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Carrying gear to the crag

I have spent a lot of time thinking about and researching different ways to carry gear to the crag (mostly because my day job is kinda boring, so I have the time for such inane musings). While this is a minor point for many, I like to think about the best ways to optimize these kinds of things.

Method 1: The single big pack

This is the way I started with. I have a North Face Terra 40 pack that I use when backpacking. I purchased a Trango Cord Trapper rope tarp (which also doubles as a minimal rope bag), and packed the rope down in the bottom of the pack. Next came my sport rack, with everything attached to a 60cm sling. On top of that, shoes, harness, food, then finally helmet on top. Other items went in small pouches on the outside of the pack.

Advantages

  • Everything was inside a pack, nothing to get hung up when hiking
  • Pack has good padding and suspension, making carry easier
  • As long as I grabbed the pack, I had everything I needed.

Disadvantages

  • Difficult to grab just one thing
    • Pack is a toploader, so no way to access stuff in the middle
  • Difficult to pack everything in (again, toploader)
  • Pack is heavy

Conclusion

This is the setup I would use if I had a long approach. However, with the shorter approaches I usually experience, the drawbacks seemed to outweigh the advantages. It was also difficult to get the single pack through tight areas, such as the slot used to access Sunshine wall at Vantage.

I also usually meet up with my climbing partner, and want to have my bag fully packed so I can just throw it in the car. Since it is difficult to pull stuff from the middle of the pack, I usually ended up carrying everything, as it is more work to partially unpack my whole bag to foist the rope on my partner.

Method 2: Two bags

This is the next method I am going to try (but have not yet). My plan is to carry the rope in its own bag (likely a Metolius Ropemaster HC), and have a second bag for carrying gear. I am currently looking to try the Mammut Neon Shuttle (30l) as my gear bag. I feel like this may make it easier to pass the rope off to my partner for the walk in/out.

Advantages

  • Rope not packed in bottom of bag, easier to make partner carry
  • Two smaller bag easier to fit through narrow sections
  • Gear bag can be better organized

Disadvantages

  • May not be fun to carry a backpack and a messenger style bag
  • Smaller backpack for gear may get overloaded and be uncomfortable to carry