Matt McAdow was sitting on a cardboard box in a Montana warehouse, tapping out emails on a laptop and waiting for his shoes to arrive. It was Monday, September 18, 2023, a pivotal moment for , a boutique footwear company headquartered in Missoula. The shoes, Bedrock鈥檚 first to be manufactured overseas, were supposed to have arrived four days earlier. McAdow, director of operations, had spent months coordinating photo shoots, producing marketing collateral, and figuring out how to fill a 10,000-unit order for Bedrock鈥檚 new mountain clogs鈥攊n three colors of suede and nubuck. Cofounder Dan Opalacz was excited that the rollout would occur a week before his first son was due to be born. 鈥淚t was all lining up with these big work and life milestones,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen everything backfired and created more work than I ever could have imagined.鈥�

Unlike Bedrock鈥檚 other sandals, assembled by the company in California, the clogs were manufactured in Busan, South Korea, then sent to Los Angeles in a 40-foot shipping container, with the first batch arriving at Long Beach port on Monday, September 11. A total of 447 cartons were scheduled to be loaded into a truck for direct delivery to Bedrock鈥檚 warehouse outside Missoula by noon on Thursday, September 14, five days ahead of the biggest product launch in Bedrock鈥檚 12-year history. But when noon arrived, with the ten-person warehouse team ready to receive, quality-check, and prep the inventory for shipping, the clogs were nowhere to be seen.

A message arrived from Landstar System, hired to oversee logistics, revealing that the truck had 鈥渕echanical issues鈥� and would arrive by 8 A.M. the following day. This unfortunate news was accompanied by a screenshot of the truck鈥檚 location on Google Maps, just a few hours away. Friday morning came but the clogs did not, and McAdow says that the Bedrock crew went into the weekend 鈥渂ummed, but not suspicious鈥� about the spotty information they鈥檇 received. A Monday arrival would crunch QC time and possibly delay some orders, but they鈥檇 manage.

Monday again brought no truck, but there was an update from Landstar鈥檚 supposed 鈥渄ispatcher,鈥� who indicated that the driver鈥檚 phone was turned off. The dispatcher also relayed the unsettling possibility that the driver 鈥渓ikes to party鈥� and sometimes drank a lot on weekends. This was the last straw as far as McAdow was concerned. He printed out photos of the driver鈥檚 license and of the blue and orange truck that had been provided by the shipping company, and scoured several truck stops in the Missoula area looking for his clogs. No luck. Nor were there signs of anyone at the pulloff where, according to the dispatcher, the driver had stopped to sleep. 鈥淚 was concerned that this guy may have passed out or had a heart attack in some random yard,鈥� McAdow says. A diesel mechanic across the street from the pulloff told him about a truck headed for Seattle that matched the description, but it turned out to be unrelated.

McAdow was now seriously worried that something shady was going on. He went home and, from his kitchen table, researched the driver鈥檚 name online, found his cell number, and dialed it. A voice answered. When McAdow identified himself as 鈥淢att from Bedrock Sandals,鈥� the man on the other end asked McAdow to call him back in ten minutes. He proceeded to give McAdow the runaround. Later that day, someone called from a Google Voice number with a Los Angeles area code. The new caller had a thick Eastern European accent and could barely be heard above the background noise. He said that he was in Salt Lake City, driving the truck with 鈥渢he goods鈥� inside. He explained that the previous driver had hired him to assume responsibility for the load, a frowned-upon but legal practice referred to as double brokering.

鈥淚鈥檓 not gonna lie, man,鈥� said the trucker, who identified himself only as Mick. 鈥淚鈥檒l have it there tomorrow.鈥�

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Whenever I spot a minivan cruising down the road with a discolored, duct-taped roof box on top, I can almost hear the sound of my family鈥檚 white car-top carrier rattling on the roof of our Toyota Previa while blasting down I-95 en route to our grandparents鈥� house when I was a kid.

Over the years, that thing got janky, with rotting straps tied in sketchy knots to hold the box down and bent nails latching the shell closed. It was ugly, cumbersome, and on more than one occasion flew open on the highway, but whenever it came out of the garage, even the dog knew it was time to go somewhere fun.

When I was in high school, we upgraded to a silver on top of our Ford Expedition, which was big enough to carry skis and snowboards and soiled roadtrip clothing (don鈥檛 ask). After two accidental garage door mishaps, we replaced that one with the deluxe Thule Evolution 2100, which I managed to commandeer after college for a five-month cross-country road trip in a minivan with a girlfriend, two dogs, a bicycle, and lots of art supplies.

The storage space allowed us to sleep in the van (this was before fancy #vanlife build-outs) and the box collected our collage of stickers from every national park, brewery, art collective, ski shop, and political activist we encountered. It sustained cracks, repairs, a burglary, and a near miss with a low-clearance parking garage. That one met its demise, along with the relationship, in an alleyway in Los Angeles from which it was stolen.

I eventually became a truck guy and didn鈥檛 have the means or need to mount a roof box atop my camper shell. But my new girlfriend鈥檚 Rav4 was a junk show of gear, so for her birthday, I found a used on Craigslist that had seen its days but was holding strong with several Bondo patch jobs and jerry-rigged fastenings.

We cruised all over Colorado during the pandemic, social distancing with a library of skis and snowboards on the roof. It essentially turned her SUV into a truck, which I thought was brilliant, until the cracked shell opened up and blew off the roof on the way back from a desert climbing trip.

With a lifetime of used cartop carrier lessons learned, I wanted to do it right this year when upgrading my girlfriend鈥檚 VW Tiguan to a spacious adventure mobile by way of a sturdy roof box that would go the distance with us. Her car has better gas mileage than my 2002 Tacoma, but its limitations on capacity and organization became a point of stressful contention, so I began a hunt for the ultimate solution.

Current-day roof box options have come a long way since my family鈥檚 first Sears version. Newer boxes can be installed in minutes with much more secure mounting systems and reliable locking mechanisms than past iterations. Some are , felt-lined, , and even come with .

But the durability of the hard plastic is the most confidence-inspiring when you鈥檙e shoving the majority of cargo up top to make things like the emergency snack bag more accessible in the car, so we went with Yakima鈥檚 most durable option: the . This one won us over after proving big enough to sneak in a few extra pairs of skis, including skate skis that usually don鈥檛 make the cut, for a pow-chasing mission to Utah last winter. It was quiet at speed, even on the interstate, without so much of a hint of those anxiety-inducing rattling noises I鈥檇 become so accustomed to.

The downside to this fancy carrier: So far, we haven鈥檛 made any new memories over roof box catastrophes to laugh about years later. But that鈥檚 just fine by me. At this point in my life, I鈥檒l take the satisfaction of stability while relishing the freedom of space and vehicular versatility. But I can鈥檛 help but keep an ear out for loose parts rattling around up above.

More Odes

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Christophe Claude Michel Henry, known as Tof, an accomplished professional big mountain skier from Chamonix, France, famous for his fast, bold skiing style on steep, exposed terrain, died on October 11 while skiing a northeast-facing line on 8,179-foot Puntiagudo Volcano in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. He was 38.

A procession through Chamonix occurred on October 23, during which the community and Henry鈥檚 loved ones paid their heartfelt tributes. They strolled through the town carrying skis, poles, ice axes, ropes, and all the elements that define the Chamoniards鈥� identity as mountain people.

