By Doug Shepherd
From Fort Collins, CO
Jan 15, 2008
| Cilogear V2.5 45L Worksack
V2.5 45L Worksack
I am hard on packs. Really hard. I spend most of time climbing in the mountains, typically in Rocky Mountain National Park on alpine routes, which can involve thrashing, chimney climbing, hauling, and all sorts of things that will destroy a pack in no time.
I also love ice climbing. My ice climbing season typically starts in October and ends in the summer after a trip to a Greater Range for alpine ice climbing.
I bought one of the first generation 60L Worksacks three years ago. It has been to Peru, Alaska, and all over the USA. I have abused it heavily in Colorado over the last few years. I also have a V1 40L that I used for smaller climbs (it also went to Alaska as my partners pack) and as my wife's backpacking pack. Both packs are still in good shape, however the advances that Cilogear has made with their pack design have regulated these packs for backpacking and loaning out to friends.
This brings us to my current pack of choice, the V2.5 45L Worksack. I have been using this pack heavily this winter season, at least three days a week. This pack is the best design I've used in a long time, combining good workmanship, lightweight materials, and some innovative ideas. There are some kinks, but we'll get to those later.
What's new?
So why this is new generation of pack so much better? The next section will focus on older features that have stayed the same, such as the strap system and materials. Let's look at the new features that I think separate this pack from the rest of the market.
Starting at the bottom and work up...
Ice Axe Attachment
First off, the ice axe holders on this pack are brilliant. Similar to the BD packs, you can slip the head into the sleeve, buckle it down, and use the bungee cord to secure the shaft to the pack. This system provides a simple, reliable attachment for all kinds of ice tools.
V2.5 45L tool attachment
Notice that both the Quark and Nomic attach securely to the pack. I've carried both tools on long approaches and never once thought about them after attaching them to the pack.
V1 40L tool attachment
For comparison, here is the old attachment system, which I constantly worried about my Nomics falling out of. I also broke a few buckles because the weight placed on them in this setup.
Crampon attachment
V2.5 45L crampon attachment
I personally don't mind strapping my crampons to my pack, but some people will prefer a crampon pouch. The V3 40L Worksack has a crampon pouch and is a similar design to the 45L Worksack.
I've carried both collapsible and rigid crampons with this system, including some nasty gully climbing in Cody to get to the goods. Haven't had a problem yet, even after taking a spill down the scree in Cody on my back.
The Lid
V1 60L lid (left) vs. V2.5 45L lid (right)
The new lid fits and doesn't flop around. This in of itself is a huge improvement. I can't quite shove a belay jacket in the lid anymore, but that's fine by me. What I can do is cinch the lid down nice and tight around the pack opening, which I much prefer.
The new lid also comes with buckles on all four attachments. This makes getting into the pack, adjusting tension, and taking the lid off much easier than before.
V2.5 45L helmet attachment
The lid is where we encounter the first kink, the bungee cord setup to hold attach a helmet. I'm not quite sure how this is supposed to work, but the only way I can get my Petzl helmet to stay put is to strap the bungee cord through the headlamp clips. This is a bit of a pain. Luckily I can usually fit my helmet inside the pack, which makes things much easier. I have carried my helmet in on the lid and it works, but I do worry about it falling off.
V2.5 45L top pocket zipper
The next kink is that the zippers are a bit small on the lid. With large gloves on, it can be difficult to open the main pocket. This is solved by adding zipper pulls, but this is an after market modification.
V2.5 45L bottom pocket zipper
The bottom pocket of the lid is easily big enough for my lunch and glasses case, which is great, because these are the two things I value not losing above all else. The zipper on this pocket is easier to open with large gloves because there is no flap.
Haul loops
One of my major complaints about the early Cilogear packs was that the haul loops were not bar tacked to hold a lot of weight. Not a problem on the new packs, as both the front and back grab loops are bar tacked in, instilling much more confidence when hanging the pack off a belay way out there.
Inside the pack
V2.5 45L inside small pocket
The big modification on the inside of the pack is the Gu/map pocket on the frame sheet lid. I've found this a great place to store my leashes, bail cord, and other small items that I will use once I get to the climbing. This pocket is also great for storing food in when you are climbing without the lid.
V2.5 45L 3D frame sheet pocket
The 45L does not have a water bladder pocket, instead having a "3D frame sheet pocket". This design decision was to cut weight, and while it succeeds in that respect, I have had problems with the pocket opening up with a full 3 liter bladder placed inside of the pocket. This is the first time that Cilogear has heard of this issue, but it does present a problem as once the frame sheet pocket opens up the pack begins to carry poorly.
I have solved this problem by just placing my bladder in the main pack area, but I would like to be able to use the frame sheet pocket to protect the bladder from the abuse of being in the main pack area.
