - 30L, top loading, 4 compression straps, bivy pad, top pocket for 350g or so. Having had the previous generation of BD Speed 30, I'm not sure it would be sub 1kg.

Pick a design you like and have a look in the shops - Most decent companies will make a 30L pack that weighs less than a kilo.

In reply to Taurig:

Not cheap but Cactus Climbing Miklat is 1000g, 40l, and built like a tank. Effectively indestructible much like the old Macpac canvas sacks.

Pod Alpine sacs are heavily reduced currently I think; not sure about the strength but the standard range are again very well made.

B

In reply to Taurig:

Really rate my BD speed 30...

In reply to Taurig:

Montane medusa fits all those requirements:


913 grams.

In reply to Taurig:

Montane Medusa would definitely fit the bill. Amazed how much I can fit into the 32L.

Podsac Alpine would also fit the bill. The 30L with the back rod and pad stripped out would be way under 1kg, even the 40L stripped down is under that limit.

In reply to Taurig:

Aigille midi 28l, bombproof, 655gms or the Cirrus at 850gms for 33l with more features http://www.aiguillealpine.co.uk/shop/4/77/index.htm

In reply to Taurig:

Arcteryx do the Cierzo series that might be worth a look. Not as tough as the BD speed, but still quite hardy, and surprisingly cheap, for Arcteryx.

In reply to Removed UserBwox:

BD Speed 30 has a nice fit for me not
The lightest pack available however
Up there with the most Durable recon it's
Fine when overloaded slightly, older models
Have the annoying ice Axe holders not sure if
They will last.

Montane Medusa great bag for the money
Feature rich loads of good handy pockets
Comfy to use but not as tough or as comfy as the
Speed 30 imo New Blk/Yellow zips looks Dynamite

Ooft, thanks for the replies, more than I thought to choose from!

Currently favouring the Blue Ice Warthog 26; seems to have everything I'm looking for and not a ridiculous price. Only downside is not being able to try it on for fit, but I find that less of an issue in smaller packs.

Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 30 also looks really good. However, my mate just had a right hassle with what should have been a straightforward warranty issue with MHW, so it has put me off a bit.

Auiguille sacs, they do get praised a lot on here, and I understand the cost of small volume production, but I just think they look overpriced for what looks like a heavy duty schoolbag? Am I wrong?

In reply to Taurig:

i have a blue ice warthog 30. i bought it last year after trying packs for ages....it fits the bill,minimalist, and very very light and can be stripped down to nothing...

i ordered it from chamounix.

i live in newcastle if you want to try mine on....

In reply to Removed UserBwox:



The cierzo 35 is the best sack I have owned period. It even packs into its own lid!!!! Super light, comfy, no frills, Epic for climbing with.

Downsides: no back system so packing requires some thought, this also means that if you are running with your top off it gets a bit sweaty.

This sack has been used for everyday guiding last year, Expeditioning in Morocco twice, Thialand, Cambodia, Scottish winter (amazing winter pack)


Bomber!!!

In reply to Taurig:

Decathlon do some really good lightweight packs. Worth a peek.

This one 25L pack is only 700g and just £25:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/forclaz-25-speed-backpack-id_8301664.html

In reply to Taurig:

I know it's not the "cool" brand, but:

Berghaus used to make a great climbing pack which I think was called phantom 35.

The new version is Hyper 37 (560g)

In reply to Taurig:

Expensive but light (850g), minimal and bombproof. The only pack where people have stopped me in airports to ask what it was - I have the older version and it's been everywhere:

http://www.crux.uk.com/en/rucksacks.php?range=2&product=6

In reply to fairweatherclimber:

They stopped you in the airport because it looks like it's packed with semtex or cocaine

In reply to Taurig:

Mountain Hardwear Summit rocket 30. Design is extremely good, think the pack is brilliant but it is a shame it is made out of paper! 6 months after buying it, parachute material was full of holes, both zips broke and a buckle from the compression strap also broken. They should make the same pack out of slightly more durable materials: - it would still be sub 1kg.

In reply to BnB:

Quite possibly...

One time I had something of a disagreement trying to get my rack on-board as hand luggage in it - but that's another story!?