In recent days, more details have emerged about Henry鈥檚 death. According to an Instagram post by French and Chilean photographer Mathurin Vauthier, who was sitting on a nearby ridge watching and capturing the descent with a drone just after 8 a.m., Henry and legendary Chilean mountain guide Juan Se帽oret were skiing simultaneously down a 50-degree slope, stopping just above a short downclimb, when Se帽oret fell above Henry and began to slide as the sloughing snow around him caused Henry to begin sliding at the same time. Both slid 200 meters before going off a 150-meter cliff band and dying shortly after impact.

Henry was born in Chamonix and began skiing at age two, freeriding on big, wide skis at age 15 alongside fellow Chamoniard Aur茅lien Ducroz, an eventual two-time Freeride World Champion. With Chamonix鈥檚 unmatched access to big, vertical terrain and long seasons, Henry progressed rapidly and, at age 18, started skiing with Pierfrancesco 鈥淧if鈥� Diliberto, the monoskiing founder of TKB Films. It wasn鈥檛 long before Tof was redefining the style of steep skiing, eschewing staggered hop turns in favor of straight-lining 50-degree test-piece lines in variable snow conditions and cranking GS turns above massive exposure. The painting of aesthetic ski tracks on virgin slopes hanging vertically on display above the Chamonix Valley for the whole town to see was an art Henry sought to master. He soon found himself under the wing of other mentors like Nathan Wallace, an American ski mountaineer who called Chamonix home for over two decades.

As Henry continued to push and inspire what was possible in the Alps, he made his mark on the multigenerational legacy of Chamonix alpinism by pioneering new lines and skiing classic ones in his fast, bold style.

Filmmaker Daniel R枚nnb盲ck, who shot and directed Henry鈥檚 film 鈥淏orn in Chamonix,鈥� notes that while Henry continued to push the limits of big mountain skiing, his passion for fatherhood and his son, Jules, age 10, took on a greater significance. 鈥淭he last few years, the kind of connection and passion he got for Jules was very deep,鈥� he says. 鈥淭of talked more about what Jules was doing than what he was accomplishing himself.鈥�

As news of his passing circulated the internet last week, tributes to the man spattered social media channels. Many of them referenced his gutsy skiing and transformation of what鈥檚 possible in mountain riding. Some recalled the powerful chemistry they felt being on the same rope or line as Henry. But almost all of them mentioned Tof鈥檚 warm, larger-than-life smile.

鈥淓ven people who met Tof once in their life were always touched by his smile,鈥� says snowboarder Jonathan 鈥淒ouds鈥� Charlet, one of Henry鈥檚 best friends who shared many first descents with him, including the North Face of Aiguille de Triolet and on the north face of the Arete de Rochefort. 鈥淗e was riding every day like it was his last.鈥�

Charlet recently watched Vauthier鈥檚 drone footage of the accident and could only speak of the beautiful day in Henry鈥檚 final moments. 鈥淭he footage is amazing. The color, the day, the sky, the conditions, the snow mushroom鈥擨 think he was in paradise. Next to the sky on the tip of the mountain, you are next to God. I think that was a really perfect moment, maybe the best in his life. I鈥檓 just happy for him to have that before dying. It鈥檚 amazing. The gift of the life is amazing.鈥�

Photographer Arthur Ghilini, who has known Tof Henry since they were in ski club together at age six, said people are flying in from all over the world for Henry鈥檚 funeral service. 鈥淟iving in this little valley skiing these crazy things, we don鈥檛 always realize the impact we鈥檙e having on the rest of the world until so many people are coming here to honor Tof,鈥� he says.

Henry is survived by his son, Jules, his sister, Caroline, his father, Renault, and the entire Chamonix freeride ski community.

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Weight: 4 lbs. 0.2 oz
Size: Unisex, one size
Dimensions: 22 x 10 x 3 in. (vest)
Pros: Mitigates asphyxiation
Cons: Mesh pocket can fill up with snow on deep days

In 2018, Norwegian company Safeback discovered that the porous structure of snow allows air to be pushed through it by pumping in new air. This led to a research grant to explore incorporating this concept into snow safety technology. While avalanche airbags aim to keep victims on top of the snow, Safeback wanted to develop a way to avoid asphyxiation underneath the snow鈥攖he cause of 75 percent of avalanche deaths鈥攚hile awaiting rescue. Five years later, the brand has integrated SBX, a lithium battery-powered fan system, into a ski and snowboard vest made by Norwegian backpack and luggage company, Db. A first of its kind, the fan is triggered with a T-shaped handle, and pumps clean, oxygenated air from the back of the vest to the buried victim鈥檚 air pocket around their face through mesh tubes, all while pushing out exhaled carbon dioxide. According to the company, this process is supposed to extend the survival window from the typical 15 minutes to up to 90 minutes.

Safeback submitted the SBX to an independent testing group that monitored oxygen saturation in 30 fully buried test subjects in a double/single blind study (the results will be coming out in fall 2023). The brand also gave units to the Norwegian Special Forces and School of Winter Warfare, who looked for every way to break them under extreme stress, going as far as shooting the lithium AA batteries with guns to see if they would ignite (they didn鈥檛).

Those batteries鈥攃hosen for higher performance than rechargeables in cold temperatures鈥攈ave a shelf life of seven years, are lighter than alkalines, and swap out with easy-to-carry replacements for multi-day missions where multiple deployments could drain them. The system is rated down to negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit, the same as Alpride and Jetforce electric airbag systems, and it鈥檚 always ready to deploy so you don鈥檛 have to remember to turn it on.

Our Jackson-based tester, Will Howard, put Db/Safeback鈥檚 new concept to use while skiing numerous laps in Granite Canyon on stormy, clear, and powder days, some in temperatures well below zero. 鈥淚 was grateful for the easy access storage and large pockets on the front of the vest,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t made accessing gear such as sunglasses for short hikes super easy and quick. When the vest is fully loaded with avalanche rescue gear, it rides very well even on a chairlift, and fits comfortably with less movement restriction than a backpack.鈥� Howard appreciated the vest鈥檚 tighter center of gravity when blasting through moguls and when railing powder turns on his snowmobile, both of which felt much more natural and maneuverable than they would with a pack extending from his body. Testers also lauded the cinch design on the sides that kept the vest snug to their bodies. The beacon-sized pump unit was barely noticeable, although some found the airflow tubes running along the shoulders to be slightly uncomfortable.

Most vests, including the Snow Pro, come with vertical board and diagonal ski carry features, but most vests are also only designed for men. The strap-adjustable Snow Pro is truly one size fits all and unisex, with an angled cut that comes up high in the back and allows anyone from petite to rotund to sit down without fabric hanging over their butt. Looking good and feeling comfortable are important factors in people鈥檚 decision to wear the vest, which could save their life.

Although not meant to fully replace airbag backpacks, which are necessary for deep backcountry days when avalanche danger is high, the Snow Pro Vest is about half the weight and price and fills a crucial gap for resort and mechanized skiing in terrain with avalanche and treewell burial risk. Vests with airbags and avy tool compartments are already common in resorts all over Europe and are becoming popular in U.S. and Canadian resorts, where gate-accessed sidecountry terrain necessitates a way to carry avalanche rescue gear, skins, and snacks, but not multiple layers and other items that demand a full pack. However, none of these vests have the fan-powered technology that the Snow Pro Vest does.

