UKH

I'm looking at getting a little frameless pack for scrambling, multi pitch, and some shorter ascents in the Alps next year...

I've come down to three (and a bit) possibilities: The BlueIce Warthog 30Lt, The Aguille Cirrus, and the OMM Jirishanca or Classic 32.

If anyone owns or has owned any of the above and can suggest pros and cons to each, along with any other info on them I'd be much obliged.

In reply to KellyKettle:

I've got the Warthog. It's excellent and i'm struggling to fault it.

Pros: Simple, confortable, solid construction, helmet carrier is clever, easy to climb with.
Cons: Not completely waterproof in a downpour (though that's what dry bags are for).

I had the OMM previously and got rid of it due to the many bells and whistles which I didn't get on with.

In reply to KellyKettle:Hi, also look at the montane medusa 32L,awesome imo.

In reply to KellyKettle:

A pal of mine has the Warthog and it's brilliant. So good in fact he ran the OMM with it last year... whereas I wouldn't trust an OMM sac quite as much in the mountains for scrambling and/or climbing.

In reply to KellyKettle:
I've only used the OMM Villian, but I believe the Jirishanca is a similar design.

Pros:
- carries very well for climbing
- light
- I like playing with all the fiddly bits
- pockets on hip fins great for camera, compass, snacks etc.

Cons:
- holed the base first time out. Although, in fairness, that was several years ago and nothing else has gone wrong since
- fiddly bits not robust enough to carry skis/snowboard
- non-detachable, non-extendable lid pocket is a complete pain in the ass when the sack is full. This is a deal breaker for me, would definitely not buy another one because of this.

One of my local shops had a cheap deal on the larger version of the Blue Ice Warthog a few weeks and I was tempted, but coldn't reallly justify the expense. It looked good, but the grass is always greener ...

In reply to KellyKettle:

I've had a Aiguille Cirrus since 2007 and have used it a lot for those sort of things. The fabric is a bit faded now but the bag still works fine. It is nothing fancy but then a bag for scrambling doesn't need to be.

I won a Blue Ice Waterhog 26 (the little green one) a couple of years a go. It is a nice pack: very well made with a well thought out design. The skinny hipbelt is next to useless and the bag only comes in one back length. I'm about 5'11'' and the bag is way to short to be comfy.

I'd get the Aiguille.

HTH

In reply to KellyKettle:
I agree with TRip

I've got a Cirrus as my winter climbing sac and its brilliant. If I lost it tomorrow I'd get another.

I've also got the Warthog 26, also very good but a small 26l - really too small for most of my needs. I looked at the bigger warthog when I was looking for a winter sac but got the Aguille one in preference as it had compression straps and Adrian could customise it for me.

friends have not rated the build quality of OMM sacs - certainly not on a par with Aguille or Blue Ice.

In reply to Exile & TRip:

I think we may have a winner in Aguille, In terms of customisation, are Aguille likely to be able to give it an adjustable lid, r/h wand pocket 2/3rds the height of an OS map and a couple of little fabric loops to attach compass etc to?

In reply to KellyKettle:

I've had a AA Cirrus for about 3 years. It's my winter pack, my summer pack, my overnight bivi trip pack, my carry on aeroplane pack, my going down the shops pack. It's my only pack come to think of it.

I had mine made without axe loops as I tend to put axes under the lid. I'd like a second snow skirt thing and an extendable lid to push the capacity a bit sometimes. Adrian was v helpful, I'm sure he'll make almost anything for you.

Cheap too.

In reply to KellyKettle:
In my experience Adrian will do whatever you want - what you want sounds straight forward. I had mine made an inch longer than usual, no ice axe loops, a hole at the rear of the lid where it attaches to the rest of the sac and the rope retaining strap altered so the lid can be pushed into the sac and the retaining strap threaded through the hole and done up to keep it in place. From memory I wasn't charged any extra.

