60L WorkSack

Short Version:

This is a phenomenal, well-designed pack that fits beautifully and carries varying loads with ease. A fantastic technical bag once you learn how to dial the strap system.

Full Version:

I just received the new model of the CiloGear 60L WorkSack. I looked at the old model last spring, but decided to keep my Granite Gear Alpine Vapor (basically a beefier version of GG's popular Vapor Trail with tool loops and crampon straps). I broke down and ordered the 60L WorkSack because I was sick of not-really fitting my winter kit into the GG bag, which was a solid ice/rock crag pack and 3 season backpacking bag. I wanted something that could hold a ton of stuff but also compress for the day, which is just how CiloGear bills their WorkSacks. I'm glad I made the switch (though my non-climbing wife was confused about yet another seemingly-redundant purchase).

This pack is genuinely impressive in an age of impressive-looking gear. I was pleased with it while playing around at home and, after three winter days in the Catskills, can't believe the major manufacturers haven't yet copied the design or bought out CiloGear.

I don't want to repeat what you can read for yourselves at the CiloGear site, but let me give a rundown of what stood out during the first use.

1. Fit:

Excellent. I'm still young, but my first pack was an external frame Peak 1, so I know how packs shouldn't feel. The suspension doesn't look big enough for the loads you can carry, but it works. I bent the framesheet and stay as directed, but otherwise nothing else. Best anecdote: at a food stop (after breaking 5 miles of trail through sometimes waist deep snow with 40 pound bags), my buddy asks, "So how's the new pack?" I then realized that I hadn't even noticed/thought of it since putting it on after strapping on the snowshoes. So I said, "It seems to be a magic hole where gravity no longer functions." And that's not hyperbole.

2. Versatility:

You really can blow this up or shrink it down. On day two, we headed out just for the day, so I threw a bit of gear into the bag, strapped it down, didn't bother to take out the hipbelt, and we spent the day breaking more trail. Again, didn't even notice I was wearing it.

One caveat: you really do need to play around with the bag in order to get the strap system figured out. However, CiloGear has the manual online, in easy to understand language/directions. If you are the type of user who just wants to throw a bunch of stuff in your bag and expend zero thought, you probably shouldn't get this bag. But after about 15 minutes of fiddling with the bag and reading the manual online, I felt set.

3. Durability:

There are a bunch of different fabrics used here and they all seem perfectly suited to their respective jobs. I'm pretty sure the base of the pack is some kind of bullet-proof fabric. The crampon pouch/tool holsters both have very beefy (though pliable) fabric. I'm used to seeing Cordura and not-Cordura.

4. Nit Picks:

-The zippers on the lid should come with pulls. Plus, the lid zippers themselves didn't zip smoothly all the time and seem too low-grade for such a tough pack.

-External pockets (for wands, poles, etc) on the sides would be nice. My GG had some stretch pockets--that would be ideal here. But I did read that CiloGear is releasing a Wand Pocket for just this thing, but I think it should come with the pack--it's a pretty standard feature at this point.

-There's no logo on the outside of the pack, but I'd be proud to have one in this age of over-branding. There is a logo on the inside flap for the pad/frame/stay. On the other hand, there is the appeal of the mystery pack.

5. Overall:

I'm super satisfied with this pack and think the price ($200) is pretty cheap for what you get. Other than my daypack for work, I don't foresee using another pack for anything else. Lots of stuff planned for the year so I'll update this as needed. If you're on the fence and think this bag might be too good to be true, it's not. Get it and you'll be happy, too.

UPDATE: Just returned from 9 days in the Cirque of the Towers and am pleased to say the CiloGear was excellent in all applications. No one is particularly happy with ~65 lbs on their back, but I wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as I anticipated and, even better, my buddy's load (carried on a super-cush, twice as heavy pack), drove him nuts before mine did me. We got lost in the boulder fields through Jackass Pass and, when strapped down, the pack moved with me very well and didn't pull me off balance once--no swaying or swinging at all. Again, not the case with my buddy's pack. Once in the Cirque, we stripped out the hipbelt, framesheet, and backpad to use it as a rucksack for the second: performed great and handled the abuse well. And on the hike out, sans all the food, it carried wonderfully and we zoomed to the trailhead.

