Gear Review: ARC'TERYX Miura 50 Climbing Pack
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--- Invalid image id: 106274795 --- IntroductionThe Miura 50 is my second ARCTERYX climbing pack the first, an RT 45, I used until I literally wore holes in the bottom. Unfortunately, that didnt take too long. Dont get me wrong, it was a great pack overall, but I did have a few gripes. Primarily, the holes in the bottom! This is a company that, in my mind, was known for manufacturing bomber gear, but when I called customer service, the employee who took my call told me not to put my rack in the bottom. I was a bit incredulous: This is a pack designed for climbers; it should hold up to having a rack in it. Its not like I was dragging it over rocks or anything. Nevertheless, I got into the habit of putting softer items in the bottom and this seemed to prevent the damages from getting any worse. Some other minor flaws: The small, external pocket on the top was too tiny to be useful for much more than keys and lip balm, and the pocket on the back had such a small opening that even fitting a guidebook in it required tedious maneuvering. On the flip side, I loved the RollTop closure and the pack was super-comfortable.The RT series of packs have been discontinued, and the replacement, the Miura, addresses every single issue I had, along with improving on the design in several ways. The BasicsThe Miura packs come in three sizes: 20 liters, 30 liters, and 50 liters. The model I have, the 50 is cavernous in capacity. It is only 5 liters bigger than my previous pack, but it seems to be able to carry much more. The pack utilizes a RollTop closure system which works much like a dry bag: Stuff items down into the top of the pack, fold the top over and zip two straps tight and its shut. This makes packing gear easy and opening and closing the pack very quick. The only drawback is the pack cannot be overstuffed since the top needs a certain amount of room to close properly. The pack also has zippers down the side which allow it to be completely opened like a clamshell. ARCTERYX calls this design the drawbridge system. Its a great way to access all your gear really quickly. There are two webbing loops at the base of the side zips that make zipping the pack up easy and can also could handle ice tools. The pack has a large pocket on the back that is accessible from both the inside and the outside, and also a pocket on the top. The frame consists of aluminum stays and an HDPE framesheet.ARCTERYX paid close attention to the details as well: The bottom of the pack is padded to prevent the material wearing out for those climbers who are insistent upon putting their rack in the bottom. The inside of the pack is a high-visibility green fabric which makes identifying gear in low light easy. There is a hydration port (but no pocket for a bladder) and a clip for a hose on the shoulder straps. There are two detachable compression straps that can be arranged in different configurations. There are two gear loops in the interior of the pack for organizing gear. The pack has a large grab handle at the top which makes moving the pack around at the base of climbs very easy, as well as a loop for hanging. The top pocket has a key clip, and all the zippers are extremely smooth. Performance Notes From The Field--- Invalid image id: 106274796 ---The author, with iPod and Miura 50, on the 3 mile approach hike into the Needles The Miura is a fantastic pack. Over the past few months Ive used it for everything from sport climbing, to making the five mile approach to the Diamond, to cragging at Indian Creek. On the lighter trips, I generally have a lot of extra room in the pack, but it still rides well and it allows me room to bring some luxury items like an extra jacket or larger lunch. On the bigger trips is where it really shines, however. Just last week I used it to approach Half Dome on an attempt to free the Regular Route. Our strategy was to hike in the day before and bivy on the shoulder, fire the climb the next day, return to our bivy site that night and hike out on the following morning. Inside the pack I was able to fit the entire rack for the climb, my harness, shoes, chalkbag and helmet, a sleeping bag, food for two and a half days, water bottles, a down jacket, a shell, and some other miscellaneous smaller items. Using the compression straps I attached my sleeping pad and could have easily attached a second rope as well. Carrying all this up the notorious Death Slabs was no problem at all: humping loads like that up steep terrain is always going to be hard work, but at least the Miura can handle it and I remained pain-free and felt agile enough to arm-over-arm up the fixed lines without a second thought. The Miura is fairly adjustable and has a solild waistbelt and suspension. The spacermesh back panel is comfortable and wicks sweat away quickly. Like I said before, all of my gripes from the previous model have been addressed. The top pocket and back pocket are downright huge and very accessible. I usually put all the little items in the top and still have plenty of room for guidebooks, lunch, and even a water bottle. The back pocket accepts climbing shoes and a harness, or a jacket and hat and gloves. So far the bottom of the pack shows no wear perhaps because of the padding. The outer fabric seems to be very abrasion resistant as well: Youd never know from looking at it all the miles of manzanita tunneling Ive done in an effort to find shortcuts during approaches over the last few months. My favorite features of the pack include the RollTop closure. I think this design is really superb. I like the roomy external pockets and huge carrying capacity. I also like the flexible compression strap design: Usually I dont have them on which keeps things clean looking and snag-free, but when I occasionally need to carry a second rope or a