Add to this they are actually very light, due to lack of fuss, but bombproof.

If you want to chat it through my advice would be to ring them rather than email.

In reply to KellyKettle:
Further endorsement for the Aguille. Had mine made with custom changes this summer. Has on exactly what I want & nothing I don't. I particularly wanted one with a detachable lid (to go lighter weight), and extended skirt for occasional bigger loads.
If you can stop by the shop, you can check the back length.
Very well made.
I recommend the ninja black fabric.

In reply to KellyKettle:

Can I suggest the one that fits, as they all work.

In reply to KellyKettle:

I've used stuff by Aiguille alpine and oMM (Both OMM villain and 25l classic mm bag). I wouldn't get the villain pack again for a few reasons. The material used on the shoulder straps is quite abrasive on bare skin and picks up snow, the removable backrest (lower part) never fitted me very well and the back support (foam with wire) bent out of shape with heavy loads.

The 25l pack is, on the other hand, brilliant and I use it for about 90% of the alpinism, general mountaineering and walking that I do. It stands up surprisingly well to granite and general abuse.

For multiday routes I use a larger (50l) AA bag. The construction, weight and design are all exemplary and Adrian was happy to make various modifications to it at no extra cost. I will buy from him again.

Hope that helps.

In reply to Jasonic:


No, you may not suggest that, I ardently refuse to spend my hard earned cash on a product that will actually work for me... The cheek of some people!

In reply to HammondR:
I shall have to pop in on them when I'm next visiting family in carlisle, I would assume I'm the Long back-length, but can't harm to check before requesting a custom job.

In reply to KellyKettle:

Well I have had an OMM sac which I used for everything until it wore out-
I had an AA sac with a longer back but it produced back ache for me! As I said whatever fits.
Have a totally unused osprey mutant 28 in grey green if you want one!

In reply to Jasonic:

Fair Play, I shall keep that in mind. If I have a chance to try a mutant I may take you up on the offer depending on price...

In reply to aldo56:
Ditto.
I've only had mine for a few weeks but very happy so far and haven't found anything I dislike.

Again, I'd agree completely. I really like the helmet carrier as it frees up valuable space and avoids the need for extra straps etc.

I haven't used it in the rain but I'll probably re-proof it with Nikwax TX Direct at some point down the line and I too use dry bags for pretty much everything anyway.

Only thing worth adding is that I bought it off the For Sale forum here and not at full retail price which is fairly high.

In reply to KellyKettle:

the arcteryx cierzo 35 is very good. frame less tough and light and comes in a variety of lurid metro sexual colours. mine has taken a beasting and still works there is a smaller one if the 35 is bigger than required. I can cram winter climbing kit in mine.

In reply to KellyKettle:
it's irresistible to add fresh choices.
The Lowe alpine alpine attack 35 45 new model just out for £79. Smallish but extendable with floating lid. Very neat unfussy design. Too early for me to comment on its robustness. But based on my cragging sack I am still waiting for any signs of wear after 12 years plus.
The Green warthog is a loverly thing I just can't see me having the discipline to climb with such a small sack.
Aiguille look great and the option to customise is worth a lot.

In reply to KellyKettle:

Given a choice I would do without top tension straps & extendable lids as these always seem to loosen off at some point resulting in much cursing! Like side wand pockets for stuff like Tat and rubbish, easily accessible topo's trekking poles...

In reply to Jasonic: I should add that although i thought the small warthog would be too small I did get the blue ice 30L older generation pack. It's good but does have faults. The main two being plastic buckles that get far too stiff in freezing conditions and a poor fabric choice (not the tuff nylon of the new version or warthog).
I know floating lids can be a pain. But they are needed if you are likely to over fill the sack. I guess that's more likely with a small sack. Otherwise you get the lid against you head effect which is a pain and particularly so if you have a helmet on. I gave a 30L sack that gets very little use due to the smallish opening and non floating lid.