DAKINE Heli Pro 16L Backpack - 1000cu in

I like this pack because it holds the load in a comfortable place, which, for me at least is vital to being able to ride how I want. For hiking it has well placed straps for skis or snowboard, and enough pockets to keep your gear separate and locked down, but not so many that you lose your lunch (or anything else.) Inside there is a little pouch that keeps your probe ready and your shovel is attaches so that it is always easy to access as well for (hopefully never...) when you really need it.

I used this pack for sidecountry trips and short backcountry tours last season. Until the ski strap ripped off late in the year, I've had great experiences with the Heli Pro. It's big enough for your shovel, probe, skins, food, and water without being overbearing. As someone already mentioned, the diagonal ski attachment is not the greatest and I would be wary of the wear and tear you'll have over time. I've since moved on to using the Lowe Alpine pack, but feel the Heli Pro is still a decent choice for resort and sidecountry use.

i made the mistake of getting this for school, BAD IDEA!...the lack of pockets and small size make it bad for school, however as a riders pack...awesome!...easy to pack an extra layer, a pair of night goggles, and some snacks, glove liners, face mask and other small items...for when you ride all day and go day to night and want to stay hydrated...that's what i use it for.

This bag was really heavy. Also, when I bought it on tramdock it said "one size", but the actual bag that came was a large. It was way too big. I'm 5'6'' and when i buckled the waist strap, the shoulder straps were too big to touch my shoulders. And the chest strap was not in a comfortable place for a female--all the pressure was right across my chest. This bag empty weighs as much as my old bag did when loaded with my clothes. I ended up returning it. Still, it seemed tough and well made, with good features, so if you're a big strong guy who doesn't mind plaid, this might be the perfect bag for you.

diagonal ski attachment sucks. They leave the skis loose to wobble around as you hike/climb and there is no way to cinch them down.

I have had this pack for a few years now great pack for short hikes with a snowboard the virtical and horizontal option is great, however the diagonal ski carry is lacking to say the least, with bigger heavier skis the straps just don't cinch tight enough at all and the skis flop around. Put in a full hydration system and you lose all your interior storage, it was a good pack at first but after a few climbs and tours felt that it needed more. Borrowed my buddies BD covert pack was much happier.

this bag is really nice. Durable and has a ton of useful pockets and straps. The straps are really long and so they kinda just hang there if you have them pulled tight which kinda sicks but there are ways around that. It doesn't come with a camel pack but is compatible with one. This is a good bag and I highly recommend it.

This is one hell of a winter pack. It is extremely durable! It is pretty light weight for its size and durability. It is very adjustable. So you can easily adjust this pack for a a lazy loose fit or a snug fit while you are riding no problem. Also, the snowboard carry is awesome. I have tried the skis but, I wasn't a huge fan. The diagonal loop method isn't that great on this pack.

Another handy thing about this pack is that the top pocket that you see in the picture is actually padded. It is a great spare goggle or sunglass case. I used one of these packs for 4 months while working at The Canyons and I never had a problem with it. Looking forward to using it this up coming season.

Bottom line: If you are looking for a winter pack that you can store your gear in, extra goggles or sunglasses, and something that is hydration compatible with an insulated sleeve. Look no further, this pack is the one for you.

I have owned a couple of these over the years and Dakine has done nice job of upgrading it year over year. I agree with other reviews that the ski carry can be a little sloppy, but its not a problem for me. I love the little features like the goggle pocket, the expandable water bottle holder (strange how a bottle of booze fits perfect in there) the waterproof camera pocket, I could go on and on. I like the different patterns, but went with black to keep it clean. with all the straps and padding you can really load it down and its still comfy for hours. Mine gets lots of use outside of the skiing world as well as an overnight bag for short trips. Mine is well used, and highly recommended.

Few things I didn't really like;

I found the chest strap didn't tighten down as much as I would like. I'm pretty thick in the chest also. Also, when having the chest strap tightened to max there is a long piece of slack that just flails around. This slack has whipped me in the face a bunch of times while bombing a run. Wish it had some way to secure the slack like the other straps.

The ski holder works pretty good also, but I haven't used it for any extensive climbs.

The dakine hydration system works well in it, no complaints there. This bag is useful for an extra set of gogs, some grub, water, and a good amount of room for other crap. I have stuffed 3 softshells into it also , so it has a good amount of room in it.

I used this as a summit pack for Mt. Adams. The glacier to the summit was way too icy (and steep at times) to try to skin up, so I used crampons on the ascent and used the pack to carry my skies. As previously pointed out, it is true that the skies flop around a bit, but it wasn't that bad, and it was nice to have this very light summit pack for a VERY, VERY enjoyable ski down from the summit. :) One other thing to note is that because it is just a lightweight and small pack, there is obviously no back support. So the pack was not super comfortable on the ascent, but certainly doable for a few hours. I'd recommend the pack, recognizing it's limitations.

I have been skiing with this pack for the past week and i have to say it truly is a great pack. It fits really well whether hard charging a double or sluggin some gear up to the hill. It is a small pack, it is only really good for a couple sandwiches a few under layers and maybe a thin shell, but it hase some great pockets that come in handy. the water proof camera pocket is great and the camelback holder, and expandable bottle holder are great features. The ski carry is a nice touch, making it easy to get your sticks up the the lodge or throw them on your back fro a short hike. also, even tho there is no boot carry i like to strap my powerstraps around the top loo and cinch them down with the side straps. I have it in the white chop shop and its pretty steezy, i love the look and definetly appreciate the functionality of the heli pro. yet another great buy from backcountry

This pack is constructed well and is quiet durable. I use mine for motorcycle riding and find it to be rather heavy totally empty. I would recommend getting the 20L over the 16L pack if you wanna carry more than a jacket in it though. Over all it has fair storage, functionality and looks pretty cool.

i dont know but something about this bakcpack just looks really legit. i like the way it sits low and tall instead of the "box back" look other packs have. if you need a good backpack the Heli Pro is the way to go

I have used this pack with my gotamas and had absolutely no issues with fitting them through the bottom loop. I am 5'4" and 115lbs and this pack fits great through the waist, shoulders and back. Very comfortable for short day hikes. I usually have issues finding backpacks that can size down to fit my frame but Dakine has a great product for a great price. No rips or tears in the past couple of years, and I am super stoked about the winter insulated hydration pocket. I am a big fan of this pack because of it's size, please don't even think that you can make this pack work for an overnight trip because you will be disappointed.