My wild things pack finally wore out and I was wondering if anyone had a favorite ice pack to recommend. I want one about 2400"

-- steve bronstein (steveb@plainfield.bypass.com), January 26, 1998

Answers

Why not replace your sack with what you have already? I love my Wild Things Ice Sac. It seems to be the perfect size for rock/ice climbs and summit attempts. The North Face Slipstream is virtually identical with a bit nicer of a suspension(heavier, though). Arc'teryx's Borea is another nice pack in that size range.

-- Steve Waydo (waydo@u.washington.edu), January 28, 1998.

I've had one of the Wild Things Ice Sacks for a year now, and believe you'll find it a sturdy replacement for your old sack. Pretty well tricked out for alpine climbing too. I've recently been using a Black Diamond Mixed Master, which has a great carry and many of the same features as the Ice Sack. It's a bit bigger than your 2400 cubes criterion though.

-- Dennis Roscetti (rocetti@execpc.com), February 27, 1998.

Another great pack to consider would be the new Osprey Zealot. About the same size as the Wild Things pack, and a touch heavier, but carries much better. It uses their new "Strait Jacket" suspension and their ligher weight pack suspension (flexionEX), which is removable to save weight.

-- Steve Waydo (waydo@u.washington.edu), May 04, 1998.

With out a doupt the best alpine sacks made in the world are thoes hand made by the famous Pete Odonavon of Sheffield, never heard of him or his sacks? Hes sacks are better nown as POD (gettit?) The best two Alpine sacks are the Black Ice 50+15 litres or the Crag sack 45+15 both available in womens back lengths. Theis things are all made by one man and they are super strong and still light, he's got a great new bigger version of BDs bullet pack comming out soon as well. While were on the subject of gear Extrem 8000 the custom down gear manufacturing company run by the master of down equipment pete hutchinson has got a new ultra-ultra light back in the pipe line at 500grms with 250grms of 800 fil (UK fill is higher then US fill so this bag is close on a US 1000 fil) tested to -5. I had one his bags on Rolling Stones on the Grand Jorrace this Winter wich kept me comfortable (woke up not warm but not cold) at -20 but it only had 350grms of 800 fil power down (I did have a lot of clothes on thoe!) Cheers

-- Andy Kirkpatrick (113666.421@compuserve.com), May 27, 1998.

Ice pack- Arctreyx Borea!!!!!

-- Jon Wagenius (telisjon@hotmail.com), February 15, 1999.

I have to hail the Cold Cold World Chernobyol pack. It is super light, but very durable. IT is 3000ci, a little larger than your Wild Things Pack. It has tubes for the ice tools, and crampon straps. It has all the great features you need without all of the extra bells and whistles that cause a pack to become heavy and complicated, I love mine.

-- Robert Monton (r_monton@mail.plymouth.edu), March 02, 1999.