Sand bags and Haul bags - Deuter Gravity Haul 50 Review
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Climbing the classic, sand-bagged routes of Index, WA requires a serious variety of gear and a good pack to carry it to the wall in. There’s nothing that gets me feeling quite as excited as loading up all my cams and carabiners into my pack in anticipation of a weekend of climbing at my favorite place in the world. I’m one of those people that packs everything but the kitchen sink, and no pack before the Gravity Haul has made it as easy to pile everything in and get out on the road. Finally a pack that combines the durability and ease of loading of a haul bag with the comfort of a backpacking pack!
The rigid TPU material that the bag is constructed with makes it easy to drop everything in from the top, without having to hold it open like with normal bags. This is a huge plus, as with backpacking/alpine style bags I’m always holding a rope/rack in one hand and trying to keep the flap open with the other. Not an issue with this bag. Also, once I’m at the crag, the back panel unzips all the way to allow me easy access to everything in there. I’m never going back to a pack without this feature for cragging!
My other favorite thing about this pack is that it is tough enough to stand up to the kind of light-duty hauling I often find myself doing at Index in search of new highline gaps or new (old) lines to scrub. There is a flap that can fold over the top as a lid, or be zipped back down to the back panel, covering the shoulder/hip straps to protect them while being dragged across granite by the bomber haul straps on the top. After 2 months of use, the pack is barely showing any signs of wear and I think it’ll last me for years to come.
Pros
- Funnel shape/rigid material makes loading it from the top super easy.
- Fully unzippable back panel make staying organized and accessing gear at the crag a breeze.
- Wears amazingly comfortably! Hip straps give great support and there are no spots that rub on the skin uncomfortably.
- Converts to haul bag mode quickly and easily and is durable enough to stand up to some light-duty hauling.
- Perfect size for trad climbing – fits a helmet, rack, draws, shoes and a rope + food/water/extra layer.
- Has 3 internal gear loops for random extras, as well as an internal zip pocket for phone/wallet/keys. When the pack is fully loaded, the pocket is still easily accessible by unzipping the back panel. No need to take anything out.
Cons
- Not durable enough for full scale-on big-wall hauling, the TPU material is thinner than regular haul bags and would wear through too quickly
