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For the last 11 years, we've put 8 of the best haul bags to the test. For our review update, we purchased each model and hauled them on over 110 big wall climbs around the world. Led by our Founder and Editor-in-Chief Chris McNamara, who has climbed El Capitan over 70 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records, these bags have made their home in Yosemite — the birthplace of modern climbing — and have traveled across the globe to places as far-reaching as the mountains of Norway and back. We analyzed each bag's construction quality, ease of access, suspension system, storage capacity, and weather resistance.
If you're stoked on big wall climbing, you might also be interested in our big wall harness and ascender reviews, where we compile our favorite gear from our years of experience on the wall.
Editor's Note: We updated our haul bag review on October 30, 2024, to include an updated haul bag from Black Diamond, give more perspective into our testing process, and update media.
Comfortable and breathable shoulder straps, easy to get in and out of, water resistant closure, external pocket for easy access to small items, easy to convert from pack to haul mode
Free-standing, easy to get in and out of, comfy to carry, great for single day pushes, burly crag pack
Lightweight, can haul outside of haulbag, no assembly required
Cons
Design lacks durability, difficult to hold tension in the shoulder straps
No waterproof closure, hard to clip gear or poop tubes underneath
Expensive, not completely air-tight
Bottom Line
While it isn't as burly as some, it offers solid performance and as comfortable as it gets when shouldering a heavy load
Available for a decent price, this free-standing haul bag is compact and constructed from bomber material, making it perfect for single day pushes or for those who simply want a burly crag pack that's built to last
The Metolius Half Dome Haul Bag is our favorite haul bag out of the seven other bags that we tested. It is a great size, constructed from super burly Durathane, and has a great closure system. Though it doesn't have any external pockets, it does feature an internal pocket to make smaller essentials easier to access, as well as internal gear loop for stashing the big cams between wide pitches.
The only way to improve it would be to make it a little shorter and a bit wider for better access to the bottom of the pack. Otherwise, it is darn near perfect. We much prefer this size to the El Capitan, which we think is often too big due to its long, cylindrical shape. If you need a bigger bag, either pack lighter or try and use another small bag clipped below this bag.
The Metolius Half Dome is the most common haul bag that you'll see on El Capitan thanks to it's overall durability, excellent suspension design, and essential volume that's perfect to haul your essentials on its own or combined with another bag depending on group size and objective.
Like the Sentinel, the Black Diamond Wall Hauler 40 is either a super durable crag pack, a big wall sidecar, or a bag that is better replaced by a daypack. Daypacks are a lot more comfortable, breathable, and less expensive, however, the Wall Hauler is freestanding and burly enough to carry the tools you'll need to develop a new area or carry enough gear for a single pitch in Indian Creek. The Wall Hauler 40 is durable and ideal for putting up first ascents, where you need a bomber bag that can withstand the impact of your drill and extra tools stored inside. We also consider it a nice backpack for cragging because it is free-standing and remains upright, allowing for ease of access and packing. Also if you're pushing a route in a day, this is a great option for hauling the essentials like approach shoes, snacks, and water, so that you're second can follow without a ton of extra weight.
That being said, there are other crag packs that are available at a fraction of the cost and offer even more carrying comfort, that is if you're willing to sacrifice a little durability. For those seeking a smaller pack that can haul the essentials during single day ascents, a supplemental bag to your Half Dome, or simply a more durable crag pack, the Wall Hauler 40 is a solid consideration.
Suspension strap design is easy to convert from pack to haul mode
Shoulder and waistbelt are very comfortable and breathable
REASONS TO AVOID
Metal buckles shift while carrying and hauling
TPU-coated material subject to durability issues
Sternum strap is useless
A little small for most walls
The Black Diamond Wall Hauler 70 is a more affordable haul bag for those who are only spending one or two nights on the wall. The bag is constructed from TPU-coated materials that successfully withstood an ascent on El Capitan as well as new routing in the sandstone desert of Utah. The carrying system is incredibly comfortable thanks to breathable materials and generous padding that comes in handy under a significant load. This bag is versatile enough to use in Indian Creek when you need a small arsenal of cams and ropes to climb an inspiring endurance pitch and it is super easy to convert from pack to haul mode for those who can appreciate a non-girth hitch suspension system. We also love the color-coded webbing on both the inside and outside of the pack that helped us easily locate and access key pieces of gear. BD made the internal pocket and gear loops bright orange so that you can easily locate items on the inside of the pack. We also like the roll-top closure located on the top of the bag in addition to the small external zippered pocket that was great for accessing chap stick, sunscreen, snacks, tape, and other small creature comforts during a hard day's work.
