While you can carry your winter backcountry gear (skis, skins, board, snowshoes, avy probe, shovel, ice axes, tools, crampons, and whatever else suits your winter fancy) in a standard backpack, a winter-specific one will give you better carrying options, plus features like insulated hydration sleeves to keep water from turning solid and pockets especially designed to hold skins, probes, and shovels. So before you pack up your gear and head for the snow- and ice-covered hills this winter, check out the winter packs below, all making their debut in 2006 and 2007. For more details on a specific pack, visit its product page.
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GoLite
For 2007 GoLite overhauled its entire line of backpacks. While several of the new packs are designed for all-season backpacking, mountaineering, and alpinism, both the full-suspension Pursuit and ultra-light Pinnacle handle backcountry skiing and boarding, and the ultra-light Jam2 takes on ice climbing and winter day trips. For an overview of the complete 2007 GoLite pack line, available in January of 2007, read our 2007 GoLite Backpacks Preview.
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Pursuit, for backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
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Women’s: 2900 cubic inches, 2 lbs 8 oz ($150)
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Men’s: 3000 cubic inches, 2 lbs 11 oz ($150)
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Jam2, for light and ultra-light backpacking, fastpacking, alpinism, winter day trips, rock and ice climbing, and summit bids.
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Women’s: 2800 cubic inches, 1 lb 3 oz ($100)
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Men’s: 3000 cubic inches, 1 lb 5 oz ($100)
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Pinnacle, for all-season backpacking, alpine-style backpacking, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing.
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Women’s: 4000 cubic inches, 1 lb 7 oz ($130)
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Men’s: 4500 cubic inches, 1 lb 9 oz ($130)
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Gregory
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Gregory Drift
Made for both in- and out-of-bounds skiing, the 20-liter, narrow profile Drift is designed for quick trips into the backcountry and lift-accessed resort skiing. The pack can carry skis vertically or diagonally and also can accommodate a snowboard or snowshoes. The Drift features a front and a side pocket for storing a shovel blade, probe, and climbing skins, along with drainage points and side-zip access. To keep liquids from freezing, a continuously insulated tube sleeve runs from inside the pack through the shoulder harness. The Drift will be available in the fall of 2006.
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Gregory Targhee
According to Gregory, the 33-liter Targhee is the first winter backcountry pack to integrate the weight of its carrying system directly onto the backpack’s frame sheet suspension, for better load carrying. You can carry skis vertically or diagonally, or in a more traditional A-frame mode. The pack also accommodates a snowboard or snowshoes and features side pockets for stowing an avalanche shovel handle or probe and a front pocket for a shovel blade and climbing skins. To keep liquids from freezing, the hydration system runs through an insulated section of the shoulder harness. The Targhee will be available in the fall of 2006.
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Small: 1900 cubic inches, 3 lbs 9 oz ($179)
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Medium: 2100 cubic inches, 3 lbs 12 oz ($179)
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Large: 2200 cubic inches, 3 lbs 15 oz ($179)
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Lowe Alpine
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Lowe Alpine Attack MX 50+10
The Attack MX 50+10 is designed to be a versatile, year-round alpine pack. In winter it carries skis (diagonal, side, or A-frame carry); two ice axes or trekking poles; and a shovel, snowshoes, crampons, or probes in the front expansion pocket. Features include wand pockets, mitt-friendly zipper-pulls, and a 20 mm web belt for when the hip belt is removed. An SOS panel, illustrating standard mountain distress signals, is located in the pack’s lid. The Attack MX 50+10 is available now.
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Lowe Alpine Fall Line 35
A ski pack designed for hut-to-hut or day tours, the Fall Line 35 carries skis (side or diagonal carry), a snowboard, or snowshoes. A front pocket secures a shovel, probe, and skins. The Fall Line 35 features a shovel handle holder, helmet lash loops, wand pockets, two ice ax (or trekking pole) loops, and mitt-friendly zipper pulls. An SOS panel, illustrating standard mountain distress signals, is located in the pack’s pocket. The Fall Line 35 is available now.
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Lowe Alpine Snow Attack 20+5
A skier’s daypack, the Snow Attack 20+5 has expandable, zip-away capacity and a stable harness system. Skis can be carried diagonally and a front pocket allows fast access. The Snow Attack 20+5 features helmet lash loops, two ice ax (or trekking pole) loops, a shovel handle holder, a lift handle/haul loop, and mitt-friendly zipper pulls. An SOS panel, illustrating standard mountain distress signals, is located in the pack’s pocket. The Snow Attack 20+5 is available now.
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Lowe Alpine Powder Line 22
A stable ski and snowboard pack, the single-compartment Powder Line 22 carries skis (side or diagonal carry), snowshoes or a snowboard, and two ice axes or trekking poles. A single compartment gives quick access to emergency gear. Pack features include a shovel handle holder, helmet lash loops, internal shovel/skins pocket, and mitt-friendly zipper pulls. An SOS panel, illustrating standard mountain distress signals, is located inside the pack. The Powder Line 22 is available now.
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Mountain Hardwear
Mountain Hardwear has added three ski-specific packs, the Glisse, Huckster, and Windpack, to its Objective Series, designed for specific activities like climbing, mountaineering, and now snow sports. A limited quantity of the new packs are expected at U.S. retailers by early December of 2006.
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Mountain Hardwear Glisse and Huckster
Designed for the multi-board, backcountry user who snowboards one day and skis the next, the Glisse can carry either a board (between the pack and back suspension panel, secured with a strap) or skis (using either side compression straps for an A-frame carry or the reinforced front panel for a diagonal carry). The back of the pack unzips for easy access when skis are strapped on. A front pocket organizes shovel, probe, or skins, and an internal hydration pocket exits into an insulated shoulder strap cover. A smaller-capacity version, the Huckster is designed for a closer-to-home load and lacks the back access.
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Glisse: 2050 cubic inches, 3 lbs 5 oz ($120)
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Huckster: 1500 cubic inches, 2 lbs 13 oz ($100)
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Mountain Hardwear Windpack
The Windpack is a multi-day ski touring and trekking pack that features quick-release, side compression straps for ski carries and a removable front pocket/daypack. The pack features a bottle opener/tool toggle for attaching gear, a detachable top pocket with three storage compartments, an externally accessible hydration pocket, biner loops, and a small pocket on the padded hip belt.
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Mountainsmith
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Mountainsmith Ivy and Needle
The Ivy (women’s) and Needle (men’s) are classic alpine packs designed to carry skis, snowboards, snowshoes, climbing gear, and backcountry tools with minimalist design. The packs’ multi-use compression system can carry snowboards and snowshoes (vertically) and skis (diagonally or with an A-frame carry). Both feature gear attachment points on the front, tool attachment points, dual ice ax loops that tuck away, and a detachable lid that converts to a lumbar pack. The Needle and Ivy will be available in January of 2007.
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Ivy: Small: 1526 cubic inches, 2 lbs 10 oz ($99)
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Ivy: Regular: 1770 cubic inches, 2 lbs 12 oz ($99)
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Needle: Regular: 2075 cubic inches, 2 lbs 8 oz ($99)
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Needle: Large: 2136 cubic inches, 2 lbs 12 oz ($99)
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by Alicia MacLeay
