Advice on Backcountry skiing gear

[Mike Clelland]

Telemark skiing is amazingly beautiful, but it requires the dedication to learn it. If you do any other kind of winter travel in the mountains, you are missing out on something glorious.

Alas – Some tele gear is heavier than AT gear, but there are a lot of variables in the mix. But, if you take the lighter AT gear, you can't embrace the blissful telemark joy. So, like, what's the point?

Also a pack recommendation – the JAM 2 is used by a lot of teton backcountry skiers. It's perfect for day touring. Shovel pocket, and wand set-up for your probe. It's durable and light.

[Ethan A.]

Mike, what about ski touring packs for weekend to long weekend trips, 2-5 days? Any recommendations? I'd think the Jam2 a little small for that (keep in mind I'll be carrying a 2 man Allak tent of a little over 6 lbs and bulky synthetic puff insulation).

Chris T recommended the Golite Pinnacle, though I was wondering if I'd do better with a pack with a little back support. I haven't carried the Pinnacle weighted with gear so I can't judge, but typically I like a little extra back support with the penalty of a little added weight. I like the construction of the Granite Gear packs (except the idiocy of the lower compression strap over the webbing pockets), but not sure how well packs like the Nimubs Meridian would work for ski touring.

Right now, after just selling our Golite Infinity Packs, we don't have a real "winter" pack other than an old but in great shape bomber Dana Design Big Sky pack, about 2400 cu. in. For a snowshoeing trip this week we'll have to use light 3 season bags or borrow a pack. They should be enough for a short trip.

BTW, Golite Infinity was a great pack, with enough support at only 2 lbs 7 oz to carry 40 lbs, but a) I missed having a shove-it open panel compression pocket for stuffing things on the go and holding a shovel b) I didn't think the material on the pack durable enough to handle winter gear for long (and Golite confirmed this, and thus switched to a new pack material in the Golite Pursuit ski touring pack).

Anyone have any experience with the Golite Pursuit? If the suspension/back panel is the same as the Golite Infinity, I'd love it, though not sure about a front packet that has a zipper (instead of being an open compression pocket).

I'm with you on beauty of Telemark skiing, I've had friends demo including a ski instructor friend that lives to telemark, but dedication to learn it properly also requires time, more time than I can apply now. So right now I'm happy to practice winter backpacking skills, while upping ski skills later in the season and getting educated on AT and Telemark. Also have to bring up my wife's downhill skis (she grew up a flatlander and her first ski trip was only a few years ago). I'll probably have to wait to do more advanced ski and safety courses until next season.

[Richard Lyon]

E J,
If you like your Dana Big Sky (I really liked mine) check out the ski packs now sold by Dana at his new company, http://www.mysteryranch.com. Particularly effective at carrying skis or snowshoes. I am testing a Ribzwear front pack for Backpackgeartest.org and find that it's great for skiing – tough, great fit, large capacity, easy access. This is a front pack that supplements your day pack or overnight pack, adding about 1500 ci. Check it out at http://www.ribzwear.com.

[Aaron Pope]

I've spent the past 10 years looking for the perfect, lightweight pack that could handle the volume, weight and sharp edges accompanying a multi-day ski mountaineering trip.

For these trips, my bassweight is down to 15-18 lbs., and I definitely need some kind of frame to handle the cold weather gear, mountaineering hardware, tent, fuel, food, etc. – especially when boot-packing with my skis attached to the pack.

The pack I currently use, which is great, is the Cilogear 60. This pack weighs between 2.5-4 lbs. depending on how you configure it, is strong enough to comfortably carry 50+ pounds and will withstand many seasons of tough use. I've been using it for the past 3 years for trips to Shasta, the Eastern Sierra and the Cascades.

Finding a suitable pack under 3 pounds is challenge (they all come with some serious tradeoffs), but it seems to me that the new Osprey 58 would be an amazing, multi-day ski pack.

[Mike Clelland]

The GoLite ODDESEY or QUEST would both be pretty great. Nix the frame sheet and they are both under 3 pounds.

*QUEST
http://www.golite.com/Product/proddetail.aspx?p=PA5261&s=1

* ODDYSEY
http://www.golite.com/Product/proddetail.aspx?p=PA5260&s=1

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