Black Diamond Ice Pack

Review Date
February 15, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: gregd(Unregistered User) ,  Climber , from Waldwick, NJ

Price Paid:  $129.00 at Justpacks.com

Summary:
I wasn't able to find this pack in any local stores, so I bought it online. Usually BD makes the most well-thought-out climbing gear around, so I figured the pack would be great.

Great concept. So-so execution. Ice climbing gear is particularly heavy. By the time you pack 2 ice tools, crampons, one or maybe two ropes, heavy clothes and other gear, you WILL have a heavy load. Be it for the day or even overnight.

I was really surprised that BD didn't built any stays into the framesheet. Regardless of how I packed the pack, the frame sheet folded into a "C" shape.

I built my own aluminum stays into the pack and now I love it. Tool tubes are awesome and the crampon pouch is bomber.

Maybe BD will put stays in the 2003 model. Until then, get something else unless you put your own stays in (it's pretty easy).

Customer Service:
BD is awesome

Similar Products Used:
Gregory Gravity

Review Date
January 12, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by: wacosta13(Unregistered User) ,  Mountaineer , from Denver, CO

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I used this pack on a 2 day winter mountaineering trip in Rocky Mountain National Park. The pack has several nice features (dual ice tool tubes, built-in crampon pocket, gear loops on the waist belt) that make it seem like it is a nice pack for climbing...unfortunately, I found the fit to be less than optimal and by the time I got back to my car, I couldn't wait to take the thing off.

This is not to say that it isn't a good pack...just that its domain should be limited to shorter day trips where not much heavy equipment would need to be carried. I was carrying 2 ice tools, crampons, 1 50m rope, light rack, down belay jacket, shell jacket, food (power bars & a bagel), helmet, and 2 nalgene bottles of water. This is about the limit of weight where the pack remains confortable. Any more than that and it still works, but comfort begins to suffer.


Overall, it is a decent pack for short day ice climbing trips, but needs better suspension for it to be a good choice for long 20+ hour alpine days or overnight/bivy trips.

Similar Products Used:
Marmot Scree (a very nice, simple climbing pack wich carries weight fairly well)