[Will Hunt]

When I go sport climbing I'm normally carrying a thick 70m rope in a rope bag, plus all the usual shite in a 30-odd litre rucksack. The rope bag goes on the front but it's one of these single strap affairs and it invariably fucks my shoulders up a bit.

Does anybody make a good sized rucksack in which I can fit everything I need for a day of sport which also has an integral rope compartment/tarp? A good hip belt and carry system is a must. I'm sure I've seen these advertised or reviewed or at the crag but I couldn't find them through Googling for some reason.
Is this thing even necessary or do you just need a bag with a big wide opening that you can easily flake a rope into and then carry a separate lightweight rope tarp sans the enveloping bag?

[Paul B]

DMM flight:
https://dmmclimbing.com/Products/Bags-Accessories/Flight

[abarro81]

It's an impossibility. You'll just take more to fill the bag - 3 pairs of shoes, 2 chalkbags, 6 kneepads, 30 draws of all length, food, water, protein shake, spare clothes, tape, liquid chalk, guidebook, ipad to watch beta videos, clipstick, harness...

[Nutty]

Moon Aerial (38L) or Mountain Hard Wear Crag Wagon (35, 45 or 60L) are other options.

[HaeMeS]

The BD Creek 50 is the first bag I've owned big enough to hold both rope and gear. Downside: it's to big as carry-on luggage. The Mountain Hardwear 60 looks even better (bigger!), except the zip is on the wrong side of the bag (backside in the dirt).

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/climbing-packs/creek-50-pack-BD681160_cfg.html#q=creek%2B50&simplesearch=Go&start=1

[Paul B]

DMM flight:
https://dmmclimbing.com/Products/Bags-Accessories/Flight

I've also got the Grivel equivalent. It's heavy and stiff my comparison (which has meant the side pockets have worn through when passing through squeeze stiles.

If you're feeling flush Patagucci do something similar. It's lovely but the price...

[Will Hunt]

Have had a look at the options listed above and have gone for the DMM Flight. Nice bonus that it's hand luggage sized (as if I'll ever go on a plane again, but we can dream). I like the clamshell design - seems like the most sensible way to get a rope in and out of it easily. Looks like a comfy carry too. Everything else just looked like the opening was never going to be wide enough to easily slot a big fat rope into.

[sxrxg]

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/climbing-bag-rockbag-35-l-id_8495285.html

This Simond one may be an option. As usual with Simond stuff not quite as flashy/well finished however likely to be very functional and cheaper than other brands.

[Paul B]

Have had a look at the options listed above and have gone for the DMM Flight. Nice bonus that it's hand luggage sized (as if I'll ever go on a plane again, but we can dream). I like the clamshell design - seems like the most sensible way to get a rope in and out of it easily. Looks like a comfy carry too. Everything else just looked like the opening was never going to be wide enough to easily slot a big fat rope into.

That was fast! The only downsides I've had is that I still can't work out a good way of strapping the clipstick to it and I wore through the bottom of the bag/zip but that was through pure abuse (Red Rocks, descending a riverbed which involved sitting and sliding over large boulders repeatedly for a few hours). I've had the zip fixed and it still lives.

[Duncan campbell]

Quick! Send it back as soon as you can and get the BD Creek in a 50!

Ha obviously you probably won’t but when I had one of those DMM things to review back when they came out I thought it was a right pain to get everything to fit in. I preferred DMMs version of the BD creek and was gutted when that died and I found out DMM were discontinuing it. Happy with the BD one though. Happily fit an 80m rope, water, draws, harness, chalk, 2 pairs of shoes lunch and spare clothing in it whilst in Spain in Feb/March. When I was carrying a big synthetic jacket I just folded it up and stashed it under the rope strap. Like the weird front pocket thing and actually quite like the full length zip as it means you can access the water bottle you cleverly stuffed right down to the bottom. Greenwood has one of those DMM flights and he is regularly to be seen with a rope bag and a camera bag in addition to his backpack. Lunacy!

[IanP]

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/climbing-bag-rockbag-35-l-id_8495285.html

This Simond one may be an option. As usual with Simond stuff not quite as flashy/well finished however likely to be very functional and cheaper than other brands.