鈥淣orth America sees an average of four tree well deaths a year, with two in Colorado alone last year,鈥� says Hunter Nordhauser, senior designer at Db who had lost several friends and colleagues to avalanches before developing this vest. 鈥淲here avalanche accidents often result from breakdowns in decision making, treewells can just be hard to see before you鈥檙e buried in one, upside down and suffocating. This vest can keep you supplied with air, adding valuable time for you to be rescued.鈥�

Bottom line: Best for sidecountry skiers in big terrain who want an extra lifeline when carrying their safety gear without needing a cumbersome backpack

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Your backpack is your command center in the mountains, and in winter conditions, it ensures operations run smoothly. The best backcountry skiing packs are roomy enough to fit all of your essentials while keeping them both organized and accessible in a tight package that feels comfortable as an extension of your body. We took all of this into consideration while testing over a dozen backpacks specifically designed for backcountry skiing and alpine touring and rounded up the best picks for you below.

The Winners at a Glance

• Best All-Around: Rab Khroma 38
• Best Use of Space: Picture Komit.Tr
• Best Organizational Features: Ortovox Ravine 34/32S
• Best Single Day Ski Mountaineering: Exped Couloir 30
• Best Quiver Killer: Thule Stir Alpine

The Reviews: The Best Ski Packs of 2024

Rab Khroma 38 ($250)

Weight: 2 lbs 8 oz
Size: Unisex, One size 19in / 48cm
Dimensions: 61 x 31 x 29cm
Pros: The full back panel zipper opening and roll-top make for easy access and adjustments to the pack鈥檚 size
Cons: Poorly-ventilated back panel

It may look like an alpine climbing pack at first glance, but this ultralight roll-top is stacked with smart features that enhance hut-to-hut ski missions and big line pursuits. Cinch it down for light loads or stuff it full of layers, food, and other gear鈥攊ts wide hip belt didn鈥檛 pinch our waists during tours when the pack was fully loaded down. With two compression straps on either side, plus a sternum strap that can be adjusted via toggles, it was easy to fine-tune the pack to change how it sat on testers鈥� backs when they were changing configurations (the pack allows for A-frame and skimo ski carries, but not diagonal) for heavier loads. While the fit and range of carrying capacity makes this the ultimate do-it-all pack for all sorts of different missions, the Khroma鈥檚 accessibility is what really sold our tester who used it for mellow ski touring and bigger ski mountaineering objectives in Colorado鈥檚 Gore Range. 鈥淥n a tour when I needed my small repair kit for skin glue, it was so easy to access the entire pack without having to unload everything,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 could just open the full zip back panel and find the kit super fast.鈥� He also liked the external avalanche tool compartment and the large zippered hip belt pocket that made grabbing a snack on the go super smooth. One complaint was that the thick back panel didn鈥檛 ventilate well, so this pack may not be the best option for spring tours in warm temperatures.

Bottom line: A great choice for skiers who want one pack for everything and the ability to carry a lot or a little with ease.

Picture Komit.Tr 26 ($160)

Weight: 2 lbs 15 oz
Size: Unisex, one size
Dimensions: 51 x 28 x 15 cm
Pros: Dry pocket at the bottom is good to keep wet items separate
Cons: No diagonal ski carry, only A-Frame

Our Central Colorado tester raved about this 26-liter pack鈥檚 鈥淧andora鈥檚 Box of features鈥� that he used in conditions ranging from bluebird and above-freezing to blowing snow in single digits. The roll-top closure allowed him to expand and compress the bag as needed, while the zippered back panel made for easy access to the interior water bottle pocket and gloves. 鈥溾�嬧�婭 was on a tour in the West Elk Mountains where we skied three different lines and I must鈥檝e transitioned from skinning to bootpacking to skiing a dozen times,鈥� he said. Thanks to the waterproof zip pouch at the bottom of the pack, he was able to keep his wet skins and crampons separate from the rest of his dry gear. 鈥淢y layers would鈥檝e been soaked if I had to throw them in the main compartment at each transition.鈥� Another 6-foot 2-inch, 200-pound tester was surprised by how well the pack fit. 鈥淔or me, a pack this size can feel a little short on my back, but this one didn鈥檛. I appreciated how the sternum strap adjusted low enough to fit my chest.鈥� For wetter days or those in rugged, rocky conditions, the pack also boasts 210 Denier Ripstop nylon and PU coating made from 100 percent-recycled poly, recycled buckles and trims, and PFC-free DWR treatment.

Bottom line: The Komit.Tr 26 was designed for full-day ski tours when you want something light on your back and you鈥檒l be throwing skis on and off your pack during lots of transitions.

Ortovox Ravine 34/32S ($240)

Weight: 2 lbs 3 oz (men鈥檚 34L) / 2 lbs 2 oz (women鈥檚 32SL)
Size: 28-34 L (men鈥檚) / 26-32 S (women鈥檚)
Dimensions: 11.81 x 22 x 10鈥�
Pros: Hyper-compartmentalized for easy organization
Cons: No hip belt pocket

Ortovox continues to lead the charge in ski pack innovation with this lightweight, framed pack that rethinks how ski gear should be carried. Two side zippers, one of which goes to the main compartment and the other to a separate compartment for quick access to skins, crampons, and gloves, gives you several organizational options. The main compartment, which has a drawstring closure, and the open avalanche tool sleeve are secured with a hook and webbing flap that鈥檚 easy to open and close with a gloved hand. The brand also left no stone unturned with both a goggle and front panel pocket, ice axe loops, two carrying options for skis, hydration bladder pocket and tube access, and a helmet carry net. 鈥淭he fit was perfect,鈥� said one tester who used the women鈥檚-specific 32 liter version. 鈥淚 have a small torso and the back panel and straps felt very comfortable and secure, with a bunch of options for customizing the fit and an adjustable-height sternum strap.鈥� As with some packs that have many designated pockets (seven in total on this one), the Ravine doesn鈥檛 leave a ton of space available in the main compartment, so best to use this for small and medium outings in moderate temperatures where you don鈥檛 need a bunch of extra layers and other gear that takes up a lot of room.

Bottom line: This one鈥檚 for all skiers who need all their gear to live in a very specific place and women who demand a snug, anatomical fit.

Exped Couloir 30 ($230)

Weight: 3 lbs 5 oz
Size: Back Length Range 18-21 in (men鈥檚), 17-20 (women鈥檚)
Dimensions: 12.2 x 22 x 8.7 in
Pros: Durable materials and balanced carry
Cons: Snow builds up in buckles

With a load limit of 29 pounds, the robust suspension and internal steel wire frame on this pack dispersed weight evenly, which allowed testers to comfortably strap skis and other technical equipment to the outside and still maintain a comfortable, balanced fit. That was key for our Jackson, Wyoming-based tester who used it on several big spring objectives in Grand Teton National Park where he found himself carrying some extra gear. 鈥淲hile I was skiing a line known as Chute Buck and faced with a steep, tight couloir and two rappels below me, the pack ensured that my rope, crampons, ice axe, and other gear for the day stayed tight to my back, allowing me to make precise turns as I descended into the unknown.鈥� Another tester praised the foam and tricot polyester back panel as both comfortable and effective at mitigating sweat on a hot springtime mission in Utah鈥檚 La Sal Mountains. The 420 Denier Ripstop Nylon and EVA foam reinforcement on the front and base make this pack super durable. Other thoughtful details, including the beefy hip belt with two stretchy mesh pockets, 270-degree access through the back panel zipper, and brightly colored interior material that made finding smaller contents easy, seal the deal.

