OutdoorGearLab

The North Face Route Rocket tied for first place in two of our five evaluation criteria, grabbing the best overall score and designation as our lead tester's personal favorite. Our team enjoyed the simplicity of design as well &mdash; no need to read the manual here. A small zippered pocket is accessible whether the main pocket is open or not, and we suspect the extra coating on the pack's fabric makes it burlier than bags made from nylons of a similar denier. Taller climbers will find the Route Rocket particularly comfortable.
The main compartment zipper is much deeper on one side than the other. While we liked the extra accessibility, it could surprise climbers and possibly lead to dropping something important &mdash; watch out if you have butterfingers at the anchor. And, while its design is simple, this pack is only in the middle of our group when it comes to weight. All that aside, this is a great pack for multi-pitch climbers, and we're happy to give it top honors. 

The North Face Route Rocket tied for first place in two of our five evaluation criteria, grabbing the best overall score and designation as our lead tester's personal favorite. Our team enjoyed the simplicity of design as well &mdash; no need to read the manual here. A small zippered pocket is accessible whether the main pocket is open or not, and we suspect the extra coating on the pack's fabric makes it burlier than bags made from nylons of a similar denier. Taller climbers will find the Route Rocket particularly comfortable.
The main compartment zipper is much deeper on one side than the other. While we liked the extra accessibility, it could surprise climbers and possibly lead to dropping something important &mdash; watch out if you have butterfingers at the anchor. And, while its design is simple, this pack is only in the middle of our group when it comes to weight. All that aside, this is a great pack for multi-pitch climbers, and we're happy to give it top honors. 
Read more: The North Face Route Rocket review

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The Black Diamond Rock Blitz 15 is a good small climbing pack at a nice price. We like its simple design, and it has almost all of the features we want without any extra junk. This spartan layout allows for heavier materials in the construction without a weight penalty. In turn, these heavier materials add durability.
Two of the features we missed on this pack were a sternum strap buckle that doubles as an emergency whistle &#40;a feature found on some other BD packs&#41; and external attachment options &mdash; aside from the rope strap on top of the pack, there aren't any. We also wish that the top drawcord and cord lock weren't black, as they blend into the black fabric atop the pack. Nonetheless, we think this pack is an excellent value for rock climbers looking to get more than half a rope length off the ground and still have some bills in their pocket.

The Black Diamond Rock Blitz 15 is a good small climbing pack at a nice price. We like its simple design, and it has almost all of the features we want without any extra junk. This spartan layout allows for heavier materials in the construction without a weight penalty. In turn, these heavier materials add durability.
Two of the features we missed on this pack were a sternum strap buckle that doubles as an emergency whistle &#40;a feature found on some other BD packs&#41; and external attachment options &mdash; aside from the rope strap on top of the pack, there aren't any. We also wish that the top drawcord and cord lock weren't black, as they blend into the black fabric atop the pack. Nonetheless, we think this pack is an excellent value for rock climbers looking to get more than half a rope length off the ground and still have some bills in their pocket.
Read more: Black Diamond Rock Blitz 15 review

Climbing Backpack Comparison