I'm a huge fan of that bag - got my daughter one as birthday present and was so impressed got myself one as well (slightly to her distress since we now have a weird father/daughter matching look going on),

Seems really well made, great design with top opener for quick access/final packing and chunky main zip for opening at crag.   No tarp included but I put a standard rope bag on the top - the only small design flaw is that the top strap is only long enough for a coiled rope rather than a rope bag, this is easily remedied using one of the velcro straps that comes with Mammut ropes to extend it (or similar strap).  Bag is also perfectly sized for flight hand luggage.

[robertostallioni]

The BD Creek 50 is the first bag I've owned big enough to hold both rope and gear. Downside: it's to big as carry-on luggage.
https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/climbing-packs/creek-50-pack-BD681160_cfg.html#q=creek%2B50&simplesearch=Go&start=1

another shout for the BD Creek 50. A little heavy, cos its material is so hard wearing, a full length zip and IS fine as carry on luggage(just remove the plastic back plate and put in hold bag)

[Will Hunt]

Hmmm. Well, I've not actually ordered it, just sent the link to my wife who is looking for something expensive to buy me for my birthday...

Looking at the Flight - it does look small for 45l. I'm not sure if I quite believe that it'll fit my chonky sport rope in it.

The Creek looks good. The only thing putting me off that is that it's basically a conventional bag (you stuff things in from the top) that you can open really wide. So when you get to the dusty sport crag, you're still going to have to tip everything out all over the floor to get to the rope at the bottom.

[spidermonkey09]

I dont own either but my anecdotal recommendation would be to not get a Flight. A few partners have had them and i wasnt impressed.

[Paul B]

Looking at the Flight - it does look small for 45l. I'm not sure if I quite believe that it'll fit my chonky sport rope in it.

WTF do you people take climbing?

Between my Wife and I we take the Grivel and the DMM Flight sportclimbing regularly. When in the UK my flask puts Teaboy to shame and I take a dog bed to the crag (for a greyhound, not the Italian type). All the usual ancillaries are in there (at least two kneed pads, liquid chalk, Metolius powder horn etc.).

We evem took the Flight and a Deuter 28 with us for Redrocks which included a night bivvied out (trad scenes; full rack; two skinny ropes etc.).

[seankenny]

The BD Creek 50 is the first bag I've owned big enough to hold both rope and gear. Downside: it's to big as carry-on luggage.

I have a BD Creek, it's really good, and I've managed to take it as carry on the one time I've tried it (and that was C**tAir too). Just had it pretty empty and squashed it down a bit.

[Duma]

I've played with a bd creek in the shop and it's lovely, but I own way (4)too many bags of this sort of size to justify it.
I don't like the dmm for the zip, I've played with friends and it just seemed destined to get fucked. Happy to defer to those that own one tho.
The simond looks OK, still not convinced that zip would survive years of abuse.
One of my bags is the moon aerial, concept is great, perfect size, includes rope tarp, zips open. But button broke on mine (which is minor) and back length us really uncomfortable for me (which isn't). If it fitted this would be perfect.
Current one is a patagucci canyoning bag, which I luurve, only 30l so prob small for you, though I would say why the fuck are you carrying a thick 70m round in the uk? I have a fancy skinny 60m (about 55m now) sterling in the UK and a 70m mammut abroad. Bit of careful packing has always meant UK sport is fine with the 30l, and even in rodellar I just made the gf carry lunch.

[Will Hunt]

I was getting cold feet but turns out that the ever efficient Daisy has already ordered the Flight, so I'll see what it's like when it arrives and maybe try and swap it if needed. Thanks for all the beta.

[Will Hunt]

Just in case anyone is looking in future, here is a quick review of the Flight.

First things first. The Flight that you might see in online shop photos and promo videos is not the Flight that you will get if you buy one. i.e. this thing is not what they make any more:


DMM have made a new model which reduces the spec in a couple of ways. There aren't any compression straps on the inside for the rope bag (but these aren't really necessary anyway) and there isn't the little modesty webbing for carrying a helmet on the outside of the bag. So when the bag first arrived I asked if I could swap it for one of the older model and fortunately DMM had one that they could send out.

