Looking at getting the BD Mission 75, any opinions - Good, bad, comments?
Thanks.

I have one. I have only used it a couple of times. It is very comfy and my preferred bag for carrying big loads. The only problem is that it's not as flexible as my cilogear 75

It's my go to bag. Used it on Shasta and Rainier carrying 45lbs with no problems at all. It's super light and very comfortable. My only two complaints are there are no outside pockets for wands or tent poles and as the previous poster stated, it doesn't flex at all. Neither of these matter if you pack it just right though.

I'm looking at getting one of these, can anyone else chime in with their opinions?

Eventually I'd be dragging it up some mountains but for now it'd be for multi day hiking and dragging the trad rack and assorted gear to the crag (need to take bulk water in Australia).

Any comments on comfort vs osprey/deuter or any fit advice?

Very good bag, but not as flexible as others in the same volume but less technically-oriented (eg, Osprey) - it expands as a deeper tube, which can be a pain depending on what you use it for. If you intend to put a lot of weight in it, you might consider a bag with a secondary frame (Deuter or Osprey) - the mesh frames that float the pack off the back a bit - those are, IMO, by far the most comfortable for heavy (50-60#) loads. A friend took his BD 75 30 miles last w/e with gear - likely about 35# - and it treated him extremely well.

A decent pack but nothing special. It's a fairly stripped down large mountaineering pack … so it's missing a couple features, imho (like the aforementioned wand pockets). I am also not a fan of the BD crampon carry system, but ymmv. Durability left something to be desired. I'm guessing I got maybe 40-50 days of use out of mine…some of it admittedly pretty rough. The bag itself lasted but both shoulder straps started ripping out. Speedy-sticher kept them attached…sort of. Load lifter strap also pulled out on one side. My loads with that pack were very rarely excessive. Max of 45lbs. on most trips…often less.

Like I said, some of my usage was pretty hard and I'll cut it some slack for that. But I expect more than half of a mountaineering season out of my packs.

Thanks for the advice guys.

So what do other SP users use for carrying loads of stuff? And don't say carry less stuff

Stripping a mountain of camps, I was able to carry 2 x 3 person 4 season tents, Sleeping bag, stove, rope and various climbing gear using my Cilogear 75 and its various straps but in this pic, carrying a somewhat more sensible load.

Cool photo Radson.

I guess I'll have to add that to the list of prospective. Issue is of course trying them on, it'll always be a blind buy.

Anyone tried the HMG Ice pack 4400?

beean, sounds like you need two different packs. One for cragging and one for alpine/mountaineering. The requirements are not similar.

The HMG pack you point to might be a good alpine pack. I've got no experience with the company. But you'll destroy you're nice, new, ultralight alpine pack if you start using it as a crag pack. Cragging is rough on gear. Light is NOT right for some applications. And often it ends up wasting your money.

Radson sounds like he's had good experience with his Cilo. I've used em. I don't own any. I think they are about as good as you will find for alpine climbing. Some folks believe the hip belts (on the 75 specifically) are decidedly NOT capable of supporting massive loads. They swap them out with other pack brand hip belts. ymmv. They're pretty durable but I'd still rather use it for its intended purpose. Not for dragging around in the dirt at the crag.

For cragging look at some of the dedicated stuff out there. Lots of companies make them now. Mini-haul bags are great and will last for years and years of hard use. Other, more dedicated crag packs from Metolius, Arc'Teryx, Mountain Hardwear, Mammut also work well.

Lastly, 75 liters is WAY bigger than I ever use for a crag bag. 40-50 is as large as I go, including lots of water for a full day in the desert sun.

As far as fit, go to your local shop and get measured. It takes five minutes and is the best place to start if you have to order via the web. A lot of people are "between sizes" so it's still a bit of a crap shoot. With any luck, you'll be right in the center of a manufacturer's range for a given size. But if not, at least it gives you a starting point. There's no way to know if you'll like the carry unless you have it on your back with weight in it…but you can get a good idea with a little google searching. If you are shaped relatively normal ... ... you'll really be able to work with just about any pack.

If you don't know already, learn to carry your pack properly. ON the iliac crest…and not on the hips. If you can lift your knee until your leg is parallel to the floor WITHOUT the hip belt impeding your movement then it is generally positioned properly. In other words, the pack should clearly rest on your pelvic structure and NOT "on your hips" (at least as most people define "hips").

Yeah I've already got a speed 30 I use for my cragging needs (no sharp granite or limestone around here, all nice smooth rhyolite and polished granite), which is a little small but not enough to warrant the need for a new 45-50L pack. Theres a few areas I want to visit in the future which require a day hike either way, I need a bit more capacity.

End goal is for a pack that I can take out for a while in Canada, Alaska, South America etc, as well as multiday hikes in between. Got a big year coming up