sleeping pad, I can put them on in about 30 seconds. Features I dont make much use of are the internal gear loops and hydration port, but others may find these helpful. Bottom LineThis is the best climbing pack Ive ever worn, hands down. I have to stretch to say anything bad about it Hmmm While climbing Higher Catherdral Spire, a raven managed to unzip the top of the pack and remove all the contents, scattering them over a 50 foot radius at the base of the climb. The Miura is not raven-proof. While cragging at the Chapel Wall, a bear decided it wanted my sunblock and toilet paper. Fortunately the main part of the pack was open and it got into the top pocket by going through the less-beefy material inside. Duct tape has solved this problem for the time being, but soon I will have to check out ARCTERYXs repair service. The Miura is not bear-proof. Seriously, this pack is extremely comfortable and flawlessly designed. I highly recommend it.The Pali Rope Bag Ive also been using ARCTERYXs Pali Rope Bag. While one might initially think theres not much to designing a rope bag, there are two little details that make this a great bag. First, the square tarp is sewn into the bag by a corner. This makes folding the tarp up and stuffing it very quick: Just take in the three exposed corners and stuff. Second, the Pali also makes use of the RollTop system: It has a huge opening with stiff inserts that can be folded over and cinched shut in seconds. Tightening a single strap squeezes the rope down into a small package really quickly. No draw strings to fuss with or extra straps to buckle. When all is said and done, the bag is shaped perfectly to fit in the bottom of the Miura 50. I found that I could only get it to fit if I opened up the whole pack via the drawbridge and placed the bag in the bottom (stuffing it through the top didnt seem to work quite right), and also it would only fit properly with a 60m rope. The Pali handles a 70m rope no problem, but it just doesnt get quite small enough to snug up into the bottom of the Miura. The Pali comes with a detachable, padded shoulder strap. The ARCTERYX Miura Packs
www.arcteryx.com |
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Josh, THANK YOU for the detailed and insightful review. |
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Thanks guys, I totally love my pack as well. Ive been using it for about 3 months. I got the 50L regular Black. In hindsight I probably would have loved the Raisin or the Lime colored version. This is a great pack, the best Ive ever had. I have yet to use the Pali rope bag because I prefer to strap it to the top. Because of the size of this bag I tend to make use of every inch of space, which makes this a bit cumbersome. I normally stuff a full rack(C4 doubles, TCU singles, 15 Inferno QDs, slings, 2 cordelettes), harnerss, approach shoes, helmet, food, down jacket, guidebook and extras with a tad bit of room to spare. If I load it to the gills its pretty dang heavy, I almost wish I also had the 30L version for sport cragging since I love the features. |
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I've been using this pack for most of the current climbing season including a couple of trips to the desert, cragging around Denver/Boulder, etc. It's about the best climbing pack I've ever owned (the horizontal gear loops suggested above would be a nice improvement however). It swallows enormous amounts of gear easily, opens up wide once at the crag for easy access, carries huge loads comfortably and has a place for everything. In short, it's got everything you need and nothing you don't. The local gear shop showed me a cool un-intended feature - it can be used just like a Crazy Creek chair. Get out your Crazy Creek and your empty Miura, look at both and think creatively - pretty cool. |
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Yep, been using the 50 Tall Raisin for about 7 months and love it. A couple of things: |
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"I have to stretch to say anything bad about it
Hmmm
" |
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Sirius wrote:"I have to stretch to say anything bad about it Hmmm " Let me see if I can help you with that: it costs $200. Edit: Good write-up and thanks for it. One question: is this a status buy? Or would a cheap but solid pack not get the job done on an approach like you found to the Needles, or HCR, or other places further afield? Or do you Miura 50 owners just really appreciate quality products? These are not argumentative or rhetorical questions - trying to understand the thinking on that kind of dough for a crag pack.Sirius you bring up a good point. The only real reason I bought this bag was that I was my trad rack was getting bigger and my old bag was getting beat up and Climbing or Rock & Ice rated it well. I don't own alot of Arcteryx gear, but the gear/clothing I do have are top notch. I found an awesome deal online and splurged. I know it's alot for a crag bag, but now that I have it, its worth every penny. It's quality is better than any crag bag I've seen and conceptually better than anything on the market. I've owned, borrowed or use Boa, Boa Duffle, Crag station, Cilogear, Splitter and its just better. |
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Sirius wrote:"I have to stretch to say anything bad about it Hmmm " Let me see if I can help you with that: it costs $200. Edit: Good write-up and thanks for it. One question: is this a status buy? Or would a cheap but solid pack not get the job done on an approach like you found to the Needles, or HCR, or other places further afield? Or do you Miura 50 owners just really appreciate quality products? These are not argumentative or rhetorical questions - trying to understand the thinking on that kind of dough for a crag pack.Well, it is a bit pricey. But I like buying toys, didn't want a top loader, and things like the Boa weren't big enough for me. I use it every weekend, so it's worth it for me. |
