Osprey Packs Switch 36 Winter Pack - 2000-2400cu in

So far I love the pack, it isn't cluttered with outside pockets but has big easy access pockets on the hip-belt. The Divider is great, it has organizers for equipment. It is comfortable and has a place for my helmet.

A great pack. Need to be selective in clothing gear you take.Not too roomy. I primarily use the Switch 36 for snowshoeing. I love the fit. It is snug on your back and there is no lateral movement of the pack.The top hatch doesn't bounce up and down as you run down hills. Many pockets to place gear, and I love the hip pockets for various trickets. Overall, I love the fit'. It's like you have no pack on your back at all.

Bought this for my wife for winter hiking. She loves the fit and comfort--it holds all her winter gear and the winged compression straps carries snowshoes perfectly.The stretch top pocket hold alot but is a little delicate.

I liked the pack but this pack lacked the ability to adjust the shoulder straps to carry a heavier load on the hips.

This is an excellent pack. Carried it on a recent trip to Maui and will be using it for fly fishing and bike trip on the Creeper Trail. I would recommend this pack for comfort and fit. As well, it nice with the divided storage even though I am not using it for snow use.

I got this pack b/c one of my friend's suggested it. I am very happy with it. It is large enough to carry all of the typical backcountry gear (probe, shovel, beacon, shell, softshell(?), snack, camera, gloves, goggles). I looked at the Switch 26 and decided the Switch 36's roominess was definitely worth the extra money. As long as the straps are adjusted correctly, the pack stays in place. The backpack is very comfortable and a great buy.

This is not the best to have a snowboard strapped to, it is do able, but it is a wider pack so it takes the weight of the board is not centered close to your body. It is very roomy and holds EVERYTHING you could need and then some. Got the goggle pouch and helmet stash. Side zips to get to your dry stuff easy. The hip pads are really comfortable and it has great support. I have used it for very long day hikes where i am bringing lots of gear. So not just for winter!

Very innovative design. This pack is great for what it is designed for, skiing. This is not a pack for mountaineering. It is best suited for those who just skin up and ski down, and for where there is a significant amount of snow. As someone who climbs and skis, I prefer the tall, narrow profile of the Osprey Exposure 36. The wider profile of the Switch 36 and two factory defects with the stitching prompted me to return the pack. For mixed use and more challenging mountaineering, go with the Exposure.

Fascinated by a review that I saw on the Osprey Switch 36, I was forced to dig into my pile of winter tools and dust off the Osprey prototype I used all last year. Yup, I'm an Osprey junkie. I recall carrying a whole bunch of backcountry stuff in this tester so I jammed in my usual array of backcountry ski gear to see if last season was just a dream or if all that fluff really happened. Sitting here next to my glowing box of gigabytes is my Switch 36. In it is a full 3 liter reservoir of H20 with elbow valve nicely accommodated in the insulated shoulder harness. My full size Voile shovel & handle, 100mm skins, BCA probe and knee pads (yes, I'm a knee bender) are securely held in the "wet" portion of the pack. The dry portion of this pack contains my full compliment of "if the shit hits the fan" gear including: Gore-Tex jacket and full side zip pants, down parka, light gloves, heavy gloves, wool hat and neck gaiter. My goggles are neatly tucked underneath my helmet which is held snugly in place by the top pocket’s stretch material. That’s typically the most I might have with me on a cold day climbing up. On descent, much of that stuff including helmet and goggles are put to better use. When helmet less, the top pocket accommodates my skins for the ride down. It’s true that I can only carry skis on this pack because I’m snowboard challenged. Having said that, my 181cm skis carry comfortably either “A” framed or for quick ascents, diagonally. My friend, Rich took my pack to India to ski some peaks last spring and loved it up to 18,000 feet. Neither of us had problems with calf bang. Maybe snowboards are different in this regard. My experience with the pack’s carry is that it needs no load control straps. Put it on with any load and it hugs my back like a terrorized baby Koala. By the way, that granola bar…it fits in the hip belt’s spacious “420” pockets (whatever that means!) Yup, I’m an Osprey junkie…I can’t imagine why not.

Ummm....bad news for osprey lovers. This pack is NOT intended for snowboarders. I heard it was a "substantial pack," but it will not work like you want. Here's the low-down. First, put a full water bladder in the very loose holster. It flops and wabbles around. Not good when you're riding. The internal pocket for dry goods is severely limited once you put a water bladder inside. Add in your avy gear, and you have room for gloves, a granola bar, and a hat. Great if you don't want to bring anything extra like a shirt or jacket. Now for vertical snowboard carry: once your avy gear is in place inside it angles the tail of the snowboard down towards your calves and ankles. NOT good when climbing up or down, you'll be tripping on it the whole time. The helmet storage is flimsy at best, and if you don't want to carry a helmet there, it's useless: Gear will flop around inside due to the huge space and weak fabric material. There are also no straps to pull the pack up forward around your upper back/neck. The pack hangs low and backwards like a school book bag. No strap adjustment options for the shoulder straps at all. Not what I expected from Osprey this year. Your best bet is to get an 05 osprey switch 40+5.