Rant: New climbing gear is great, but my 20 year old rope bag still wins

Sure, the aluminum carabiners are lighter and my new saddle is way more comfortable, but the organization is what kills me. I spent like 15 bucks on a plastic tube years ago to keep my throwline separate, works perfect. That new backpack cost me 180 and I still ended up tying my rigging straps to the outside with a clove hitch. Maybe I'm just stuck in my ways, but has anyone found a modern bag that actually beats the old dump-and-grab style?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_linda19d ago

$30 army surplus duffel from 2003 still holds my whole kit better than the $200 pack I bought last spring. I used to swear by all the fancy pockets and sleeves, but everything just ends up tangled anyway. My old bag has one big opening, I toss my ropes in first, then wedges, then throwline on top. Nothing slides around, no zippers to bust, and I can grab stuff by feel in the dark. Took me way too long to admit that overspending on gear never solved the real problem, which is just throwing shit in and going.

wendyk5618d ago

Read some article last month about how mountaineers in the 80s carried way less gear and moved faster than most folks today with all the fancy stuff. Made me think about my own bag, same story as yours. I got a soft cooler backpack that does the job but I still keep my old canvas tote for the big haul days. All those little pockets just give you places to lose things. The simple bag wins every time, you just gotta know your own kit and how it fits.