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cjstudent
Feb 2, 2004, 10:37 PM
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I didn't see any threads on this and was curious. I was wondering how many multi-pitch climbers climbed with a small pack? I just recently picked up a Bullet (900cu) pack to carry my approach shoes, small first aid kid, and water bottle with. Its not heavy and last climb i didn't even notice it was there but i was just wondering if any other leaders climb with a small pack.
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sspssp
Feb 2, 2004, 10:53 PM
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I climb with a hydration bladder. I have some durable nylon sacks (they were marketed for wall climbing) that I clip to the hydration pack. The flopping around is a nuisance, but I can reach behind me and unclip them without taking the hydration bladder off. Put wind/rain shell, food, headlamp and I'm ready to go. I keep a short nylon sling girth hitched to the hydration pack. If I get to a chimney, I clip my daisy to the nylong sling and this is long enough for the hydration bladder (and sacks) to dangle below my feet.
Packs are a nuisance, but its good to be able to carry some stuff up a multi-pitch.
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kungfuclimber
Feb 2, 2004, 11:28 PM
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Registered: Aug 6, 2002
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I have the same pack. I use it during spring or fall climbs to carry a fleece jacket and food on multipitch climbs (wear the jacket at the belays). I also use it all around to carry food / extras on full day climbs.
As a rule the second carries the pack, the leader carries the rack. Works for me.
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scubasnyder
Feb 2, 2004, 11:41 PM
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I climb with my camelbak on. Depending on how long the climb that is
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sspssp
Feb 2, 2004, 11:47 PM
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I use to climb with a single, larger pack that the second climbed with. This certainly has the advantage of a lighter load for the leader (and hopefully faster leads). But there are some drawbacks. Switching the pack at every belay (if not leading in blocks). This is awkward, time consuming, and even with care, allows for some possibilities of dropping the pack (a personal pack could also be dropped, but it is usually not taken off at every belay. If a personal pack gets dropped, the party should still have some food and water and headlamp from the other climber). When the leader doesnt have a pack, they either don't have a belay jacket until the second makes it up, or they have to tie the jacket around them or somehow else carry it. This is a really big deal if you get caught unexpectingly by rain or if you a "seperate" epic. For instance, a stuck rope and the second can't climb up to the leader, etc. This is rare but has happened. It is also nice to always have a little food, water and a headlamp with you at all times (particularly if leading in blocks).
A single larger pack can be a bigger nuisance in chimneys.
Finally, when my partner and I started carrying our own personal items all the time, we started going a little lighter, instead of just saying, "oh well, the second will have to deal with it."
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moabbeth
Feb 3, 2004, 12:15 AM
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Unless it's a long MP that you can rap off, most of the time either my partner or I take along a small pack for our approach shoes (and water/bars) so we can walk off in those once we top off. Unless there's a lot of chimneying, then we clip the shoes and water to our harnesses. One or two pitches of chimneying with a pack on I can do...anything more than that is just more of a hassle.
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davidji
Feb 3, 2004, 12:47 AM
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In reply to: One or two pitches of chimneying with a pack on I can do...anything more than that is just more of a hassle. |
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moabbeth
Feb 3, 2004, 12:54 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: One or two pitches of chimneying with a pack on I can do...anything more than that is just more of a hassle. In a chimney, dangle the pack. Slings work OK, a daisy works best. I don't carry a daisy freeclimbing, but I might if I knew I'd be dangling a pack.
We do that too. But if we check the topos ahead of time and know where the chimneys are and if there's only a few pitches of them, I'm okay with just grunting up it with a pack on. Hell, if anything it also makes me use my feet and body in different ways than if I had my back free to utilize in the chimney, so I learn something new with technique. But yeah, if there's tons of chimneying then we dangle or we just say to hell with it and clip shoes and water to our harnesses and go packless.
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shorty
Feb 3, 2004, 1:18 AM
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For shorter (2 to 5 pitch) routes, I prefer to go without a pack if weather, logistics, altitude, and the route allow it. I'd rather just clip a small shell and a pint of water to my harness. This may not translate well to your favorite climbing areas, but climbing in Colorado without the pack generally includes Eldorado Canyon, South Platte, and Lumpy Ridge (on a cloudless day). I've done the same at the Gunks, Seneca, El Potrero Chico, and Red Rocks.
For longer (5 to 8 pitch) routes, I generally have the second carry a small pack -- the Bullet works well. I feel the pack is mandatory for less-than-perfect weather days at Lumpy Ridge, alpine rock routes (above say 10,000' in elevation) in Rocky Mountain National Park, and grade IV or V climbs in Red Rocks.
On some alpine rock routes, we've felt that both of us should carry Bullet packs. This sometimes made for "interesting" climbing on Longs Peak's Diamond, but we were glad for the water, food, and clothing.
For mixed (i.e. crampons, axe, & rock gear) alpine routes, again I feel both climbers should be wearing packs. I really haven't done anything very hard in this area, so we climbed with our approach packs. Expect this challenge if you cannot easily return to the base of your climb.
Experience will teach you a lot. Go with what works for you. It's nicer to climb without the weight, but the first hailstorm you shiver through in a t-shirt will not soon be forgotten.
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casco
Feb 3, 2004, 1:21 AM
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hey, Im new to MP, but I figured, leader carries the rack, anchors himself, with second half of the rope he pulls up the pack, then second guy climbs???
Could that work???
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cjstudent
Feb 3, 2004, 1:28 AM
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Registered: Oct 21, 2003
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In reply to: hey, Im new to MP, but I figured, leader carries the rack, anchors himself, with second half of the rope he pulls up the pack, then second guy climbs??? Could that work???