While our testers love the updated design from Black Diamond, it is not without some major flaws. Perhaps our biggest complaint was formulated when descending the East Ledges after climbing the Salathe on El Capitan when the metal buckles that attach the shoulder straps kept loosening with every step. After too many times adjusting the tension on the straps, we finally just tied off the webbing so that the heavy load wouldn't slip and throw us off balance. We also noticed that the metal hooks that fasten the blue webbing which crosses over the top of the pack to help secure the load came undone while we were hauling. Furthermore, the sternum strap didn't really fit any of our testing team, male or female, we could not tighten the strap enough for it to be effective. We also couldn't help but notice that the pouch where the suspension straps are stored while hauling sticks out from the bag itself and is a constant wear point when hauling the bag, whether the straps are stored inside the pouch or not. All that being said, every haul bag design has room for improvements and we would still be stoked to take this haul bag along during our next overnight or weekend big wall ascent.
The Black Diamond Wall Hauler is the perfect size for a weekend wall, offering 70 liters of volume along with additional ripstop fabric and a roll top closure to pack in the essentials.
If you need a monster bag and want to fit all your belongings in one place, the Metolius El Cap is the haul bag for you. We prefer using the Half Dome or a combination of the Half Dome plus a Quarter Dome. However, getting everything in one bag can be advantageous for some applications, like a lot of hauling over low-angle terrain. In those niche situations, the El Cap excels.
A few caveats to consider when purchasing a haul bag this large is the obvious difficulty that comes with trying access gear on the bottom of the pack. If hanging, its necessary to pull everything out and clip it to your anchor, or dive into the bag to fish around for essentials, or it may be necessary to dump everything out onto the summit or bivy ledge. This inconvenience prevents our testing from giving the bag higher marks, otherwise, this burly and spacious design doesn't disappoint.
Most people better served by a bigger haul bag or daypack
Expensive since a full-sized nidek is not much more
The Metolius Sentinel can either be your best friend or be a little bit of an awkward size. For most applications, we would prefer to reach for the bigger Quarter Dome or even bigger Half Dome. The price for these bags isn't that much higher, and the sizes are far more useful and versatile. Still, many folks love the Sentinel as their UberBomber sidekick. It's an armor-plated backpack that can withstand some abuse.
Perhaps the only drawback to this niche bag is that it has poor breathability (so expect a soaked back) and is not nearly as comfortable as a daypack. Other than that, this is a great side kick or supplemental pack for big wall ascents.
Black Diamond doesn't make a bag similar in size to the Half Dome (7600 cu in). They have the Wall Hauler 70 (4272 cu in) and then jump all the way to the Black Diamond Wall Hauler 140 (8544 cu in). This is unfortunate as that middle Half Dome size is our favorite. The Wall Hauler 140 is a good size for long walls or where you need to haul on low-angle terrain and just want one bag. Some people think it's more comfortable to carry than the Half Dome, especially with the updated suspension system that features padded shoulder straps and a padded waistbelt that are also constructed from a more breathable material.
That being said, the downside of bags this size is that it's difficult to access gear on the bottom of the bag, especially while hanging. You either have to take everything out and clip it securely to a daisy or flip upside down and dive into the bottom. And as we described in the Wall Hauler 70 section, the suspension system could use some work as we were constantly adjusting the tension on the shoulder straps before ultimately tying them off. If you're interested in one haul bag for multiple nights on the wall, the Wall Hauler 140 is a solid consideration.
A waste solution that doesn't require manufacturing
It comes with everything included
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive compared to DIY solutions
Limited size
The Metolius Waste Case is one of the few off-the-shelf big wall waste solutions available on the market. It comes with everything you need and saves you from a DIY project that doesn't always work out that well. It's a totally bomber solution where a DIY poop can sometimes self-destruct if not built correctly, or even worse become detached from the bottom of your haul bag.
