Your Everyday Touring Pack

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Originally Posted by cat in january

I am interested in replacing my abs pack as it is aging out. Two things are holding me back. The high cost versus the relatively low use … and the threat of it being denied by tsa and losing it at the airport...

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1) only you can decide whether the added level of safety margin for your uses is worth the cost. You certainly wouldn’t be the only person to reasonably say “it isn’t worth it” and go on to continue making safe decisions in the backcountry.

2) I also used to have an ABS pack specifically for their ease of travel. It seems the ability to take a charged canister on the plane has changed and they might actually be the worst option now. For me, anything with the Alpride e2 system seems to be the most user friendly, travel friendly and reasonably lightweight. I really like my Scott patrol e2 but they kind of all have the same basic feature set (which is pretty solid for a bc ski pack).

Side note from another post above: interesting to see the changes to the BD cirque series. I still really love (and likely prefer) the simplicity of my BD cirque 30LT. One exception might be the feature that lets you backpack your skis without taking your pack off.




“Who wants a life imprisoned in safety?” - Amelia Earhart

has anyone tried the new cirque 22? looks less running vest-inspired.

i always felt like giving the older one a try but i don't have a light setup (in terms of ski+ binding) that justified it.

having said that i fkn love the distance 15 (had it for a while), no backpack's ever fit my torso like that one, would love a "ski" version even just for short laps/sidecountry.

Gregory has a carry system on some of their packs where you dont have to take the pack off, maybe they have a patent and thats why its not something seen elsewhere. They call it Fasttrack.

I have a pack with it and it seems functional, but I have never actually used it. Honestly, I clicked the wrong pack when I ordered and it wasn't the pack I thought I was getting nor a feature I was looking for. That said, it would probably take about 15sec to throw the skis on my back if I did.

Bumping this up The new alpine threadworks selkirk is mostly sold out, but IMO its the most dialed general touring design I've seen: https://alpinethreadworks.com/produc...-mountain-pack These slovakian guys are up to some interesting stuff around more alpinism associated designs: https://alpinistlab.com/

That AlpinistPack is very cool. Full side zip, removable avalanche gear pocket, etc. 35l is a little tight for over night alpine climbs but might be worth a try.

My every day touring pack is now the Raide SB40L. I’m very happy with how it carries when it has a full load for a day of touring/teaching and it still carries well with just a water bottle and avalanche tools.

IMO you really need a 40L pack to carry all the shit you should carry ski touring so if don't have a 35-40 L it begs the question what did you leave out ?


I jumped into into one of Neil Warrens trips on very short notice to fill the roster along with his repeat customers who all had the AT packs


and i can recommend buddy as a ski guide if any one is looking for a Canadian ski guide to do a trip with I

my nirvana 35 is almost dead. Looking for a good replacement and if not ill just buy another Nirvana. I like eveything about it: "all zips no weird pockets/shapes", rounder frame, ski/carry system, big ass avy tools pocket (fits snow saw and other snow science stuff, also fits ice axe when not ultra necessary), back panel access (deal maker/breaker right there), external goggle pocket. ONly thing I dont like is how it fits my back: pretty wide, pretty long. I'm a skinnier guy and I have an old Salomon X-Alp 30 that fits me better in that regard (thats also a great pack which i cherish and use later in the season). Any suggestions are welcome.

I still think the NF Snowmad 34 is one of the better options out there. I can't speak to the newest version - it looks like they may have reduced the volume on the helmet stash pocket which would be a bummer. The goggle/small items pocket may fail the no weird pocket req due to its shape, but otherwise it worked great for me for many years.

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Originally Posted by oltrepiave

my nirvana 35 is almost dead. Looking for a good replacement and if not ill just buy another Nirvana. I like eveything about it: "all zips no weird pockets/shapes", rounder frame, ski/carry system, big ass avy tools pocket (fits snow saw and other snow science stuff, also fits ice axe when not ultra necessary), back panel access (deal maker/breaker right there), external goggle pocket. ONly thing I dont like is how it fits my back: pretty wide, pretty long. I'm a skinnier guy and I have an old Salomon X-Alp 30 that fits me better in that regard (thats also a great pack which i cherish and use later in the season). Any suggestions are welcome.

