Input on ski pack

MountainSmith used to make good ski carry packs. Will R. reviewed a 45 liter one here on BPL a couple of years ago. My wife has one.

I use an Osprey made for ski carry in the Endeavor series if I remember correctly but no longer made. Osprey now makes two series for ski carry, the smaller Variant series and the larger Argon series.

These type packs aren't ultralight but to carry skis you need a stout frame or else you will be miserable.

I have a Black Diamond pack (sorry, don't know the model) which I use for day hiking. It is great for skiing, as it has two buckle straps on the side. I can just slip in the skis. When I want to yank them out, I can slide them up, or just unbuckle the buckles. It's nice that these are straps which can be tightened (which allows some flexibility).

I use the same buckles in the summer to carry my poles (I only use poles on the downhill). Since the poles I use have straps, I put the straps through the pack straps (by unbuckling the buckle) and then slide through the ends. This guarantees that I won't lose the pole (have it just slide out).

Take a look at CAMP's ski packs as well – they have a range from ultralight randonee racing minimalism to 35-liter packs, all with a good ski strap system.

The A frame. Skis go under the side compression straps, 2 per side. A Voile, G3, or other strap is used to join them at the apex.
Super bomber, balanced, doesn’t interfere with your feet on short descents. For a pack with no suspension, it helps beef up, if you have enough stuff in your pack.

Cons: the strap.

For ski carry ideas to look at, BCA, Osprey, BD. Golite.
Vaude, Salomon, ones that sponsor european ski racing.
Salomon Raid Revo 2000 cubes mabe

Good ideas all.

I carried my skis up and back down a mountain a while ago in my Osprey Talon 22. The pack only has one set of straps on either side, and the skis wobbled around, wacked the back of my calves, and abraded the pack. No good.

I did monkey around and get my skis strapped to my Patagonia Endurance pack (small, camelback-style pack) in diagonal mode, and it seemed like a good position. I'll be trying that pack out for day tours, but it won't carry a shovel or lots of clothing.

Any more thoughts on A-frame v. diagonal carry? Is one more appropriate for different pack sized and/or conditions?

A-frame needs the pack to not be too wide at the top, so it’ll fit that A. That’s great, nice low center of gravity for skiing down, and 2000 cu in/32 liters should fit fine down there.

I guess with diagonal, it could be a pain hiking up steep sidehills if the angle is the wrong way and drags.

Thick trees (but not low!) or narrow trails favor the A.

I think of A-frame as the heavy-duty alpine way, diagonal as the lighter, more casual look for spring. A-Frame tends to be stable, not shift unexpectedly when you are making some gnarly ice moves in soft snowboard boots. But there is the ski strap weight and the weight of the strap to keep it from just hinging down behind you. That anti-hinger can be a second compression strap towards the top of the pack. Osprey Switch36 has it double as the diagonal ski carry loop.

3.3 lbs ouch.
Nice helmet pocket, how would it work as a nutcracker to crush an ultralight helmet in there. You could say, if your helmet is in your pack while moving, it must be mellow conditions so probly diagonal carry? But I like to have my whole package ready to go into the back of the truck in the morning.

Camp X3 600 is 21 ounces. looks good but only 1830 cu in. They have what they call the XPress system to carry the planks in an X, but I see no pics…….

Check out Golite Pursuit.

At 3100 in3 it is larger then something you are looking for but it compacts to 1600 in3, so it is worth looking as the extra volume can be useful in winter.