Looking for a new 30L-ish pack. I've had a CG WorkSack 30 for awhile but after a fair amount of use I never really got into it and the CG "thing". Looking to replace it with these basic criteria in mind:

- Primary use will be single day ice climbing (both single and multi-pitch) rather than alpine/summit attempts or extended hike/climbs.
- Due to above comment weight isn't really an issue.
- I generally like simple no frills and dislike lots of pockets/straps/crap. All I require outside is ice ax loops (obviously) and a daisy chain or some kind of way to attach crampons.

I've looked at a bunch of options and these are the one of I have in mind. The order is my current preference, based on my online research.

1. BLUE ICE WARTHOG 28 -- Checks all boxes but not sure if I can easily attach crampons outside.
2. BD SPEED 30 -- Overall seems right and ticks off the no frills box but have some concerns about durability of the fabric (210 ripstop, with 420 in certain spots).
3. WILD THINGS GUIDE -- Problem here is that it is hard (impossible) to buy. Company is out of stock and not focused on its mountain business, or so I've read.
4. LOWE ALPINE PEAK ASCENT 32 -- Looks like it checks all boxes, but not a lot of information on this other than the company's website.
5. PATAGONIA ASCENSIONIST 30 -- Features are nice, but fabric is flimsy (210 Cordura).

Can anyone offer experienced opinions on the issues I've listed with these? Really, any helpful insight is welcome.

Thanks!

I went through the same process you did and looked at, and even purchased and returned, some of the same packs you did. I ended up Having Randy Radcliff of Cold Cold World custom building a pack for me. It was based on his 30 liter Ozone model. I had mine built with 210D Dyneema grid fabric, crampon straps, ice axe loops, and a single daisy chain running up each side of the pack to strap skis, pickets, sleeping pads, etc. to. The cost for the completely custom work was $180.00, no more expensive than the WT Guide, Patagoinia Ascenionist (hated it, sold it), or CiloGear Worksack. The pack is truly a thing of minimalist beauty.

Here is a link to a photo of the pack: https://www.summitpost.org/pack/1005674

Thanks, exciteableboy.

My CCW Chernobyl is my favorite pack of all that I've owned. But at 50L I don't get much use from it: I find myself using the CG 30 Worksack for day trips or my BD Mission 75 for multiday mountaineering trips. Still, I love CCW and wished he had a 30L pack but never considered having full custom done. I like what you did so I may go in this direction, in which case I would reference yours. How long ago did you have it done?

I had the work done about 6 months ago. Refer to the excellent blog, Cold Thistle, written by a fellow who lives in my home town. He has had a lot of custom Ozones built so you can get some ideas. Randy is very open to custom work and his workmanship is top notch. http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2012/05 ... art-4.html. Randy refers to the Ozone as being 38 liters, but to me it is comparable in volume to the CG 30l Work Sack (which I have used). It is nowhere near as big as my 40 liter Montbel Balance Light, much closer in volume to my well used and abused Serratus Genie.

Here is another photo of my pack: https://www.summitpost.org/pack/1005675 Unfortunately the vertical daisy chains are not visible in either photo, which I really like.

Another thought I had was the Arc'Teryx Alpha FL 45. I've used this pack for one day winter alpine climbs and it is fairly brilliant, but again, much closer to functionally 30 liters than 45. Also, more expensive at ~$240.00. Here is a nice review written by my friend, Dave Burdick who is an accomplished winter/Alaskan alpnist: http://cascadeclimbers.com/arcteryx-alp ... e-burdick/

I ended up ordering a Blue Ice Warthog and returning it. The company website showed a picture of the pack with the lid removed but the actual pack had the lid sewn in. The fit was just okay---it kinda sat a little too high, even after strap adjustments---but I only did a mock-up in my house, nothing outside or on route, so that observation is not firm.

In any case, I went with a custom Valdez form Randy: no compression straps, no crampon straps; added a modern ice tool pocket-y thing at the bottom. Of note, I first requested the same concept in the Ozone (pack with just ice tool attachments and two daisy chain strips, nothing else outside) but Randy said that he couldn't do the modern tool system on the Ozone. So that's why I went with the Valdez.

Anyway, I wanted to post a follow up for anyone pack searching that comes across this thread. I'll reiterate that the Blue Ice was nice: elegant, simple, (seemingly) well constructed. It just lacked the removable lid and I wasn't gaga over the daisy chains because they stop halfway down the pack. I expect I'll like the custom CCW, since I love my existing Chernobyl. Once again, Randy rules.