Aiguille sacks

[Paul_B]

Does anyone own one of these Aiguille sacks? Anyone get a custom sized one from them? I have been trying to find someone who has bought one from them to see how it performs. So far they don't seem to have sold any to anyone on a forum. I'm thinking of getting one made extra long for my long back and a few other customisations. They don't charge for most modifications BTW so are quite good for that. Also one of the few British companies that manufacture outdoors gear in the UK.

If anyone has come across them please let me know. Photos of them would be nice to see how durable they are.

 

[John Fenna]

A mate had one - loved it!
Had it custom made in super tough fabric for exped work.
Tough as old boots...so he said!
I never actually saw it though...

 

[jerryo]

i own one myself... its not bad but i think there are better out there tbh. mine doesn't get any use - i always choose the crux instead.

 

[Limaed]

Hi Paul,

Aguille make a lot of gear for UK Mountain Rescue Teams both rucksacks and specialist bits of carrying equipment such as oxygen bottle holders. All the equipment is very well made and is comparable in quality to the likes of Macpac and Berghaus, it has to be tough as MR gear gets trashed! I doubt its the lightest gear but bombproof yes.
The chap that runs the company is very helpful and has done lots of climbing so knows what he is talking about, I went down to his workshop when my MRT were considering getting a new medical rucksack made up.
They will make you pretty much what you want or you can get a personalised fit / mod. The kit ive used on the team is great though ive not used one of the rucksacks for an extended period as we get issued POD rucksacks (another unsung brand).
I think you will be happy with your choice and its good to buy UK made kit. Ed

 

[EdS]

Yes a custom made 65l + sac. A cross between 2 sac they used to do. Rarely gets used as it is too big for what I do now - but very comfy and stable with big loads. A friend's boyfriend borrowed to travel around central America in Feb - rated it highly.

And a Super Couloir. My first choice for weekend climbing and bivis and MRT. Used to use it as a day sac as well - though less now as I got a smaller sac.

Both bombproof, comfy and stable with heavy loads - too heavy often.

I have suggested them here before and would again. They are not the lightest of sacs but are one of the best load carriers. I have a slightly dodgy vertabrae in my lower back whilst I can carry most sac, many inc sepecially the cutting edge "glamorous" ones and out and out climbing sac make my back hurt at the end of the day. Haglofs ski touring ones seam good thoug has they also have a proper rigid internal frame.

Still my first choice of manufacture.

And they are British made not made out in a far eastern sweatshop by some faceless brand - your never going to get that sweat sitting in a factory in Cumbria.

The after sales service is second to none - they even patches and repaired my Couloir for free after a mouse ate it.

 

[Paul_B]

I'm looking at the 47l Zephyr I think. Its a straight forward, clean lined alpine climbing sack with only one alloy stave in the padded back. I would have made do with the large back length but since they would make the back as long as I needed its about 1 or 3 inches longer than the standard long back that would fit me. That would make the sack bigger capacity. I need a 50l one at the moment for a multi day self supported trip wild camping in the hills of England, Scotland and Wales so this should be ideal.

What I like, apart from the custom back length, is the option to change the fabric. There are only a few fabric choices. A 1000d or 5/600d texturised fabrics and a 6/500d untexturised one. The untexturised is less abrasion resistant but doesn't hold water as much as the texturised ones apparently. I'll probably have the two texturised fabrics the heavier one on the base, back and straps/belt fins and the lighter one on the front and sides to reduce weight. I saw one similar they had in from a previous customer that was in for some work. I tried it on but it was 1" shorter than my ideal. It had the same mix of fabrics and had worn very well as far as I could see. It also weighed about 1kg! Forgive me for my ignorance but for a tough as nails climbing sack of about 50ish litres that is a light weight. Not exactly SUL but possibly a L or even UL weight category.

My question now is whether a 600g weight saving over my current sack which is a similar, simple sack style from Berghaus is worth £85. Also what extras can I have that won't eat into that 600g much but would be worth the extra weight? I don't like the idea of not taking advantage of the customisation service they have. Back length is an obvious one but what else? Mostly beusing it for as light as possible wildcamping and backpacking (up to 2 weeks but more likely weekenders of 2 nights or theodd week longer).

 

[EdS]

600g - worth it. IMO yes for the robustness and the aftersales service.

They are fairly large for the stated volume.

a shovel pocket - like on the haute route is handy for chucking things in ie damp trap or keeping jacket to hand but not not in the sac. I'm tempted to retro fit one to my couloir.

 

[swamp donkey]

Yehp been using them since he was making them in his loft!(15 years +). Great sacs well made and bombproof . My favourite one has been used at least twice a week for the last 10 years and still does what its supposed to. Also my daughter who is tall and skiny had an exped sac especialy made as none of the shop sacs would pull tight on her waist . She used it every day for 3 months in an Artic winter and swears by it. They went to great lengths to get it right and it was no more expensive than a shop one.

