What pack sizes does everyone use for various climbing trip lengths?

30L for an alpine climb?
70L for an approach pack requiring overnight or two night stay to include a tent?
105L for Denali approach pack?

sound about right?

For me it goes as follows:

~28 liters for day climbs all seasons and light overnights in the summer. Serratus Genie with 3/5 of a 3/4 length Z Rest pad folded up as the 'frame'.

45 liter pack for multi-day alpine trips in the winter. Black Diamond Shadow.

40+ liter pack for multi-day alpine trips in the summer. Montbell Balance Light 40. Although the BD and Montbell packs have very similar volumes, the BD has a beefier suspension and padded hip belt and has more features including a crampon patch with straps and a bungee on the top lid, allowing more stuff to be lashed to the outside. It also carries weight better, albeit at a small weight penalty.

~75 liter pack for Alaskan climbs including Denali as well as long, technical winter climbs in the lower 48 (i.e. > 3-4 days). McHale SARC, custom built with light materials, very simple hip belt, no extra zippers, etc. Although a similar volume to the Wild Things Andinista or the CCW Chaos, you can actually fill it up and still carry it very comfortably and it climbs better than either of the other packs in my experience, although at a pound or so weight penalty.

For Denali, bear in mind you will be pulling a sled and/or doing double carries. No need for such a huge pack. I typically carried between 45 and 50 pounds on Denali and pulled about the same, maybe more.

A 30L pack for any three season climb or hike of less than 24hrs duration

A 40L pack for any winter climb/hike of less than 24hrs duration

A CCW Chaos for everything else! I've used it on trips ranging from a couple of days to over three weeks. If you can't put it in or attach it to a Chaos, you probably don't need it.

A 22L pack for day hike/bouldering up to 15 lb: Osprey Talon 22

A 30L pack for long day climbs/light overnite up to 30 lb: Millet Prolighter 30

A 50L pack for winter climb/multi-day up to 50 lb: Black Diamond Ice 50

Never been to Alaska but the Black Diamond has been out up to 10 days backpacking/scrambling. The Millet is my default/go-to pack for almost every trip these days because it sucks down/expands well and has modern tool and bladder features.

20L Lowe Alpine for half day scrambles

30l North Face Verto for long day trips.

78L Jansport for 3-4 dayers.

30L Mountain Hardware scrambler: day trips or quick overnights with not much technical gear

42L BD Sphynx: one of the best pieces of gear I own. Perfect for 2 or 3 day summer climbing trips.

65+15 Lowe Alpine Appalacian: I like backpacking too.

alpine345 wrote:Never been to Alaska but the Black Diamond

I had a BD Ice pack and feel it was one of the best packs I have ever owned. It died prematurely after a vicious, unprovoked late night snafflehound attack and some carelessly packed ice screws. Quite a few friends had this pack as well. Colin Haley did use his on Denali, but he also used his Serratus Genie (a pack I also have) for a one day car to car solo of the North Face of Mt Robson, so ymmv.