Ortovox Haute Route 32 Pack - Women's - 2010 BCS

I am a volunteer backcountry ski patroller, and this pack wasn't quite big enough for my purposes. I need a shovel and avi gear, which this pack holds, but I need additional rescue gear for all-day excursions in unpredictable weather. Maybe a lid. This pack also didn't have enough strapping options. However, if your sport is to ski the side country or the front country or to climb a mountain and ski down it in an hour or two, this would be a good pack. I'm 5'5" with a medium build and a short torso, and this pack seemed very comfortable. The zippers were stiff at first, but that seemed to go away as I opened and closed them a few times. Still looking for a woman-specific winter pack that will serve my purposes.

I just received this pack in the mail and have spent the last many minutes figuring it out! Keep in mind that I will most likely use this pack for 80% lift-accessed skiing and %20 side/slack/backcountry use. If I was planning on any more BC use, I would definitely return it for it's main drawback: the ski-carry system. (and also because it's pretty small for a bc-use only pack)

The pack comes with a tag saying it will accommodate skis with up to 135mm tails, yet as peckmann1731028 describes below, this is NOT TRUE. The loop on the pack actually measures 115mm long, but that's assuming your skis would be paper flat. I honestly can't imagine how anyone's skis (that you'd buy for BC skiing within the past 4 years) would fit through these loops.

But that's okay, because it's still a bomber pack. Seriously durable zippers, fabric and buckles, and looks pretty waterproof too. The shovel pocket fits my life-link shovel perfectly. Ice axe carry system is nifty. It's pretty low-profile, good for lift-riding. And it fits me perfect- I'm 5'6" (maybe taller) and 135lbs. But if you are any smaller than me it probably won't fit. Ladies with smaller shoulders might have trouble too.

I love the pack, that's obvious. So I found a way to carry my skis vertically (instead of a-frame). This design might only work for gals with 100mm and wider skis. Take the smaller of the two extra straps and attach it to the bottom ice-axe buckles. Take the longer strap and buckle it into the top ski-carry straps. Even with a fully loaded pack + shovel, I was able to cinch these two straps tight enough for a stable load. It's not as sleek looking as their a-frame method, but it does the job. Might use an additional tele-ski strap if there ends up being too much sway, but I'm pretty sure it will work.

Nice pack, but beware- fat skis will not fit thru the bottom loops. The pack was returned because there was no way the tails of my AT skis (114mm at tail)would fit.

I am 5'3" and petite (usually a size 4) but not scrawny!! and this pack was simply too large and too long for me, despite being a women's pack. The shoulder straps didn't sit on my shoulders in the right spot, and the curve of the straps did not match my body.

Basically, the shoulder straps were the length of my torso, way longer than necessary. I had to pull all the adjustment nylon straps at the end of the shoulder straps as tight as possible to feel like the shoulder straps were snug at all. (This of course generated 2 feet of long dangling nylon straps...)

Sternum strap was awkwardly positioned for my chest as well. Crushed breasts, not comfy. Finally, I tested the pack by trying it on with stuff inside... still not a good fit plus a friend's avalanche shovel (the Black Diamond Deploy 7 Shovel) barely, BARELY fit into the large pouch. (It took some doing to get the zipper to close, and the backpack was otherwise empty!)

So although the pack seemed well-made and had nice taped zippers, I returned it. Maybe if you are 5'7" or taller it would fit you...Maybe... My boyfriend got the unisex version of this pack and it seems to fit him OK, but he's 5'10".

I got my pack a couple weeks ago and half expected to not like it or have it be too big based on the other reviews, but I have to say, though I have not skied with it yet, it's a very cool pack. I'm petit, 5'4", and it fits me awesome. I love the frame and the way it feels on my back. I packed it with all my gear, shovel, probe, skins, extra hat/gloves, etc and everything not only fits perfect but the size is great as it's not too big (so I could potentially use it on the lifts) and not too small (so I have space for the extra layers I might need in the backcountry). It has 3 compartments to keep things organized and dry, killer zips and features, and is a true skiers pack. I'm super happy with this purchase and is just what I was hoping to buy.