10 Best Ski Backpacks (Review) in 2020

Did you know that finding an ideal backpack can add a whole new experience to your skiing? One that can be of help in both winter and summer seasons. For all your perfect ski backpack needs, check out this Backcountry Access Float 42 Airbag Pack. It may again come in as an enhanced security tool aside its many benefits of which convenience and efficiency belong. It is our best choice for this review.

The Backcountry Access Airbag Pack is a 6.35 pounds backpack which measures 20.9 × 13.4 × 5.1 inches. This provides an extensive storage area for all your essential ski tools and gear. Specially crafted to partner your skiing experience is its height adjustable trigger that enables you to manipulate the height of the backpack to your desired level. It has a lined ski goggle pocket and the left or right shoulder trigger mount and compression strap will firmly keep this backpack fixed to your back when out there on the slopes. This Backcountry Access backpack comes with an added stowable helmet carrier for that extra protection. How about skiing with some level of boldness and courage, knowing that you have just the right coverage for your safety. 

This Osprey Packs Kamber ABS Compatible 42 Ski Pack is a product of Osprey Packs. It comes in small/medium and medium/large sizes. It is designed with the ABS technology and utilizes all the goodies of the ABS. Added is an easily removable zip which provides even greater security as it partners with the ABS Vario base unit. It has two main allocated compartment areas; a dried compartment area as well as a wet one. The central role of the dry compartment is to separate your warm and dry gear from those that are wet.

It has an extra large pocket which is on the front. This is a secured pocket that has  J-zipped access to tap into the avalanche safety gear, like avalanche beacons. It also comes with goggle pockets that are easy to access due to its single loop, which doubles as an ice tool. In addition, this large pocket can house shovel blades up to the large size. And that’s not all – the double sleeves are well centered to keep and store shovel handles and probes that are extra large; giving you all you may ever need for your favorite skiing experience. In short, This backpack does it all. For extreme sports such as skiing, this is one of our best choices.

This next backpack is a bit on the pricey side but is also of high quality and with many features on offer. For utmost protection, the Backcountry Access MtnPro Vest Avalanche Airbag is ideal. Taking a cue from its name, it serves a more significant benefit if you are going to the backcountry. This airbag is designed to work efficiently through even the most extreme ski rides. As a rather low profile ski pack, it has the ability to easily blend with several external equipment and tools. Examples of which are radios that support BC link and hydration systems.

It offers added protection from rocks, trees, handlebars, and anything that might present itself to you as you go on your adventurous skiing or mounting riding experience. It includes external compartments for shovel carriage, larger pockets, shoulders that are articulated and a front zip with secured dual side release buckles that go over the front zip. It is important to note that it uses a refillable airbag which has a capacity of 1.0 air cylinder. This is a unisex airbag that is convenient and comfortable to either gender. It not only offers lots of storage space with sizes ranging from medium to large but also comes in various colors, with ‘black and orange’ and ‘black and yellow’ colors. Our guide to the best ski boot bags features more awesome products for your adventures on the slope.

Skiing and mountain riding to mention a few would have been a no-go area and probably wouldn’t have been considered as a safe sport without all the protective gears that have come out in recent times. It is for this reason that we esteem brands like Backcountry Access who continue to give us a reason to continue enjoying skiing and mountain riding. This Backcountry Access Float 27 Speed 2.0 Avalanche Airbag is one great such product.

It has been created to perfectly fit both men and women and offers a trendy design in a pure blend of blue and grey colors. The makeup of this airbag provides utmost convenience and a good feel when placed on your shoulders. It comes with an enhanced trigger mount which has both right and left shoulder straps. Without stress, you will be able to go about more extended skiing or mountain riding experiences with this Backcountry Access Float as a sure partner. It is built with materials that make it naturally lighter. Even higher, this airbag features the very current float 2.0 system, an enhanced initiative for your safety even in the most unlikely situations. It also works with BC Link radio systems and comes built with additional compartments for your probe and avalanche shovel. You may also like some of the best ski pants from our list, so take a moment to check them out.

For everything skiing and climbing, Black Diamond is a sure bet. Coming from a family of creators who enjoy skiing and climbing, the Black Diamond brand better relates to and understands the same experiences you have on the ice, rock, or snow. They have remained committed to blessing the world with the best sports gear since 1957. Most of which have become set standards across many areas. These are the main factors that encouraged them to design and create the best possible gear for all lovers of climbing and skiing. From this deep root comes this Black Diamond Dawn Patrol 25 Pack. Don’t be fooled by its affordable price; this compact airbag offers all the essential features that come with the standard more expensive bags.

This Dawn Patrol 25 Pack is ideal in shape and size for your powder days typically at the ski resort, cars laps at the pass and fast patrols at dawn. It is also a good fit for all your skiing and climbing and mountain rides. It is designed to perfectly fit your form and suspend onto your body as your ski, ride or climb; giving you maximum convenience. It has the capacity to carry your skis along by equipping this Dawn Patrol 25 Pack with the patented AvaLung element from Black Diamond for added avalanche security. What’s more, your probe and shovel blades have a well deserved holder to keep you going and the bag also provides an ample enough goggle pockets.