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Re fit; Check out the Ortovox Peak 35 (or 45). I feel it`s relatively slim

Been touring with the new Patagonia Descensionist (37L, L version) this winter. Main takeaway is that it fits me (6ft) well and carries very well. I tend to not think about it at all while going up or down.
A fairly simple pack: a spacious avy pocket, main cavern with one inner pocket for keys, repair kit etc, one extra outer pocket for goggles and two hip belt pockets. Main thing compared to my earlier packs is that it packs "evenly" top to bottom. Ortovox Peak 45L felt top heavy and narrower at the bottom. Overall volume feels the same between those.
It has a nice wide side access zipper which I have used quite a bit. The top cinch closure is slightly on the fumblier side but doable even with winter gloves. Avy pocket is surprisingly spacious and fits an ice axe easily too. No technical tours yet due to abysmal conditions so we'll have to see how it works with ropes and ascent plates etc.

everyday touring pack?

I’m a pack whore

Thanks everyone for the replies. Funnily enough I did own an Ortovox Peak 45 lt 5/6 years ago. It did fit like a glove but the 45 lt was never realistic, I sold it because of that and because of the top-loading + lid combo which I don't like.

I'm loving the new BD Cirque 25. Great improvements all around although I do wish it still had the quick release security buckle instead of the metal toggle for ice tools that allowed the tool to be released while wearing the pack

in descending size order:


I started using a Mammut Trion 50 recently - I fkn love it - big enough to hold two dead hookers -

Patagonia Descentionist 40 - more like 35 - great pack but it’s not 40 - I sometimes feel like I am overstuffing it

old Deuter Freerider Pro 28 - was my patrol pack for like 10 years - fkn bomber, carries great

also just got a new RAB Khroma 22 for chair skiing and quick dawn patrol shots - nice and compact - carries really well

I have the Trion 50 for multiday, like the space, like the removable lid, carries well enough loaded (and holds a lot!) but can shrink mostly well enough for day use. good safety tool compartment. oeverall simple design that works. don't like the zipper though on the roll top though - drives me mad!

that’s the one thing I don’t like, but I’m getting used to it

agreed, it will compact down small enough that when it’s not full it still holds things properly - not just piled in at the bottom of the pack rattling away

I like a top lid - I don’t like all these other packs with a roll top and no lid

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ice Pack 55 with the stays removed is my go to everything pack. Grabbed a BCA 22l pack for the e2 to put my alpride e1 into, but that things hipbelt just sucked. will need to take another look at it and see if i can make it work but just didnt feel like there was enough space to work with without popping the airbag zipper.

At this point I think the only viable alternative to getting another Nirvana is the Gregory Targhee.
Back panel zips, big avy tools pocket, ticks all the boxes on paper

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Originally Posted by oltrepiave

At this point I think the only viable alternative to getting another Nirvana is the Gregory Targhee. Back panel zips, big avy tools pocket, ticks all the boxes on paper

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Targhee 45 ball glazer for the last decade or so. Love all the features and functions and it really has a great fit as compared to a bunch of others i demo'd over ten years ago. The intangibles are, it fits so well that it basically dissappears on your back on the way up, and, somehow does the same on the ski down. When packed correctly and compressed adequately, the thing just suction cups to yer back and vanishes.
Only drawbacks i've noticed over the years is the back panel zipper base separated in a section in year 7 or so but has stalled and remains functional. The pack body fabric isn't waterproof, so, if that's of importance to a guy, it's an issue....the pack did get waterlogged on rain/sleet/heavy warm coastal dump day ski touring, but then I started using a pack cover which deletes the issue. My 320cm probe didn't fit nicely in the back pouch, had to move it to the main compartment. I noticed with the new versions, the upper and lower side compression straps don't have a rubberized patches affixed to the pack body underneat them. If yer ski carrying using the A frame style like I do, ski edges will wear holes through the exposed fabric. While the pack has a perfectly good diagonal carry system, I never used it as I find that method practically useless in varied, featured terrain and bushwhacking.

Thanks @swissiphic.

I also go for A-frame when it's a longer no-skiboots-on bushwacky kind of approach. I opt for diagonal on standard bootpacks. Either way backpacks always get shredded in the long run, my beloved salomon x-alp 30 is full of holes on the fabric where skis are held diagonally.

I'll check the Targhee out.