Mountaineering/Backpacking pack recommendation

[AndrewC]

I'm looking for a pack to do some backpacking as well as some light mountaineering.I've never gone mountaineering but aspire to get into it and perhaps climb a couple 14ers here in CA where I live. I want the ability to do 1-2 night mountaineering trips and backpacking trips for a couple more nights in the 3 seasons. I've narrowed my choices down to a few packs and would like some feedback and advice.

My current choices are:
Granite Gear Leopard AC 58 - Seems like an in between pack that could be good for both. I like the pocket options and versatility, despite the lack of a separate lower compartment for sleeping bag(which I'm not sure if I need, but have always used) I'm unsure about sizing because I'm in between sizes, so any info on how they fit or measurements is much appreciated. I do not have a retailer I can try this at.
Osprey Aether 60 - A bit heavier than the others but also larger. I've tried this and it fit well, I've heard of people doing a bit of mountaineering with it. Most expensive.
Osprey Atmos 50/65 AG - More of a backpacking bag, not sure if it'd be any good for mountaineering because it could be more fragile than the other bags and not have the necessary attachment points. Have also tried this one and it fit well.
Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack 45-55 - More of an alpine bag but suspension looks good for backpacking and have heard good things about the brand as well. Like the features but may be lacking in pockets, especially side mesh pockets. Unsure if the volume is great enough, but I've heard that Lowe ratings are generally pretty conservative and I might be able to fit more. Unable to try on but measurements from others online seem to indicate a good fit.

Again as of now I am mainly a backpacker but would like to climb Shasta and other 14ers in CA in the future and perhaps Rainier later on once I get more experienced. Don't really plan on doing Denali or any mountains that difficult, which is why I am not looking at larger expedition packs/ separate summit packs. I am not the most ultralight packer and my gear isnt the lightest but I do try to keep my base weight down by not bringing the kitchen sink. The past few 2 night trips I've been on I've never exceeded 30 lbs with water, food, and fuel, but I was able to split some gear with another hiker.

Any help is appreciated

[brichardsson]

i personally wouldn't buy any of those. i would buy the absolute lightest pack you can afford. otherwise you will just wind up buying a lighter one at some point. what good is a swanky pack and gear if it's too heavy to comfortably carry?

i would look at lightweight options like ula and gossamer gear, or hyperlite mountain gear. also, i'm not sure what size you are, but six moon designs has a clearance on their small and medium packs right now to make room for new models. you can get a great deal on a light pack if it fits you. i have one of their tents and love it.

[AndrewC]

I'll look into those, I've considered ulas but I wasn't sure if some of the packs like the circuit would work well for mountaineering. Of course I'm no expert but some of the ultralight packs seem so minimal I'm wasn't sure they would be able to attach the mountaineering gear. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this though.

[GuyNC]

My current "do-it-all" pack is the MH South Col 70 Outdry. Good balance of light weight, weatherproofing, durability, and comfort. I found it big enough on a four day winter Sierra trip but it cinches down small when you don't need all the volume. Has attachments for ice axes, crampon pocket, and gear loops on the hip belt.

[WyomingSummits]

My go-to pack is the Osprey Variant 52. Tons of features and very comfortable. The problem with the ultralight packs is they don't handle heavy loads very well. I alpine rock climb in pretty remote places and sometimes have to haul a double rack in for 15+ miles. My pack is 4 lbs, the hyperlight is 1.5 lbs. My heavier pack will feel lighter due to the carry comfort. What good is an uber light pack unless you carry uber light gear? If you're only carrying a tarp, bag. And layers.....get the hyperlight. If you have to haul heavy stuff....get a comfortable pack. When you're hauling 50lbs, that 3 lb difference won't be noticed.

[AndrewC]

I have considered the variant but not sure if it will be large enough. Probably is though. The south col is a bit out of my budget right now, trying to keep costs under $200. With sales all the above packs I can get for that price. The weight is not a huge issue at the moment as long as it's under 4 lbs, which they all are.

The SMD fusion 65 is interesting but again, not sure it's suitable for mountaineering. Again correct me if I'm wrong

[brichardsson]

The problem with the ultralight packs is they don't handle heavy loads very well.

op said he was looking for something to handle "1-2 night mountaineering trips and backpacking trips for a couple more nights". if an ultralight can't carry gear for that, he's carrying too much (or too heavy, or both) gear.

