Osprey Soelden Pro 32 Avalanche Airbag Pack

[el hefe]

I fondled this the other day and I really like the way it fits and holds gear. Great features and access compared to the rest of the bags I have been looking at. Looking for day trips out of huts and sled touring so don't need a ton of room.

Pricey in CDN $1700 but really liked what I saw. I have ZERO experience with anything Osprey. Good stuff?

Thanks!

[I've seen black diamonds!]

They make so many different products for so many different types of customers that it's a tough brand to generalize about. In that past I've liked their mountaineering packs that can carry skis more than their ski touring packs, but that probably just reflects my tastes.

Best thing is they have a Patagonia-like warranty.

[HAB]

Yeah, good quality construction top notch customer service/warranty support in my experience. Like ISBD said, they make so much stuff over so many use types that it's hard to make generalizations about features, fit and whatnot.

Haven't gotten my hands on the Soelden so that's all I've got.

[el hefe]

Thanks. Is it a euro or NA company?

[Dark Energy]

Osprey is in Cortez, Colorado [on the way to Moab from Telluride]. I've used their 26L touring pack for years, and they stand behind the lifetime warranty. Debating between this and the Black Diamond Tour 26L with the Alpride E-1 system. Black Diamond's comes in two sizes [S/M, which is 24L, and M/L] The best I can determine the Osprey is a single size but is offered it in a male and female version called the Sopris. The BD and Osprey are the same price. Comparing the stats on-line the Osprey at 6 additional liters is about a pound heavier, which seems like a lot. A negative for me, and somebody correct me if I'm wrong, is neither offers a hydration sleeve option which probably has to do with avoiding interference with the airbag system. Also, read in a review maybe last year on Wildsnow that the Black Diamond (which is black) was transferring/bleeding the black on to folks' jackets.

[freerobby]

This is my third season with the Soelden Pro. I'm a fan of this pack.

Osprey quality and durability are apparent throughout. Excellent fit and ergonomics, especially with the A-frame carry. As soon as I put it on and adjusted it for the first time I remembered why I always find myself going back to Osprey for backpacks.

The Alpride system is great. Between tests and practice pulls costing nothing, multiple deployments in the field, no temperature constraints, and zero-hassle air travel, I don't think any other system comes close. Osprey has updated to the E2 this year, which should save some weight (albeit marginal) and add autodeflation. I've heard mixed opinions about autodeflate, due to secondary slide risks, but certainly if I were buried I'd be grateful for it.

Things people might not like:
- Unlike every other pack, Osprey only warrants this one for five years (to coincide with the Alpride warranty). I suspect this is a case of too much deference to lawyers. There's no good reason for this pack (or the Alpride system) to be life-limited to five years. I certainly intend to use it much longer than that.
- Osprey only offers it in one size. The BD Jetforce Pro booster system looks slick - I'd happily pay $70 to be able to switch between 10L and 35L pack sizes (particularly for resort days, as I wear it inbounds out west). It does compress well.
- Heavier than its BD + Scott peers (the ergonomics made this less of an issue than I expected, but weight is weight).
- I've seen folks complain about lack of organization. It's got zippered shoulder strap + waste band pockets, the standard dedicated safety gear pocket, and probe and shovel sleeves. I'm not sure what organization people want beyond that in a 32L pack, but if that's you, beware.

P.S. @Dark Energy They don't officially advertise a hydration sleeve but it's there. Both straps have a passthrough to the pack (one is for the trigger). I use the other for a radio but you could easily run an insulated tube instead. There's enough room you could probably run both. I've never tried -- here in the northeast you'd have a tube full of ice by the time you get your skins on.

[XavierD]

On my second season with it. Got on a pretty good discount and wanted the alpride system.

Carries weight well on your back. Airbag system is good, and a big fan of the alpride system for all the reasons mentioned. Suitcase opening works great if the weather is nice, and ok if it’s not. Material selection is great - durable and good weight. No complaints there.

Pack design/layout leaves a ton to be desired though.
- dual zipper on main pocket is such that you can either access from the top or bottom without full unzip, but not side, you know where my water bottle or extra layer likely is. Can’t get into the top of you have a helmet on the high carry configuration. Essentially you can only access the pack through the bottom anytime you’re carrying skis and a helmet.

- side access Google/accessory pocket is pretty much useless if you have anything in the avy tool pocket. Opening is sandwiched between the shovel blade and alpride system. Gets even harder if you have skis or helmet strapped to the pack. I end up putting a headlamp, fire starter, and other small shit I don’t plan on accessing often or ever in here.

- no dedicated goggle /sunglass pocket. Putting a goggle pocket on the top of the pack seems like a no brainer to me and some easy places to put it. As mentioned the side access pocket isn’t a great solution.

- no internal organization in main pocket. A small internal pocket with key clip / tied down point would be nice for things like car keys, maps, quick snack access. Also no key clip/tie down point in the hip belt pocket.

- like all avy bags the usable space is significantly smaller than advertised. Packs like a 28L pack IMO. The alpride fan system is pretty large and positioned awkwardly to take up a lot of room. Apparently the new system is noticeably smaller in the current (purplish color) packs.



Not a ton of options with capacitor systems, and the others all have flaws too. But this pack is much less user friendly than the traditional Osprey ski packs. A couple simple changes would make it great:
- Usable goggle/glove pocket
- back panel access
- internal key/map/snack pocket with tie down/key clip (looks like maybe been added)


For whatever reason all pack manufactures throw usability out of the design requirements anytime they design an airbag pack.

[MrLarsen]

I'm also on my second season with this pack, and can pretty much second more or less the same things XavierD.

I continually switch back and forth between this and a Gregory Targhee 45. What I miss in this pack is the lid pocket (in which I always put a bunch of "useless" stuff, a beanie and then usually sunglasses at the top of the lid pocket, for easy access). This pocket is really the only feature I really miss from the Targhee 45, obviously with the exception of all the extra space.

To me the Soelden Pro is the go to pack for day tours or tours from hut to hut when I more or less need to carry the same stuff as for a day tour. When I need more equipment (think ropes, ice/rock protection etc) I revert back to the Targhee, same if I need extra space when I teach avalanche courses.

On a side note: The new BCA Float E2-35 looks like a solid alternative to this pack, might be worth it to check that out as well.

[freerobby]

I haven't felt spatially limited, but I only daytour and I'm not a guide. My mountaineering gear, on a "heavy" day, is an ice ax and crampons.

For those concerned about volume, the E2 should be a nice improvement. Retrofit is not possible, unfortunately.

Here's a side by side from Marc-Antoine at Alpride:

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

@Freeribby, thanks for the pic!

My wife has the Soelden Pro, aka the Shorter torso version of the Soelden Pro.
Agree with the comments above. The sliders that don’t meet in the middel is especially baffling to me, as it would only take a different arrangement or addition of another slider. I use the side access all the time on my Scott E1 and BD Cirque packs.

My other complaint is that the zippers are not contrasting colors to the bag, and the avalanche gear zipper should be bright colored, and stand out from everything else on the pack.

But I suppose that doesn’t look ‘stylish’ on the pack wall.