If you are off the beaten track, you should definitely be well equipped with a high-quality backpack in which you can store all necessary gear. Look no further than the Ortovox Tour 32+7 ABS Avalanche Survival Bag. It was designed by Ortovox; a leading brand in emergency wear. Since 1980, Ortovox has produced a number of both winter and summer mountain gears and backpacks and this product imbibes the up to date avalanche technologies for safety and efficiency. The Air Bag System (ABS) forms a core part of this Ortovox Tour 32+7 ABS Avalanche Survival Bag and has proved to be an integral and a vital technology in regards to airbag systems. No doubt, Ortovox has implemented this technology with consistency since 1985 and this particular ski backpack now comes with an improved Air Bag System Modular Airbag Safety System, thus the ABS MASS for short.

The backpack also comes with an added activation unit, which means you can select your preferred ski backpack. Replacements for activation units and ski airbags may also be procured. This dual technology of ABS backpacks including but not limited to free movement with no restrictions even in the worst cases where the airbags are wide open. It is also able to evenly distribute the weight between the shoulders and hips, and the double bass offers additional safety and clears the probability of being caved in the midst of an avalanche. It’s also worth noting that the airbag’s inflation process is made swifter with a technology that is triggered by engaging a pyrotechnic-pneumatic system. This fills up the airbag within seconds. For more amazing ski gear, check out our guide to the best ski bindings.

Meet the Dakine Heli Pro 20L Backpack Men’s – an efficient, multipurpose backpack. From skateboarding to skiing to mountain riding, this backpack is perfect. It comes with a dedicated avalanche safety gear holder, with additional storage to keep your shovel blade and probe in place. What’s more, the bag will vertically carry all manner of snowboards with ease – You simply have to strap it onto the back of the bag. It comes in two basic color modes. Either a solid black color or a tabor color with a blue detail. It also provides a very large storage space of up to 20L and has different compartments to ideally store all your items without any damage. This will give you an even better experience on your skis as it stays real close to your body and does an excellent job in balancing carried skis to ease better climbing experiences. Additionally, you can easily carry your laptop in this backpack and its stylish design makes it a more versatile backpack which is ideal for many other purposes, including your day-to-day activities. On the other side, this stylish backpack does not have an airbag and as such, does not guarantee maximum safety for skiing, rock climbing and mountain riding but it does have the ability to effortlessly carry skis in a rather diagonal form. It is even much easier to mount or dismount skis.

Versatility and quality are what this next amazing backpack presents. This Deuter Freerider Pro 30 – Black/Granite (3.30E+11) is a highly durable backpack. It will withstand all rigorous conditions of wear and tear. As a long lasting backpack, it comes with a number of great features to serve numerous functions in a much efficient way. Get all the essential tools for transporting your riding, skiing, hiking, and climbing essentials with ease. It has an end to end back panel opening with very thick zippers. This opening grants access to the backpack’s main compartment. Its secondary compartment can be accessed through the gear blocks which have been lashed on from the front side. Within the many chambers is an inner pocket where all your valuables, like ski sunglasses, can be kept.

It comes with a comfortable hip level belt which enables the backpack to stack firmly at your back and also give you convenience in your different movements. Move along your skating journey prepared as this backpack provides a compartment holder to keep your shovel blade and probe in a secure and convenient spot. It has fleeced line goggle pockets at the top as well as loops – two in number which are removable. This backpack is also compatible with hydration and has back panel access.

Whoever thought that there would come a more enhanced airbag technology so soon? Great Lakes MP did. This Black Diamond Halo 28 JetForce Avalanche Airbag Pack is in a class of its own. Jetforce Technology is what this backpack is made of and is the first avalanche airbag system that uses the Jet fan inflation. The Jetforce technology is an upgrade to the traditional airbag system and takes it to an electronic mode where the functionality of the backpack is rechargeable. This is a cost efficient user-friendly system that gives maximum experience on your travels.

It also has several specialized pocket holders for your very essential tools and gadgets. The goggle pocket is large enough to keep up to two regular sized goggles and the bag also has a dedicated holder for a shovel blade and a probe. It also offers a ski helmet holder to keep your protective helmet in a relaxed position and also added is one ice axed compliment to keep your gear in a safe state. It comes with an updated firmware which will set you on the go and make provision for all your needs, with this enhanced technology. Diagonally, this backpack can carry a ski along which means that you can now set out on the best snowboarding mission with utmost confidence. With it, you can enjoy more exceptional pocketed options for all your stuff with its inner accessories pocket and a hip belt stash pocket.

This Thule Upslope Snowsports Backpack comes as an all-sufficient backpack for all your backpack needs. It has a 3.0 airbag system which is removable thus, you can enjoy greater flexibility without the airbag, in situations where it will not be needed. It offers two distinct spots to carry your helmets – one of the fronts of the backpack to give a classic carriage or on the bottom area for easier retrieval of the helmet. This means it can carry up to two helmets on the go, in addition to snowboards and skis. It offers secure carriage to skis with its diagonal carriage style or snowboards in a vertical carriage form.

Its external compressors prevent any possible shifts of gears which are placed inside the backpack and the double compressors on the top and side give it a tight cling. Overall, this ski backpack features substantial side pockets which provide easy access to items stored in there. For snowboarding, it offers a dedicated compartment to store your snow tools and is ideal for your day to day engagements. If a well organized and spacious backpack is what you are after, the Thule Upslope has vast storage space to neatly store all your stuff. Our guide to the best ski boots features more high-quality gear for skiers, so check them out.