Most DIY solutions also have a lid that can be easily dropped and are not even close to airtight. Though the Waste Case isn't completely airtight, it's burly design is perfect for attaching your poop to the bottom of your haul bag, just make your buddy pack it out.
Though both the Metolius and Black Diamond have their positive and negative attributes, we enjoyed having a combination of the two bags for a team of three people during a recent ascent of the Salathe.
Credit: Trish Matheny
What's up with the Metolius LoveFest?
It may seem suspicious to rate Metolius higher than Black Diamond across the majority of the board. While we LOVE many BD products, haul bags are just a category where Metolius does better. While our testers believe that Metolius uses a more durable material, we like that the new and updated Black Diamond Wall Haulers stand upright even while empty, which creates a nicer packing experience. The updated closure system on the Black Diamond bags is also notable and we love the external zipper makes it easier to access smaller items like chap stick, snacks, tape, and other small items without having to open your haul bag on the move. The Metolius bags boast a higher price tag and ultimately we think it's worth it when it comes to overall durability. We like and have used the BD bags; we just like the Metolius ones better.
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Though we've tested both Metolius and Black Diamond Haul Bags, we're still partial to the Metolius bags when it comes to overall durability.
Credit: Vinny Catino
Why Trust GearLab
The search for the best haul bag began by taking a closer look at what our testers were already using in their personal climbing pursuits. Between their recommendations and those of other big wall climbing experts, we narrowed our selection down to incorporate only the best and most trusted options.
Our haul bag testing was based on five rating metrics:
Construction Quality (40% of overall score weighting)
Ease of Access (20% weighting)
Suspension System (20% weighting)
Capacity (10% weighting)
Weather Resistance (10% weighting)
This review was spearheaded by Outdoor GearLab founder and Editor-in-Chief Chris McNamara, who has climbed El Capitan over 70 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records. He has spent countless nights sleeping on big walls and living out of haul bags for days on end. Few people have the breadth of experience with this type of equipment as Chris does. New to the category is Trish Matheny who is currently a member of Yosemite Search and Rescue team who loves a good big wall adventure with friends.
Haul bags are inevitably going to take a beating, especially if you're route involves multiple roofs, traverses, or low angle terrain. We noted how each bag held up to the abuse and which bags failed on the ascent.
Our testing team loves combining work with passion and is happy to report back on their experience while testing haul bags in vertical terrain.
Analysis and Test Results
A haul bag is a crucial item for any multi-day big wall adventure. Haul bags uniquely need to withstand the abuse of literally being dragged up the side of cliffs. Your average pack would be shredded after being hauled up one pitch, let alone 30. Despite having a fairly simple design, haul bags come in various nuanced shapes and sizes. We looked at the overall value of each bag based on construction quality, ease of access, suspension systems, capacity, and weather resistance. Read on below for an in-depth explanation of each metric.
Climbing a big wall over multiple days is a ton of work. We're here to help you make the right purchase based on the specific needs of your next adventure.
Credit: Vinny Catino
What's the Best Value?
Haul bags are durable pieces of equipment that, except for perhaps the most ardent wall climbers, should last you quite a long time. That being said, haul bags do get absolutely shredded over the years, so making sure you purchase one that is durable and won't break the bank is important. Over the years, we've found Metolius bags to provide the best values. Offering a great combination of size, functionality, and price, the various offering from Metolius are sold at a competitive price point. That being said, Black Diamond bags are available for a more affordable price, but often don't last as long as their Metolius counterparts, even with updated designs from both brands.
Black Diamond recently updated their haul bags and the designs remain more affordable than their Metolius counterparts, however, they do not offer the same durability.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Construction Quality
Overall construction quality is a function of the bag's material and the style of seams and stitching used. All models have a big seam down the middle. There are two ways to deal with this: weld the seam or sew the seam. Welded seams are the most bomber. Of all the haul bag failures we have had, a sewn seam always blew out faster than a welded seam. That said, this was often after the bag had been up 15+ walls and wasn't always cared for with longevity in mind.