What's old?
These features have not changed from the first generation of Cilogear packs, but are major components of packs themselves.
Materials
The 45L uses the lighter version of the Dimension Polyant fabric. The material has survived some hard abuse and if it last anything like my previous packs, this pack will be around for a long time to come. It is also 200 psi waterproof, which means when you get sandbagged on a route in Alaska and end up sitting on a ledge waiting for the snow conditions to settle, you can put your legs in the bag and not have to worry about the snow soaking through. The foam pack pad is also great for sitting on and reinforcing glacier sleeping systems.
Load carrying
This is where the Cilogear packs constantly surprise me. For all the lightweight construction, etc... I was expecting something similar to my old Wild Things Andinista. That is, versatile but uncomfortable with heavy loads.
The Cilogear packs carry much better for a pack weight that is comparable to the Wild Things and Cold Cold World packs.
The 45L Worksack weighs approx. 1600 grams and costs $170.
The Wild Things Ice Sac (52L) weighs approx. 1300 grams and costs $285.
The Cold Cold World Chernobyl (50L) weighs approx. 1475 grams and costs $175.
V2.5 45L frame sheet and foam pad
The amazing thing? The Cilogear has a frame sheet with a metal stay. Removing this sheds approximately 300 grams, which brings the weight right in line with the other companies packs. So for the same price or less you get a much better carrying pack and the ability to strip it down the same weight as better known alpine packs.
Strap system
The innovative strap system that all Cilogear packs possess is called the "D-Clip" system. This system allows you to setup the straps on the pack any way you like, or to compress the pack without straps at all. This is a way to cut weight and still provide versatility in a pack. In Alaska my partner and I both used this system to compress our packs to smaller sizes for climbing, which allowed us to ditch the straps and just climb.
There is a online manual that details all the use of the straps here: Cilogear Manual - Straps and Compression.
V2.5 45L strap setup
This is the configuration of my pack 90% of the time with straps, it just seem to work for me. I know other users who have a different setup and tinker with it constantly, but that is too much for me. I've found that this setup allows for comfortable loading carrying and compression.
As other reviewers have said, this pack takes some work. I've had the advantage of using solely Cilogear packs for three years now, which means I set my 45L up straight out of the box without any thought. Things like bending the frame sheet, setting the straps up, and general tinkering take some time. However the payoff is a nearly custom fit for a pack under 200 dollars.
Odds and Ends
The customer service provided by Cilogear is fantastic. My emails for help with setting a pack up, or getting replacement buckles for my old packs were usually replied to within the day and usually by the owner.
I've always felt that companies pushing the limits in terms of design can fall prey to making their products too cool. Cilogear has reigned in the desire to makes these packs too light and too customizable to provide a well balanced product.
Because of their involvement in super high end packs (such as a 45L Worksack made from Dyneema, the best ideas make it into the production packs that most users will end up owning for years to come.
Conclusion
After talking with Cilogear, the V3 packs will be very similar to my V2.5 45L pack, with material differences and the obvious size differences between different models.
I will continue to use my 45L as my main climbing pack throughout the winter and then it will make the trek to South America with me for a month of climbing. I will probably just take the 45L, as I think that it is the best do-it-all solution for carrying slightly larger loads and also climbing.
V2.5 45L fully loaded with crampons, tools, and skis
Because of the versatility and ability to strip weight, this pack functions well as a load carrying pack that transforms into a lightweight summit pack. It also works well as a climbing pack, carrying just enough to gear to keep everything inside the pack, but not so voluminous that the kitchen sink makes it in.
I highly recommend the V2.5 45L Worksack to anybody looking for a lightweight climbing pack that works great for ice climbing, all season mountaineering, alpine climbing, and good old rock climbing as well.
If your needs include a multi-day trek in for climbing, you should check out the Cilogear 60L Worksack which shares all of the features I have reviewed here, but is expands to a whopping 90L with the spindrift collar all the way up.
If you require a lot of pockets or really dislike having to put some work in to get a pack fitting just right, you should check out a friends before deciding if a Cilogear pack is for you.
V1 40L completely compressed on the Petit Grepon, RMNP
Full Disclosure: I paid full price for my 45L worksack. |  |
By John McNamee
Administrator
From Littleton, CO
Jan 15, 2008
| Doug,
Great review. You're going to put me out of my job!
Cheers
John | |
By crackers
Jan 15, 2008
| ... I highly recommend the V2.5 45L Worksack to anybody looking for a lightweight climbing pack that works great for ice climbing, all season mountaineering, alpine climbing, and good old rock climbing as well. If your needs include a multi-day trek in for climbing, you should check out the Cilogear 60L Worksack which shares all of the features I have reviewed here, but is expands to a whopping 90L with the spindrift collar all the way up. ...
