Petzl Duffel 85L Backpack Gear Bag

The Petzl Duffel 85L is a large gear bag that doubles as an 85L backpack, so you can carry a full tree climbing kit on your shoulders instead of in your arms. It is big enough for a saddle, a climb line, lanyards and a rack of hardware, with a wide opening that makes packing fast.

Why an 85L backpack duffel makes sense for tree work

A climbing kit is bulky. Between a saddle, a 150-foot climb line, a rope bag, a flip line, a friction device and a dozen carabiners, you can easily fill 60 liters before you add a helmet or a spare layer. An 85L backpack duffel gives you room for all of it plus the odds and ends that usually get left in the truck.

The backpack straps are the real reason to choose this bag over a plain duffel. Residential jobs often mean a long walk through a backyard, around a pool and down a slope. Carrying 30 pounds of gear on your back is a lot easier than hauling it by a handle, and it leaves your hands free for a saw or a pole pruner.

When you are not carrying it far, the end handles make it easy to load into a truck box or behind a seat.

Size also helps on storm jobs and multi-day work. You can keep a dry base layer, a spare set of gloves and a headlamp in the same bag as your climbing kit, so a long day does not depend on what someone remembered to throw in the truck.

How to pack it

Put the saddle in first, flat against the back panel, then the rope bag on top. Hardware goes in a separate pouch so carabiner gates and pulleys do not chew on your textiles. Keep files, wedges and anything sharp in a different bag entirely.

Do not store wet gear in a closed duffel overnight. If you finish a job in the rain, open the bag at the shop and hang your rope and saddle to dry. Damp textiles packed tight can mildew, and that is a reason to retire life-support gear early.

Keep the bag away from fuel, bar oil and battery acid. Even a water-resistant liner can pick up contamination from a soaked truck bed.

Label the inside of the bag or your hardware pouch with your name. On crews where several climbers run similar gear, that saves arguments at the end of the day.

Who it is for

This bag suits climbers who travel between crews, storm-work climbers who live out of a truck for a week, and anyone who wants their whole personal kit in one place at the start of the day. It is also a good pick for climbing schools and trainers who move sets of gear between sites.

If you only need to carry rope, a dedicated rope bag that feeds line cleanly is the better tool. Many climbers keep a rope bag inside the duffel and pull it out at the tree. You can compare options in our gear bags and rope bags sections.

It is also a practical bag for storing a backup kit at the shop, ready to grab when a climber's own gear is out for inspection or repair.

Care and inspection

Shake out sawdust and leaves after each job, wipe down the coated fabric, and check the zipper for grit. A bit of zipper lubricant keeps it running smoothly in dusty conditions.

Storage is part of gear care, not a substitute for it. Inspect your rope, saddle and hardware before every climb, no matter how carefully it was packed.

If the zipper starts to separate behind the slider, a worn slider is usually the cause and can often be replaced before the whole bag is retired.