The main reason I wanted this bag was to carry everything to the crag in without having to carry multiple bags and get shagged shoulders. The bag does it - just! I can carry a big thick 70m rope, harness, quickdraws, 2x pairs shoes, guidebook, big chunky camera bag, clipstick, lunch, water and helmet. Which is quite a lot really. To get all this in you do need to pack the bag properly - you can't just throw everything in. Crucially, to actually carry all this stuff you need to use the exterior water bottle pocket (which is stretched to the limit by the hard nalgene thing I have and I can't help but wonder how long it is until it breaks) and the helmet webbing. If you don't need to take a camera bag to the crag then you could carry the helmet inside. So the new model wouldn't do what I need it to do and I wouldn't get one. If you don't have a big DSLR and extra lens to carry around, or if you couldn't give a shit about keeping your skull in one piece (most sport climbers), you'd probably be fine.

The carry system is good. Even with a fully loaded bag it's a comfy carry.

Some people like the clamshell opening, others don't. Those who don't will make fun of you at the crag when they see you zipping the thing up at the end of the day. If you haven't packed it properly then you will look like Big Beryl of Benidorm from the estate trying to fit 500 packs of duty-free cigs into her suitcase. But: if you are already a figure of fun (as I am) then this isn't really a problem.

I quite like the clamshell thing but this does mean that the zip becomes an incredibly critical part of the bag. When the bag is full it inevitably looks kind of stretched, and only time will tell how durable this is.

[Adam Lincoln]

Patagonia craigsmith 45. Best ive ever had for the crag.  Used it for years and still in perfect condition.

[rjtrials]

The Creek looks good. The only thing putting me off that is that it's basically a conventional bag (you stuff things in from the top) that you can open really wide. So when you get to the dusty sport crag, you're still going to have to tip everything out all over the floor to get to the rope at the bottom.

My partner and I each have a creek 50. She is quite fastidious whilst i am marginally neat.  I have had a few extra rope bags accumulate over the years, so i cut out the tarps of two of them.  These are the last items to be packed and the first to be unpacked at the cliff. All of our stuff stays on the small tarps throughout the day.
Quite a simple solution really....

[Paul B]

Patagonia craigsmith 45. Best ive ever had for the crag.  Used it for years and still in perfect condition.

Did you pay at/near full price for it? The RRP is £160.

[Adam Lincoln]

Patagonia craigsmith 45. Best ive ever had for the crag.  Used it for years and still in perfect condition.

Did you pay at/near full price for it? The RRP is £160.

No.

[Muenchener]

DMM flight:

I have one. It's possible to fit rope, draws, harness, water, lunch, shoes, guidebook, puffy ... all inside, but it's a squeeze so the rope usually ends up on the outside in real life. There are straps to strap it on with though, so still significantly better than hanging it round your neck.

[moose]

For my last few sack choices, I've steered clear of "proper" crag / climbing sacks.  They look really elegant but always seem too small for  my messy ways (what if I want to put my duvet inside if it's raining on the walk in, take a book, three pairs of rock shoes, more than 20 draws, a waterproof, a thermos and a water bottle?).  Also, the modern climbing design usually has no / few pockets etc; and, I like my personal effects and thermos separate and readily accessible in side pockets - I'm off to Malham - so not worried about the prospect of getting stuck in an Alpine squeeze chimney.

So, my last few sacs have just been 90Lish models with big pockets, generally aimed at people going on big tours, with front zipper openings to allow easy access to all the contents.  They fit in the rope and everything else I could ever want, so no risk of having to awkwardly carry a separate ropebag (a killer on longer, uphill walk-ins).  Get a good one and the weight penalty is non-existent / hardly noticeable for the usual walk-ins; the rated weight for my current choice, a 95L Osprey Transporter duffel with rucksac straps is 1.6 kg, the weight on the DMM website for the 45L Flight is 1.56kg.  Admittedly, the Transporter is too big use as a carry-on bag but big enough for a main piece of hold luggage (and how much of its use is abroad anyway... and will be in this time of plague).