There are a few main types of material: TPU or Vinyl-coated Nylon and Urethane (Metolius calls their urethane Durethane). In general, we prefer Urethane/Durethane. It's the stuff river rafts are made of and is some of the burliest material on the market. Yes, you can put holes in it if you don't pack your bag correctly and haul low-angle slabs… but you have to work at it. Urethane also doesn't seem to break down as quickly, whereas Vinyl seems to get more crackly and susceptible to wear. Vinyl is less expensive and also lighter. If you are doing a very steep route, vinyl is no big deal. If you are doing a low-angle route, you need to take more care to pad the inside of your bag with a foam sleeping pad and make sure there are no sharp objects that will get snagged when hauling. While we prefer Urethane, we have used plenty of Vinyl bags over the years and never busted one open halfway up the wall. If you climb less than five big walls, durability doesn't really come into play.
Our testers found the Metolius bags to offer a better construction quality thanks to the Durathane material, however, we preferred the ripstop material on the top of the Black Diamond bag that offered more weather resistance.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Ease of Access
When it comes to closure systems, there is a trade-off: the more watertight the closure system, the more material you have to manage, and therefore the less convenient it is to access the bag. The most waterproof seal is a “river bag” style closure, which means a big skirt you have to roll and unroll every time you want to access the bag. Since Chris didn't experience his first big wall storm until big wall ascent number 103, we feel the trade-off between having a less waterproof and more convenient opening system can at times be worth it. Also, the truth is that no closure system is 100% waterproof if you are in a serious wet storm with persistent runoff. Plus, even bags with river bag closures need to be pretty full and closed just right to keep a puddle from forming. Even then, water can still get through. So if you are serious about keeping everything dry, everything needs to go in a true dry bag inside your haul bag. At the very least, you want a river bag for your sleeping bag and synthetic layers.
One nice benefit of a closure with a big skirt is that it makes a great improvised bivy bag on the summit. Chris has probably spent 30 nights on the top of El Cap with his legs in a haul bag, and every extra inch keeps you that much cozier. Also, the closure system is either made of denier nylon, ripstop, or ballistic. Ballistic is the more bomber and waterproof. Another factor affecting the ease of access is the inclusion of internal pockets. Your bag should have a generous inside pocket so you can easily access sunscreen, a snack or two, and your headlamp. All bags we've seen have these pockets. Some also come with internal daisy chains. We appreciate this feature, but it's not mandatory. Most Metolius designs feature an internal pocket and gear loops for easy access on the wall.
Our testers like bags like the Metolius Half Dome thanks to wider opening and a total length that made it easier to grab gear from the bottom of the bag. The taller the bag, the harder to access the contents in the bottom due to the long and skinny design.
Credit: Trish Matheny
The updated Black Diamond Wall Haulers feature a thoughtful color-coded design that makes the internal pocket and gear loops easy to see. They also included an external zippered pocket to accommodate smaller essentials.
The closure system and external pocket on the Black Diamond Wall Hauler 70 made for easy access thanks to a 28 inch opening in the top of the bag.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Suspension System
Most suspension systems are pretty similar and tuck away when not in use. We have long debated which is the most comfortable, but they're all equally uncomfortable when you have 80+ pounds on your back. That being said, the new Black Diamond design features a new take on a traditional suspension system. Rather than the girth hitch for the upper webbing, the Wall Haulers now feature a metal buckle that easily slides in and out of place. While our testers appreciate the convenience of this design, we found the webbing on the shoulder straps super annoying as we had to constantly adjust the tension under heavy load. We eventually tied off the webbing to prevent any awkward and uncomfortable shifts during our East Ledges descent. We were also frustrated that the sternum strap was completely useless for both male and female testers as we could never adjust it tight enough to help distribute the weight of the load. Caveats aside, the shoulder straps and waistbelt are well-padded, constructed from breathable material, and easily slide into and out of place when converting the bag.
The Black Diamond Wall Hauler 70 offers an updated take on suspension systems by offering a metal hook closure versus a girth hitch method which requires less time to convert the bag from pack to haul mode.
The updated Black Diamond bags feature breathable fabric along the waistbelt and shoulder straps that are also well-padded to make a loaded haul bag as comfortable as possible.
The Metolius bags offer the same suspension system across the board. The bags require you to girth hitch the upper shoulder straps which takes a little finesse and a little more time to convert than the new Black Diamond bags. Though we appreciate the new BD design, the Metolius straps never shifted on us during the approach or the descent.
