Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 26, 2011 - 05:47pm PT
|
Hey all,
I am starting to shop around for haul bags. I know Metolius has a good line, but I was thinking about buying a FISH because I prefer to help small companies when I can.
I'm not planning on doing a huge amount of wall routes. The smallest will probably be Moonlight Buttress, and the largest the Nose.
What I am looking for are recommendations for a good bag, and what size I should look into getting. Thanks!
Edit to add that I have looked at the reviews and stuff...would prefer a variety of views prior to making a purchase like this :)
|
|
Nohea
Trad climber
Sunny Aiea,Hi
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2011 - 06:21pm PT
|
I like my Fish and figured out that you don't have to sleep just keep moving and the summit comes sooner and you brought less with you.
GoFish!
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2011 - 06:29pm PT
|
Fish is definitely the home team favorite!
No foreign slave market labor here!
|
|
Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 26, 2011 - 06:41pm PT
|
Cool photos!
I saw the thread with the used one, but it said it was an older style bag and I think there have been some improvements since.
I think the Fish would be good for a first bag, and the size seems to be kinda bewteen the Metolius sizes which to me means it would wok for small and bigger walls depending on how I pack it. I know the seams can be sealed with urethane....and ideas to mod the entry to make it a bit more waterproof?
|
|
Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2011 - 07:56pm PT
|
For light duty you might as well try to pick up a used one. Failing that I've been quite happy with my Fish budget bag, and you can't go wrong with Russ' stuff. Some of the pricier bags have thicker material and a little better suspension, but Russ' are plenty bomber.
Bear in mind that probably 2/3 of all wall gear sees one trip or less, then gets relegated to "aging" in the Closet of Shame. Put the word out that you are looking, and there are plenty of deals to be found on new and near new gear.
If your goal is wall camping aim for a medium bag for you and your partner, as it really makes life nice to have two (organization, approach, and descent are all better with 2 bags). If you have week long monsters planned get the biggest bag you can, and hope your partner did the same.
|
|
Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 26, 2011 - 08:11pm PT
|
Thanks Moof and BASE for the input. Seems pretty heavy in favor of the Fish and that was my initial thought anyways. It never hurts to get some opinions from others though, especially as I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground about walls.
I will see if anyone has a used Deluxe for sale....if not 150 isnt exactly going to break my bank. I believe in getting good products first and not have to deal with them failing later.
I could probably drive to Josh and offer Russ a beer to drop it off at the bar and save the shipping charges lmao.
Thanks again all!
|
|
Brian
climber
California
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2011 - 08:26pm PT
|
Bear in mind that probably 2/3 of all wall gear sees one trip or less, then gets relegated to "aging" in the Closet of Shame.
Classic. Funny. Sad. All at once!
Brian
|
|
Captain...or Skully
climber
The Seas of Stone.
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2011 - 08:32pm PT
|
I have a fish bag. Reconstructed from 2 that had many miles upon their poor hides. It's freakin' bomber. Almost like new. Almost.
Can't go wrong with one of Russ' bags. Tuff stuff.
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2011 - 09:10pm PT
|
There's only one REAL bag. . .
FISH!
|
|
Rokjox
Trad climber
Boys I'dunno
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 03:11pm PT
|
$150 bucks??
Its a SACK for sh#t that you are going to drag behind you for several miles.
Cut a piece out of your rental houses indoor/outdoor carpet, stitch it together with a speedy sticher and high grade contact cement, tack on a few yards of old webbing and throw it away if you EVER manage to wear a hole in it.
How much trouble do you want to go to for a tube with a bottom in it?
By the time you find ONE of the store bought sacks, you can make five.
Ask Thoreau, is it faster to earn all the bucks for a traain ticket, or to just start walking and hope you get a ride?
Do it yourself and stop depending on other people.
|
|
ncrockclimber
climber
NC
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 03:31pm PT
|
Just out of curiosity, have you ever actually made a bag using the materials that you describe, and if yes have you ever used the bag on a wall. I would love to see pics of your homemade bags if you have them.
|
|
Rokjox
Trad climber
Boys I'dunno
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 03:36pm PT
|
Yes and Yes.
There are already pictures somewhere on this site, unless I deleted them when I got ready to leave OUAT...
You can probibly find them if you look, it was on a thread on old and homemade gear.
Hell, we used to ALL make our own gear (outside of ropes and maybe shoes), and I think we were better off in the end. Become less of a consumer and more of a primary resource to yourself. It doesn't take $10,000 of gear to climb, despite what the manufacturers will tell you.
|
|
Rokjox
Trad climber
Boys I'dunno
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 05:36pm PT
|
That was thirty years ago.
And a small bag just for fives...
Were I to make it again, I would have made it fatter, and probably created a tapered sack.
But it worked for several years.
Edit: When I think about it, it was closer to 40 years ago. call it 37.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 05:40pm PT
|
You make your own haul bag.
They're piss easy to make.
I made mine on my moms wimpy sewing machine.
Charlie Porter used it on the first ascent of the Shield ....
And then I bought a Fish haul bag after the homemade one finally wore out.
Fish is the BOMB!!!!
|
|
Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 05:51pm PT
|
Just a note regarding the so-called "rainproof" closures on other bags...it's complete bullsh#t.
Unless the bag is packed to precisely the right fullness, (sporting a slight overfill) water will pool in the top around the collar, and eventually pour right down the freakin' hole anyway. I've got a Metolius with a so-called weatherproof closure...Yer sh#t still gets wet, and you'd better have your sleeping bag in a drybag regardless what kinda haulbag you've got.
Get the Fish bag unless you plan on multi-day approaches and/or 10+mile approaches carrying the loaded bag. Std roadside wallin' (i.e. basically anything in the valley or Zion), go with the Fish.
|
|
Rokjox
Trad climber
Boys I'dunno
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 06:23pm PT
|
Chris's advice sounds right on. I didn't spend 1/2 my life on walls like some here, but I can sure agree that a too narrow or too deep bag is a PITA. See THAT all right. Half the time when you want in it, you are hanging next to it, and have no place to put stuff thats in the way.
Put some grommets or at least holes in the botton of the bag, stuff always manages to leak into the bag, like a punctured water bottle, the pee bottle, fuel or something. Its better to give it a little way out rather than just having it sloshing around the bottom until it gets absorbed. Heating and cooling can pressurize the bottles or the peaches until they leak even if you get the lids on right.
|
|
Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 27, 2011 - 07:29pm PT
|
Thanks to everyone for chiming in!
I'm not really interested in making my own bag, I suck at sewing and I'm way too lazy to be that inventive :p
Chris, I did read your article in depth at the start of looking around, I just wanted to garner a few more opinions :)
WBraun, thanks for chiming in as always.
I have decided to go with the Fish Deluxe bag. I am currently looking for a "closet of shame" used one. I have time to look so not in a massive hurry, but if I can't find one I will hit Russ up.
Might buy a couple sets of his aiders too, half the price of the ones I was looking at.
|
|
Ricardo Carlos
Ice climber
Off center
|
|
|
Mar 27, 2011 - 08:15pm PT
|
Fish for the next haul bag gets my vote!
I have made a few hundred haul bags.
The first haul bag I ever made went up South Sea’s FA.
I drove to the meadows every morning and evening to make sure it held up as it had all the water in it.
I beefed up the bottoms after that.
So when I buy a haul bag it will be a Fish.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!