Need a new ski mountaineering Ski-Mo pack.

[snuffleupagus]

Cilogear. the attachment points for tools are extremely well placed and seem to have solid thought behind them. easily holds a couple ice axes. plus it's super light. and durable. my buddy just took it up hood last week and was raving about it. i'll see if i can get a photo of his loaded up...

i currently don't own one, but might be in the market.

[Stairmaster]

The BD Revelatoin avalung is my go to pack.

Some highlights:
-35 L (2,136 cu in)
-1.93 kg (4 lb 4 oz) estimated
-800d Ballistic, 420d Velocity nylon
-A-frame ski carry
-Dedicated avy-tool organizer pocket, ice tool PickPockets and crampon patch

The pack fits me very well and the ergoACTIV suspension what sells this pack. The hip-belt is designed move with the natural gate of you walk. So it moves with your hips while the pack stays in the same place on your back. The only gripe I have with this pack is the avalung. Im thinking about removing it all together.

But the most important with a backpack is how it fits. Go try a few on and see what feels most comfortable for you.

[ctw55]

Cilo! You can put attachment points all over the pack in a million different ways. And then take them all off.

[AKbruin]

One nice feature I see on the mass-produced backpacks but not so often on the boutique packs are pockets on the hip belt. I generally prefer simplicity, but I find these pockets extremely helpful for storing snacks, small cameras, iPhones, maps, etc. My current pack (a 2007 Arc'teryx Khamski) doesn't have them, and so I have to store this stuff in either the lid (which means I have to take off my pack to access it) or in my pant pockets (which isn't as comfortable).

[GeezerSteve]

We have a quiver of hip belt pockets/pouches and shoulder harness pouches for my McHale packs, 3 made by Dan McHale, most DIY made by me, all removable and transferable from pack to pack. They are popular accessories on McHale packs.

My McHales are modular systems. My kangaroo pouch and our top lids/flaps are also interchangeable from pack to pack so I can set up the right pack for the trip. Side (wand) pockets are also removable/interchangeable.

My McHale LBP is shown in the 8 pics about 2/3 down on this page in rolltop mode, with flap, with large kangaroo and small kanagroo. In addition to the flap, I have two (large and small) top lids, not shown on these pics. Hip and belt pouches are also not shown on these pics. (Anita and I are in the pic 1/3 down.)

[AKbruin]

I gather you like McHale packs, Big Steve?

I noticed that some of the McHale packs had hip pockets. They look like the gold standard in packs, but like auvgeek, I balk a little at the price. I have little doubt they are worth it, and, were I single and childless, I'd have little reservation. But I have only so much money to spend in this world.

Anyhow, I have fairly standard dimensions, at least where shirt and jacket fit are concerned. So I'd probably incline toward the Alpine Threadworks and Cilo end of things. That said, I've got an Arc'Teryx Bora 80 that I've been using since 2001, and I have no complaints. My Arc'Teryx Khamski has been solid too.

[GeezerSteve]

People who carry McHale packs love McHale packs.

The price for a McHale pack is the same as lots of mags spend for a pair of skis or ski boots. The pack will last for 20 years, the boots and skis a fraction of that.

[auvgeek]

Steve is actually making me want to grab a McHale pack. I'll probably reconsider when I'm out of school (again).

[kootenayskier]

The Alpine Threadworks Purcell 32lt could be my perfect ski touring pack. I've been day dreaming of clean design, with a burly full length side zipper to access everything in my pack, and a large top pocket, and the Purcell nails it. Unfortunately, dropping $275 on yet another pack, sight unseen, isn't going to happen any time soon.

[snuffleupagus]

It surprises me a bit that airbags are not higher on the list of needs for a skimo pack. Weight is certainly at or near the top of the list, but i would think more folks would want an airbag as well. If an airbag added only a few pounds, would this be a compulsory component for people?

[TAFKALVS]

It surprises me a bit that airbags are not higher on the list of needs for a skimo pack. Weight is certainly at or near the top of the list, but i would think more folks would want an airbag as well. If an airbag added only a few pounds, would this be a compulsory component for people?

Problem is, I think we all want clean, streamline "Alpinist" style packs, whereas most airbags are panel loading, complicated, heavy shit shows. Also, typically when I do serious ski-mo its in Spring conditions where an avalanche is either going to be fatal or trivial anyways because its either a small point release/sluff of wet snow or a big climax slide in complex or steep terrain. If I get bad vibes I just turn around.

[LeeLau]

The Alpine Threadworks Purcell 32lt could be my perfect ski touring pack. I've been day dreaming of clean design, with a burly full length side zipper to access everything in my pack, and a large top pocket, and the Purcell nails it. Unfortunately, dropping $275 on yet another pack, sight unseen, isn't going to happen any time soon.

S - Neil has some Purcell pack users in the Koots. Drop him a line and someone could probably show you a sample copy

[ctw55]

Anyone been using the Hyperlite packs? Love the weight and simplicity. Just worried about the roll-top being too slow. But damn, the ability to compress and roll down the pack sounds so good. Haven't seen to many out in the wild.

[GeezerSteve]

I saw one Hyperlight pack a couple years ago. It was sewn lopsided as if it was designed for a user with severe scoliosis. Stitching was poor. We ripped it apart with our hands. Maybe it was an outlier made by a drunk worker.