Suspension systems are a key component for your haul bag consideration. The Metolius Half Dome features a suspension system that is durable and effective for carrying and hauling. That being said, the girth hitch technique is a little more frustrating and takes more time to convert when compared to the new BD bags.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Capacity
There is no best size for every application — no one size fits all. So before you buy a bag, think hard about how often you are REALLY going to use it and what objectives you have in mind. Just planning to do a wall or maybe two? Mainly into fast and light ascents? Want a bag that's versatile enough to double as a crag pack? Once you have a better idea of what you're planning to use the bag for, you'll gain clarity on which bag to purchase.
There are roughly four sizes:
Haul packs: 1,500-3,000 cu inches
Small haul bags/haul packs: 3,000-5000 cu inches
Medium: 5,000-8,000 cu inches
Large: 8,000-10,000 cu inches
The size of the bag you want will depend on the type of route you're climbing, is it a difficult aid climb that will require up to a week on the wall? Are you stand-starting the Freerider or Triple Direct and only planning on a couple of nights on the wall? Are you pushing a NIAD (Nose-in-a-day) or HDIAD (Half Dome in-a-day)? The bag you choose will greatly depend on your objective and the length of time you plan to spend on the wall.
For The Nose, we like to have one large option (8000 cu in + like the El Cap) so that everything fits in. On The Nose, where there are a lot of low-angle pitches and lower-outs, so you don't want multiple bags or a lot of stuff dangling from the bottom of the bags. The more stuff that dangles, the more likely you will snag roofs, corners, or the haul line itself. Keep in mind that big bags have a significant downside: taller than 32 inches, and you have to dive to get stuff in the bottom. It becomes hard, especially at the top of the route, to find that last bottle of water. Also, look out for any bag that feels too narrow. In general, manufacturers make the bags too long and narrow, making it hard to access the bottom, especially at a hanging belay. Look for bags that feel wide relative to their height.
In contrast, on a route like the Zodiac, where many of the belays are hanging, it is nice to have two medium-sized bags (4000-5000 cu in) because it is easier to access what you need. You don't need to worry about the bags getting hung up because the wall is so overhanging.
Your group size, objective, and style will determine the haul bag that's perfect for your next adventure. The BD Wall Hauler 70 and Metolius Half Dome were a great combo for a recent party of three.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Small haul bags (less than 4500 cu in) like the Metolius Quarter Dome Haul Bag or the Black Diamond Wall Hauler 40 are sometimes the most versatile size and sometimes unnecessary. They are excellent for overhanging routes if you can fit everything into one of these and one medium bag. They excel at fast and light walls like the Regular Route of Half Dome (that is, if you can get everything to fit inside). We used a small bag on a one-night ascent of the Salathé Wall on El Capitan, but we packed exceptionally light, brought tiny sleeping bags, and climbed it in August. A small haul bag is the least essential bag for big walls, but it is the most useful for non-big wall activities. They have great crag packs because they fit in a ton of stuff and are free-standing. We've even used the Quarter Dome to deliver all SuperTopo books to the post office.
This photo is a great way to compare the capacity of a couple of our favorite bags, the Metolius Half Dome and the BD Wall Hauler 70. (Please excuse our homemade waste case).
Credit: Vinny Catino
Weather Resistance
The waterproofness of a haul bag is directly related to the material it's made from and its closure system. As discussed above, the more waterproof a closure system is, the less convenient it will be. Though the river-style closures of the Metolius bags are constructed from mostly waterproof material, Black Diamond might have surpassed them with their updated fleet of Wall Haulers.
Thhe updated bags from Black Diamond, such as the Wall Hauler 70 feature a TPU-coated material for the main compartment combined with a ripstop fabric and roll top closure that remained dry during our spigot test. Water beaded off the material and the gear inside of the bag remained dry. Should water leak into the bag or one of your water bottles busts during transport (like ours did), the fabric dries quickly and there is a hole in the center of the bottom of the bag to drain the excess water.
The roll top closure and ripstop fabric kept our gear dry during testing and the design features a hole in the bottom of the bag should one of your water. bottles explode during transport.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Conclusion
After purchasing and testing eight of the best haul bags on the market, we were able to discern which bags were best-suited for everything from multi-day adventures to quick outings to the crag based on overall performance and side by side comparison.
We had a blast testing these haul bags and hope that the information we provided helps to inform your next purchase. Have fun out there!
