Bought the 45L pack over 4 years ago. Use it for most daily excursions into the mountains in CO and UT. Mostly for Backcountry Skiing and climbing. I break almost everything I touch, and this pack has held up very well. Only area of visual wear is on the inside where the wire frame is taught against the fabric (on the sides of the bladder pocket.) Wear is probably due to jamming my climbing rack in their a thousand times.
Best advantage backcountry skiing: While the pack is on, undue the chest strap and pull the pack around so it is in front of you. It will lie there perpendicular to you like a little table. Best used for: taking off a layer and jamming it in the pack, oppisite when pulling your shell out when the wind picks up, quick water/snack break without taking your pack off, Also for reading a map, etc.
Best advantage climbing: The pack will sit relatively upright and the wrap around zipper allows easy placement of the rack into and out of the bag (compared to a stuff sack style where you can't see anything inside the abyss. (same for skiing)
Otherwise it is relatively high riding and narrow for climbing. Good set up but not the ideal climbing pack.

Best for climbing or skiing? Skiing or winter climbing

Other advantages:
Rides high and close so you can ski and climb with out the weight shifting issue.

Disadvantages:
-The climbing axes don't stand straight up as in the picture when the pack is full due to the hold downs being of bungy cord. I guess you could change it out with 3mm cord or something.
-The upper pocket is big. I would like to add a zipper on the outside so you can get in from the outside without opening the pack and letting the snow get in. (not a big deal)
-If you are carrying a heavy rack and gear for a long time, you will definatly feel the load on your shoulders.

Camping?
If you are a minamalist and don't mind stuff hanging on the outside via your own ingenuity, then go for it.
Would be a great pack to pull a sled. It has the hooks for it behind the hip pockets.

I looked at a thousand bags before I bought this one. It has worked very well for me but doesn't have everything I want, like everything else, but otherwise a great bag. If they redesign the top pocket to be a little more user friendly like the dakine bags, and add the snowboard cross carry like on the Dakine heli pro2 so you can use it as a seat in the snow, that would make it perfect bag in my world. (Remember I have owned this bag for 5 years and new stuff is probably on the market)

Practical breakdown of what fits in the 45L:
Climbing:
Main compartment:
Inside side pockets deep in there: med kit (approx: 3x6, and headlamp on other side)
Harness
Shoes
Full rack with at least doubles of all gear up to #4 camalot
15 long trad draws
Big Nalgene
All of this is a tight fit
Top pouch:
Keys, powerbars, junk
Little Mesh pouch (on opening from the back)
Windproof Lighter
Power Jelly beans
Shovel Pouch :
Suntan Lotion
Gloves
Jacket
(depending on what is in the main compartment this can be pretty small or pretty large(ie: listed amount up to a couple nalgenes)
Outside lashings:
Rope
Helmet
Ice axes
Jacket, etc.
Hip pockets:
Shot blocks or jelly beans (Pretty tiny. You can't fit a camera in there!)

Skiing:
Main compartment:
Inside side pockets deep in there: med kit (approx: 3x6, and headlamp on other side)
Very bottom sometimes 8mm 30m rope
Super poof down jacket (Mountain Hardware baffled Subzero, hood and all)
Small tall thermos
Extra layer
Nalgene and Platapus Bladder
Old Ordovox snow pit saw
Helmet and goggles
Sometimes a stove
Sometimes food
Sometimes skins if I'm lazy.
Shell

Top pouch:
Keys, powerbars, other food, junk
Little Mesh pouch (on opening from the back)
Windproof Lighter
Power Jelly beans
Shovel Pouch :
Voile flat handle extendable shovel (the old yellow ones) ( the full handle one does not fit)
The flat handle fits in one of the long slots
G3 12 food probe (the other slot slot)
30 foot plastic 1/8 inch cornice cutter jammed into the bottom
Skins (If lazy I throw them in the main compartment)
Outside lashings:
Sometimes shell
Skis for hiking (depending on binding placement, you may want to use a starp to tie the tips. ( you can rig it to have the skis on an angle with a little practice. Not like a dakine though)
Crampons lashed to top
Sometimes 8mm 30 m rope
Hip pockets:
Shot blocks or jelly beans

I am really impressed with the fit of all the new Black Diamond packs. The Revelation is a great fitting, light alpine 2-3 day pack. The lack of a top lid pouch makes things simple and prevents the temptation of bringing unnecessary items. A few daisy chains or extra rear lash down points would be nice, but again it prevents you from carrying excess weight. If you’re looking for a great light, compact carryover style alpine-climbing-ski pack then look no farther.

I have been using this pack for the past two months for touring, and it is well suited for day trips or for an overnighter in the hut. Cons for this pack become quite obvious after some use in the mountains though. The back entrance is way to small which means items have to be strategically placed in order to get to them easier without having to take everything out of the pack. The pouch on the inside of the back zipper fold is quite small as well and you can only fit a couple little items (sun block stick, thermometer). Another con is how the pack sits on your back. For a single day and light load it is quite comfortable, but after doing a heavy load multi day trip (50lbs) it is painfully obvious not to use this pack. It seems to sit really awkward and applies excess pressure on your lower back. Last, the pack straps are quite thin and don't offer any support. This may be different for everyone, but i like a little bit of gel, or cushioning to help support the weight. Overall a decent pack, but mostly suited for quick yo yo days.