[trogdortheburninator]

I've really become a fan of skimo race style packs. For technical ski mountaineering with transitions to downclimbing or rappels, the efficiency gains are IMO game changing. The time lost taking off and putting on packs all the time is huge (and proportional to the number of ski/boot skin/boot transitions). These packs let you put on and remove your skis in seconds. These packs also often have a quick access side pouch where one can stash a puffy and crampons, further eliminating inefficient pack removal. I've used the dynafit broadpeak (28L) the last month, and am quite impressed. Major downside of this design is that the diagonal carry sucks with boots on the skis, and works much better with lighter weight skis vs heavy boards (though dont have to be race-light). Quick diagonal carries can be rigged on other packs, but i find the factory designs to be superior. ymmv.

[North]

Bump for spring touring season.

What's the landscape like for lightweight SkiMo-style packs these days? I'd like something similar to trogdor described above - more slanted towards the light/fast side of the spectrum including:

-Skimo-style ski carry
-Crampon pouch with side access
-Hip belt pouch

Helmet carry would be a bonus, but I'm not expecting it, as in most cases it wouldn't work with the skimo-style ski carry. A full race pack is likely not durable enough for my use; something light but built for mortals would be ideal. Any packs in particular that people have been liking? The Salomon S-Lab X-Alp 20 seems to check quite a few boxes, and gets the Gaston seal of approval. Paid shill or not, dude is pretty dialed, so it's worth something.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

^^^^^ Have you seen this: https://ultimatedirection.com/skimo-28/

[trogdortheburninator]

My broad peak is still going strong, but if I were buying something today, it'd be hard to not consider the salomon xalp 30. Few partners have them, and I'm always jealous. The UD also looks great, but I haven't skied with anybody in it. I know folks dig the race-sized UDs.

[North]

^^^^^ Have you seen this: https://ultimatedirection.com/skimo-28/

I have. It looked pretty box-y on my buddy, but that was mid-winter with more gear. That's one option I can definitely get some detailed feedback on.

My broad peak is still going strong, but if I were buying something today, it'd be hard to not consider the salomon xalp 30.

The xalp 30 looks great, but although I might regret giving up the vertical carry, I'm tempted to try the smaller version. My spring kit is pretty light, and the updated 23L seems to have some functional improvements over the original 20L. If the approach called for lots of boots-on-skis-on-pack time, I'd probably opt for a stouter pack anyway.

[Jonathan S.]

The xalp 30 looks great, but although I might regret giving up the vertical carry, I'm tempted to try the smaller version. My spring kit is pretty light, and the updated 23L seems to have some functional improvements over the original 20L. If the approach called for lots of boots-on-skis-on-pack time, I'd probably opt for a stouter pack anyway.

Curious what you think are the improvements on the new 23L version?
Seems like an access zipper has been added on the side near the top.
I'm having trouble though discerning the other changes.

I've been very happy with my 20L version.
Review here from a skimo racer:
http://www.skintrack.com/gear-tech/r...-light-travel/
... with some feedback from me in the comments.
(Although ignore my attempts to defend that model from an apples & oranges compare/contrast to the more typical Dynafit race pack.)

[North]

Curious what you think are the improvements on the new 23L version?
Seems like an access zipper has been added on the side near the top.
I'm having trouble though discerning the other changes.

I've been very happy with my 20L version.

Nice, I was hoping you'd chime in. Thanks for the review link - good info in there.

The changes I'm seeing are:
- Zippered pocket for shovel handle/probe compartment - maybe extraneous for weight weenies but I appreciate avy gear organizers
- Micro daisy chains - might be easier to rig a vertical carry in a pinch with these
- "XTREME" compartment grommet relocated to side of door - doubt I'll feed a rope through this as shown so immaterial to me

Nothing major, but given that the 20 & 23 can both be had for roughly ~$110 right now daisy chains and the pocket are enough for me to lean towards the new one.

[trogdortheburninator]

https://www.levelninesports.com/salo...untry-backpack

https://www.levelninesports.com/salo...lp-30-backpack

I couldnt resist, and decided to pick up the 30.

I already have a couple 20L race packs that I occasionally tour with. For all the salomons, I think the features like a zipper on the pon pouch and a ski carry that's a bit more secure than the race hook really makes them shine for touring compared to the pure race packs.

[trogdortheburninator]

BTW, anybody wager a guess for how that rope grommet is supposed to be practically used?

[BFD]

[QUOTE=trogdortheburninator;4986907]https://www.levelninesports.com/salo...untry-backpack

https://www.levelninesports.com/salo...lp-30-backpack


thanks for the heads up nice looking packs. my tele pro shovel blade is about 12"x10" not sure if it will fit inside. Good to see a return to tool loops.

[Jonathan S.]

BTW, anybody wager a guess for how that rope grommet is supposed to be practically used?

I was thinking that you carry a spool of accessory cord inside your pack, then measure out various lengths for profitable resale to the underprepared parties that you inevitably see ski touring on glaciers.

Otherwise, I'm really stumped here: granted my experience with climbing rope management is limited to deploying a relatively short length of relatively thin rope for skinning up relatively mellow glaciers, but keeping any excess rope length coiled up inside the bottom side compartment seems like a potentially confusing mess?