A recent addition to the Red Chili range of climbing accessories is the new Crag Sack. I have been testing this rucksack come holdall for the past month or so, and the following is a review of how I found the pack in use, as well as how it compares to the competition.

I don’t know about you, but I take a fair selection of climbing gear and general paraphernalia to the crag. From multiple pairs of rock shoes (for all eventualities), to tape and skin files, quick draws, flasks and all of the in between. As such a versatile, sizable, yet non complicated pack is a must. If I’m at a single pitch crag or bouldering venue, one facet I find highly useful, is a pack which fully opens length ways - via a zip - allowing you complete access to your gear. Obviously this is a less useful/desired feature on actual climbing packs, as you are more likely to lose kit or be screwed if the zip fails; however the “Crag Sack” is specifically designed for leaving at the base of the crag or around the boulders, and as such its full length double zip gained it instant brownie points on my metaphorical ‘testers clipboard’.

The main carriage of the pack is built on a holdall design; however, when in use, the compression straps and stowable rucksack harness make the pack extremely comfortable and stable to carry as a backpack. The stowable nature of the rucksack harness is also a useful feature when it comes to leaving the pack around the base of a muddy crag - no more filthy straps on the walk back to the car. This feature also makes the pack easier to stuff into or pull out of a crash pad, making it an ideal multi-use product, for the active single pitch climber and boulderer. I also found the 40 litre capacity gave you enough room to take everything your going to need, and is far more user friendly than similarly designed yet much smaller, Moon ‘Boulder’ or ‘Voyager’ Crag Sack’s.

In terms of features the bag is pretty minimalist - which, incidentally, I liked -, consisting of a single main carriage, two zip pockets, and one large drawcorded pocket, designed for rock boots or a water bottle. One slight drawback was the fact that, although the bag was easily large enough for a rope and all your other kit, it does not come supplied with a rope tarp. I feel future incarnations of this product could definitely be improved with the addition of a removable tarp.

Summary
Overall I thought this was a great piece of kit, particularly suited to the climber wanting a pack for single pitch climbing and bouldering. For £45, the adaptability and design is certainly as good as it gets, making this product not only highly functional, but also highly competitively priced.

View Red Chili products here.