Every climber worth their salt (or chalk) knows the importance of a trusty chalk bag. To help you choose, Aidan checked out Cotopaxi’s Halcon Chalk Bag – Del Día and the Ion Lightweight Chalk Bag from Arc’teryx.

Chalk is cheap – but that’s not always the case for chalk bags, especially when you’re getting high-performance materials and sustainability credentials involved. Before shelling out your hard-earned dollars on a new powder keg (does anyone else call them that?) I put two of the latest models through the ringer.

In one corner, the Arc’teryx Ion Lightweight Chalk Bag, and in the other, the Cotopaxi Halcon Chalk Bag – Del Día. Each bag worked overtime on a long, sweaty multi-pitch route in the Blue Mountains. So how’d they hold up?

How did I review these chalk bags?

For anyone interested, the rock climbing route in question was Hotel California (22) at Pearces Pass. 330 metres of sustained climbing across 10 pitches, climbed on nothing less than a 31°C day well into the summer season. So it’s safe to say that well-chalked fingers were something of an essential here.

 

Arc’teryx Ion Lightweight (LT) Chalk Bag

For the majority of the day, I donned Arc’teryx’s new Ion Lightweight Chalk Bag. It’s a brand that needs no introduction (although a pronunciation guide wouldn’t go astray), and here they’ve produced a no-nonsense bag fit for general climbing conditions.

Weighing in at 75g, it’s also one of the lighter options in the market before verging into ultra-light territory (at which point you’re risking a tear over a fairly arbitrary gear flex).

Weight: 75g
Material: 100 denier SD Cordura nylon
Dimensions: 22 x 13.5 x 14cm
RRP: $69.95

 

Cotopaxi Halcon Chalk Bag – Del Día

If you’re willing to splurge on an extra 10g, Cotopaxi’s Halcon Del Día chalk bag offers a more vibrant and feature-heavy alternative. We’re talking zipper pocket, elasticated outer compartment, and a fleece-lined inner. Each unit in the Del Día series is also unique, with a one-of-a-kind combination of colours reflecting the different repurposed fabrics picked during the production process. More on the sustainability stuff later.

Weight: 85g
Material: Repurposed nylon fabric
Dimensions: 18 x 10 x 10 cm
RRP: $49.99

 

Chalk Bag Features

As mentioned above, the Arc’teryx Ion LT bag has a streamlined design, emphasising durability and performance over additional features. The Cordura fabric is a Siliconized 100d dobby-weave polyester, known for its strength, water resistance, and low weight. The elasticated drawstring, brush holder, and waistband all perform well.

 

 

The Cotopaxi chalk bag is a chunkier product, owing to its extra bells and whistles. I’m sure a certain breed of gnarled trad climber would scoff at the backside zipper pocket, but I’m admittedly a sucker for these things and have used a similar chalk bag for the last three years (that pocket is perfect for storing my phone during climbs).

The top of the bag also has a more sturdy feel to it, owing to the structured rim. All these things add weight (albeit not much), and ultimately come down to personal preference.

 

‘Pucker Factor’

I thought this aspect needed its own paragraph. For lack of a better term (and acknowledging there were worse ones), a chalk bag’s ‘pucker factor’ always strikes me as a crucial criterion. This refers to the degree to which the top forms a tight seal to prevent the contents from spilling out (generally either in your bag or during a walk-in).

The Arc’teryx takes the cake in this department – its unique spiral design creates a pucker tighter than a duck’s behind. The Cotopaxi isn’t far behind but may succumb to a small amount of infrequent chalk leakage, as most bags invariably do.

Comfort

The lining of each bag was soft to the touch, with easy-to-use drawstrings and waist straps to hang the bag in the right place. I personally prefer a carabiner affixing the bag to my harness, which also works well with the design of each one.

Want a super customised fit? Check Out Our Guide to Make Your Own Chalk Bag

Sustainability

Both chalk bags have done a good job here. The Cordura nylon in the Arc’teryx Ion LT bag is made of recycled materials, also meeting the bluesign® Approved Materials criteria for responsible manufacturing.

Cotopaxi does go a little further in this department, emphasising the principle of ‘reusability’ (beyond recyclability) in repurposing materials leftover from other manufacturing runs. Cotopaxi is also a certified B-Corp, giving a percentage of profits to NGOs through its Cotopaxi Foundation. I really like this about Cotopaxi, there’s a cool video you can watch about the Del Dia collection and reusing of materials.

Read more: How Cotopaxi’s Del Día Collection Creates One Off Gear That’s Good for People & Planet

Price

Arc’teryx is a premium brand and its chalk bag is priced accordingly. At $69.95 it’s an investment, although my experience with Arc’teryx products (of which I’ve got a few) has always demonstrated a solid ROI, both in terms of performance and longevity.

Cotopaxi is a more affordable option at $49.99, at a similar price point to the rest of the chalk bags you’re likely to encounter in a gear store.

And thankfully neither bag is anywhere near the $1600USD price tag of this designer chalk bag released by Louis Vuitton a few years back.

 

Final Thoughts

Big kudos if you’re still reading at this point. On one hand, I get it – it’s a chalk bag, how much is there to know? But on the other, whatever you end up buying becomes a core addition to your climbing setup and says something about your mentality. For the purists craving performance and minimalism, the Arc’teryx Ion LT is a great option and won’t let you down.

For those who want a little more flourish and character in their bag, the Cotopaxi Halcon Del Día delivers more features and colours, as well as participation in a cool narrative about material reusability.

Am I bowing out from naming a winner? Maybe. But you can chalk that up to the ideal chalk bag for you coming down to personal preference at the end of the day.

Gear For Climbers Who Give a Chalk

Our reviewer was given this product for testing and was allowed to keep it afterwards – they could say whatever the heck they wanted in the review. Check out our Editorial Standards for more info on our approach to gear reviews.