News New Canyoneering Backpacks

Has anyone seen these? https://slot-usa.com/products/canyon-38l

They look sort of interesting, not sure about the efficiency of trying to eliminate rope bags and only deploying rope from the pack.


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It looks like a pretty good pack. My first thought is that the exposed zipper on the main body is not going to last long on the Colorado Plateau.

I think it's a cool idea, but I'm also not sure how practical integrating a pack and a rope bag is. I could see it working for somewhere with short drops like the North Wash, but in other areas I feel like I'd end up with crushed gear or blown drybags. Plus, I'm still hanging on to my original Imlay pack from years ago (granted, I've had to put in some patches here and there), but I've replaced multiple rope bags and I'd rather not spend 200+ to do that often.

Yeah for some reason that zipper is only on one of their packs. They have a 50liter with no zipper.


I agree that the divider and single rope system idea is unusual. Maybe the divider can be flattened out so the pack can be used as a gear only bag? I also find the lack of external pockets and straps to be less than ideal, I usually carry rope bags, helmet, bottles, and a camera tripod on the outside.

I wish there were more options for desert canyon backpacks, Imlay packs are basically a myth at this point and they are really the only game in town. I guess it’s such a niche activity that it’s hard to make any money making making packs for it.


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Broader appeal?

"Welcome to Slot, a new desert culture brand out of Moab, Utah. We are climbers, mountain bikers, guides, canyoneers, rafters and everything between. With years of experience and expertise in the outdoor industry, our mission is to develop gear that is driven by the desert culture. The culture is expansive, and so is our product vision."

https://slot-usa.com/pages/about-the-brand

The idea of using a pack as a rope bag seems to be a more European/class C idea. Doesn’t really make a lot of sense for Colorado Plateau canyons.

And to repeat the ideas about the zipper, it won’t last and will likely prove to a major weak point.

I’m hoping to have a pack finished this year for a few limited builds, but designing and sewing even one pack is a tremendous undertaking in itself, let alone actually producing them in any meaningful quantity.

Tell me about it...

I ordered the 26L Canyon pack and will be shipping next week! This looks to be a great tight canyon pack due to the minimal external features and sleek design. It is still possible to attach a rope externally, which makes it more versatile. I'm looking forward to giving it a test drive soon.

Also, for the larger packs with the rope system, it looks like the design is to set the rope length, then last one down with the pack deploys rope on the "pull" side. I don't get the comment about the blown dry bag or crushed gear, you aren't supposed to throw your pack over the edge. I attached a diagram from Slot that shows this a bit better.

I've deployed rope directly from the pack, it works fine. Save the weight and bulk of the rope bag. Does kind of make it hard to hold other stuff in the bag though. Some of the Eurodog packs have a separate lower compartment for your stuff and the larger top compartment can hold rope. And nobody really wants to throw their pack off a big cliff, but if you're rappelling with it as you deploy rope, no biggie.

At least you’ve done the design phase. That becomes more admirable the more iterations I go through just to make a personal pack

Thanks.

I know that hope and desire spring eternal from the heart of every gear maker!
But it is REALLY hard to match (constantly updated) classics like the Kolob and the Heaps packs.
Superior performance at an affordable price: the Kolob is the best canyon pack i have ever worn and the best pack of any kind I have ever worn.
Can you imagine if Ratagonia had put his attention on designing climbing packs? He'd would have sold thousands of them!
Oh wait...

Agree completely - Have had Kolob for many years...used it in extremely varied environments...always treated it "OK" as I would any pack carrying critical gear in remote areas...But inevitably late in the day or middle of the night, would ultimately treat it like a prison bit...well not nicely. Anyway - finally broke the (removable top) zipper - it showed me the pack was human and I was able to order a new lid...Phenomenal pack!

My Elderid Canyon Guide 50L pack has a removable divider which is intended to be used for rope deployment similar to the Slot packs. I don't use this feature very often. It does work well for Class C canyons here in Ouray. But, it certainly limits the amount of gear that I can carry. For descents with many rappels, it is kind of a pain in the ass. I do not think that I would use it much in dry desert canyons. Perhaps, if the route only had one or two rappels, it may be beneficial to shave the weight of the rope bag. That said, I carry an Imlay bagarino 99% of the time in the Swell, Roost, N.Wash, Zion, etc.

My 2₵

So, since the beloved Imlay packs are not currently available (through no fault of Tom's), the underlying question is what is the best pack that is currently available for the canyons of the Plateau? The Slot packs look new and shiny, but what is the best, most functional packs currently available for the average, weekend canyoneer? Please post your favorites!

I'm using this one right now. Not cheap but seems to be holding up well.

https://www.adventure.plus/shop/Can...acks/p/Rodcle-Racer-Bodengo-45L-x12766220.htm

If you want something cheaper, try this one:

https://www.alpinstore.com/en/53706...RGx4MYR12sZjET5BVtppUaqwDqzeATSxoCxyUQAvD_BwE

Not sure mine will last 3 times as long as that one, but I do think it's a better pack.

Edelrid Canyon Guide 50L. Love this pack...

I’m intrigued by the slot pack. No hands on knowledge as I’m no longer in the market for a pack.

I just got an Imlay Shimuno(woman’s version of the heaps more or less) at ZAC. It’s probably small but actually sits well on me. I agree that this will likely be the best pack I’ve used. The one dry canyon I ran with it was very very nice. It feels like an osprey with durability and features for canyons.

Rodcle feels the most durable in my book. I’ve used a big ol rodcle for most my canyons. And if you’re in good shape (and have a decent pain tolerance) they won’t be an issue. The straps inevitably dig in and tire out your shoulder muscles in long canyons if carrying a lot of gear(which I always seem to do…). But they are built like tanks.

Also the Petzl bags have good reviews from some folks I’ve talked with. Built similarly to a rodcle but with better organization and essentially the same materials. They feel very solid. They don’t seem quite as durable as rodcle but couldn’t say as I’ve not used the Petzl. For the price they are pretty dang good though from all reviews.

As others have said, may the canyoneering gods bless us with Imlay packs….


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Them Euro peons jus' keep churnin out perforated pillow cases
Durable! Cheap! Comfortable?
Give me a break. If there was any suspension worth doodoo they would be proud of it and show
some pictures! Is there an anatomic curve (human) anywhere on these SILLY-SACKS?

I guess that is why the Imlay packs are so sought after. Function, Form, Durability, and Comfort. Just need to figure out the availability issue.

When someone actually gets a Slot pack (Rapide 38) and takes it into a canyon, I'd love to hear how it performs.