Winter Packs

Reviewed by FromSagetoSnow

The Pow 16 is a specialized winter alpine pack for skiers/snowboarders. It is designed to hold avalanche gear, skis/board and features a CE-Certified full back protector. The pack uses the magic of Swedish engineering to keep your drinking tube thawed in sub-zero temps. The USWE POW makes bold claims and lives up to them all. Your new best ski partner. I'll save you the reading and say this; buy this pack.

Do you ski or snowboard in front or side country? Need to carry your plank(s) uphill occasionally? Want the peace of mind of dedicated, quick access pockets for avy gear? How about multi-impact rated, CE-certified spine protection? How about a hydration system that actually keeps your water thawed in sub-freezing temps?  Well, here you go! You hardly know it's there. It's that comfortable. The unisex USWE POW 16 (pronounced YOU-SWEE) fixes many of the frustrations faced by winter sports enthusiasts when it comes to their backpacks.

Read more: USWE Pow 16 review (1)

Reviewed by David Torney

This pack is designed for backcountry ski touring. It is comfortable and big enough for emergency gear, food, etc.

I've used this pack for almost two winters in the mountains of northern New Mexico. It's as good as new; it's trustworthy. Unlike the packs I previously used, I can wear this on a full-day outing and hardly notice it, even when it is fully loaded. I'm a medium size in most clothes, and the Dawn Patrol 32 is a good fit. In comparison, standard rucksacks, such as the BD Nitro pack, feel clunky and restrict shoulder movement, impeding XC skiing.  When one needs to remove one's skis and proceed on foot, skis and poles are easily attached.

Read more: Black Diamond Dawn Patrol 32 review (1)

Featured review by Daniel Norgan

Great pack for rock climbing or other alpine adventures. It is also comfortable on long outings.

I initially didn't think I would like this pack.  I waiting until it went on mega sale to purchase it as I wasn't sold on the roll top closure. It turns out the roll top is actually much more functional that a regular lid for a climbing pack. I am able to get all my gear in and out easily. The packs fits fairly well and the shoulder straps and hip belt are padded sufficiently. I wouldn't throw a 100lb load into it, but they work well for what they do. 35 L is about right for this type of pack. The roll lid and side zipper make it fairly straightforward to get at the gear you want. The material it is made from is pretty durable so long life shouldn't be an issue. Overall, I would recommend this pack if you can stand the color.

Read more: REI Pinnacle 35 Pack reviews (2)

Reviewed by Elizabeth McCoy

All the winter bag I will ever need for day hiking in the snow. Rugged, has everything I need and more!

This is my first ever winter pack and I love it! I bought it specifically to strap my snowshoes on. This pack can also carry skis and a snowboard as well. My snowshoes strap to the pack easily with no hassle. The pack is waterproof as well. It holds extra gear and food. It has multiple entry areas and zippers. It has a front zipper area for emergency snow avalanche shovel pocket. This is a great bag. It is heavy duty material. This bag is specifically made for women. Has SOS labels, height adjustable lid, under lid valuables pocket, aluminum X-Frame, spin-drift collars, under lid rope strap, bottom compartment access with internal zip divider.

Read more: Deuter Guide Tour 35+ SL review (1)

Reviewed by Dean Myers

Excellent winter pack for day trips, made with very useful and safety conscious features.

I bought this for winter hiking and snowshoeing, particularly for carrying snowshoes when not being used. I found it very easy to load or unload the snowshoes without having to remove mitts. The strap system on the pack is just perfect for this, and tucks out of the way when not needed. The pack is made to be very water resistant and lives up to this. It's a panel design with one larger compartment with a divider for a water bladder, and tube routing that goes down one of the shoulder straps which is also insulated.

Read more: Osprey Kamber 22 review (1)

Reviewed by Tam McTavish

A great evolution on the airbag concept with terrific selection of features.

So I got to take this pack out for a spin the other day on a Ski Mountaineering objective. It was a pretty short day and we didn't get into any terrain that we felt was particularly risky, so I never felt the need for its key feature. The pack is accurate to the rest of the BD M/L sizing. It's surprising comfortable, and breathable for a winter pack. I certainly found it rather enjoyable to wear. The bag is burly, and feels super durable. The buckle was easier to operate then other avi bags I've seen.  The pack is much smaller than it looks due to the airbag taking up a lot of volume.

Read more: Black Diamond Halo 28 JetForce Avalanche Airbag Pack review (1)

Reviewed by Kato Baker

Lightweight, bombproof, and well thought out. A keeper for my uses in winter and summer as well.

Been through a few nice ski/board packs. All were beautiful for winter sports. The Cobra is all that and then some. Very light comparatively. Has all the bells and whistles I find necessary without the weight. I was amazed at how it hugged my body while descending some steep trails in the thick of winter. That incorporated design impressed me greatly. I wasn't psyched with the bright red color, but then remembered about hiking during hunting season. I'm OK with it....😅 Shoulder and waist belt are perfect, zippers are as well. I'm just impressed with materials, feature placement, and design. TNF's experience shows in this ski pack!!

Read more: The North Face Cobra 52 review (1)

Reviewed by Nancy Lane

Excellent all around pack. Great for skiing, day hikes, travel, class, etc. I would definitely recommend this pack!

I debated whether to get this pack when it came out. Did I need it? Was it worth the price tag? I got this pack for skiing, and have now since used it for everything! to day hikes, up an avalanche, to traveling state to state, to exploring a glacier for hours walking along on the ice crawling into caves, and just walking about the city. It is so light and well constructed. Weighs next to nothing when empty. Shoulder straps are thin but amazingly comfortable. the shape of the pack embraces my back and hugs it.

Read more: Arc'teryx Quintic 28 review (1)

Reviewed by Steve Tedeschi

The fit of the pack balanced out the weight of my gear so I did not feel any gear pulling to one side or another. Until I bought the Snow Walker 35, I always found it hard to attach my snowshoes to a pack, but not so with this backpack. With the Vaude it makes it easy to mount your snowshoes on the sides or in the center of the pack.

The Snow Walker 35 is a perfect design for the winter hiker. The first time I loaded it up and put on the Snow Walker 35 it felt perfectly comfortable with a full winter load.  The fit of the pack balanced out the weight of my gear so I did not feel any gear pulling to one side or another.  Until I bought the Snow Walker 35, I always found it hard to attach my snowshoes to a pack, but not so with this backpack. With the Vaude it makes it easy to mount your snowshoes on the sides or in the center of the pack. Vaude makes it easy with the Snow Walker 35 to hit the winter trails with this pack.  I like Vaude's pack designs so much I have purchased two other of their designs.

Read more: VauDe Snow Walker 35 review (1)

Reviewed by Old Guide

It is a sturdy and roomy 65-liter pack for the winter traveler or hunter with plenty of extras including pockets and tie downs.

I like to travel in the winter woods mostly unseen and this German made WinterTarn Rucksack military pack helps me do that. It is an official military pack and is made with quality. It has five external pockets and two main inside which can be separated by a drawstring cover. The main compartment also has a drawstring to close it all up from the outside. This is especially nice if you are carrying something oversized between the top and the main pack.  With no back padding I slipped a piece of Ensolite into the inside back pocket which now also holds my license plate/grill for my Swiss Volcano Stove.

Read more: MFH German Winter Tarn Rucksack review (1)