Bottom line: Smart storage solutions and carrying capacity make this pack ideal for single day ski mountaineering missions.

Thule Stir Alpine ($200)

Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz
Size: Unisex, one size
Dimensions: 11.42 x 10.24 x 22.83 in
Pros: Customizable features
Cons: No avalanche tool pocket

This pack can shapeshift into just about anything you want it to be, thanks to its smart design, a removable lid, frame sheet, hip belt padding, and sternum strap, all of which can shed up to 500 grams (1.1 pounds) for lighter, faster missions. 鈥淚 was very grateful for the side-access zipper when the thing was filled to the brim with overnight gear for a snowmachine-accessed ice climbing festival up the Knik River Gorge,鈥� said our Alaska-based tester, who was able to use the side-access to get to gear without removing his climbing rope draped over the top of the pack. The streamlined body yet large 40-liter capacity makes it ideal for bigger trips and overnights requiring warm gear for cold temperatures. 鈥淭he suspension had a perfect amount of padding for the capacity of the bag and even with a heavy load on the overnight trip, it felt great with no awkward pressure points,鈥� added the same tester after putting the pack to the test on ski mountaineering trips on Turnagain and Hatcher Pass. With little details like a storm flap to cover the pack when the lid is removed, a stretchy shoulder strap pocket for holding sunglasses or snacks, and gear loops on the hipbelt, this crossover pack is ready for anything from casual skiing to full-on mountaineering. One ding: the lack of an avalanche tool-specific compartment felt like the only oversight.

Bottom line: The Thule Stir Alpine is a versatile workhorse that can pull triple duty as a ski-, mountaineering, and even a climbing pack.

Backcountry Skiing Backpacks FAQ

How do I choose the right backpack for backcountry skiing and alpine touring?

1. Choose a backpack that fits your body.

Backpacks come in various sizes to accommodate different torso lengths, so measure the length of your spine from the base of you neck to the top of your hips and choose your backpack size accordingly. Backpack torso lengths generally range from 15 inches (size XS) to 20-plus inches (size L). Because fit is the biggest single factor in pack comfort and carry, we recommend going into your local gear shop wearing the layers you plan to tour in and trying the packs on for size. The hipbelt should securely wrap your iliac crest, and the back panel shouldn鈥檛 hit you in the back of the head when you have a helmet on

2. Choose a backpack that suits your skiing adventure.

If half-day backcountry tours are your norm, choose a lower volume pack (20L-30L) that fits just the essentials (shovel, probe, water, extra layers, snacks). If you typically spend full days in the backcountry, you鈥檒l want a higher volume pack (30L-40L) that fits extra supplies for the extra time you鈥檒l be spending out in the elements. Also make sure that your avalanche shovel easily slips in and out of the dedicated avy pouch, and that the pack is both big enough and sufficiently organized for your touring preferences. Don鈥檛 be afraid to size up to a larger pack capacity if you鈥檙e on the fence about how much space you鈥檒l need鈥攁 few extra liters of empty space won鈥檛 weigh you down that much. If you鈥檇 like to be able to secure your skis to your pack, look for a pack with an A-frame or diagonal ski carry strap system. The same goes for your helmet: some packs have integrated helmet-carry systems.

What should I pack for backcountry ski days?

Always carry avalanche safety equipment when traveling in the backcountry. That includes wearing a beacon and carrying a shovel and probe in your pack. You鈥檒l also need extra layers, a helmet, sufficient hydration (it鈥檚 a good idea to carry some hot liquid for longer backcountry adventures), energy snacks, a first aid kit, and a multi tool.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 22
• Number of products tested: 14
• Number of vertical feet climbed: 600,000
• Number of beers carried in a pack up Highland Bowl on closing day: 12
• Number of times our lead tester鈥檚 wife asked him to carry more stuff 鈥渂ecause you have extra room in that fancy pack鈥�: 5

To nail down the best ski packs of 2024, we seeded 14 products to 22 different testers according to their planned objectives for the season, body and skier type, and appropriate testing environments. Then, we set testers loose in the mountains, largely in the Continental U.S. (Colorado, Utah, Jackson Hole, and Alaska), where many states received historic snowfall this past season. Testers jammed gear into packs, stuffed them shut, and put the packs through both rugged and mellow ski ascents and descents.

We focused on newly-designed packs with practical, ski-specific features that make traveling on snow easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Comfort is a must, even for packs meant to carry smaller, lighter loads, as is durability, so we asked testers to evaluate straps and back panels and hip belts alongside the quality of materials used. After every time a pack was taken out, testers filled out feedback forms assessing fit, weight distribution, ease of access, even pocket size and placement. Testers noted how easy it was to find what they needed, transition in the skin track, and carry their skis and boards on their back up steep couloirs. After this rigorous testing process, the following six packs emerged as the cream of the crop.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Scott Yorko is a former gear editor for Backpacker, SKI, TransWorld SNOWboarding, and 国产吃瓜黑料. He lives on the edge of West Central Colorado, where he splits his ski time between the world-class resorts around Aspen and backcountry terrain of the West Elk Mountains. He loves to chase storms and visit pow-shredding friends, many of whom tested this year鈥檚 crop of ski packs, in places like Alaska, Jackson Hole, the Sierras, Utah, and all throughout Colorado.

More from the 2024 Winter Gear Guide

The post The Best Backcountry Skiing Packs of 2024 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 always room for improvement when it comes to snow safety tech. Avy bags can get less cumbersome. Headlamps can stay juiced up in colder temps. Even bandages deserve a moisture-wicking upgrade now and then. This year was full of those enhancements, with a few standout technologies to help shake up the snow safety industry.

The Winners at a Glance

• Db Snow Pro Vest 8L with Safeback SBX
• Backcountry Access Float E2-25 Avalanche Airbag
• Garmin InReach Messenger
• Ortovox Bivy Pro
• WoolAid Emergency Pack
• Ledlenser NEO1R Headlamp

The Reviews: The Best Snow Safety Gear of 2024

Editor鈥檚 Choice: Db Snow Pro Vest 8L with Safeback SBX ($700)

Weight: 4 lbs
Size: Unisex, one size
Pros: Less bulky and restrictive than a backpack
Cons: Mesh pocket fills up with snow on deep days

While avalanche airbags aim to keep users on top of the snow, the Snow Pro Vest, developed with the Norwegian Armed Forces and School of Winter Warfare, is designed to keep athletes from asphyxiating when buried underneath the snow鈥攖he cause of 75 percent of avalanche deaths. After pulling a T-shaped handle, the Safeback SBX鈥檚 lithium battery-powered electric fan provides breathing assistance under the snow by pumping clean, oxygenated air through mesh tubes from the back of the vest to the air pocket around the victim鈥檚 face, all while pushing out exhaled carbon dioxide鈥攏o mouthpiece required. The brand alleges that this process extends the survival window from 15 minutes to up to 90 minutes in temperatures as cold as negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit.

