Multi-pitch Pack

So I've scoured the forums, review sites, etc and have wound up stuck on which pack to buy for multi-pitch and could use some advice. I'll be do a lot of following, so expecting to need closer to 20L. I also prefer to user bladders for hydration and my approach shoes are rather large.  This bring me to needing to decide on bag style and then specific bag. 

I am currently debating between: 

• MH Multipitch 20
• BlueIce Wadi 15 or 22 (super brand new)
• BD Creek 20
• Blue Ice Squirrel (22 or 12L)
• Osprey Mutant 22L

Not being able to lay hands on most of these bags and mostly terrible internet photos, I need some input on features and movement. 

I'm 6' and kinda barrel chested so smaller packs always ride kinda funny

Look at the G7 haul pack in 22l version. Not coming out till July I think so might be a while.

I am a fan of the BD creek. I highly recommend tufa's mochilla pack if you can find one. 

What grade (ergo how long in the wall usually)? Walk offs or raps? If mainly half days with all technical climbing and rapping then leave the ‘pproachees at the bottom and bring a 15L. I recommend the mammut neon speed; it sits far above the harness so as not to impede access but also doesn’t bulge high above the neck and limit the ability to look upwards

I’m a huge fan of the Arc’teryx Heliad.  It’s 15L but has been totally adequate at carrying 3-4L of water plus a puffy layer and snacks.  It’s very durable, and is decently priced despite being Arc’teryx. 

J E wrote:

What grade (ergo how long in the wall usually)? Walk offs or raps? If mainly half days with all technical climbing and rapping then leave the ‘pproachees at the bottom and bring a 15L. I recommend the mammut neon speed; it sits far above the harness so as not to impede access but also doesn’t bulge high above the neck and limit the ability to look upwards

+1 for the neon speed. It’s more like a 20 with the front pouch extended. I can fit my shoes, bladder, snacks, inreach and a jacket comfortably. Bonus is has a rope holder for the walk off. 

Klattermusen Bure, I have the 15l and it sits nicely while climbing. Tough fabric and solid construction.

I have a Metolius Mescalito and I've been happy with the burlyness and its feature set (it can take an axe if you rig it right. It depends on if you would be looking to haul or climb with it and whether you would want to have a single pack for both people and maybe haul or second climbs with it or if you want a bag for both of you. If you want to carry a tag line and shoes in the pack I wouldn't want to climb with under a 20l pack.

The Blue Ice Squirrel 12L is a great smaller option that can still haul a rope and helmet externally. Also a 3L hydration pack. If you’re looking for a pack for pure trad or sport multi pitch I don’t think it gets much better.

Clove hitch a couple bike bottles, clip a small eagle creek travel organiser bag for snacks/headlamp/etc to your back loops, and leave the big bag on the ground (or better yet in the car). Unless you are going overnight or in extreme weather, that will do ya. Space savings means you can bring your approach shoes to rap in too, which is way more comfy than rapping in climbing shoes you’ve been wearing all day.

Black diamond Rock blitz (15L) is great. If you've got wilderness medicine training, can also be a decent splint

Thanks for all of these additional suggestions that I haven't come across. I guess my goal is to find a pack that is the best all around least PIA for when the objective isn't squarely fitting its purpose. Packs are like bunnies and seem to multiply and want to minimize that until I'm really in a position to be more specialized.

To provide some more details

• Going to be relatively easy terrain. My rock grade is still well below my gym grades, though I'm constantly told that grades around here are sandbagged.
• Probably looking at a combination of objectives with some walk-offs, but even those that aren't, are not up/downs.
• Not sure how much I'll want/need to haul, but would favor something that wouldn't be too big a PIA to haul or tag when needed so long as it wasn't too big of a trade off on organization and movement.
•  Not sure how much I'll need to carry for my leader, probably wouldn't need to carry much of his given how strong of a leader he is, but want to do my share for them. 

Questions for those that have these packs

• Neon Speed: The massive pectoral pockets on the new neon speed seems like they would be a problem, or are they really not a problem?
• The Blue Ice Squirrel: I assume the 12L really would preclude throwing approach shoes in there when you have a hydration bladder? Any movement concerns or experience with the 22L

Also for reference, I've got  26L REI ruckpack, and 30+L Kelty Avocent, which are fine backs for approaches, but are not well suited for this and have terrible movement and carry even when cinched up.

