winter pack choice

I use a Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone. It's a pretty simple, clean pack on the outside but has straps across the front suitable for snowshoes (don't forget to face the pointy ends away from the pack). It is silnylon and therefore must be treated accordingly. It works fine for me on eastern, maintained trails. It holds 60 liters at just over 3 lbs.

I do have an Osprey Exposure 66 liter in large size which holds 69 liters at about 4 1/4 lbs. Still, not bad for a larger volume, bomber built expedition pack. I bought it because it was $100 bucks on close-out and filled the extreme upper end of my backpack quiver. It has not only snowshoe attachments but reinforced cross country ski and crampon attachments.

Both packs carry a full load comfortably, IMO. When I get into winter size loads where I hike with my wife and end up carrying 2/3 of the total weight, these non-ultralight packs come in handy. Plus they handle all my winter "toys."

For day trips, I like to use my LLBean Escape pack, as it has nice straps for the snowshoes. This would not work for an overnighter.

I've also been enamored with the (older) GoLite Speed. Lots of straps for skis and 'shoes. Check ebay for some older GoLite packs. I've seen the Pursuit work well with skis. Skurka used the Pinnacle on his Icebox trip.

I've kept my Granite Gear Vapor Trail for this purpose- as long as your not wiggling yourself up chimneys with it, I've found it makes a good lightweight climbing/winter pack.
I think they make (or made) a version called the alpine vapor- similar pack, but tougher material if you're climbing rock.

I just picked up a Lowe Alpine Attack MX 50 for winter kite skiing after my brother recommended it. He uses his in the AK backcountry for skinning, riding and climbing.

I was looking for a bomber pack to carry a shovel, deadman ice screws, etc.

He said he has enough volume to do an overnight trip, but I haven't packed up all my gear yet to see if it fits. I know it's not light, but i felt I needed tougher pack.

Matti

I use a Vapor Trail – the bottom bellows out to get a compressed winter-weight down bag in there and you can strap a tent to the outside rear or top straps. Your pads can go in the other straps. My solo winter base weight is about 18-19 lbs (/w tent) and I can get 8 days of food in mine if I have to.

I wouldn't go over 25 lbs in the Pinnacle or any other frameless pack. I use my ULA Conduit for all 4 seasons currently.

Some would go over 25lbs. A lot has to do with a.) how the frameless pack is designed b.) how it is packed and c.) how comfortable you are.

I have carried 30 plus pounds in a Jam 2 and was amazed at the all day comfort. Go figure.

I would second the Pinnacle as a winter pack choice.

Using a synthetic sleeping bag/quilt?

Carrying a beacon?

If using down and carrying avvy gear, consider a Black Diamond Alias.

Only 30 litres, toplid is sewn on, and weighs about 3 pounds, so it's heavy (but has stays so can probably handle 20 to 30 pound loads easily) and probably not big enough unless using a lightweight down bag w/compression stuffsack, but . . .

Side compression straps can hold MSR Denalis easily.

Kangaroo pocket designed to take shovel, blade, probe.

Pack is designed for snow, sheds it well.

Insulated integrated hydration sleeve.

Built in avalung.

My winter pack of choice is the Kelty Cloud 60, a Spectra cloth pack expressly designed for cold weather ultralight excursions. Since everthing – pockets, lid, ski loops, compression straps, hipbelts (there are two choices), Ti frame, shovel/crampon pouch, etc. – are detatchable, the pack can be infinitely configured from a 1 lb pack similar to the Jam to a 3 lb expidition pack that can carry all the skis, snowshoes and crampons that you'd want. Unfortunately, Kelty quit making this pack a couple years ago, so if you ever run across the Cloud or the smaller Vapor 45 for sale, snatch it up, 'cause there'll never be anything like it again!

Is there any other pack out there weighting less then 40oz that can carry 40+ pounds "comfortably"? BPL Arctic pack seems to be in a league of its own.

Hmmm. "Comfortable" at 40+ lbs. is subjective, but the Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone might qualify. It uses a beefier framesheet than the Vapor Trail, but the overall pack shape and materials are pretty much the same as the Vapor Trail. Overall weight (in a Regular size frame) is 48 oz.