Our Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based tester, Will Howard, assessed the fit and functionality of the Db Snow Pro Vest in Granite Canyon on stormy, clear, and powder days. (We didn鈥檛 test how well the breathing tech worked under the snow, for obvious safety reasons). 鈥淚 was grateful for the easy access storage and large pockets on the front of the vest,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t made accessing gear like sunglasses for short hikes super easy and quick. When the vest is fully loaded with avalanche rescue gear, even on a chairlift, it rides very well and fits comfortably with less movement restriction than a backpack.鈥� Testers also lauded the cinch design on the sides and angled straps that kept the vest snug to their bodies. The beacon-sized pump unit was barely noticeable, although some found the airflow tubes running along the shoulders to be slightly uncomfortable.

Bottom line: Best for sidecountry skiers in big terrain who want an extra lifeline when carrying their safety gear without a cumbersome backpack

Backcountry Access Float E2-25 Avalanche Airbag ($1,250)

Weight: 5.7 lbs
Size: Unisex, S/M, M/L
Pros: Smart features and use of space
Cons: Airbag compartment zipper can split open when overloaded

Like many other avalanche airbag brands, BCA has expanded beyond traditional compressed air cylinders. The Float uses the new Alpride E2 system, which is 40 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than its E1 predecessor. The E2 uses supercapacitor electromagnetic energy to drive the fan inflation, which means it鈥檚 less affected by cold temperatures than lithium-ion batteries, and can be recharged in the field with AA batteries after a deployment, making it ideal for multi-day tours. It鈥檚 also TSA-approved, so you don鈥檛 have to find somewhere to fill an air canister at your destination.

Beyond that smart battery tech, the Float packs tons of user-friendly ski features into a smartly designed package. Most notable among this year鈥檚 improvements is the sizeable sidestash pocket that easily provides access to on-the-go items without having to remove the pack. One tester brought the pack to a ski touring festival in the Balkans and was able to quickly stash skins and crampons during transitions and grab his water bottle and extra gloves with just one hand. The crotch strap clips into a carabiner on a loop sewn into the hip belt, so testers didn鈥檛 have to re-clip it every time they removed the pack. Both the fleece-lined goggle pocket and small items pocket in the avalanche tool compartment are easily accessible and don鈥檛 get in the way of zipping the pack when it鈥檚 stuffed full.

Bottom line: For the skier who ventures into avalanche terrain during high danger and doesn鈥檛 want a pack that requires too much fiddling

Garmin InReach Messenger ($300)

Weight: 4 oz
Pros: Small, powerful, durable
Cons: No navigation feature

Satellite communicators are becoming ubiquitous in the backcountry鈥攗sually one person in the group has one handy for checking in with loved ones, triggering SOS alerts, and communicating with rescuers in the event of an emergency. They鈥檙e also becoming smaller and more user-friendly with thanks to smartphone app integration. The InReach Messenger has all of the essential features you鈥檇 come to expect from a modern satellite communicator and more, all from a compact unit that fits in the palm of your hand. (Note: Unlike the InReach Explorer or InReach Mini, the Messenger does not provide GPS navigation.) Our West Elk Mountain Rescue tester in Colorado used it in temperatures as low as ten degrees, from deep inside sandstone canyons with limited view of the sky to forests with heavy tree cover to high mountain tops. He was pleased with the upgrades in a small package鈥攊n comparison, the Zolio weighs 5.3 ounces. 鈥淭he messages sent extremely fast, even when the device was in my backpack,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y older Garmin InReach Explorer had to have a direct view of the sky and still took longer.鈥� He used the accurate weather forecasting function often, and employed the 10-minute tracking mode to send his location to loved ones as he moved through the mountains for both recreation and on rescue missions. A phone will die before this messenger device: The battery lasts up to 28 days with a message or location sent every 10 minutes with a full sky view, and up to 46 days with a message or location sent every 30 minutes. If your phone does die, the tiny LED screen is still useful for sending short, preset messages and reading incoming texts. The Messenger can even charge a dead phone鈥檚 battery enough to connect to the app and fire out a few texts with embedded GPS coordinates.

Bottom line: For folks spending significant time outside of phone service that don鈥檛 need standalone GPS navigation

Ortovox Bivy Pro ($140)

Weight: 1.5 lbs
Pros: Compact and multi-purpose
Cons: Not as light as the 9.8 oz single bivy version

A small tarp is almost standard equipment for a ski guide to have in their pack, as it can serve as an impromptu rescue sled to drag an injured or incapacitated person back to the trailhead or as a shelter during inclement weather. This compact, 50-denier polyester ripstop fabric bivy bag is water- and dirt-resistant, and has 16 loops for rigging purposes. The loops make it easy to attach paracord when using the tarp as a sled, or to set up an emergency overnight shelter (big enough for one person). The bright, orange color makes it visible for aerial rescuers to spot while the silver interior lining reflects body heat. Extra loops along the side allowed our tester to fix it into a sun awning with ski poles when the sun was beating down hard on a spring glacier.

Bottom line: Best for the backcountry traveler who goes far out and wants to be prepared for emergencies

WoolAid Emergency Pack ($6)

Weight: 0.5 oz including the package
Pros: Sticky and breathable
Cons: Sold in small batches

For many feet, blisters are inevitable as long as they鈥檙e in ski boots. That means never-ending Band-Aids, which means even more never-ending plastic floating around the planet. The New Zealand-made medical-grade, hypoallergenic Hyperfine merino wool bandages in WoolAid鈥檚 Emergency Pack from are not only biodegradable, but the wool鈥檚 natural vapor absorption helps draw moisture away from your skin, keeping wounds drier. Our tester also reported that the WoolAid adhesive stayed on many hours longer than a regular Band-Aid. The emergency pack comes with two extra-large and three regular-sized bandages in colors that don鈥檛 look like dead skin sloughing off your body.

Bottom line: An eco-friendly wound care alternative

Ledlenser NEO1R Headlamp ($50)

Weight: 1.4 oz
Pros: Light and bright
Cons: Proprietary magnetic charging cable is not universal

Many of us have that friend鈥攐r maybe we are that friend鈥� who always forgets their headlamp. That friend needs a light that always lives in their pack. At just 1.4 ounces, the NEO1R pumps out between 20 and 250 lumens, depending on the setting, a tremendous lumens-per ounce ratio that makes it more than worthwhile to carry this light every day, whether or not you think you鈥檒l need it. The beam pattern is ideal for fast-moving activities like skinning in the dark. Our tester used it for late spring ski missions, and the tilting position and red light functions kept it from blinding our partners. Secured with a reflective, minimalist elastic headband, it may look dainty, but it鈥檚 drop tested to six feet, waterproof rated to IP67 (30 minutes in 3 feet of water), and works down to negative 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The locking function prevents it from turning on accidentally and draining the battery when you jam it into your back pocket.