MH Multipitch 20 checks literally all my boxes. Plenty of space for a double rack and a well thought out rope carry system on the outside--it's only one strap but it doubles back and really locks the rope in place.  Helmet gets clipped to the outside if the pack is full and doesn't swing around obnoxiously.  On route you barely notice it's on you, except in chimneys in which case this thing is plenty burly enough to haul without it getting shredded.  Has a big sleeve for a bladder too!

I did have one of the pull loops rip on me after a year of really heavy use and overtightening of the rope strap, but MH replaced it no questions asked.  

TL;DR When this one wears out (not expecting it anytime soon tho), i would 100% be happy replacing it with an identical bag.  

Find yourself one of these 

cole C wrote:

Find yourself one of these 

Wait so does that attach around the harness….like a top tube bag meets a hip pack but with gear loops…..?

DC Swamp Dweller wrote:

Wait so does that attach around the harness….like a top tube bag meets a hip pack but with gear loops…..?

This is pretty much the overpriced version of what I suggested up thread.

edit: my bad, just looked and they discontinued the two handled pack cube I use. 

i was looking for the same thing as you and picked up the dmm zenith based on a couple reviews and price. there are so many good ones but i had a little feature fatigue from sorting the details. this one is simple and will hopefully not interfere with my gear, but i ordered it on sale and haven’t used it yet. the most obvious downside is that it doesn’t look as sweet as some of the others on your list. 

https://epictv.com/dmm-zenith-18l?___store=epictvenglish&___from_store=epictvus

DC Swamp Dweller wrote:

Questions for those that have these packs

• Neon Speed: The massive pectoral pockets on the new neon speed seems like they would be a problem, or are they really not a problem?

On the old one I can't even fit my IPhone SE in it, the new doesn't look much larger

I've tried about 10-12 diff packs, and it was pretty helpful to narrow down what all the pros/cons are with each pack. Haven't used the mammut (like the feel wearing it in a store), seems sleek, and the Salewa Apex 25 was drool worthy but can't justify the price, yet...

The DMM is nice but ended up riding lower than I liked, which negates the nice tapered design, plus just didn't have a lot of the features that the great packs did (lots of outer clipping points and rope strap are the primary "it MUST have this" factors).

The metolius is the burliest but a pig and that makes climbing awkward, IMO

If you want to haul, the BD Creek 20 is pretty much the only option, all others are going to take a beating. It's fine to wear and climb mellow stuff but I'd prefer to only follow 9 and below with it, personally.

The two best packs are the Blue Ice Squirrel 12 and the old version MH MultiPitch 16 (Old version MH MP25 is also awesome, and has best rope strap every made).

The small Squirrel (haven't used the larger) can fit a triple rack (black-orange totem) inside, all draws, harness, water, and food, plus jacket. Clip 3's and larger to outside, along with rope. Once climbing, almost everything will fit inside, though with larger shoes you'll have to be conscientious about tetrising things well. Insane how much this carries for the small size. Only downside is that the straps should be modified and cut down, then restitched, as they're super super long (once caught the sternum strap in my microtrax on the crux of Serenity, was looking at almost a 100 footer while I struggled to get it out (it defeated the micro completely)).

The old version MH MP16 is basically a burly version of the Squirrel, lots of clipping points, but no rope strap, so you have to use a 60cm sling and two biners to be creative and basically replicate the rope strap that the MP25 comes with. These last forever and can be hauled, but you'll put holes in them at some point, so use the BD Creek if hauling.

The new version of the MH MP series is great, even burlier than the old version but lighter, but the access isn't as good and the rope strap was stupidly (imo) changed. However, you can simulate the old rope strap by placing a biner in each of the top loops on the back, and threading the rope strap through here, so you have a 4-point strap system, instead of the 3-point system they changed to (which isn't nearly as secure). The MP20 will def carry your shoes just fine, along with basically anything else, including a tagline inside the pack (I've done tagline and approach shoes inside an MP20).

Good luck and remember you can always just sell your pack on here if you don't like it...or end up with about 8 diff packs like me (hey, I've sold 4 of em, at least that counts for something! #GearWhore)

Christian - Thank you for such an insightful post. It looks like the blue ice Wadi coming out is a direct competitor with the MH MP line….so new the bag is only in their YouTube channel.

Lots to chew on while I fight off the gear acquisition syndrome of just buying everything.

The chest pocket on the neon speed isn’t particularly large. It can fit a normal iPhone, but not a pro max. If left empty, it shouldn’t be any more in-the-way than anything else slung over your shoulders or clipped to your harness