I am assuming you are talking about climbing with just one rope? The problem there is, a 60m rope is only 200 feet and alot of pitches are in excess of the half way mark of 100 feet. So, if its over 100 feet you wouldn't have the other half of the rope to lower down and pull the pack.
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md
Feb 3, 2004, 4:43 AM
Post #12 of 20
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Registered: Apr 4, 2003
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On shorter routes I don't bother with a pack but for anything over 3 pitches I like to wear my CamelBak. I tie my fleece jacket to it if the weather seems iffy. After a couple of pitches I'm always either thirsty or cold and whenever I try and go without it I regret it.
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headwaller
Feb 4, 2004, 7:15 AM
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Registered: Jan 9, 2004
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In reply to: with second half of the rope he pulls up the pack, then second guy climbs??? Could that work??? |
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hawgdrver
Feb 4, 2004, 7:33 AM
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Deleted
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markc
Feb 4, 2004, 9:19 PM
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The bullet is a nice sized pack for climbing. I've followed and led wearing one, and it's not bad on easy or moderate ground (which is pretty much where you'll find me).
I more frequently use a standard camelback. It has a couple of small pockets (which I can put food and a headlamp in) and a mesh section I can stuff my waterproof jacket in. Tevas can be clipped to my haul loop or go with the second. I have less space than with the bullet, but I prefer the way it rides close to the body.
Even when I'm climbing at Seneca, where there are fewer pitches, I rarely return to my main pack until the end of the day. It's useful to carry a few essentials with me. By the way, the main problem with climbing with a pack is partners asking you to carry something.
mark
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superdiamonddave
Feb 4, 2004, 9:48 PM
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Registered: Jul 11, 2002
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[quote="shorty"]For shorter (2 to 5 pitch) routes, I prefer to go without a pack if weather, logistics, altitude, and the route allow it. I'd rather just clip a small shell and a pint of water to my harness. This may not translate well to your favorite climbing areas, but climbing in Colorado without the pack generally includes Eldorado Canyon, South Platte, and Lumpy Ridge (on a cloudless day). I've done the same at the Gunks, Seneca, El Potrero Chico, and Red Rocks.
For longer (5 to 8 pitch) routes, I generally have the second carry a small pack -- the Bullet works well. I feel the pack is mandatory for less-than-perfect weather days at Lumpy Ridge, alpine rock routes (above say 10,000' in elevation) in Rocky Mountain National Park, and grade IV or V climbs in Red Rocks.
I'm with shorty. This is a good system and it works for me. But for some areas with long climbs and/or approaches I also make a cache of water near the walk-off if there is one. This has saved my butt more than once. I usually stash my crag pack somewhere at the base and well out of site and again, I make sure there is extra water in the crag pack. Hopefully, trying this will help lighten your smaller "climb pack".
Travel light and fast every chance you get.
Dave
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climbobsessoin
Feb 4, 2004, 10:54 PM
Post #17 of 20
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Registered: Jan 8, 2004
Posts: 63
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one time i climbed with a small pack, one i used to use for school , i took a fall and ended up with a small stab wound from a pencil.
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vegastradguy
Feb 4, 2004, 11:17 PM
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Registered: Aug 28, 2002
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I run on the Osprey Daylite. I think it has like 1000 cu in, but its super low profile...maybe 4 inches off my back at its widest. maybe. carry water, food, FA kit, knife, headlamp, rap kit, bigger cams if the route requires it, and a shell of some sort.
depending on the chimney, i'll hang it. but i always carry this pack, mostly because of the excellent harness system for it. its designed for freedom of movement, and i hardly ever notice it on me. anything longer than 2 pitches and its with me.
best $50.00 i ever spent.
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creemore
Jan 9, 2005, 2:21 AM
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Registered: Jan 22, 2003
Posts: 61
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This post might be a little late but I purchased the Alpine attack 20 and the end of the Ice season last year and stored it till this season. I used it on sooo many WI 2-3-4 multi-pitch this year that I can't believe this pack never existed before.
Check this out !
On the approach it carries 2 tools, crampons, 2L H2O(bladder pouch), Dryloft belay jacket (when needed) , parts of the rack, food, headlamp(in little interior zip-up), FA kit, extra gloves and extra dry-fit on cold days. Half of my PMI phoenix twin/doule rope 8.1mm on the top with strap made to carry a rope (like the Arcteryx RT series) and my partner that has the same pack carries the other one. I like to put on my harness and part of my rack (split between team) on at the car if we know that the bottom pitches will be soloed(most of the time i still put it all on for the hike in as the pack rides so high that it doesn't bother at all). It carries the weight so well with an aluminum stay and thick padding on the back. The cool part is the extendable section that un-zips giving surprizing space for stuffing.....once the jacket is in there I was able to re-zip-it a few times (when my hands weren't to chilled) but still works well extended.
Add a couple of waterproof zippers, two gear loops at sternum height(removable/ajustable), removable belts, haul loop, abraision patches.
Then only problem: The ice tool straps are buckles that need to be re-threaded when you put the tools in and out(hard with chilled hands or mitts). I fixed the problem by replacing those straps with velcro and kevlar(bomber and light) buckle. Works like a charm.
The pack was mainly used on day long affairs(all over the Canadian Rockies north and south) and short quick days at haffner or the junkyard in Canmore. I plan on talking it on a trip to the bugaboos this summer and use it in the Bow valley on most multipitch trad.
I use the RT 45 on Alpine overnighters or gear extensive routes.
If you get it on sale (like i did at 85$ can) you'll love it.
Like it was said before, going light & fast is about saving grams here and there to add the poundage up. Light packs, light gear, light clothing, light mentality. You'll feel lighter, move faster(less exposure to the elements), back home early, recover faster and back out the soonest. It's all linked :wink:
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