V2.5 45L WorksackGear Review |
Contribute  Loading... | V2.5 45L Worksack   | 
| Page Type: Gear Review Manufacturer: Cilogear
| Page By: dps Created/Edited: Jan 14, 2008 / Jan 15, 2008 Object ID: 4604 Hits: 1140 Loading... |
IntroductionI am hard on packs. Really hard. I spend most of time climbing in the mountains, typically in Rocky Mountain National Park on alpine routes, which can involve thrashing, chimney climbing, hauling, and all sorts of things that will destroy a pack in no time.
I bought one of the first generation 60L Worksacks three years ago. It has been to Peru, Alaska, and all over the USA. I have abused it heavily in Colorado over the last few years. I also have a V1 40L that I used for smaller climbs (it also went to Alaska as my partners pack) and as my wife's backpacking pack. Both packs are still in good shape, however the advances that Cilogear has made with their pack design have regulated these packs for backpacking and loaning out to friends.
This brings us to my current pack of choice, the V2.5 45L Worksack. I have been using this pack heavily this winter season, at least three days a week. This pack is the best design I've used in a long time, combining good workmanship, lightweight materials, and some innovative ideas. There are some kinks, but we'll get to those later.What's New?So why this is new generation of pack so much better? The next section will focus on older features that have stayed the same, such as the strap system and materials. Let's look at the new features that I think separate this pack from the rest of the market.
Starting at the bottom and work up...
Ice Axe Attachment
First off, the ice axe holders on this pack are brilliant. Similar to the BD packs, you can slip the head into the sleeve, buckle it down, and use the bungee cord to secure the shaft to the pack. This system provides a simple, reliable attachment for all kinds of ice tools.
V2.5 45L tool attachment |
Notice that both the Quark and Nomic attach securely to the pack. I've carried both tools on long approaches and never once thought about them after attaching them to the pack.
V1 40L tool attachment |
For comparison, here is the old attachment system, which I constantly worried about my Nomics falling out of. I also broke a few buckles because the weight placed on them in this setup.
Crampon attachment
V2.5 45L crampon attachment |
I personally don't mind strapping my crampons to my pack, but some people will prefer a crampon pouch. The V3 40L worksack has a crampon pouch and is a similar design to the 45L Worskack.
I've carried both collapsible and rigid crampons with this system, including some nasty gully climbing in Cody to get to the goods. Haven't had a problem yet, even after taking a spill down the scree in Cody on my back.
The Lid
V1 60L lid (left) vs. V2.5 45L lid (right) |
The new lid fits and doesn't flop around. This in of itself is a huge improvement. I can't quite shove a belay jacket in the lid anymore, but that's fine by me. What I can do is cinch the lid down nice and tight around the pack opening, which I much prefer.
The new lid also comes with buckles on all four attachments. This makes getting into the pack, adjusting tension, and taking the lid off much easier than before.
V2.5 45L helmet attachment |
The lid is where we encounter the first kink, the bungee cord setup to hold attach a helmet. I'm not quite sure how this is supposed to work, but the only way I can get my Petzl helmet to stay put is to strap the bungee cord through the headlamp clips. This is a bit of a pain. Luckily I can usually fit my helmet inside the pack, which makes things much easier. I have carried my helmet in on the lid and it works, but I do worry about it falling off.
V2.5 45L top pocket zipper |
The next kink is that the zippers are a bit small on the lid. With large gloves on, it can be difficult to open the main pocket. This is solved by adding zipper pulls, but this is an after market modification.
V2.5 45L bottom pocket zipper |
The bottom pocket of the lid is easily big enough for my lunch and glasses case, which is great, because these are the two things I value not losing above all else. The zipper on this pocket is easier to open with large gloves because there is no flap.
Haul loops
One of my major complaints about the early Cilogear packs was that the haul loops were not bar tacked to hold a lot of weight. Not a problem on the new packs, as both the front and back grab loops are bar tacked in, instilling much more confidence when hanging the pack off a belay way out there.
Inside the pack
V2.5 45L inside small pocket |
The big modification on the inside of the pack is the Gu/map pocket on the frame sheet lid. I've found this a great place to store my leashes, bail cord, and other small items that I will use once I get to the climbing. This pocket is also great for storing food in when you are climbing without the lid.
V2.5 45L 3D frame sheet pocket |
The 45L does not have a water bladder pocket, instead having a "3D frame sheet pocket". This design decision was to cut weight, and while it succeeds in that respect, I have had problems with the pocket opening up with a full 3 liter bladder placed inside of the pocket. This is the first time that Cilogear has heard of this issue, but it does present a problem as once the frame sheet pocket opens up the pack begins to carry poorly.
I have solved this problem by just placing my bladder in the main pack area, but I would like to be able to use the frame sheet pocket to protect the bladder from the abuse of being in the main pack area.What's Old?These features have not changed from the first generation of Cilogear packs, but are major components of packs themselves.
