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High Quality Ski packs

AHM

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All: for those looking at a ski pack that is good for the backcountry (where you will carry, probe, shovel, extra gear, food and water, and strap your boards to during a boot pack) Here are a couple I have found pretty good.

1. Best: Wookey Coulior (I know Riv loves the name alone). This is one of the best ski packs out there. Bomber design, fantastic quick strap system to get the skis on the pack and out of the way. Nice shovel and probe tool tubes etc. Has bladder and hose tube slot for either shoulder.The fit is incredible, Wookey makes different size harnesses so custom fitting both the belt and the strap harness are easy. Everywhere I take my coulior I get a lot of comments about how good it seems, and how dialed the fit is and how the shoulder straps come around up front to allow easy access to jacket pockets etc. Belt does not interfere with a harness (glacial skiing will usually mean you need a harness). Had the guys at Valhalla powder cats going nuts on the design, fit, etc. Check it out. Great pack.

2. Lift served back country: Ortovox Cross Rider. Got this one for missions where I was using the lift, but still needed all the avie gear and some extra stuff (silverton, BC, La Grave--although the coulior is on in the avatar pic. Love the low profile, ease of use. Exterior shovel slot, with side tubes for probe and shovel handle. Ski attachment not the best, but it will handle A-frame no problem. Low profile works well on the lift if you decide to not take it off (I take them off and sit 'em on my lap). Price was cheap, 60 $. Bladder slot and tube hole, cool little waist belt side pockets for cliff bars, gu, sunscreen and any other small stuff. Primary east coast pack as well for skinning the area at night. Yes, Marc your 15 W night rider will be excellent for night skiing. A std headlamp doesn't throw out much light for the ski down and it is easy to overdrive the headlights.

3. Osprey Eclipse 36: Similiar to the coulior but top pocket design. Good pack, nice attachment system to go vertical on the back. Needs an extra toe clip or NRS strap on the top bag to better secure skis when attaching to the pack. Can go A-frame, but I prefer together on the back. Great padded side wings to compress load. Solid harness and belt--but nothing like the coulior. This pack I use for day hikes as well, so good dual purpose.

4. The stretch: Indigo Designs G-string. Picked this up to keep in my coat pocket for boot packs in the east. This thing is quite cool, although you can achieve the same idea with a homemade sling. The adjustability of the G-string is quite cool and it sure beats shouldering if it is a long haul. Ideal item for those forays across the LT when the other side is closed or you are skiing some stuff where the lift is not running but you want to hike up there. G-string is in the gortex all the time.......

Check 'em out. Friends also use a couple different BD packs (not as nuts on these) and a Life Link Rando (like this pack a lot too)
 

SkiDog

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Another one to throw into the mix I think is the Marmot Eiger. Designed in conjunction with the late Doug Coombs. Good ski carry....not soo much for the extrnal storage of shovel and probe etc. Plenty of room inside though.

The packs AHM mentions, while I have not used personally, all seem to be very quality packs.

M
 

JimG.

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I'm a big fan of Backcountry Access (BCA) packs.

Designed by climbers and skiers for climbers and skiers.
 
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