I am slightly loathed to make this my first gear note, as I know once all of you read it and realise the truth about this innocuous bag you too will suffer the same sleepless nights, cold sweats and nausea that I do. For what I am about to show you is without doubt the greatest day pack, sub bag, climbing pack you will come across yet it is no longer produced. Even worse I forgot the model name and desperate searching on the web brings me no closer to finding its replacement. I’m sorry for all of us and with great sadness yet overwhelming respect I present to you:
The North Face Toolbag (I think)
OK, so it’s not pretty and I’m sure you aren’t blown away yet, but hold on one darn second and let me explain.
Firstly this is a simple pack, no question. In fact I think it’s probably the only item of outdoor gear that I own that hasn’t had something cut off it (that’s a whole other essay). The main body is a lightweight haulbag style vinyl akin to their travel duffels, a cordura base and drawstring skirt at the top. Adjustable seat-belt webbing straps route over the top and act as a sort of compression. 2 daisy chains finish the package.
The finer points of this bags use will follow, but for now, some statistics (roughly). This bag has climbed 20 big wall style routes as a sub bag, another 5 in pushes, it’s been my travel bag on every trip I can think of, it’s been my crag pack of choice for 4 years, it’s been used most days for work and daily chores since the day I got it! Now that’s alot of hours, sure and I won’t say it looks pristine anymore, however it is still my choice of sub bag and I still use it every day. I’m no where near worried about it dying yet, and though I do lie awake I haven’t worked out quite when that day will be. I’ve had to replace the drawstring which snapped but that is all! In my mind, it is truly incredible.
Being so simple its use warrants little explanation. As a crag pack you stuff gear in and slot ropes under the top straps. If it’s a long hike you do have to pack it so the Number 5 isn’t poking you in the back but that’s just common sense right?
As a climbing pack it is light, burly and compact. More than anything when climbing with it I notice the difference in speed between this bag and more normal packs. As the straps are easy to clip and bomber you can hang it easily and readily without concern or pre-preparation. Usually I won’t do the draw string up as the main straps hold it shut and so getting at useful items is painless. It’s very light from its simplicity and can takes chimneys and stonefall better than any other bag I’ve used. Have the camelbak tube poking out the top and you are at rocket speed. It’s the perfect seconds pack for its ease of hauling too!
As a sub bag or even a very mini haul bag this bag excels. Easier and lighter to carry on the approach than equivalents it converts in no time to the sub-bag of champions. Usually it lives on a catch line under the haul bag. To do this best you make one strap as short as it will go and one a biners length longer. on the longer strap put the lightest (always important!) auto-locker you can find, and on the short strap a standard snap gate. Have the bottom of the catch line in the locker and clip the snap gate to that. When you want in just unclip the standard biner, dive in (we normally put lunch food and rain coats in here) then do it back up and throw it down again having never been concerned about dropping it! (NEVER drop the lunch!) A little duck tape on the buckles reduces wear on slabby pitches and is a good idea. You can clip the spare rack on the daisy chains for easy access too!
So there we go, the most beautiful bag in the world. I hope she lives on.
If anyone does know of the whereabouts of more of these raindrops from heaven please email me!