Wild Things Andanista

Con: This is a climbing pack. I bought it thinking I would use it as a lightweight backpack. It did not work for me as a backpack. It is a combination of a haul bag and a backpack. It has no frame.

When packed with gear it becomes a solid cylinder shape against my spine. I found it extremely uncomfortable as a backpack.  

Pro: It is a well thought out and constructed climbing pack. I would not recommend it for backpacking. It is for climbers who need to pack gear into the mountain and then need a haul bag. It is for climbers who are willing to suffer some discomfort in order to avoid carrying both a backpack and a haul bag.  

The hip belt and shoulder straps can be pulled tight against the bag when used as a haul bag. The cylinder shape and the design of the straps and hip belt allows it to be pulled up the face of the cliff with minimal snagging on rock or ice.  A regular backpack could not be hauled up a cliff face without snagging every 20 feet. 

There are climbers who need this pack. But I am not that caliber of climber.  I am giving this pack to a club member who can and will use it for what it was designed for. 

Bouchard and the crew at WT know their alpine gear. The Andanista whales out to carry all the necessities: beer, pizza fixins, coffee grounds... as well as requisite ice gear. Side compression zippers crunch the bag down to a manageable day pack size-- good for climbing. Tool tubes and crampon straps are flawless, and the gear loops on the slim-but-functional waistbelt work well as holsters.