Most climbers I know hate approaches. They don’t think a 45-minute uphill slog is calming for the soul. They could care less that the leaves are changing and Bambi is out for a nearby stroll. They want to get to their project and just get the hike over with.
One way to quicken the pace is to carry a small or mid-sized pack. If the only pack you own is one you took to the arctic when you were slaying first ascents, you’re surely going to be left in the dust if your crew is carrying small packs and therefore less crap than you. I’ve seen folks at Smith Rocks, one of the premiere sport climbing areas in this country, with packs capable of carrying three to four days worth of supplies. I mean, you’re sport climbing, what more do you need than a handful of draws, rope, shoes, harness, chalkbag, guidebook, water, and a sammy?
Enter the Flash 30 pack by REI ($80), it weights 24 ounces and carries 30 liters. It’s made up of Ripstop nylon. Like the Flash 18 (even smaller than the 30 and thus perfect for bouldering), it’s barebones so you have no option but to carry only necessary items. For some reason people at the Gunks carry quadruple sets of cams to the crags – this pack will not work for those people. 30 liters is enough to fit your necessary cragging items with room leftover for your chic jean jacket and fleece. The rope can be clipped under the lid. (Or, better yet, have someone else carry the rope; after all you’ve got the rack.) Side pockets are ample enough to hold your favorite steel water bottles, candy and gorp (for easy access). The lid is spacious enough to fit in a deli sandwich, iPod, extra chalk; things like that. It also has side pockets on the waist belt that are spacious enough to hold sunglasses.
Approaching the crags with the Flash 30 I feel like a light-is-right sport climber. I even took it up El Cap once and it was big enough to hold everything we needed for the night. It’s worth nothing that it was summer in Yosemite so we only needed to carry bivi sacs, a few clothes and a sleeping mat. We did not haul the pack (well, we did a little bit) as it’s not made up of the burly material you find on haulbags.
