Welcome to a special Buyer’s Guide installment of Gear Spotlight from FREESKIER. Here, we provide a close-up look at the equipment and accessories that everyone should know about. Can’t get enough gear? Click here to see our entire 2019 Buyer’s Guide.
1. The Boot Bag, Switch Designs
The Boot Bag from Switch Designs is the first of its kind, thanks to a patent-pending transformational design. Made with ultra-durable 500D cordura and just one reversible buckle engineered by Fidlock in Germany, you can convert your boot bag from a backpack to a tote and make transporting your boots easier and more stylish than ever before. When transformed into a tote, The Boot Bag boasts an ultra-slim profile, which is ideal for stowing away in your apartment, van or similar tight spaces. Other features include sealed zippers, interior mesh pouches that fit up to a 13-inch laptop/tablet and grommets on the boot pockets for drainage and circulation. And, just take one look at this baby. Who ever said a bag couldn’t be functional and fashionable?
2. Snowmad 34, The North Face
If you enjoy the type-two fun awarded by big, long days in the backcountry, the Snomad 34 can make those excursions even better. Its 34-liter capacity is enough to stow all the essentials you need when venturing deep into the wilderness, from bags of trail mix to first-aid kits. The Snomad’s quick-snap top buckle provides incredibly quick access to its tool pocket and a built-in attachment system on the exterior make it compatible with The North Face’s modular ABS airbag system. The North Face also thoughtfully assembled reinforced fabrics in high-abrasion zones to help extend the life of the pack.
3. Ascent 40 Avabag, Ortovox
Ortovox’s ultra-lightweight Avabag system is now built into a brand new 40-liter pack meant for long outings in the backcountry. With the Avabag unit hooked up, this bag weighs only 1,980 grams. Ortovox achieved this by constructing a bare bones exterior that focuses only on essential features such as ski carry straps and rope fasteners, while, of course, keeping its safety features intact. As for the backpack itself, Ortovox utilizes a compact venturi (which houses the activation unit) to save space and welds the seams of its airbag to prevent tearing and leaks. Additionally, Ortovox provides two positions for the trigger, catering to your unique height and reach. Because the system is mechanical rather than percussive, you can pull the trigger without an installed cartridge as many times as you want to get used to the act of deploying the airbag. Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to backcountry skiing.
4. Poacher RAS 36L, Dakine
The RAS 36L is one of five new Poacher packs from Dakine and is compatible with Mammut’s lightweight, compact Airbag System 3.0, which can be purchased separately. Of course, the ever-present Dakine head-turning aesthetic is still in play with this pack. The Hood River, Oregon-based brand uses a patent-pending roll-top, airbag-compatible compartment. By removing the standard zipper, Dakine can extend the life of the deployment compartment while still ensuring fast, reliable inflation. To further bolster the pack’s durability, Dakine uses 840D nylon ripstop exterior material and a 500D high tenacity nylon lining. Additional specs include a 36-liter capacity, radio compatibility, an A-frame ski carry system, back-panel access and a snow saw sleeve within the tool pocket. Looking to head out on a big backcountry day? Grab the Poacher RAS 36L and get after it.
5. Shaman World Cup Backpack, Zipline
A skier’s quiver of gear isn’t complete without a reliable boot bag. Whether or not you’d like to admit it, keeping everything organized and in one place on the way to and from the hill has saved many a headache. The Shaman World Cup backpack has a 48 liter main compartment that provides room for your jacket, pants, extra layers and countless bags of gummy bears. It even comes with a laptop compartment should you need to crank out some work in the lodge or while traveling to your final destination. On the exterior, side sleeves make room for your ski boots and a stow-away mesh flap carries your helmet. Zipline also padded up the shoulder, chest and waist straps to ensure you’re supported no matter how much gear you lug to the resort.
6. Float 32, Backcountry Access
BCA took its Float 2.0 airbag engine, which was new last winter, and implemented it into all of its airbag packs for 2018-19. The 2.0 engine is 30 percent smaller and 15 percent lighter than its predecessor, which takes weight off your shoulders and opens up room in your pack for more essentials—we’re talkin’ snacks, people. BCA also implemented a lighter, more intuitive waist buckle and cone-shaped trigger that stows away perfectly in the shoulder strap so it won’t catch on anything when descending. This pack touts 32 liters of storage as well as all of the bells and whistles you’d expect from a backcountry pack—a ski-carry system, hydration compatibility, a helmet holster, a tool pocket—making it ideal for full-day excursions out of bounds.
Featured Image by Bruno Long
