The world's most in-depth and scientific reviews of outdoor gear

Mammut Crag Review

A spacious and comfortable backpack-style model.
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Price:  $70 List | $65.39 at Amazon
Compare prices at 2 resellers
Pros:  Large carrying capacity, comfortable backpack straps, padded back panel
Cons:  Awkward to pack with too little or too much gear, lacks adjustability
Manufacturer:   Mammut
By Steven Tata ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Sep 30, 2019
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78
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#2 of 9
  • Packability - 30% 8
  • Carrying Comfort - 25% 8
  • Rope Protection - 25% 7
  • Ease of Use - 20% 8

Our Verdict

The Mammut Crag is a large backpack-style rope bag with plenty of padding and space for a full day's worth of climbing gear. It has a roll-top closure and feels more like a school backpack than a rope bag when it is fully loaded. The Crag stands out as a capable outdoor cragging pack because of its large capacity, removable tarp, and comfortable design. A close contender for the best overall rope bag, the Crag is a good option for those who want plenty of space for extra gear without sacrificing carrying comfort.


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This Product
Mammut Crag
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award   
Price $65.39 at Amazon
Compare at 2 sellers		$55 List$79.80 at Amazon
Compare at 2 sellers		$46.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$39.95 at REI
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Pros Large carrying capacity, comfortable backpack straps, padded back panelLarge removable tarp, comfortable backpack straps, useful compression strapsSleek design, padded laptop sleeve, nice tarpWorks as a cragging pack, padded shoulder straps are suprisingly comfortable, big tarp, nice zippered pocketEasy to roll up rope, big tarp, compressible
Cons Awkward to pack with too little or too much gear, lacks adjustabilityThin fabric, not as durable as other modelsExpensive, not great outdoors, single carrying strapPackabilityNo smaller pockets, not as nice to carry for long distances
Bottom Line A spacious and comfortable backpack-style model.A top-notch model that is comfortable to carry and easy to pack.The KAB is a specialized rope bag for gym climbing. Within its intended use, it excels.The Speedster is a great single day cragging pack for fast and light days where you don't need a ton of extra equipment or layers.An upgraded version of the original Ropemaster, that we found to be much more useable than the older version.
Rating Categories Mammut Crag DMM Classic Petzl Kab Metolius Speedster Metolius Ropemaster HC
Packability (30%)
10
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8
10
0
8
10
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6
10
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5
10
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5
Carrying Comfort (25%)
10
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8
10
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8
10
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6
10
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6
10
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4
Rope Protection (25%)
10
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7
10
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8
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7
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8
10
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8
Ease Of Use (20%)
10
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8
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9
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7
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6
Specs Mammut Crag DMM Classic Petzl Kab Metolius Speedster Metolius...
Bag Design Burrito Burrito Funnel Funnel Burrito
Tarp size (inches) 60" x 48" 43" x 51" 55" x 20" (trapezoidal shape) 52" x 58" 52" x 58"
Pockets 1 1 3 1 0
# of shoulder straps 2 2 1 2 1
Compression Straps No Yes Yes No Yes
Metal or plastic buckles Plastic Plastic Metal None Metal

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


Flaking the rope onto the Crag's tarp getting set for a full day of climbing with everything we need.
Flaking the rope onto the Crag's tarp, getting set for a full day of climbing with everything we need.

Packability


The Crag is among the most packable rope bags that we tested. It has a volume of 33 liters, and we were able to fit plenty of gear in it for a day of climbing. In addition to a rope, we comfortably fit a harness, shoes, quickdraws, snacks, and a small water bottle. Few rope bags have this much space, and the Crag is a good option if you like to spend full days cragging or have an 80-meter rope. Despite having plenty of space, the roll closure of the Crag isn't great for effectively reducing unfilled space and can be tedious if the pack is filled to the brim and you don't have space to roll it at least once. This is the main downside when it comes to packability, but when filled appropriately, the Crag is easy to close and unpack.

The roll closure is unique to the Crag and we liked how well it reduces the pack's volume.
The roll closure is unique to the Crag and we liked how well it reduces the pack's volume.

Carrying Comfort


With supple backpack straps and a fully padded back panel, the Crag is one of the most comfortable packs to carry for any approach. The straps adjust from the bottom, resembling a basic school bag. For climbers with smaller torsos, it can feel a bit too large since the straps don't tighten down as much as some other models that we tested. The cushioned back pad is unique and saves you from the poking pain of any hard objects that might be in the pack.

The Crag has heavily padded backpack straps and feels like a school bag when it is packed up.
The Crag has heavily padded backpack straps and feels like a school bag when it is packed up.

Rope Protection


The Crag is constructed from durable fabric and the roll closure is secure as long as it is folded over itself at least once. Its tarp is relatively small compared to some comparably-priced bags with only 48" x 60" of ground coverage. This is still large enough to keep a 70-meter rope off the ground but doesn't offer much of a buffer if the rope or tarp is shifted while you belay.

Despite having one of the smaller tarps in our review there is still plenty of space for a 70-meter rope on the Crag.
Despite having one of the smaller tarps in our review, there is still plenty of space for a 70-meter rope on the Crag.

Ease of Use


The Crag is one of the most user-friendly rope bags that we tested. The most unique aspect of the Crag is its roll closure. Our testers liked this closure system in testing but did find it to be finicky when the pack was either too full or close to empty. It has a convenient zippered pouch for small valuables, which saves you from losing your keys inside its large main compartment. The removable tarp is a nice feature, and we liked using the main pack as a bucket to store gear while we moved the tarp around between climbs while cragging.

The removable tarp makes the Crag a more versatile pack.
The removable tarp makes the Crag a more versatile pack.

Value


The Crag is one of the most expensive models that we tested, but some handy features justify its high price. If you're on a budget, there are better options, but if you seek a bag with tons of space and comfortable carrying features, the Crag is tough to beat. There are several comparable smaller models at lower prices, but few have as much padding as the Mammut Crag.

Conclusion


If you want to pack everything needed for a day of climbing outside into one bag, then the Mammut Crag is a great option. Its large pack and comfortable padding make it a great choice for long approaches, but these features are not useful if you mostly climb indoors. Our testers like the roll-top closure but didn't find it to pack down as nicely as other models with compression straps. Overall this is a well-designed bag for climbing outdoors.


— Steven Tata