DAKINE Blade Pack - 1800cu in

I bought it to put camera stuff in (does not come with a camera block!) We will have to see how it holds up for backcountry photo shoots. Either way, Bacountry.com rocks!

So I knew going into this that Dakine's quality has been going downhill for a number of years. From a design standpoint this pack is perfect, it holds everything I need and more and has some great pockets, etc. However, as expected, one of my clips broke within the first week of using it. All in all, it's great, they just need to get their quality back up to par.

Agreed, a great pack for dayyyyy-trippin. I got it for my girlfriend as a slightly smaller alternative to the Poacher. She loves it, especially the fleece-lined goggle and camera pocket. It's a super well engineered pack and obviously a lot of thought went into it. Seems like I'm always discovering cool new things on it, like the way the chest strap moves up and down on a zipper (super cool). The one thing I don't really like is the size of the zippered back entrance to the pack. In the Poacher, it's a lot smaller and gear sort of fits in and under the lip, making it easier to stuff. In the Blade, the back entrance is just a bit too wide. Other than that, a smokin pack!

I like the set-up of this pack. As other reviewers have mentioned, it is the perfect size for a day trip. It fits well to the body and you cannot really feel it while skiing. The outer pocket offers quick accesibility to shovel, probe, skins, etc... The inner pocket is accessible from the stuff top, or through the back entrance. I would note that the stuff portion entrance is slightly narrow. When loading stuff just to go to the mountain, I can fit my helmet, but it is a squeeze. The ski caring option is effective. Diagonal carry. The bottom strap holds my extra wide Volkl Gotamas so no sizing issues there. Overall, a good day pack for skiing.

I have 3 Dakine packs all with this layout. Starting at this 1800cu in. and going up to the 3000cu in. Guide pack. I use the built in straps to hold on my tripod. I love all the pockets and straps.

I own several packs,three of them being Dakine. This bag holds all my backcountry gear, shovel, probe,and first aid gear. Even when the day warms up it can hold all my layers. I use the bladder from my other Dakine pack and have no issues with freezing tube or valve.

The pack is a perfect size for all day trips. It has probably 10 day trips on my split board under it's belt so far and I have enjoyed the feel and size of the pack. Easily gets small when its empty and tight to your back, but expands nicely for that extra jacket or dry shirt. Improvements: I have used it twice for boot packing and I had my snowboard stored the horizontal way between the flap and pack. After just two trips my board has worn a hole in the pack near where the shoulder strap attaches to the lower portion. The strap is also frayed, very disappointing. I still have an old Heli II pack which surprisingly is re-enforced in those exact areas, no wonder she is still going after 5+ years. some of the other stitching on the pack (mainly the front panel) is loose and you could stick a pencil through some of them, it seems that those stitches should be as tight as all the others on the pack. My gut tells me that by this spring it will need some warranty work on the stitches and the hole from 2 boot packs. Love the pack size and back panel loading area, but craftsmanship is questionable. The heli II from 2001-2002 seems to still be the benchmark bomb proof pack for craftsmanship and long term durability.

They've thought of everything with regards to pockets. I especially love that access from the back side so that I can throw my skins in there quickly without having to open from the top. It is the most comfortable pack I've every skied in. It doesn't flop around and it holds all that I need for a day in the backcountry.