Usual stuff not connected just a very happy customer

 

[Paul_B]

Thanks guys. Do you know what, I have been on another site specifically for the outdoors asking the same sort of questions and got a little bit of the same answer but I think the repsonses here have been better. Elsewhere its been X brand is better (heavier and fussy) Y brand is lighter (v light but no back stiffener as meant for SUL loads). Kind of missed my point. I need a bit of a load lugger (up to 15kg) but about 1kg to make the 600g wieght saving worth it. All I can say thank goodness for BCUK. I now have the advice I need to go ahead with the purchase, which quite frankly I guess was always going to happen. It has too many pluses. Buy British, light, perfect back length, durable, simple single compartment, relatively cheap and made about 30 minutes drive for me in a direction I go about 3 times a week anyway so less miles (excellent carbon footprint for such a product).

Now I'm interested in the shovel pocket. I wonder if it could be done as a removeable shield type of thing. I reckon if it couldbe rigged to be taken off and put back on easily I then have the option of using it or not. I always like then as I reckon it could be used to stuff my tarp in as the last thing to be packed. Usually I pack my tent in the back of my sakc which means not packing it until the tent is pitched. Now I'm into tarping the tarp only uses trekking poles, guys and pegs so I could pack it last thing into a shield type compressor pocket on the front of the sack. It might even dry in there too if the rain stops. Hmmm! I wonder what weight that would be. I reckon another talk to them at Aiguille with a few sketches of what I want.

Thanks guys. This site truly rocks!

PS where do you get that smilie that says "you rock.2?

 

[jerryo]

When i was researching them i couldn't find alot of info about them so just decided to take the plunge and see for myself.

The service was good, i'm about 6ft 2 so was a little concerned about back length but it turned out the large stratos was perfect. It is a very comfortable carry but in the end i wasn't that impressed with the fabric used compared to my Crux ak47. The Crux is also made in the UK, it uses a much more durable fabric, is considerably lighter and has minimal features (none!) it is utterly Bombproof.

I would think POD sacs are also a better bet though i have no personal experience with them.

Its just my opinion but as i said, despite being decent, well made and comfortable the aiguille alpine has never been out. For me it came down to choice of materials and the Crux blew it out the water.

If however you are freakishly tall and want to take advantage of the custom options i can see the aiguille packs being a good option

 

[EdS]

Let me know how you get on wit hthe shovel pocket.

Problem with Crux (good sac I'm told) is that they are really alpine climbing sacs designed for 10 - 12kg max loads. alot of poeple I know have found the thinner hip and should straps strt to get uncomfortable over these loads - to be expected as they are alpine not expedition sacs.

Not sure if Crux are made in the UK now that they've got bigger.

POD where good sacs - not sure what they are like now they are more Macpac clone like.

 

[EdS]

ldouble post

 

[Limaed]

Let me know how you get on wit hthe shovel pocket.

Problem with Crux (good sac I'm told) is that they are really alpine climbing sacs designed for 10 - 12kg max loads. alot of poeple I know have found the thinner hip and should straps strt to get uncomfortable over these loads - to be expected as they are alpine not expedition sacs.

Not sure if Crux are made in the UK now that they've got bigger.

POD where good sacs - not sure what they are like now they are more Macpac clone like.

POD sacs are still good Ed when Peter O Donovan retired RAB took over the company. Ive had two and ive been involved in MR 14 years, considering im on the hill around 80 days a year that too me represnts good quality. Just a shame their not made over here anymore!

 

[EdS]

POD sacs are still good Ed when Peter O Donovan retired RAB took over the company. Ive had two and ive been involved in MR 14 years, considering im on the hill around 80 days a year that too me represnts good quality. Just a shame their not made over here anymore!

Ditto but with Aguille - we've got caves to, though I avoid all but the entry pitches of those

 

[Paul_B]

I've decided to buy a zephyr with a zenyth back support or is that the other way. Had an interesting conversation again with the guy at Aiguille. I'm afraid I always go into things in too much detail before making the decision I had already made really. Anyway, I am asking them to make a zenith body but with the zephyr alloy stave in the back. The fabric is 1000d base and 500d body above the base section. All in black. A fixed lid too not an expanding one like the Zephyr. I have a larger sack with expanding lid so I thought I'd go for a fixed lid for a change. It will make me carry less as I will have no overflow capacity. The fabric is all texturised. i'm not asking for anything special other than the halfway between the two types of sack. All with an XL back length. Should be good. Just got to order it after payday next weekend.

I reckon it will be a good'un.

The guy there is quite interesting bloke. Seems to know a lot about a lot in terms of the outdoors and gear in general.