Bottom line: So light, compact, and powerful that it鈥檚 worth bringing with you every time

How to Buy

We love a good deal on second-hand gear. That said, when it comes to safety gear, it鈥檚 best to be the original owner. You never know what kind of compromising events someone else鈥檚 gear has been through, and the consequences of a malfunction are too high in this category. We recommend supporting your local independent gear shop and asking their experts for advice on which products are most suitable for you.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 9
• Number of products tested: 12
• Vertical feet skied: 448,000
• Miles ski toured: 275
• Tomahawk falls sustained: 3
• Beers carried to the top of Highland Bowl for closing day: 12

The level of innovation varies greatly between years. This season鈥檚 releases were more of a general refinement of existing technologies, with a few exceptions (Looking at you, Db Snow Pro Vest). Our testers, who are very familiar with many of the previous iterations of snow safety tech, love geeking out over the upgrades. Our testers brought this year鈥檚 new snow safety equipment out into extremely cold and varied winter conditions to see how it handled in the field鈥攅xtra important when it comes to this category. They skied in temperatures down to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit in Wyoming, hiked up spring ski mountaineering missions in 60-degree sunshine in Colorado, snowmobiled deep in the Alaskan backcountry, and traversed hut-to-hut in the Andes, all the while exposing some of the newest snow safety gear to every possible condition we could find.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Scott Yorko is a former gear editor for Backpacker, SKI, TransWorld SNOWboarding, and 国产吃瓜黑料. He lives in Western Colorado, where he splits his ski time between the world-class resorts around Aspen and backcountry terrain in the West Elk Mountains. He loves to chase storms and visit pow-shredding friends, many of whom tested this year鈥檚 crop of ski packs, in places like Alaska (Ryan Irvin @), Jackson Hole (Will Howard @), the Sierras, Utah (Kordell Black @), and all throughout Colorado (Tyler Tworek @).

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Our boots were crunching down a snowy sidewalk while meandering our way to a concert in Aspen, Colorado this January. We walked slowly, waiting on a few friends to catch up, and got to talking about gear鈥攕tandard mountain town first date stuff鈥攚hen something sparked and we locked into a bewitched eye gaze for a moment that floated in suspension outside the confines of time. As we came back down to earth, my new crush shared, with a soft voice and coy smile, her plans to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) this summer for five months.

鈥淚 remember a look of genuine excitement for me flashing across your face, along with a tinge of heart drop,鈥� Maddie recalls, knowing what that look meant. 鈥淚 had my own internal dialog of 鈥楧ang, I鈥檓 set on doing this and not changing my mind,鈥� but also felt a hint of sadness and my stomach dropped a bit knowing that it would mean us being apart for a while.鈥�

Even though we鈥檇 only met a few weeks before, something told her that, more so than everyone else with whom she shared this news, breaking it to me would carry some extra weight.

Maddie鈥檚 intuition was right. I spent the entire night with my eyes fixed on her more than the band we鈥檇 come to see. Days later, we traded our hippie dance clothes for technical outerwear and skis to run powder laps in the Deep Temerity trees at Aspen Highlands. I loved that I could barely keep up with her. Within a short amount of time, we jumped full-steam into a relationship鈥攚e met parents and planned international trips together, our toothbrushes stood proud next to each other on respective bathroom sinks. With the clock ticking until her departure date, our time together was marked by a sense of urgency to squeeze in as much as we could while knowing that it would make the pending separation even more abrupt. We swung between timid dread and overcompensatory optimism, but didn鈥檛 really have any kind of plan in place for what this would look like beyond surrendering to the unknown. This may have been a mistake, but not an uncommon one.

Thru-Hiking Solo Is Hard for Everyone

Isaac 鈥淏louse鈥� Nesbit met his future fianc茅e, Kelsey, on Tinder in late 2018. Within the first ten messages, he disclosed that he was planning to quit his job as a mechanical engineer that summer to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT). She was in graduate school for mental health counseling at Clemson University in Greenville, South Carolina, where they both lived, and they entered the relationship with a five-month expiration date in mind. They didn鈥檛 even talk about what to expect during his AT hike until three days before he left. 鈥淲e loved each other and didn鈥檛 want to break up, so we decided right then to go for it with no plan,鈥� says Kelsey.

鈥淚 had some guilt leaving her behind, but it鈥檚 got to be easier for those of us on trail because we have so much stimulus all day,鈥� says Blouse, who packed his bag again in 2022 to attempt a calendar year triple crown of the AT, PCT, and Continental Divide Trail (CDT). While the partner getting left behind will inevitably deal with some FOMO, the hiker has to confront their own feelings of disconnected helplessness鈥攍ike when Kelsey was in a car wreck and Blouse couldn鈥檛 be there to help support her through any of it.

Or it might be the reverse. Tara Dower, who hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2019 with her husband, Jonathan, before he joined the Navy, left him behind when she set Fastest Known Times (FKTs) on North Carolina鈥檚 聽in 2020 and the Benton MacKaye Trail (from Georgia to Tennessee) in 2022. 鈥淚鈥檇 call him up at times in excruciating pain,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e was in a different state and couldn鈥檛 do anything while I was crying. He had to soothe me over the phone in a way that was really different than when we were on the AT together. When he told me how helpless this felt for him, I had to change my M.O. and stop calling him every time things got really tough.鈥�

Maggie Slepian was dating Jeff Garmire when he set the Colorado Trail record in 2020, and her current partner is a ski guide in Japan. Slepian is often gallivanting about the world’s trails too, however, and reminds herself why she鈥檚 attracted to people who share her adventurous spirit and values. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to keep an open, positive mindset about this kind of thing because it鈥檚 easy for resentment to set in and to feel like their adventure is more important than spending time with me,鈥� she says. 鈥淭o combat this toxic mindset, I have to accept it as part of the deal that there鈥檚 a reason I鈥檝e called in this type of partner.鈥�

Face the Feeling of Being Left Behind Head-On

For me, this part required some soul searching. After our high concentration of quality time in ski season capped off by an epic volcano climbing and skiing trip to Ecuador in April, Maddie and I were feeling incredibly close and connected as her PCT departure date approached in early May. This was hard for both of us, but I noticed in myself what felt like an even greater challenge: the unfamiliarity of being left behind. I’ve always been the one in the relationship getting dropped off at the airport by a teary eyed partner staying home for work or life or other reasons while I rip out on an adventure somewhere new, chasing stories and thrills and life-affirming experiences. I’ve even decided that venturing out, solo or not, is so much sweeter when you know in the back of your mind that you have a steady home and person to return to when the trip is over.

But always having a partner waiting at home had its drawbacks: some jealousy on their end and maybe a little less reverence on mine for not being with someone whose own adventures I admired and longed to share. Those tables have turned and now I’m with someone who has solo traveled to places not even on my radar and ticked off bucket-list items of which I’ve only dreamed. Indeed, this sense of equality is highly attractive to me and feels more balanced, except for this major caveat: Suddenly, I鈥檓 the one waiting for phone calls any day or week when Maddie finds some spotty service and a few minutes to distill all of her new experiences into a brief, choppy FaceTime chat, her clothes a little dirtier and her face more sunburned each time. I’m the one going to dinner parties as the ninth wheel with other couples asking where my partner is and what she’s up to and, without fail, when I’ll go join her, because surely that’s an option, right?

