Good Pack for travel and climbing

I'm headed to Thailand for three weeks in a couple months, then again for another 2-3 weeks in the early spring. The first trip will be for climbing and being a tourist (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, tonsai), the second to pick up an adopted child and I'll likely go gym climbing.

For reference:

My current climbing pack is the Patagonia Crag Daddy 45 which is in okay shape, but the inside is falling apart, it's just big enough for a rack of draws, 2 pair of size 46 climbing shoes, 70mm, chalk bag and harness. It carries okay for shorter trips, but for a 45L pack it seems small to me...and my back gets very sweaty on long hikes and the waist strap starts digging in after a while.

I also have a metolius express haul pack, I believe it is a 39L bag, which carries about the same amount of gear as the Crag Daddy, and really makes my back sweat as well as gets very uncomfortable with a lot of weight in it...

I've been looking at the Patagonia cragsmith 45L and BD's Creek 50 as possible packs to get, as well as the North Face Cragaconda, Mountain Hardwears Crag Wagon 45 or 60, and the most expensive option: the Mammut Trion 50 or Trion 50 Spine.

My concerns are:
Cragsmith: my current Patagonia Pack isn't what I'd consider very durable for the price, or terribly comfortable, but reviews make the cragsmith 45l sound like the best thing ever made for climbers...

Creek 50: I've heard it's not very comfortable when carrying heavier loads...that was from a friend that worked at BD...

Cragaconda: looks bulky and wide int the pics...and just as hot on the back as my cragdaddy.

Crag Wagon: no outside water or food stash pockets, and looks like it may not be very comfortable.

Trion 50 and Spine 50: only comes in one size...and I’m 6’5”...

Anyone have a suggestion?

My Mammut Neon Gear 45 is quite durable, and comfy to wear, and mine only cost $45 on fleabay. The only cons for me are that it's only partially hydration compatible (it has an internal sleeve for a bladder, but there's no separate tube-hole so the back compartment has to be kept slightly open at the top, not a big deal), and there's only one gear loop inside which isn't all that useful. It can fit a 70m 9.4mm, two pairs of size 39 shoes, full rack of cams, nuts, 12 draws, cowbells, anchor faff, chalk bag, helmet, and a lunch, with room for a guidebook or two. Stiff comfy backpad, aluminum frame, load lifter straps, the works.

The DMM Flight seems to be a good alternative with maybe better internal organization and specifically designed for air travel. Haven't ever seen one in person. 

I have a deuter guide 45+. Fully packed it still works as a carry on on international flights. It’s burly, holds a ton of stuff, and has been my go to crag pack for years. 

I have a Creek 50 that I use as my standard cragging pack, and also as a travel bag for work trips. I think it is great for both purposes. For climbing, it easily fits a 80 meter rope, large rack, water/food/jacket/shoes/etc. No strapping a rope to the outside, no careful tetris packing; it is just a big hole you can throw all your stuff in. I find it quite comfortable to carry with this amount of weight. It is a bit heavy/bulky, so I use a smaller and lighter pack if doing a long hike, alpine car-to-car sort of outing (Cold Cold World Chernobyl). But the Creek isn't designed for that sort of outing. For everyday trad cragging where you bring the kitchen sink, it is perfect. I see why they named it the "Creek" - it would be great for hauling a bunch of cams around Indian Creek.

For travel, I find it has plenty of space to pack for a 1-2 week trip, yet it carries well for moving around the airport or on transit, and it also fits in an overhead bin on commercial flights. This last point is great- it is the perfect bag for me if traveling with just a carry on. I much prefer a backpack to dragging a rolling suitcase behind me. I have also checked it on flights, and it does well for this also since it is durable and has a lot less hanging straps than other bags.

So it has served these purposes well. That said, it is a big, bulky, black bag, and I could see it being a bit sweaty to carry around in a tropical climate. It does not have the behind-the-back airflow you get from some more structured packs.

I love my Gregory Baltoro.  Most comfortable pack I've ever used, carries like a dream, and dials in extremely well.  Comes in three different sizes (S,M,:L), as well, in addition to different capacities.  Great hauler for just about any situation.

checkout the Trango Crag Pack. It's amazing!

Another vote for Deuter Guide packs

Cilo gear

sandrock wrote: checkout the Trango Crag Pack. It's amazing!

I like my trango crag pack. Tough as nails, inexpensive, and simple. 

Not sure how you all get those huge packs onto planes, are you checking them? I've never had a problem with a smaller pack but can't imagine getting a Creek 50 though, it's way bigger than the dimension box.

Another vote for the Dueter guide 45. I have one, carries well, works as a carry on. I put all my stuff in it and bring my rope in the rope bag as my personal item.

When I went to Southeast Asia I brought a NorthFace duffel and my MH Hueco 35, but I was there for 4 months. For a few weeks the Dueter would have been my choice. 

