Metolius Half Dome Haul Bag Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
Metolius Half Dome Haul Bag | |||||
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Awards | Best Overall Haul Bag | Excellent For One Night Walls | Best Mega Large Option | Fast n' Easy Waste Manager | |
Price | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $220 List $199.95 at Amazon | $300 List $279.95 at Amazon | $190 List $169.95 at Amazon | $70 List |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | This is one of the best haul bags we know of, especially for shorter walls | An ideal haul bag for short walls or as a supplementary haul bag | A hefty bag with a good amount of burl that can carry heavy loads | Due to its small size, we would choose a different option unless you're going on a fast and light mission | An incredibly convenient and intelligent design |
Rating Categories | Metolius Half Dome... | Metolius Quarter Do... | Metolius El Cap Hau... | Metolius Sentinel | Metolius Waste Case |
Durability/Material (40%) | |||||
Capacity (10%) | |||||
Waterproofness (10%) | |||||
Closure systems/Ease of Access (20%) | |||||
Carrying/Suspension System (20%) | |||||
Specs | Metolius Half Dome... | Metolius Quarter Do... | Metolius El Cap Hau... | Metolius Sentinel | Metolius Waste Case |
Volume (cu inches) | 7600 | 4200 | 9600 | 2800 | 500 |
Weight | 7 lb 7 oz | 5 lb 1 oz | 8 lb | 4 lb 11 oz | 10.6 oz |
Main container material | Durathane | Durathane | Durathane | Durathane | Durathane |
Closure material | Ballistic nylon | Ballistic nylon | Ballistic nylon | Ballistic nylon | Ballistic nylon |
Sewn or welded seam | Welded | Welded | Welded | Welded | Welded |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Likes
The construction on the Metolius Half Dome haul bag is super bomber, from the material to the seams to the buckles. We have put a lot of big ascents on this without ever doing too much damage. You still need to line the bag with a foam pad if you are hauling on slabs, but it's not as crucial as it is with a bag made of thinner material. The river bag closure system is one of the most water-proof made. No haul bag keeps everything dry if you're in heavy rain or a mini-waterfall. However, this model does pretty well. The extra skirt also makes this a great improvised bivy sack if you need to bivy on the summit. It's simple to clip to the bottom of the bag. The carry system is about as comfortable as a haul bag can be. The inside pocket is conveniently placed. This and the Yates are the only bags with good compression straps across the top. These are key to managing the bag when it is a bit over-stuffed.
Dislikes
If we had to make this bag a little better, we would make it a bit wider. That would make accessing the bottom just a little easier and add enough extra volume that the El Cap size would almost be unnecessary for any climb. Also, while we love the river bag closure, it does add extra time to open and close. We think the tradeoff is worth it, but it may annoy some people.
Other Versions
The bigger version of this is the El Cap great if you only want to take one bag, but hard to get to its bottom. The smaller version is the Quarter Dome which is too small for most walls but a great sidecar to your bigger haul bag or a great haul pack.
Value
This is not one of the cheaper bags, but it probably will last longer than any bag for its price. The burly material and welded seams mean that a seam blowout is unlikely.
Conclusion
It is a great size for a route like Half Dome. However, it is hard to fit in everything for a Nose ascent unless you pack real light and spend two nights or less on the wall. Bring two of these on a route like Zodiac or Mescalito, and you are loving life. There are many other great haul bag options, but this one has better sizes, better features, and is incredibly bomber. For most two-day walls, this is a perfect size. If you are doing a longer wall, go with the larger Metolius El Cap Haul Bag.