This time of year, as the snow begins to fall but isn’t quite sticking to the ground, pre-winter anticipation builds. Questions swirl like chunky, warm snowflakes in the headlights. How much will it snow? Is Super El Niño going to deliver? Do I have the right skis? Did BD come out with a new ski pack this year? Kidding. That may not be the first question on your mind, but it's where we’re headed in this article.
A ski pack is a unique kind of backpack because you wear it for the entire activity. It’s your lifeline: it holds everything you need to survive in the cold and travel safely through avalanche terrain. It’s got to be comfortable and sleek but also functional and able to hold a lot of gear. Before you set out on your next purchase, ask yourself a few questions, like: What kind of skiing am I doing? What features can’t I live without? How much versatility do I require? These will help you narrow in on the right pack for your kind of skiing.
This is a guide through our ski packs, so you can pick the right one for your upcoming winter, whatever it may bring.
DAWN PATROL SERIES
First, we’ll talk about the Dawn Patrol. This series is a versatile ski pack, great for touring or resort use, and comes in three sizes: 15L, 25L, and 32L. These packs are well-padded and have features focused on easy gear storage that prioritize comfort and fit while you are charging hard. All sizes feature an easy-access colored zippered pocket for your avalanche safety tools. They also have a more robust suspension system and more padding in the shoulder straps than some of our lightweight, ski mountaineering-focused packs. This makes them a bit bulkier, but comfortable while you’re shredding turns in and out of the resort when loaded down with gear. The Dawn Patrol 25L and 32L also have a padded waist belt with pockets.
For people who split their time evenly between the resort and the backcountry, the Dawn Patrol series packs offer that sweet spot of comfort and features. The 25L model is great for half days and spring skiing in the backcountry, when you may not need as many layers. If you don’t spend much time in the backcountry but are looking for fresh lines out of the ski boundary gate, the Dawn Patrol 15L carries snacks, layers, and avy gear, while remaining streamlined for lift rides. The 32L is ideal for full days, but this size can max out for deeper days in the backcountry, where you want extra layers, snacks, or a rescue sled. If you plan on spending sunup to sundown on the skin track, seeking more powder, our Helio packs will be a better option.
HELIO SERIES
Our Helio packs are more streamlined and purpose-built for backcountry touring. You refuse to buy a ski pass, but still crank out 50+ days of skiing a year? The Helio pack is your partner for the up and the down. The Helio series comes in a 22L, 30L, and 38L design. Every Helio pack has a color-coded separate avy compartment with an extra-large opening for easy access. And unlike most packs, you store your shovel blade up in the compartment, so it contours to the shape of the pack, maximizing comfort and storage. Other touring-specific features include pockets on the shoulder straps for easy access to your phone navigation and snacks on the go, and a dual piolet attachment point, an A-frame ski carry, a removable diagonal ski carry, and a removable snowboard carry for more technical outings.
The Helio 22L is the most streamlined option, great for morning powder laps and shorter outings. The small 22L capacity and minimalist waistbelt make it hard to recommend for longer days in the backcountry, but it’s a great option for quick strike missions or more technical tours that start or end at the resort.
The Helio 30L and 38L are the classic touring pack. Both sizes have a padded waistbelt with a pocket. And there is an extra side pocket on both for a water bottle that you can access without taking the pack off. The 38L also has a lower zipper to access the main compartment for skins or crampons. The 38L is the second largest ski pack that we offer and is large enough for all-day missions that require extra gear and layers, while remaining comfortable.
The Helio is a great option if you’re looking for a pack with a little less bulk than the Dawn Patrol and touring-specific features. Bigger and longer days, more complicated terrain, and more technical outings are the name of the game here.
CIRQUE SERIES
These are our top-of-the-line ski packs. They’re durable, sleek, and weather-resistant, and built for the out-there objectives and big missions into the mountains. The Cirque series includes a wide range of sizes and styles, from the 50L, made for overnights and hut trips, to the Cirque Ultra series—made from durable and lightweight Challenge Sailcloth UltraWeave—which includes 25L and 35L configurations.
These packs are lightweight and made for skiers and riders who seek technical lines in the mountains. Their no-frills design lets you carry the essentials: crampons, ice axe, skis, and avy gear, and nothing more. All the Cirque packs have roll-top closures and similar features that cater to the more minimalist skiers out there who prioritize weight over comfort.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Selecting a ski pack is all about balancing priorities. Do you want to prioritize comfort over weight savings? Ample storage over bulk? All our packs are dialed for backcountry travel and are purpose-built to carry avy gear, layers, skins, and supplies. Our lighter packs can get you to lines deep in the mountains but are slim on extra features. Our Dawn Patrol packs offer comfort and ease without cutting corners on weight. Like everything thing in skiing, it’s a balance and a weighing of variables. If your season looks different one month to the next, just like with skis and boards, you may end up needing a ski pack quiver.
Resort and backcountry mix: The Dawn Patrol series suits skiers who split their time between lift-serviced laps and sidecountry or shorter, easier-accessed tours, with the 15L for resort days, the 25L for spring and half-day tours, and the 32L for full days out.
Backcountry all-day, every day: The Helio series is built for skiers who spend most of their season on the skin track, from quick morning missions with the 22L to all-day missions with the 30L or 38L.
Big objectives: The Cirque series is for technical lines, overnights, and hut trips, where carrying less weight matters more than carrying comfort.
Matching pack to style: The right pick depends on how and where you ski most often; if your style changes throughout the season, you may need multiple styles and/or sizes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jane Jackson is a writer and editor based in the Sierra Nevada. She loves granite and being in the mountains, and has spent most of her adult life obsessed with rock climbing in all of its forms.
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