Plan Ahead for Communication and Meetups

Just about any couple who’s been through this will tell you that having a plan is pretty essential, specifically around visiting and communication. Kelsey visited Blouse four times on his first AT hike, joining his visiting 鈥渢rail angel鈥� parents, with whom she spent more time than she did Blouse those five months. 鈥淭rail visits are important,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ome people don鈥檛 like to because it feels so awful for both parties when you leave, but it鈥檚 worth it.鈥� She also finds that being involved as a support system鈥�mailing resupply boxes along the way or booking hotels for him when he gets to town鈥攆eels good and important to be involved in the process.

She also recommends having talks ahead of time about how to handle things that inevitably come up when either is having a hard day and what you鈥檒l need to feel connected. 鈥淗aving regular check-ins on the trail is important鈥斺�橦ow are we doing?鈥� 鈥榃hat鈥檚 working and what鈥檚 not?鈥� 鈥榃hat are we needing?鈥欌�攁llowing yourselves to be more blunt than when you鈥檙e in person and have the luxury of nuance.鈥�

While some partners do better staying connected and others might deal with the separation more effectively by being semi avoidant, Kelsey and Blouse agree that it鈥檚 best not to wait until you see each other with limited time to process tough conversations. Rather, tend to that along the way. That time together goes by way too quickly.

Advice for Thru-Hikers Leaving Loved Ones in the Dust

Managing expectations around communication is also crucial. It鈥檚 helpful for the partner at home to have an idea of when your next conversation will be or when to expect a text letting them know all is well. Satellite communication devices like the Garmin inReach Mini 2 and the new inReach Messenger have really changed that and made messaging much more available. But on the flip side, respecting the hiking partner鈥檚 time in nature is just as vital. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e making time to talk during what鈥檚 meant to be a spiritual experience immersing yourself in nature, to expect to be in constant communication might take away from that experience,鈥� says Dower. It turns out that rest days, known as 鈥渮ero days,鈥� are full of chores and laundry and food shopping and not just lounging around in a hammock, chatting on the phone all day. It鈥檚 easier to empathize with these realities when a partner visits the hiker and sees what daily life is really like.

鈥淒efinitely have a plan to meet up at some point,鈥� says Naomi 鈥淧unisher鈥� Hedetz, a Triple Crown finisher of the AT, PCT, and CDT along with the Great Divide Trail, Grand Enchantment Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, Arizona Trail, as well as the first known thru-hike of the Blue Mountains Trail and the Oregon Desert Trail. Before many of these hikes, she managed to get stuck at home working in 2010 while her husband, Mike, hiked the CDT without her.聽 鈥淚 provided trail support along the way, which was really helpful for me to come and meet the people he was hiking with and understand trail culture and be part of it in the smallest way, which made me understand what he needed to deal with food-wise and emotionally and mentally. I wouldn鈥檛 have gotten it if I hadn鈥檛 met him on trail.鈥�

The Bottom Line: It鈥檚 Doable, if You Do It Right

Initially, Maddie was hesitant to commit to any trail visits from me or other eager friends. She鈥檚 long had an idea in her head that this is her solo journey meant to test and strengthen her independence and didn鈥檛 want to make it about anyone else鈥檚 experience, a sentiment I loved and loathed at the same time. I dealt with it in the best way I knew how鈥攂y heading down to Peru on my own solo journey for three weeks while working from airports, bus terminals, and hostels. It was an effective distraction, but I found myself jealous of other couples I saw traveling together and wishing I were on my way home to Maddie. After a few sporadic phone chats and a long period of disconnected silence while I was off-grid bopping through the jungle on an Amazon river boat, we connected for a chat on FaceTime, both of us quite sweaty and happy to share smiles. We鈥檇 both experienced too much to recount in a single call, but she鈥檇 also had a revelation that the experience she鈥檚 having is simply too beautiful and magical to not share with me and she was gung-ho in wanting me to join her on the trail in Northern California after postponing the snow-blocked Sierras until later in the season. I couldn鈥檛 book my ticket fast enough.

The post How to Cope When Your Partner Is Thru-Hiking And You鈥檙e Not appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Ryan Irvin is 55 feet in the air, on the railing-guarded platform of a cherry picker, when the mechanical boom that moves him around stops working. He鈥檚 standing on the second rail with no safety gear, reaching into the top of a 67-foot ponderosa pine tree named Big Red, which stands near a busy intersection in the middle of , 45 miles south of Salt Lake City. It鈥檚 the first week of November, and the smells of McDonald鈥檚, Burger King, and Panda Express are wafting from their respective street corners by the town鈥檚 library and police station, where Big Red and several other large trees rise up. Car horns punctuate the traffic noise as drivers yell things like 鈥淭hank you!鈥� and 鈥淚t鈥檚 not Christmas yet!鈥�

Time is money when you鈥檙e a professional Christmas-light installer who gets paid by the number of strands you hang, so Irvin continues his aggressive branch-wrapping from the outside in, toward the trunk. Deep inside Big Red, two guys with arborist harnesses hang from ropes, ready to connect Irvin鈥檚 outside strands to the power cords they鈥檝e strung up the tree. Travis 鈥淭-Pow鈥� Powell is even higher up, tightrope-walking all the way out on a slippery limb to individually wrap smaller branches that he can鈥檛 reach from his lift. The tree shakes from all the thrashing, as balled-up light strands fall out of buckets and pinball to the ground. Branches crack off and land on Terrence Ferguson, the operations manager, as he tries to re-splice the lift鈥檚 wires so Irvin can eventually come back down. As the rain picks up, the temperature drops 20 degrees in three hours, and by 10 A.M. everybody is cold and soaked.

鈥淭his tree eats lights,鈥� says T-Pow, referring to Big Red, which they鈥檒l wrap exclusively in red LEDs. 鈥淭he dense-needle bushes on the outside cover all the branches inside that have lights on them, so you have to put up even more to cover it. That also lets us make more money.鈥� It鈥檚 T-Pow鈥檚 11th season here as a Christmas-light installer, or as he calls it: an L-pro. (That stands for 鈥渓ighting professional.鈥�) As a veteran L-pro, the 37-year-old will make at least $55,000 in the ten weeks between October 1 and December 15, then spend the rest of his year on climbing and skiing expeditions in Alaska, where he lives and guides, interspersed with mountaineering trips to Argentina and maybe a powder-chasing adventure in Japan.

鈥淚鈥檓 the only one here who actually likes Christmas lights,鈥� he said earlier, while driving a company聽van to the job with three pairs of gloves drying on the dashboard. 鈥淚 take pride in my work and always want it to look good, like when I would help my parents hang lights at home growing up.鈥�

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Update December 16, 2022: Ortovox is voluntarily recalling all Avabag Litric models, including the Avabag Litric Tour, Avabag Litric Freeride, and Avabag Litric Zero, due to an unspecified technical problem. Both Arc鈥檛eryx and Ortovox have ceased selling all bags with Litric technology this season, and hope to have them available next season.