[WyomingSummits]

The problem with the ultralight packs is they don't handle heavy loads very well.

op said he was looking for something to handle "1-2 night mountaineering trips and backpacking trips for a couple more nights". if an ultralight can't carry gear for that, he's carrying too much (or too heavy, or both) gear.

Yeah...which is why I qualified it at the end by saying which to get based on the load. You'd be surprised what I've seen packed in people's bags!

[brichardsson]

You'd be surprised what I've seen packed in people's bags!

ha. that is highly unlikely. i've seen the best and worst things get pulled out of someone's pack. i once saw a guy pull a skillet out of his pack because he read clyde did it and wanted to see if he could as well.

[AndrewC]

Haha no skillets here. I do see the appeal in ultraligt packs but again not sure they have the capability to carry poles, crampons, ice axe, and sleeping pad externally. If someone has experience mountaineering with the smd fusion 65 I'd love to hear about it, it seems like a solid pack and a good price with them on closeout. The granite gear is only 10oz heavier but seems like it may be a bit more versatile.

[WyomingSummits]

You'd be surprised what I've seen packed in people's bags!

ha. that is highly unlikely. i've seen the best and worst things get pulled out of someone's pack. i once saw a guy pull a skillet out of his pack because he read clyde did it and wanted to see if he could as well.

I came across a guy in the Bighorns backpacking with 3 pistols of different calibers....and 300 rnds of ammo. Probably the single most moronic thing I've ever witnessed. He had it laid out in front of his tent cleaning and checking one, so I asked him why he brought all of that crap up there. He looked at me and said "bears". Pretty sure his beanie was lined with tinfoil too....... Then there was the guy from Alabama dayhiking with a Mossberg 500 in the Winds. Idiots.

[spapagiannis]

+1 for the Variant 52. I really like the pack for mountaineering and scrambling trips, it worked great on a recent backcountry overnight hike/scramble trip in the High Sierra. It's capable of holding a lot, but doesn't feel oversized if underpacked/cinched down for shorter trips, It packs down great for light and fast summit pushes. Great features, smartly implemented, very comfortable, and surpisingly light for its design. The crampon holder is spot-on, great for holding other things too.

[AndrewC]

Hows the sizing on the variant? I can wear both a small Osprey or a medium with a torso around 18-19 in.

[pjc30943]

I use the Variant 52 as well, have used the last two versions of this pack. It has most of the features you'd want in an alpine pack...gear loops, 3 haul loops (though the latest version's haul loops aren't as nice as the prev gen), tool attachments are solid, removable lid, picket/pole/wand pockets, etc.
Edit: I use size L for a 21" back. Not sure where the M starts though.

[MoapaPk]

I'm looking for a pack to do some backpacking as well as some light mountaineering.I've never gone mountaineering but aspire to get into it and perhaps climb a couple 14ers here in CA where I live. I want the ability to do 1-2 night mountaineering trips and backpacking trips for a couple more nights in the 3 seasons. I've narrowed my choices down to a few packs and would like some feedback and advice.

I'm not sure what you mean by mountaineering in the CA 14ers. I have an Osprey Aether70, and it is "light" compared to my previous packs. It rides high enough to be efficient for trail-type hikes -- I've used it to go to the base of Sill, Split, Williamson and Tyndall, and Middle Pal-- but it is not that great for slogging over boulders, as the weight tends to swing back and forth a bit. I remember a particularly bad day going in to Elinore lake below Sill, where jumping over boulder fields and rushing streams didn't seem to work well with the aether.

If you envision back-packing in to the base, then having a separate summit day, without a lot of rope or hardware, consider using an REI flash 18 as a stuffsack, to be repurposed as your summit pack. Some osprey packs allow you to detach the top pocket for use as a fanny pack. I've found that the flash 18 - fanny pack combination is fairly versatile; I can turn the fanny pack around my body and have access to its contents while hiking/climbing.

If you want to do some of the harder 14ers, especially if you carry a fair amount of rope, you would probably want a lower-slung pack that can be used both for the backpack in, and for summit day.

The ultralight packs tend to be a bit fragile.