I have the DMM Flight 45L and its made it through a few over seas trips and multiple road trips.  Pretty durable, pretty comfortable, built in rack & a decent amount of space.

Doug Chism wrote: Not sure how you all get those huge packs onto planes, are you checking them? I've never had a problem with a smaller pack but can't imagine getting a Creek 50 though, it's way bigger than the dimension box.

I basically live in airports half the year.  You'd be surprised at how massive packs are regularly getting on and off regular cabins.  Easy 50s.  Often 65s.  Fully loaded.  Very few US airlines enforce the dimension box unless you're on a tiny commuter jet; otherwise, the last to load are the folks forced to gate-check bags, regardless of size.  With a massive backpack, I've observed most people get by with their packs firmly on their backs wtih straps tight and not carrying anything else in their hands (no personal items); gate agents just give it a pass since it's just one bag and it's not rubbed in their faces like the big Euro travel bags some people try to roll through.  Flights back to the US are much more likely to enforce size restrictions-- I take a commuter or big dry cleaning bag to shove my pack into just in case it gets snagged for gate check.

Jonny d wrote:

I basically live in airports half the year.  You'd be surprised at how massive packs are regularly getting on and off regular cabins.  Easy 50s.  Often 65s.  Fully loaded.  Very few US airlines enforce the dimension box unless you're on a tiny commuter jet; otherwise, the last to load are the folks forced to gate-check bags, regardless of size.  With a massive backpack, I've observed most people get by with their packs firmly on their backs wtih straps tight and not carrying anything else in their hands (no personal items); gate agents just give it a pass since it's just one bag and it's not rubbed in their faces like the big Euro travel bags some people try to roll through.  Flights back to the US are much more likely to enforce size restrictions-- I take a commuter or big dry cleaning bag to shove my pack into just in case it gets snagged for gate check.

Good to know. I decided to just try and use my Cragdaddy 45 for the trip, I can fit a 9.5mm 60 tightly wrapped in a rope tarp, 2 pair of shoes, harness, and chalk bag as well as 5 changes of clothes and room for bathroom supplies. My wife will take a 40L osprey with draws, harness, 2 pair of shoes, chalk bag and equivalent amount of clothes...probably try and get or take a large duffel bag for anything we buy while there.

Scott Fagen wrote:

My wife will take a 40L osprey with draws

Note the discussion re TSA and climbing gear elsewhere.  Sometimes TSA (or its non-US equivalent) gives you a pass, and sometimes it doesn't.  Go plenty early to the airport and prepare to check a bag.

Jonny d wrote:

Note the discussion re TSA and climbing gear elsewhere.  Sometimes TSA (or its non-US equivalent) gives you a pass, and sometimes it doesn't.  Go plenty early to the airport and prepare to check a bag.

I’ve had good luck in the past...so hopefully they don’t make me check it...unfortunately we only have an hour and a half layover in Beijing...hopefully everything goes smoothly.

Scott Fagen wrote:

I’ve had good luck in the past...so hopefully they don’t make me check it...unfortunately we only have an hour and a half layover in Beijing...hopefully everything goes smoothly.

We didn’t have any trouble with packs/climbing gear in Beijing a couple of years ago (another vote for Deuter! Love their packs! I have a Deuter traveler). 

But security rules for what is allowed, or not, seem so random! I remember that we had to go through the security scanners again in a Beijing (but only with the carry-one, the bags that we checked in went directly from plane to plane), and they did take issue with a portable phone charger. And confiscated it, even though US TSA had no problem with it. 

Lena chita wrote:

The only time I had trouble with climbing gear not allowed in the carry-on was on a return flight from Barcelona. We had to check in everything metal. Carabiners, grigri... the logic was that “you could hit someone with it”. Strangely enough, I never thought of such use for my climbing gear, but that security guy did make it sound very appealing... 

Weird, I flew in/out of Barcelona with the same metal items you described in my carry on and didnt have an issue. I even got flagged for a random full search and they didnt complain about those items then as well. 

Doug Chism wrote:

Weird, I flew in/out of Barcelona with the same metal items you described in my carry on and didnt have an issue. I even got flagged for a random full search and they didnt complain about those items then as well. 

Like I said, makes no sense whatsoever, seems completely random. Madrid didn’t mind a grigri in carry on... Athens couldn’t care less. China, Thailand, etc. Lots of domestic flights with gear, no problem. But for whatever reason, that day in Barcelona, the metal was not ok. 

Adam Smith wrote: Cold Cold World

Chernobyl is about 50L but compresses down well, and top cam be removed to be even smaller.  Climbs like a 25 when compressed with the top removed.

Lena chita wrote:

Like I said, makes no sense whatsoever, seems completely random. Madrid didn’t mind a grigri in carry on... Athens couldn’t care less. China, Thailand, etc. Lots of domestic flights with gear, no problem. But for whatever reason, that day in Barcelona, the metal was not ok. 

No issue flying to and from Barcelona in 2011...