The Revelation 45L Backpack has all the accoutrements necessary for a good slog in the backcountry. With a sleeping bag and pad, however, you'll be hard-pressed to fit much else inside. Your stove equipment and (limited) supplies of food and water will top it off, depending on personal preferences/necessities for pad length, bag size, etc. The pack compensates on the outside, allowing you, the backcountry skier/mountaineer, to load skis, crampons, multiple ice tools, and a shovel.

For peak baggers, the pack can be used specifically for summit pushes. Take out the frame and leave it at home; it's not a very large pack, the frame is (quite visibly) flimsy, and removing the frame makes the pack surprisingly compactable. It can then be stuffed into a bigger, burlier approach pack.

The pockets on the waist belt are barely large enough to fit your inedible "energy" bars, so they will be better suited to carrying chapstick, whistle, knife, and other small items.

Happy hunting.

The service from you guys was good. The backpack is pretty good. I wish the padding in the waist-belt was better, but I like everything else. It has really good compartments for your shovel and probe. The lid opening will hold a couple of things (skins, goggles, etc.) while you dig to the bottom of the pack.

Overall, I am impressed with this pack. The major things that disappoint me are the shoulder straps. There is very little, if any, padding on them. Granted you are supposed to wear this for a winter pack, and when wearing it with a decent winter coat, padded straps aren't really vital, but due to me being on a K-9 Search & Rescue team, I would like to utilize this pack in the warmer seasons also and this particular bag will probably not convert well (which is odd because it is made in Utah and everyone "converts" here...a small joke for the locals of Utah...sorry).

As I previously mentioned, the pack overall is great. I have 2 shovels by BD (the Deploy 7 & and Transfer 7) and both fit well. The hydration slits could be a little larger, but a quick pocket knife can fix this (possibly BD's intention?). I thoroughly enjoy being able to carry my gear on the outside while the vibrant red/orange stands out to others while I am in the backcountry, and, God/Baby Jesus forbid, buried in an avalanche.

The overall purpose of this pack is definitely ski/snowshoe related. You may be able to "jerry" rig it to suit a board, however, I would sooner buy a pack for boarding due to the sheer ease of it.

The Y suspension is comfortable and the pack's material is very strong/tough. If carrying a sleeping bag and pad, I would place them outside on the helmet holder or buy a few extra straps and cinch them down.

I think a 55L model is needed, but the 45L keeps things in perspective and keeps the "overstock" from occuring.

I will go with a 4 star rating due to all the pros and cons combined, but don't let this persuade you to buy a different pack. If you purchase this bad-ass pack, you will be happy.

After I bought this pack, I discovered that my Voile shovel and G3 probe do not fit in the front pocket that is intended for them. My boyfriend has the same pack in the larger size, but my gear does not fit in his pack either. He really likes the pack, but I would caution people to check if your gear will fit before you purchase it.

This pack is the best possible pack any backcountry skier could buy. I use mine for BC skiing, craging and the occasional weekend long trip. I have the 45L and its the perfect size for taking everything you need for a day in the backcountry. The pockets on the waistbelt are small, but my car keys fit perfect and who really wants big ol pockets on their waist belt anyway. The shovel and probe pocket also work great once you get them in there, it takes a little work but my voile shovel and probe fit fine, and BD says any of their shovels will fit. The helmet attachment works great too. I love this pack. If you're excpecting a fast and light summit pack, look elsewhere. Also, if you're looking for something to go backpacking in for 3+ days, don't buy this pack. If you're looking for something to carry your probe, shovel, repair kit, extra layer, thermos, rope, rack, harness, shoes, etc. This is definitely the pack for you.

I've used the Black Diamond Revelation a few days this year and have been really happy overall. I use the smaller version, which is ideal for single-day tours or supported multi-day trips in the BC. Don't expect to pack much food, a bag, or tent- just the essentials. The pack fits really well, has easy access to avy tools, enough space for extra down layers, socks, gloves, etc, and a top pocket for the small stuff, not to mention a couple of nice pockets on the waist belt for snacks or maybe a radio. The hydration compatibility is mediocre, expect to cut the hole bigger if your hose is insulated. For the most part this pack is bomb-proof, well designed and really durable. It's definitely been made with skiers in mind and I would not recommend it to someone looking for a camping-style backpack or to snowboarders.

Wondering if the Black Diamond retractable handle large shovel fits in this pack.

Just a heads up anyone purchasing this pack. BD made an adjustment to the back zipper as this was poking into the back of people. So they switched this around, it is still easy to get into. This is a great pack.

I am pretty impressed with the Revelation pack. I like its top loading simplicity; just a zipper that goes all the way across. Also, the pocket for the shovel and probes is really handy. It has all the room you need for a day of backcountry skiing. I haven't used the hydration pocket, ski loops or helmet attachment yet.