Full Disclosure: I paid full price for my 45L worksack.
Zowie!
Just for the record, I make CiloGear packs and am the company. Uh, thanks for the fantastic review Doug. I'm always pleasantly surprised when somebody takes the time and makes the substantial effort to share a review like that.
A few notes: we're using made in the USA zippers now. They're really much much nicer. The panel the crampons go on is the same VX42 material we've used for the past three years for that purpose, and we've only seen real damage done by folks sitting down on top of the crampons and pushing them through the pack. The lid's shock cord was designed around my old HB el cap, so I'm sorry that it doesn't work better with your "helmet".
I think the Internal Lid Pocket works really well, but it's very nice to get your own strange ideas confirmed. I think that the framesheet might be getting loose because of the stiffness of the VX07 fabric used in the V2.5 45L packs...we use 210d SilNylon in the V3 packs and it hasn't been a problem on our test packs.
I think that pack might be lighter and larger than the packs you're comparing it to...;) If you really are using all 200grams of removable straps, I'd suggest that you aren't so interested in "fast and light"...
Anyway, thanks for the review, and thanks for your feedback so we can continue improving our product. | |
By Doug Shepherd
From Fort Collins, CO
Jan 16, 2008
| crackers wrote: The lid's shock cord was designed around my old HB el cap, so I'm sorry that it doesn't work better with your "helmet".
Hey! Foam helmets work...they just...get dented really easily. For the record I have the same problem with my Petzl Elios, which is a bit closer to a real "helmet".
crackers wrote: If you really are using all 200grams of removable straps, I'd suggest that you aren't so interested in "fast and light"...
That's me! Slow and heavy all the way baby!
I think I use about 6 straps for cragging and none in the mountains usually. I have no idea how much six straps weigh, I just was quoting weights off each company's website.
I'm pretty sure the Cilogear 45L is bigger with the spindrift collar loaded up than either of the other two packs I mentioned, but I can't say for sure about the Cold Cold World packs.
Anyways...this is what I was talking about with Customer Service. Straight from the main man himself. | |
By Sunny-D
From SLC, Utah
Jan 16, 2008
| I have a Cilo Gear 60 L work sack that I bought Spring 07 for a trip to Peru. I love it. I looked at most the packs out there for Alpine climbing and found the Cilo Gear top notch. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a excellent quality pack, That can really do it all.
A side note: On one of the peaks we were climbing one of the guys I was climbing with got sick and went down, leaving all his gear with 2 of us. I picked up his gear after our summit and hauled my stuff and most of his stuff down. My pack easily weighed 70 pounds. He had a lot of stuff... My Cilo Gear pack carried all the extra gear well despite the massive extra weight. | |
By Lee Smith
Jan 16, 2008
| Great review! Damn, something else for the wish list. | |
By crackers
Jan 17, 2008
| Sold out.
We're making the V3 ones now. The pack bags of the V3 packs will be a teensy bit heavier, and the grey stripes are a bit darker. There are some other improvements, I think they're well covered on the blog.
We'll set up preorders for the V3 45L's next week.
Forgive me for posting this here, but since the review sent a lot of traffic to our site, I thought I'd post this here rather than waste folks' time and effort looking for something that's gone... | |
By dug
From Gardnerville NV
Jan 18, 2008
| I have the CG 45. It must be a bit earlier version? I dont have the inside small pocket. Strangely mine didn't come with the foam pad either. It came with the frame sheet and some sort of hard plastic thingy. Anyway, it didn't matter as I already have a foamy that came with my CCW pack a few years ago and just sits in the closet as this one would have. I use my 3/4 Z-rest for the frame in both these packs and it works great. It a bit of a tight fit in the CG tho. With a bit of experimentation I was able to rig the straps to carry a shovel on the back panel of the pack. My only complaint is the button hole type cord exit on the pack bag and extension. The one on the pack body is unraveling and I suppose that the extension will follow suit. I concur that this is an excellent alpine pack. I tried to use an older pack of mine for ice cragging the other day but just gave up and used my CG. | |
By Steven Nedorolik
From CO
Jan 19, 2008
| Great review.
I've got a V1 40L with the upgraded lid and love it. I've had it for 2 years now and its been around the world. the only issue I have it the tool attachment but get around that by wrapping the buckle end twice around the head of my nomics. If I were still using tools with hammers, it'd be no issue.
Someone on rc.com mentioned that BD packs may look better but the CG packs perform much better.
I totally agree. | |
By crackers
Jul 2, 2008
| Folks, forgive the bump, especially since it's basically totally self serving...as you should know, i more or less am cilogear.
