Current BD avalung packs designed for real-world use?

Bought a Covert years ago, around 25 L I think, and have a Bandit for sidecountry. Was thinking about getting a newer BD avalung pack in the 20 L range that has actual zipper pockets for various items (the first - gen Covert was a big fail in that dept -- good example of a pack designed and tested by idiots) since I've seen that for several years now BD has addressed that customer complaint.

The BD site has many references to the hilo helmet attachment system but no image on their site. Fortunately google had an image...confirmed what I suspected: if you have the helmet on the pack, you can't use the diagonal ski carry, and there's no side straps for a-frame in that scenario (I prefer diagonal but like having options).

For some tours I need to attach ski crampons and/or boot crampons, helmet, and skis for portions of the tour. And an axe or whippet handle. From what I can see, the BD pack line doesn't recognize that reality. I have plenty of older packs that could easily carry that off, but of course no built-in avalung. Makes me wonder what the designers/testers at BD are thinking.

Any suggestions on a solution? Maybe there's a BD pack with more versatility than can be seen from the single-view photo they provide.

Check out the anarchist or alias.

anarchist = big

outlaw = small

both are adaptable

might need some customization

you can always figure out a way to carry yer helmut

Avalung II.

^this.

I cut & modified the straps on my Avalung so it can now be swapped between all my packs. Takes ~1min to swap it. It sits on the shoulder strap & doesn't interfere with anything.

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Originally Posted by jamesp

^this.

I cut & modified the straps on my Avalung so it can now be swapped between all my packs. Takes ~1min to swap it. It sits on the shoulder strap & doesn't interfere with anything.

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Pics?

456123

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Originally Posted by LightRanger

Avalung II.

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That's what I run between multiple sized packs including an airbag.

I've got a 2009-era Anarchist I could sell, if you're interested. Roomy, with helmet carrier on top that doesn't interfere with diagonal ski carry.

Thanks guys. I had an avalung II sling for years but it was such a PIA compared to having built-in avalung that I gave it away. I had it rigged up so that it attached fairly easily to various packs, but never found a setup that worked as well or as cleanly as a built-in one.

A few years ago I checked out the Anarchist (42 litres as I recall) and it's a nice pack but about twice as large as what I need for even 10 hour day tours. Seems that in the alpine mountaineering world there are plenty of low-profile, long and lean packs in the 20-25 L range that require little or no modification in order to accomplish what I'm after here....just no avalung unfortunately.

Alias pack, anarchist's little brother.

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Originally Posted by frorider

Thanks guys. I had an avalung II sling for years but it was such a PIA compared to having built-in avalung that I gave it away. I had it rigged up so that it attached fairly easily to various packs, but never found a setup that worked as well or as cleanly as a built-in one.

A few years ago I checked out the Anarchist (42 litres as I recall) and it's a nice pack but about twice as large as what I need for even 10 hour day tours. Seems that in the alpine mountaineering world there are plenty of low-profile, long and lean packs in the 20-25 L range that require little or no modification in order to accomplish what I'm after here....just no avalung unfortunately.

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BD customer service said there's no avalung pack that has this set of features currently, since the market has moved away from top-loading small or med vol packs and therefore most helmet attachments end up being in the way of putting stuff on the back. however their new Revelation pack comes closest to addressing the needs of a ski mountaineer -- the helmet carry is on the top, out of the way, and nice features overall.

At 35 litres it's way too big for most of my ski tours and, like most BD packs, heavier than it needs to be, but such is life. A streamlined, lower profile version of this pack making judicious use of lighter fabrics would be perfect.

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Alias pack

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Nope, no helmet carry according to BD. However I looked at it too, and might try sewing on some webbing loops to enable helmet attachment.

Edit: alias also isn't set up for axe + crampons, just axe.

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Originally Posted by Bean

Pics?

456123

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will try remember to get some tonight...

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Originally Posted by frorider

and might try sewing on some webbing loops

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many cobblers are willing to do that for (relatively) little money. Especially if you bring the webbing

The 2011 Alias is on sale on the BD site right now for about $130. You can easily sew a daisy chain to the top of the top pocket that you can use to clip the chin straps of a helmet through. The 2011 is has a simpler suspension than the newer Aliases and weighs a pound less. two ice axe loops than you can rig for diagonal ski carry, a-frame ski carry, top loader, big enough for most day trips. I bought an extra today for when my current one wears out.

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Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

many cobblers are willing to do that for (relatively) little money. Especially if you bring the webbing

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Thanks. Yeah, been paying cobbler / outdoor repair guys to do that for 20 yrs now, and may do that here if necessary. Was just hoping BD had a pack that was already set up for this kind of use. Also sometimes a pack design is such that that having the cobbler tack on webbing loops in the 'right' location becomes difficult if there are multi layers of fabric and foam in a shovel pocket underneath i.e. it's not like tacking on loops on a simpler pack.

In a perfect world there'd be a well-stocked shop w/ all this gear nearby so I could do some hands-on research & support the local economy. OTOH I am headed to Mammoth soon, so I can stop by mammoth mtneering.

Harpo, as it turns out, I'm leaning toward getting the Alias and slightly modifying it to work for ski mtneering use.

U can easily attach a cramp pocket to the compression straps, and as I said it easy to sew a daisy chain for a helmet to the top pocket. Weighs around 3lds before modification.

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Originally Posted by frorider

Nope, no helmet carry according to BD. However I looked at it too, and might try sewing on some webbing loops to enable helmet attachment.

Edit: alias also isn't set up for axe + crampons, just axe.

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Alias pack is working out pretty well so far with some slight modifications. It's unfortunate that BD didn't equip this pack to work well right out of the box, but there are some strong positives about the pack that make it worth modifying to begin with. The pivoting waistbelt feels great.

if you are looking for a Avalung pack at 20l its the Agent pack you are looking for.

Great pack for little ski mountaineering days, axe holder/ski carry (if your skis are on then shove the axe down your shoulder straps-you wanna be able to grab it anyway) helmet holder you can use with skis attached, a few small pockets inside for the trinkets and crampons go inside the pack.

If you can't fit the crampons inside, go the covert pack-its a little larger.

I have the new Covert Avalung that holds the helmet in two places. On on the back where it is more convenient or you can flip it up to the top when you are carrying skis. If you look at the picture on the BD web site you will see two little colored loops directly above the shoulder straps on the back of the pack These are for the helmet sling. I actually bought it for cat trips and side country but it is much bigger then BD says and works for all day trips and I carry more stuff then most. It also has compression straps and you could easily use them for diagonal ski carry.

Given what BD said I wonder how many other of their packs have this same feature. Actually if you look at the web site it looks like the outlaw has this same feature.

James