Sterling PickleBucket Climbing Tote
Designed for the gym—with bonus features to get you to the crag or to the farmer's market— the Sterling PickleBucket climbing tote has 2 easy-to-grab top handles and a convertible shoulder strap.
- Self-standing bucket bag with 2 easy-to-grab top handles
- Shoulder strap converts to backpack straps as a hands-free option
- Front stash pocket with leash loop to attach keys
- Internal zippered pocket for valuables
- 13.5 in. tall; 14 in. diameter
Made in USA.
View all Sterling Rope Bags| Best Use | Climbing |
|---|---|
| Material(s) | 600-denier polyester |
| Dimensions | 13.8 x 13.8 x 13.8 inches |
| Weight | 2 lbs. 2.2 oz. |
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Tough bucket!
First off, this is a tough bucket. The base and walls are thick and rugged, which leads me to believe this thing will last for a long time. However, the sides on mine are fairly stiff and want to collapse back to the folded position it was in when I got it. Not a big deal; it will just take some breaking in before it will hold its bucket shape with little or nothing in it. In terms of capacity, this bucket is amazing. It has plenty of room for our two sets of shoes, harnesses, chalk, water - that and all the other random things my wife and I need when we go to the climbing gym. I like the open bucket design (better than a backpack because it lets the shoes “breath”). I like the multiple handles. Zipper pocket inside is good for smaller things that you don’t want to get lost in the bottom of the bucket. Finally, the shoulder strap is good and highly adjustable, although I don’t know about the “backpack” strap configuration that they advertise in the pictures. I tried it and it felt too awkward. Maybe it works for other people, but I’ll just stick with the standard shoulder strap configuration.
Well Built but Why?
I've been carrying this bucket to and from the climbing gym for a few weeks, having replaced an old backpack. Let's hit the highlights first: it's very well made, (stitching is top notch, handles are appropriately beefy) it's durable with 600 denier fabric and generally well thought out. There is a leash for your keys, an internal zippered pocket and tie off points for your rope (more on that later). But there are also some quirks: the exterior pocket is too small to really be usable. It needs to be a little larger and gusseted so you can actually put stuff in there. You might get keys and a slim wallet in there but you're not getting in a phone. And forget anything with some depth like climbing tape, chalk bag etc. It's just too slender. The handles and shoulder strap are the only realistic way to carry the bucket, which really limits its use as a crag bag. Maybe if it's roadside or a sub 10 minute walk. Otherwise you want a backpack. This is definitely a gym bag only. And the lack of any meaningful padding on the strap means you're not taking it around the farmers market or grocery store either. The biggest feature in my opinion is the ability to use this as a rope bag while lead climbing (provided your gym lets you). This is where this bag really shines! Get on your shoes and harness and take this bad boy right onto the climbing floor with you. Tie off one end of the rope to the included tie off points and belay right from the bucket! Done with the route? Just flake the rope quickly back into the bucket and carry it to the next climb. No coiling, dragging ropes across the gym or making some spider ball you have to fully flake each time. It's elegant and easily the best feature. So why 3 stars? Well, it all comes back to "Why"? Why would I want this over a backpack, any backpack? If it's raining, a backpack keeps everything dry. Worried about stinky shoes sitting in that closed up bag? Just clip them to the outside with a carabiner. Problem solved! But a backpack provides so much more versatility in terms of space, comfort of carrying, actually using it at the crag etc etc it just seems the right call for 95% of people. BUT, for the 5% of you that lead climb almost exclusively at the gym, or just want a great way to quickly move your rope from climb to climb, this absolutely makes sense. You know who you are.
Surprisingly Useful
This sort of gym bag is not something anyone likely thinks they need. Realistically, any bag can work to get shoes, chalk, harness, and accessories to and from the climbing gym and your house. However, this bag is a major step up from any ad-hoc system, and I've really enjoyed getting to use it over the last couple trips to and from the gym. First, let's talk about space. It's not a particularly small bag, and its large enough that a gym rope (40 meters), harness, shoes, and chalk would all fit, although the rope does make it a little snug. This isn't a crag bag, as by the time you've added a 60 meter rope, helmet, water bottle(s), snacks, jackets, and other things, it has run out of space or gotten too heavy to be of much use. It is, however, an excellent gym bag, that has seriously streamlined my gym routine. I used to have to pack, unpack, and repack my bag with my climbing shoes, chalk, belay glasses, harness, tape, and crack gloves. Now, I keep all of my gym kit stowed in this bag, and all I need to do is grab it and go. The fact that it sits upright on its own is super useful. I keep it on a shelf at home, and it fits easily into a cubby at the climbing gym. It's got enough space for all the things I need to take to the gym, and it has nice pockets, such as the outside pocket which perfectly fits a pair of crack gloves, and a small zippered inside pocket to store a wallet, keys, or lip balm. The bag itself is super burly, and feels like a seriously quality product. I'm guessing I'll get a good few years out of this bag. The shoulder strap is comfortable and basic, and I appreciate that it is removable. Altogether, the bag has a clean, sturdy, and form-first design that makes it a killer gym-to-home-to-gym bag. I didn't even think of this when I got the bag, but I realized the fact that it is a non-closing bag, means that it doesn't get stinky in the same way a zippered backpack with climbing shoes inside does. Given that I now permanently keep my gym shoes stowed in this bag, that is a really useful feature that it won't get funky over time. It's been a fun bag to use, and I hope to continue to use it as my gym training partner over time. Only real downsides are the size if you are looking to use it often with a rope, or if you really don't need a lot of storage. It can be both kind of large if all you need to carry is a pair of shoes and chalk, or kind of small if you want to take a rope of above 40 meters, or a lot of extra items. I carry a chalk bag, tape, crack gloves, lip balm, wallet, keys, 2 pairs of shoes, liquid chalk, a small water bottle, a harness, and sometimes a jacket inside with no problem. If you use a similar kit for gym climbing, this is a great option for you. It would also be super cool if they released some more colors, I think playing around with a little more personality could be fun too. Overall, a surprisingly nice and useful bag that I use 4ish times a week.
Sturdy for carrying equipment or 2 year old
What immediately jumped out at me about this bag is that it is sturdy. It feels military grade with many reinforcement bands on the outside. It is a great size for the gym; I was easily able to put a 60m 9.8mm rope in the bag along with my climbing harness, shoes, and chalk bag. If I leave the rope out for general top roping, I can put in a change of clothes and carry my wife’s gear with no problem. It is stable so that my gear does not fall out. I can put it near the wall and feel confident that it is not going to dump over and spill the contents. I have not had issues with it dumping even while belaying on lead climbing while feeding the rope out of the bag by my feet. The one drawback I would say is that it is sufficiently stiff material that it is difficult to get anything into the external pockets, but I suspect that will come with more wear.
Quick moves between routes!
This is amazing for indoor climbing but outdoor, meh. First of all, the product held a 70m rope, 2 climbing shoes, chalk, and 1 harnesses. Its hardly a carry all for 2 climbers but it pretty dang handy for quick packups and small moves between routes indoors and and maybe outdoors. Its a nice coil spot for the rope and keeps it clean IF and I mean IF you can get it to stand up straight. I eventually got the warping out of mine, but it took intentional effort. Its handy and I will give it that, made my climb a tad bit more enjoyable.
Loved it!
The product does what it is meant for. Tough and durable.
Great Gym Bag
This bag is great. Big enough to hold a rope and all of my stuff for the gym (shoes, chalk bag, belay devices, etc). Even has an internal zip pocket for wallet/keys. This is basically a locker replacement when at the gym in addition to a nice rope bag for lead climbing. Great product.