I found threetwo of these V2.5 45L packs in our storage locker during inventory two weeks ago, and I need to pay my rent now. So, I'm having a mini 4th of July sale...
I've also got a few of exact same V2.5 45L pack in Dyneema on sale in size Large and Small. It's the same pack used by infamous trolls such as Boss McGillicutty (remember him?), sometime climber sometime editor Kelly Cordes and full time French Canadian Dynamo Maxime Turgeon...
Details are on my corporate whore blog
Thanks for reading, and again, apologies for the bump. I just want to pay my rent! I hereby promise that if somebody actually buys one of those dyneema packs, I'll make our upcoming rock packs available for testing here first... | |
By Kai Larson
From Boulder, Colorado
Jul 5, 2008
| Nice review. I own this very pack, and also like it a lot.
The one feature I wish it had is a plain web belt that you could use to replace the standard belt. Lots of times, I strip the belt off to save weight, but still wish I had a web belt to provide some extra stability. | |
By KathyS
From Poughkeepsie, NY
Jul 6, 2008
| Kai Larson wrote: Nice review. I own this very pack, and also like it a lot. The one feature I wish it had is a plain web belt that you could use to replace the standard belt. Lots of times, I strip the belt off to save weight, but still wish I had a web belt to provide some extra stability.
You could easily make one with some 2" webbing and a buckle. Most gear shops sell webbing by the foot and replacement buckles. | |
By Iselin
Aug 10, 2008
| Hi.
I`m about to buy a new pack, actually my first one with climbing on my mind. But, to get the perfect one, I have to order it, and I need some help to understand what size I need.
Where on my back do I measure how long pack I need?
(I`m a girl, 169/170cm (66,5/66,9 inches), but long legged... Anyone with the same measures?)
I plan on going to a store to try on some packs and hopefully they have sizes similar to Cilogear :)
Tnx for any help, and I apologize if my English is bad;)
(By the way, I spent some of my summer in Lofoten in Norway, a climbing paradise!) | |
By John McNamee
Administrator
From Littleton, CO
Aug 10, 2008
| Over on rc.com there is some information from the outdoor trade shown regarding new packs that cilogear are about to release...
As far as sizing goes, if you can't find them locally, then I would suggest you contact Cilogear directly to sort the sizing out. Often a small size in one manufacturer doesn't mean a small from a different company will fit.
Link to outdoor show:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/Articles/Gear_and_Reviews/Outdoo>>>>> | |
By Jake O
Aug 10, 2008
| That's it! I've been hauling my old wild things rock sack around since I was 15. I'm 34 now. I'm tired of sewing the thing back together. I've been looking at the 45l worksack for two years. Time to drop the cash.
Jake | |
By Iselin
Aug 11, 2008
| Thanks John.
I think I will contact Cilogear when I have decided for a pack.
I should probably wait until they have released the new packs, just hope that there`s not to much price difference.
Limited pocket size ;) | |
By Kai Larson
From Boulder, Colorado
Nov 4, 2008
| A few more thoughts on this pack, now that I've used it a bit more.
The framesheet:
I find that the plastic framesheet with the aluminum stay is not needed. For even over-stuffed loads on overnight trips in cold weather, I find that the foam back pad (and careful packing) is all that is needed. I've left the framesheet at home the last several trips with this pack and haven't missed it at all. It still carries very well without the framesheet.
The framesheet weighs almost a pound, so I doubt I will bring it ever again. If I'm carrying a load that is so large that I need that much support, I'll likely just choose a different pack.
The foam backpad:
Initially, I thought that the foam pad would be better if it was folded at the bottom, so that it would be longer when unfolded. As it currently is designed, it's a little too short to insulate your torso during a bivi, and unfolding it only increases the width, not the length.
However, I now wonder if the stiffness of the pad (and its excellent performance as a frame component) may be in part because it is folded along it's vertical edge as opposed to folded at the bottom (like an Andinista.) This fold orientation makes the pad a lot shorter than an Andinista pad, but makes it significantly stiffer. I'm going to experiment with different foam backpad materials and fold orientations to see if it makes a difference in load carrying.
Waistbelt:
I made a simple waistbelt out of plain webbing with a little piece of Velcro in the middle to hold it in place. I can easily switch the padded waistbelt for the webbing belt and back again in about a minute.
The simple webbing belt works great for controlling the load on the climb, and gives me better access to the gear on my harness. Even after replacing the stock padded waistbelt, the pack is surprisingly comfortable to carry and still hip-loads pretty well, so much so that I typically just use the webbing belt unless I'm on a multi-day trip.
I'm not yet ready to say that I've joined the Cilo gear cult, but I'm slowly becoming converted. This pack is so versatile and does so many things well that it's becoming my go-to pack for overnighters and climbs where I'm taking a lot of kit. | |
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