Nowadays, climbing is equivalent to bringing a lot of gear, especially if you are embarking on a multi-day trip to challenge some remote and unknown rock wall. You need to keep a lot of equipment near to you at any moment, and for that, you need one of the best climbing backpacks that you can find. A regular backpack won’t work for hiking; you need something that’s built for the job.

Scroll down and take a glance at the best climbing backpacks that you can buy in 2021.

1. Osprey Mutant 38L Backpack

Osprey Mutant 38 Mountaineering Pack

The Osprey Mutant surprisingly cuts a lonely figure in the category of top-notch alpine packs that will not break the bank. Some “dialed-in” features also make the Mutant perfect for high-mountain high jinks, including a durable haul loop, compact design, adjustable compression braces, and the top closure “FlapJacket” that makes lidless use when necessary.

Pros

  • Comfortable
  • Ejectable Hood/lid 

Cons

  • Little heavy

In Stock at Osprey and Amazon from $170

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2. Petzl Bug 18L Backpack

Petzl Bug 18L Petzl Bug 18L BackpackBackpack

If traveling light and easy is your thing, the 18-liter Petzl Bug deserves its place on the top of your list of purchases. As with all of Petzl’s items, this pack is incredibly well made and a little bit of wonder of practicality. This bag at the front is made up of a handful of external features that could add a few precious liters of storage to the pinch, including a large outer pocket, a duo of compression straps that can be doubled as gear loops, and a full-length, MOLLE-style daisy chain at the back of the pack.

Pros

  • Ergonomic design
  • Tough haul loop

Cons

  • Small capacity

In Stock at Amazon from $69

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3. Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25L

Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25L

Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25 Backpack 3 is not the cheapest out there but improves the most affordable alpine packs in terms of comfort and overall performance. It’s light, hydration-compatible, rugged as old leather. It features all the alpinist might ask for outer gear loops, ice-ax loops, two wide side pockets, a large hood pocket, a genuinely stunning suspension system, and plenty of shoulders and hip belt padding.

Pros

  • Light (1.7 lbs)
  • Waterproof

Cons

  • Not stretchy

In Stock at Backcountry from $139

4. Patagonia Ascensionist 30L Pack

Patagonia Ascensionist 30 Pack

If you want to keep things super-light on your alpine adventures, the Patagonia Ascensionist 30 Pack might be your bag. This pack weighs less than two pounds—a remarkable feat with its hard-wearing, abrasion-resistant, and tear-resistant Cordura nylon materials and remarkably impressive comfort.

This pack’s top-of-the-line nature means that it’s not the best choice if you want the moonlight to be a crag pack, but for multi-pitch and alpine trails, its minimalist design and its charming lack of pounding make it very hard to beat.

Pros

  • Incredibly light (1 lb 7.6 oz)
  • Detachable hip belt

Cons

  • No side pockets

In Stock at REI and Patagonia from $149

5. Exped Black Ice 45L

Exped Black Ice 45

The Black Ice packs are compact roller tops that are minimalist and meet modern climbers and mountaineers’ demands. Combined with smart design and clean development solutions, extensively field-tested features give a pack for quick and lightweight use on the mountain and expedition. The lean and compact form guarantees direct transmission of load and is 100 percent waterproof.

Pros

  • Ample storage
  • TPU film laminated

Cons

  • Not many organizational pockets

In Stock at Moosejaw from $142

6. Arc’teryx Alpha FL 45L

Arc'teryx Alpha FL 45

Arc’teryx combined the top-load follower pack’s unbeatable nature with a robust medium-capacity bag to create the ultralight Alpha FL. This pack is a fantasy for mountain climbers: it is streamlined, well-behaved, waterproof, and extremely resistant to abrasion. The Alpha FL’s collar expands into a 45-liter load on the approach and is then compressed to a remarkable 33-liter shape, which goes up like a corpus extension. The material is fitted with the breeze – including handles – and clogging points, bungee attachments to the outside of the bag.

Pros

  • Water resistance
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Thin material

In Stock at Amazon from $259

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7. Hyperlite Dyneema 2400 Ice Pack

Hyperlite Dyneema 2400 Ice Pack

Dyneema is one of the most robust fabrics globally in terms of strength-to-weight ratio, withstands moisture to a remarkable degree, and is super lightweight. The Dyneema (40L) 2400 Ice Pack is made with the most robust fully-woven fabric and has added essential gear safety necessary for success in the most challenging environments in the world. 

Pros

  • Lightweight 
  • Durable

Cons

  •  Expensive

In Stock at Hyperlite Mountain Gear from $379

8. Black Diamond Creek 50 Pack

Black Diamond Creek 50 Pack

If you’re an all-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of packer when it comes to reaching the crags, then the Black Diamond Creek 50 might well be the pack you’re hunting for. However, this pack not only has a big 50-liter capacity, but it also does just about everything you need to store the gear effectively. 

Pros

  • Capacity of 50-liters
  • Water-resistant

Cons

  • Expensive

In Stock at Backcountry and Amazon from $209

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9. Trango Crag Backpack

Trango Crag Backpack

The Trango Crag is a pack that streamlines life at the crag’s foot by providing two opening choices, in this case at the top and the side.  While this pack lacks the Neon Gear’s organizational awesomeness due to its freestanding size, it will gain many admirers as it is a spacious 48-liter capacity, robust design, built-in rope tarp, external pockets, durable suspension system, and haul-bag style.

Pros

  • Haul bag style
  • Freestanding design

Cons

  • No internal storage options

In Stock at REI and Amazon from $119

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10. Mammut Neon Gear 45

Mammut Neon Gear 45

Another high-quality backpack built to carry your supplies to the crag is Mammut’s Neon Gear 45. The Neon Gear’s aluminum provides some of the best support here for long approaches or hefty loads. All of this adds a highly competent crag pack from a reputable brand and boot at a very reasonable price.

Pros

  • Affordable 
  • Enough spacing

Cons

  • No rain cover

In Stock at Backcountry and Amazon from $149

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The pack that will finally prove to be “The One” for your rock adventures will focus, of course, on what you’re going to get up to. However, if you end up with any of those on the above list, we are sure that you will have a trusting, loyal, ready-go-rock climbing partner that will serve you well for many years to come!

Grab your new pack online today.

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