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Thanks for the responses. If it's a well-built product, and lasts you three to four times what a cheaper model would, then you end up with the best value AND you're consuming less materials than the guy who buys 3 or 4 packs in the same time frame. |
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Yep, I've tried and sold a bunch of cragging packs over the years and this is by far the best I've found. I foresee wearing this one out. Just open the top, dump all your stuff inside, roll closed and go. Simple and easy. Once at the crag, unzip the sides, pull it open, dig out what you want, and climb. Simple and easy. |
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Picked up the Miura 50 before heading to the Creek for Thanksgiving. I'm still amazed at how much you can stuff into this thing - triple rack, 70m rope, 2 pairs of shoes, harness, the draw hanging flying squirrel, etc. It carries all this and more comfortably. really liked the gear loops inside for keeping the rack organized and allowing you to pick and choose what you need. Also the two compression straps can be removed easily for snagless hiking in brush filled areas. Spot on Arcteryx......The pali is also awesome, albeit a bit pricey. |
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Just add my $0.02 to the raves for this thing. After my old Lowe Mtn Attack 50 disappeared from the base of a route, I was in the market. A couple of friends ended up with the Miura 50 and after checking theirs out in action at the crags, I found one for $160ish online. It's perfect for cragging. The only thing I might add would be a grab strap/handle running vertically on each side near the middle of the body. The lining on the back and shoulder straps looks prone to snagging and wear, but it's the only thing remembling a fault I can come up with. |
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I have the 30 and its great for everything but the rope and I just lash that to the outside. |
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Can anyone post any pics of the roll top system, i am interested in getting a 30L for trad cragging and one of my concerns is the roll top and how it works. also for desbien what does "everything" include? shoes harness helmet, food, water, extra layer...etc? |
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I'm looking at these too the roll top is cool sorry no photos. I'm not sure the 30 is big enough for trad though. My friend has a 30 and he can barely fit his sport gear in it. I'm going to buy the 50 for trad. |
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i also have this backpack and i love it ! |
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I have owned the Miura 50 Tall (i.e., 55 Liters) now for almost six months using it probably around 15 times mostly local craging and a one day alpine trip. In summary it is a joy. |
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I've had the 30 in lime for a couple years, I use it often and have no real complaints. I agree about the internal loops, somewhat useless in their current position. The bag can haul heavy loads comfortably and is functionally perfect for my needs. I have a tendency to shred my toys, so the beefy Arc'teryx quality makes this worth the price. |
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If you don't mind the lime green version, the tall 55L pack is going for $135 at backcountry.com |
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Sirius wrote:"I have to stretch to say anything bad about it Hmmm " Let me see if I can help you with that: it costs $200. Edit: Good write-up and thanks for it. One question: is this a status buy? Or would a cheap but solid pack not get the job done on an approach like you found to the Needles, or HCR, or other places further afield? Or do you Miura 50 owners just really appreciate quality products? These are not argumentative or rhetorical questions - trying to understand the thinking on that kind of dough for a crag pack. Sirius wrote:Thanks for the responses. If it's a well-built product, and lasts you three to four times what a cheaper model would, then you end up with the best value AND you're consuming less materials than the guy who buys 3 or 4 packs in the same time frame. So you owners just have to stick to your Miura's and not buy any more toys in this category for 15-20 years. I've had my El Shitterino pack for about 8 yrs now, can't remember what the price was but less than $50 and it's still kicking, still ugly, still functional. As long as form follows function and not vice-versa it's hard to go wrong in the consumerist role.hmmm, you come off as being pretty jealous. Some people can afford to spend 200 dollars on a crag bag and enjoy using a quality product, especially when It's something that they will be spending lots of time with and will enjoy for years to come. There's something about using a tool of fine quality that just makes you feel good, every time you pick it up it puts a smile on your face. Have you not experienced this feeling? Not everyone has the same idea as to what constitutes a good value. You don't have to agree with how certain people choose to spend their money, but what do you really accomplish by posting your disapproval. Does it make you feel better about having a shitty bag by trying make others feel bad about having a good one? The purpose of this thread is to inform people who may be considering this bag. If you offer no information about this bag you are polluting this forum, and have no place posting here. |
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Nice review, thanks glad someone has found a near perfect pack for climbing. |