聽鈥淯nfortunately, we recently became aware of a technical issue. In rare cases, this issue impacts the airbag鈥檚 inflation system and reduces its protective effect. There is no risk from the LiTRIC system itself鈥OR SAFETY REASONS, WE ASK THAT YOU STOP USING YOUR AVABAG LITRIC IN TERRAIN AT RISK OF AN AVALANCHE AND RETURN IT TO US鈥echanical AVABAG airbag backpacks with cartridge systems are not affected.鈥�

Price: from $1,300
Weight: 5.3 lbs
Size range: 30L, 40L, 28L (S), 36L (S)

In the winter of 2017, Swiss company Alpride launched their E1 electronic airbag system. It was built around a supercapacitor that stored electrical energy without any chemical reaction, and which was not sensitive to environmental temperature鈥攁 groundbreaking feature for a ski pack used in cold weather (a supercapacitor is an engine, not a battery, that delivers a quick and powerful transfer of energy to the fan that inflates the airbag). It was also lighter than existing electronic and canister airbag systems and rechargeable in the field with two AA batteries. Alpride has continued to streamline the system into the new E2, which can be found in BCA, Deuter, Osprey, and Scott packs. But this year, there鈥檚 a new supercapacitor airbag design in town. Litric, a collaboration between Ortovox and Arc鈥檛eryx, boasts an even lighter and more compact fan system. It also uses a lithium-ion battery, instead of disposable and leak-prone AAs, as a secondary power source to recharge the supercapacitor after deployments. Another impressive feature: the trigger handle twists 180 degrees to lock it and unlock it, so you don鈥檛 accidentally deploy the balloon in a crowded tram or in the back of a snowcat.聽

Read more: The Best Avalanche Safety Gear of 2023

Like the E1 and E2, the Litric inflates at least twice per charge. However, when fully charged, the Litric lasts at least 60 hours with the system turned on. Translation: Finally, there鈥檚 an airbag pack that you can use on multi-day ski tours without needing to plug it in. 鈥淥ne splitboarder put this to the test on an 11-day expedition in Alaska鈥檚 Tordrillo Range. 鈥淭he Litric barely lost any charge on the whole trip,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven with temperatures getting down to -10 degrees fahrenheit掳F at night.鈥� And, when the pack runs out of juice, it鈥檚 quick to power back up. It takes just 25 minutes to fully charge the Litric (about half the time of Alpride). Litric also claims that its lithium-ion system delivers a more reliable secondary charge because that external battery has an indicator light to tell you exactly when you鈥檝e reached full power (the E2 does now have a small LCD screen with a battery meter on it).聽

Thankfully, we never had to deploy the Litric in any real-world situations, but when we tested the mechanism at the end of our expedition, it performed seamlessly. The handle requires a mere 50 newtons of force (Europe鈥檚 minimum standard), making it easier to deploy. And unlike with most other airbags, you don鈥檛 have to meticulously origami fold this one to repack after inflation鈥攋ust stuff it back in there and zip it up.

The system is also a joy to carry because the compact airbag/battery system only weighs 2.4 pounds. That鈥檚 about four ounces lighter than Alpride鈥檚 new E2 system and nine ounces lighter than the previous E1 system. Two former gear editors brought this on a fjord skiing trip to Greenland, and both agreed that the Litric was the first airbag pack they鈥檝e tested that wasn鈥檛 infuriatingly clunky, difficult to pack, bulky, or heavy thanks to the reduced battery and airbag size. On the flip side, the E2 system airbag is nearly 10 percent larger, which in theory, provides more float. But, the Litric airbag system has a double wall design鈥攁n internal welded bladder with a high tenacity ripstop shell鈥攚hich translates to more durability. Plus, at 150 liters in volume versus the E2鈥檚 162 liters, Litric still complies with the norm.

This online class could be a better starting point than in-person avalanche training

Since Litric was a joint effort between Ortovox and Arc鈥檛eryx, both brands are launching their own pack with the system. What鈥檚 the difference between the two? The Ortovox packs come in 500 dollars less than the Arc鈥檛eryx Litric version, and the Ortovox Zip-On System gives you more pack volume options to swap out on the same base than the Arc鈥檛eryx鈥檚 set 16-, 32-, and 42-liter choices.

Ortovox鈥檚 German engineering makes all the difference in this pack, keeping it simple with no unnecessary buckles or loops but maintaining key features like big, mitten-friendly zipper pulls, an avy tool compartment, a deep external accessory pocket, comfortably low-profile, not-too-thick shoulder straps鈥� and removable straps for every accessory you could want to carry, including trekking poles and ice tools. The pack splays completely open, suitcase-style, with a smooth zipper that makes it easy to access, reorganize, and close without loading the zipper teeth. Perhaps the coolest feature: the entire main compartment zips off so you can interchange with different sizes.

Testers liked how the crotch strap attaches to a fixed webbing loop on the hip belt instead of directly to the hip belt strap, eliminating the requirement for a cumbersome metal buckle. The Litric system itself is fairly easy to remove, so you could also use the pack for other activities like ice climbing and in-bounds skiing. The only downside: testers wished there was at least one hip belt pocket for quick-access items like chapstick and a scraper.

If you ski in the backcountry more than a few days a year with any chance of finding yourself in avalanche terrain, the Avabag Litric Tour is your top choice for a lightweight, travel-friendly, and well-designed airbag that鈥檚 worth the price tag, just like your life.

The post Ortovox Avabag Litric Tour 30: Long-Term Test appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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The Scores (out of 10)

• Crud Performance: 7.5
• Responsiveness: 7.5
• Stability at Speed: 7.75
• 贵濒辞迟补迟颈辞苍:听8
• Playfulness: 7
• Forgiveness: 6
• Versatility: 7.75
• Quickness: 6.75

The Specs

• Price: $800
• Lengths: 165, 172, 179, 186, 191
• Dimensions: 134.5-104-123.5
• Radius: 17.5 (179cm)
• Weight: 1,700g
• Level: Advanced, Expert

In a Nutshell

• Pros: Stability at Speed, Versatility
• Cons: Forgiveness, Quickness

In order to transform their top-selling Enforcer into a backcountry weapon that still holds up almost anywhere, Nordica incorporated a carbon chassis, poplar/beech wood core, thinner topsheets, and shorter edges鈥攁ll in the name of shaving weight to make the ski 43 percent lighter. And so the Unlimited, the brand鈥檚 all-mountain touring ski, was born.

Related: Ski straps are an important backcountry safety tool. Here鈥檚 how to use them.

鈥淭his is the perfect backcountry tool for the skier who already has a love affair with the Enforcer 104,鈥� claimed tester Luke Larsen, noting that it is best for strong, efficient skiers. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have the skills to ski it, the Unlimited will knock you out of your comfort zone real quick.鈥�

While Nordica dropped the weight on this ski by removing two sheets of metal, they maintained its stability in deep snow with a wide waist while boosting maneuverability with the early rise tip and tail rocker between traditional camber underfoot. It retains the same shape, however, as the Enforcer Free we know and love.

Related: See how the Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104 stacked up against its competition

鈥淭his is a great ski that鈥檚 easy uphill and can bag the deepest of snow while still getting you down an iced-up chute,鈥� Larsen added.

So while it meets Nordica鈥檚 standard for handling the quickly changing conditions you鈥檒l find in the backcountry, some testers noted that it didn鈥檛 do what they asked in tight, variable terrain and conditions and that it was slightly more chattery in the nose than the Enforcer Free when coming in hot for a stop.

鈥淚 found the ski able to engage the edge more deeply than I expected,鈥� shared Sun Valley, Idaho, local Paul Marshal. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great all-around backcountry ski for any conditions.鈥�

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