Issues: The stitching atop the velcro flap (that holds the framesheet/backpad) started coming undone. I brought the pack to Graham, and he fixed it directly.

Caveat: Don't use the tool clips to secure your Nalgene. Seemed like the perfect idea but, when yarding on the strap to tighten it, I ripped a bartack out of the fabric. I realize this is my bad, as it's obviously not designed for such a load, but since the temptation was there, don't do it.

I'm still extremely pleased with the pack and recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone.

I got this when I started a wilderness therapy job which required I live out in the field anywhere from 8-16 days. The pack performed flawlessly for this with one exception. The foam in the shoulder straps was not sewn into the straps themselves so it would slowly twist around until I was carrying all the weight on the thin nylon straps which was pretty uncomfortable.

It's been a great alpine pack, the one drawback to having all that space is that I tend to stuff it full when I don't have to.

Three things that I think could be improved on the pack, besides the shoulder strap thing, which once I fixed it has been fine. First, I don't like how the top loader doesn't cover the body very well when filled to the brim. Second, the pack is not very glove friendly, most of the manipulation of zippers requires I take my gloves off. Finally, some better padding in key areas could increase the comfort without adding weight. I replaced the back pad with thicker foam and that increased the comfort. The shoulder and waist straps could be much more comfortable with a little bit of closed cell foam.

Overall it's a good pack and not very expensive in comparison to other packs. If you want a do it all pack for little weight and not much money this is a good one.

UPDATE: I have found the pack to recently lacking greatly in durability. The straps are ripping their seams right out of the pack. I ripped the extension while stuffing some gear in. I've started finding numerous tears in the fabric of the main body. The versatility and weight are a positive, but the thing has not even lasted a year and I'm destroying it without even trying. Just a little disappointed I guess.

I'm on my second Cilogear 60L pack. I purchased the V1 pack a couple of years ago, and it worked very well in all situations. For such a light weight pack, it can definitely carry a load with ease. As stated by Crispy above, nobody likes carrying 65 lb loads, but this pack does it well. Over a year or so of heavy use, I definitely had to make some repairs, but overall it held up pretty well for all of the terrain it crossed.

A few months ago, I decided to upgrade and purchased the V3 60L worksack. So far, I've been quite pleased! The ice tool holsters have been upgraded, some of the stitching that had been a problem on the V1 has been upgraded, but it still has the basic light weight and great features of the original. I've used it on three trips so far and it has worked great as expected.

I'll also add that customer service with Cilogear has been excellent! I've had several questions for Graham and he has answered each in a very timely manner. Graham definitely stands behinds the quality of his products, and has demonstrated this with his concern for customer satisfaction!

Just finished up my first trip with my new Cilogear 60L Worksack V4 and loved every minute of it. Tested it in the Sierra on a 2 night trip to Mt. Williamson and Mt. Tyndall. Nightime temps were below freeezing and there was plenty of snow so we brought some extra gear. The pack performed beautifully and I had no trouble fitting an extra sleeping pad and jacket in it.

Took a little bit of tweaking when I first got the pack to get the frame sheet exactly the way I wanted it, but now it fits like a custom pack. I love the versatility as this pack functions easily as a big multi-night alpine pack, or strip it down and cinch it in and it can be a small and light 20L daypack. Took out the framesheet, bivy pad and loft for summit day on Williamson and I barely even noticed that it was on my back. Also the price can't be beat for the quality and versatility that you get with this back.

Bottom line, would highly recommend the Cilogear Worksack to anyone looking for a highly adjustable, lightweight alpine pack.

I bought this this winter and used it ice climbing on Mt. Washington with both sides closed, no frame, and no lid so it's pretty small. I took it to Pakistan this summer and used it on Broad Peak. On the mountain I never used the lid and I used two yellow straps and I think two of the short black ones. It was very light and the frame is easy to mold to your back. The removable half sleeping pad is great as well! I did have the top grommet break, but the fabric never ripped any farther in the next six weeks that I used it. I emailed Cilogear and they said they had changed the fabric on the newer models and would fix mine as well. When you can get this for $200 why would anyone spend $400 on a backpack?