Great ski carrier, light loads only

By jaystagnon822541 Ranked #67 - Winter Packs June 23, 2008

Previous review got the high points. I have an older version before they added the hip pockets; those are a nice feature! The neoprene ski carier straps are great. This is one of the most stable ski carrying platforms I've used -- the BCA Stash BC is also a great ski carrier. Hydration system is great; I have never had it freeze up in the 3 seasons I have carried this pack. The side zipper to access the nalgen bottle is very nice; overcomes the usual problem inherent with top-loader packs. Great compression straps so that it carries skis well whether loaded or empty.
But -- there are some problems. The material is flimsy. 2 of my friends all got this pack at the same time. All of us have blown-out seams and/or rips in the fabric. Nice to trade off light weight materials for some toughness, but maybe they went too far. Also it does not carry large loads well. The hip and shoulder straps are very thin. 2 of us were carrying this pack last weekend and both felt the pack was OK handling the load until we added boots & skis for the 7-mile approach. The pack does not support the weight of a 3-day base camp plus skis & boots. Prior weekend with just bivy gear and skinning rather than carrying the skis it seemed OK. I guess anything over 50 lbs is just too much for this pack. Carry less than that and it's great.

View Details: Backcountry Access Stash Alp55 Backpack - 3356cu in

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No