Materials
The 45L uses the lighter version of the Dimension Polyant fabric. The material has survived some hard abuse and if it last anything like my previous packs, this pack will be around for a long time to come. It is also 200 psi waterproof, which means when you get sandbagged on a route in Alaska and end up sitting on a ledge waiting for the snow conditions to settle, you can put your legs in the bag and not have to worry about the snow soaking through. The foam pack pad is also great for sitting on and reinforcing glacier sleeping systems.
Load carrying
This is where the Cilogear packs constantly surprise me. For all the lightweight construction, etc... I was expecting something similar to my old Wild Things Andinista. That is, versatile but uncomfortable with heavy loads.
The Cilogear packs carry much better for a pack weight that is comparable to the Wild Things and Cold Cold World packs.
The 45L Worksack weighs approx. 1600 grams and costs $170.
The Wild Things Ice Sac (52L) weighs approx. 1300 grams and costs $285.
The Cold Cold World Chernobyl (50L) weighs approx. 1475 grams and costs $175.
V2.5 45L frame sheet and foam pad |
The amazing thing? The Cilogear has a frame sheet with a metal stay. Removing this sheds approximately 300 grams, which brings the weight right in line with the other companies packs. So for the same price or less you get a much better carrying pack and the ability to strip it down the same weight as better known alpine packs.
Strap system
The innovative strap system that all Cilogear packs possess is called the "D-Clip" system. This system allows you to setup the straps on the pack any way you like, or to compress the pack without straps at all. This is a way to cut weight and still provide versatility in a pack. In Alaska my partner and I both used this system to compress our packs to smaller sizes for climbing, which allowed us to ditch the straps and just climb.
There is a online manual that details all the use of the straps here: Cilogear Manual - Straps and Compression.
V2.5 45L strap setup |
This is the configuration of my pack 90% of the time with straps, it just seem to work for me. I know other users who have a different setup and tinker with it constantly, but that is too much for me. I've found that this setup allows for comfortable loading carrying and compression.
As other reviewers have said, this pack takes some work. I've had the advantage of using solely Cilogear packs for three years now, which means I set my 45L up straight out of the box without any thought. Things like bending the frame sheet, setting the straps up, and general tinkering take some time. However the payoff is a nearly custom fit for a pack under 200 dollars.Odds and EndsThe customer service provided by Cilogear is fantastic. My emails for help with setting a pack up, or getting replacement buckles for my old packs were usually replied to within the day and usually by the owner.
I've always felt that companies pushing the limits in terms of design can fall prey to making their products too cool. Cilogear has reigned in the desire to makes these packs too light and too customizable to provide a well balanced product.
Because of their involvement in super high end packs (such as a 45L worksack made from Dyneema), the best ideas make it into the production packs that most users will end up owning for years to come.
ConculsionAfter talking with Cilogear, the V3 packs will be very similar to my V2.5 45L pack, with material differences and the obvious size differences between different models.
I will continue to use my 45L as my main climbing pack throughout the winter and then it will make the trek to South America with me for a month of climbing. I will probably just take the 45L, as I think that it is the best do-it-all solution for carrying slightly larger loads and also climbing.
V2.5 45L fully loaded with crampons, tools, and skis |
Because of the versatility and ability to strip weight, this pack functions well as a load carrying pack that transforms into a lightweight summit pack. It also works well as a climbing pack, carrying just enough to gear to keep everything inside the pack, but not so voluminous that the kitchen sink makes it in.
I highly recommend the Cilogear 45L worksack to anybody looking for a lightweight climbing pack that works great for ice climbing, all season mountaineering, alpine climbing, and good old rock climbing as well.
If your needs include a multi-day trek in for climbing, you should check out the Cilogear 60L Worksack which shares all of the features I have reviewed here, but is expands to a whopping 90L with the spindrift collar all the way up.
If you require a lot of pockets or really dislike having to put some work in to get a pack fitting just right, you should check out a friends before deciding if a Cilogear pack is for you.
V1 40L completely compressed on the Petit Grepon, RMNP |
Full Disclosure: I paid full price for my 45L worksack. Images |
Reviews
| dug | Nice | | 
Hasn't voted | I have the CG 45. I think V2. I don't have the inside small pocket. Strangely mine didn't come with the foam pad either. It came with the frame sheet and some sort of hard plastic thingy. Anyway, it didn't matter as I already have a foamy that came with my CCW pack a few years ago and just sits in the closet as this one would have. I use my 3/4 Z-rest for the frame in both these packs and it works great. It a bit of a tight fit in the CG tho. With a bit of experimentation I was able to rig the straps to carry a shovel on the back panel of the pack. My only complaint is the button hole type cord exit on the pack bag and extension. The one on the pack body is unraveling and I suppose that the extension will follow suit. I concur that this is an excellent alpine pack. I tried to use an older pack of mine for ice cragging the other day but just gave up and used my CG.
Pic in use: http://www.summitpost.org/image/374484//n-buttress-of-mt-goode.html
http://www.summitpost.org/image/374486//n-buttress-mt-goode.html | | Posted Jan 20, 2008 9:19 pm |
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