I love my old school Pod Black Ice, but by comparison whenever I pick it up empty I think I must've left something heavy in it.

In reply to Taurig:

This is a very good critical review of the speed as you are looking at it. Looks pretty cool.

youtube.com/watch?v=H-ZOsu00nTw&

In reply to Taurig:

http://www.cilogear.com/30lws.html

Pack Bag: 590g | Pad: 80g | Strap set: 100g | Lid: 100g | Hip belt: 20g | Total: 980g

In reply to Fraser:

I had considered something like that, or the Alpkit Gourdon for example, as an option. I do have the Deuter Guide which I could just suck up the weight and use when I'm going to be carrying rope, harness etc. Then get something cheap and light which maybe doesn't have all the climbing specific features for hillwalking and gear free scrambling.

If I'm honest, about 80% of the time it will just have basic hillwalking kit in it, but a light climbing specific pack which weighs naff all when you're roped and geared up definitely appeals.

In reply to Taurig:

I think you are wrong on the Aiguille packs. They are tougher than any of the other packs mentioned here apart from the Blue Ice packs, which are very similar fabrics. They are simple, but surely that's what you want? I don't remember ever wishing my rucksack had 18 straps or loops to attach pointless accessories to. My Cirrus is as new after 2.5 years of hard use and weighs 810 g. It was also made in the UK for less than the cost of most of the other bags mentioned in this thread, all of which were made in factories in the far east (with the possible exception of Blue Ice's).

In reply to Taurig:

I'm looking at their 40L Forclaz Air just now and am seriously tempted by its value for money compared to the competition - £44.95 I think it was. Saw the 25L light and it liked the look of it but it's just too small for my requirements.

In reply to Taurig:

Another vote for the Blue Ice Warthog 26 here. Bomber construction and excellent features. The external helmet carry system means you can fit much more gear that you would normally into a small bag.

In reply to Mr Fuller:

I'll admit I deliberately made that comment slightly inflammatory just to see what people would say. To a large extent I agree with you; every time I look at an Osprey pack I wonder wtf half the toggles and straps on it are for. They seem to have toned it down with the new Mutants, though.

Anyway, back on topic, I'll admit I like a modicum of aesthetic appeal as well as function with gear; call me a tart, you're probably right. The Aiguille packs just don't float my boat in that respect. I like minimalist lines, but they just look a bit car boot sale to me. Horses for courses.

In reply to Taurig:

Alpkit Goudron!! Best bag I have is the 25l (have put a rope mod on top, just string from shoulder straps to clip a rope to.) Other half has just got the 30 litre one, looking forward to seeing how it compares...

In reply to Taurig:

I have the warthog 26. Love it. I am 5ft 11 and slim build if that helps.
J

In reply to JCurrie:

Wanna go for a drink sometime?

In reply to Taurig:


Osprey does go in for lots of widgets and straps, but oddly I tend to find all of them rather useful and they are clever designs in that their gear still is often competitively light with all the features.

Osprey packs are a bit 'techno' and hence easy to mock if you have more classic tastes (!) in pack design, but the Osprey bags I have, all have been excellent, including my 'courier' style satchel thingy which gets used daily for everything and still looks great after many years of very hard use. Great quality materials and stitching I think.

In reply to Taurig:

Take a look at Mammut Trion light. Climbing specific pack with removable lid, strap and frame. When stripped it weights a bit over 600g. Fairly durable and as a bonus you also get a roll top closure.

In reply to TobyA:



Exactly Toby. I used to mock Osprey packs on looks alone, they *look* strappy and widgety but having used a Variant 28 which is more like 35l it's probably the best pack I have. I have around 20 packs of different sizes, some absurdly simple and light, some not. The Variant is probably the most versatile, the best constructed and the most comfortable.

That Osprey come in three back sizes is great, because I needed a long back and most packs, particularly in the smaller volumes, are simply too short to fit properly.

In reply to Taurig:
Haha, yes I had a feeling you might have, and as I've had to defend my "old-fashioned pack" from nay-saying friends before, I had an answer ready.

I think Osprey packs are infinitely improved by taking a knife to them, though I agree the Mutant is a good sack.