Winter Packs

Recent Winter Pack Reviews

Osprey Kamber 22

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… Full review

Black Diamond Saga 40 Jetforce Avalanche Airbag Pack

A very expensive bag that lasted less than six weeks. Great components in an inferior bag. The pockets that held the components wore big holes in the fabric. The airbag is not transferable and Black Diamond did not uphold its warranty. Buy Arc'teryx for better quality. The components wore holes in the pockets where they were contained. I never put anything else in those pockets. Within six weeks huge holes appeared. I contacted Black Diamond who brushed it off as wear and tear. You cannot buy a… Full review

Black Diamond Saga 40 Jetforce Avalanche Airbag Pack

Great high end avalanche backpack that can be deployed multiple times. Best for single to multi-day backcountry expeditions and ski tours in alpine, medium to high risk conditions. If you only do a few days a year in these conditions, renting may be a more rational option. Excellent fit and carrying system for an avalanche pack. I'm a longer dude and got the M/L version. The hip belt has a metal buckle and is comfortable during longer ski tours. The volume is not accurate. It can probably hold around… Full review

Osprey Kode 22

Osprey's Kode 22 may be designed as a skiing pack, but it is so much more. This pack should be considered by anyone who is searching for a multi-use/multi-season day pack. I find myself reaching for my Osprey Kode 22 ski pack over and over again. Whether I am skiing or not, it has proven to be the most versatile daypack I have owned. I am able to strap my mid-fat Black Diamond Amperage skis to the sides and crush my thighs on a boot pack, or I can use it during day-hikes, canoe trips, fly fishing,… Full review

Black Diamond Dawn Patrol 32

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… Full review

Deuter Pace 36

Many many small details make this a win win for the user, it would require few more sentences, this is quick glance at what makes this backpack special. Let me begin with, by saying that I'm a Deuter backpack devotee...on with the Deuter Pace 36 in the Deuter product line the Pace 36. For its capacity and volume, it must be their lightest, just under 2lbs. The design and details on this backpack are well thought out with fine detaining, so much so that they can be very easily overlooked. Here are… Full review

Deuter Guide Tour 35+ SL

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… Full review

The North Face Patrol 45 Duo

Sometimes they get it right. More Pros Nylon side pocket ( not cheap ) Universal buckles (easy to replace or expand ) Wide belt Loops for climbing gear inside pockets for a avalanche probe and bladder   I bought this new in 2003 and have used it for everything from: Back country camping - expanded to 60lt and outside harness system handles a foamy and tent very well. Fly fishing - added buckles to my float tube and clipped it to the pack, fly rod rests in the side pocket Ski touring - 3 different… Full review

Black Diamond Halo 28 JetForce Avalanche Airbag Pack

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… Full review