Help Needed: Alpine touring hardshell and pack

[echo_VT]

hi there.

with black friday approaching i am looking for what i might want and like in a hard shell and the touring pack department.

i am using a nice hybrid shell from MEC but it is not perfect. looking to round out my AT set up with these pieces that i would love to get working for me.

i am thinking a 25-35 L pack. i haven't searched for one yet, but i am likely to go with Arcteryx or Outdoor Research or Osprey mostly b/c i know the brands. but i am also thinking maybe i need an airbag pack? i know it is safer. i am considering. in which case i will need advice for an airbag pack that would work for small women.

the shells i am looking at - i am mainly looking at Arcteryx b/c i think they do a really nice job with shells and they're super packable and lightweight. the Beta SV and the Alpha SV stand out. i am leaning toward the Beta SV since the description matches more of what i'm doing but my husband says the Alpha SV is a better product, although aimed more toward climbers. He had me look at Mammut and OR but when i compare weights and design, i can't justify those except for the lower price when i know i might be experiencing a long day outside with lots of snowfall. i want to be dry and comfortable and i want to be able to ski without the jacket or pack getting in my way while skiing or walking up.

Thanks for any advice if you have it for me!
You all helped me last year to get the Arcteryx Beta SV bib pants and they are really perfect for AT.

 

[GeoGirl]

Hi Echo! I ran across something on OutdoorGearLab that might help you with those decisions... they go really in-depth. https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/clothing-womens/best-hardshell-jacket-womens. I know there are backpack reviews on their site as well, if you have a moment to look around.

 

[echo_VT]

that is helpful thank you @GeoGirl - i have seen this and was going to go about trying these, but i did want input from skidivas direct experience with great shells for backcountry skiing too i will try all the things but definitely don't want to miss anything...!

 

[marzNC]

I really like my Arc'teryx shell. Used it for hiking recently and really appreciated the really long pit zips and big pockets.

 

[Ringrat]

I have an OR Aspire jacket, though it looks like it's changed slightly for this year. I don't actually wear it much while in the backcountry, but it sure gets carried around in my pack a lot. It has to be snowing quite hard for it to be on for the uphill, more likely to be on for the downhill.

I usually carry a Gregory 45L pack, even for day trips. It's emptier for day trips, but it compresses nicely so things don't bounce around. I don't want to encourage overpacking, but make sure you get one big enough to fit what you need. Yes, there's your lunch, your layers, your water, and your avy gear. That's the minimum, and most people have no trouble getting those things into a pack in the 25L range. But, depending on what kind of terrain you're in - are you prepared with sufficient emergency equipment to spend the night if the weather turns, you get lost, or there's an injury (to you or a buddy?). That's the SAR professional in me talking, but know that even if you can call for help immediately, that help might not be coming until daylight when they can assess the avalanche conditions and travel in safely. For example, if there are 3 of us going together for a day, between us we'll have the ability to heat water, fairly extensive first aid supplies, the ability to make fire, the abilty to make shelter without relying on being able to dig a snow cave, etc.

 

[WaterGirl]

@Ringrat I want to tour with you ;)

@echo_NY Check out the "Whats your set up? AT/ Backcountry" thread for ideas on packs and clothing

I now have 3 packs that I use w/ my AT set up:
1. Small Deuter similar to "SPEED LITE 12" for easy side county - i.e. - skins, snack, extra water, small emergency kit for dropping out of bounds for some quick fresh lines... for a few hours
2. Longer tours off the mountain or day tours ARVA Rescuer 30L (now comes in 32) has dedicated avy pocket etc enough room for extra clothing and food.
3. Overnight or longer day tours North Face PHANTOM 50 ( seems like they don't make any more?) I love this pack when I need to have more gear.

I am smaller and don't like the packs that have internal "frames" I loved that the Phantom 50 held everything for overnight touring w/ out having to have a heavy metal frame and was easy A frame or diagonal ski carry.

 

[echo_VT]

I really like my Arc'teryx shell. Used it for hiking recently and really appreciated the really long pit zips and big pockets.

which arcteryx shell do you use?

@Ringrat, yeap i don't believe i'll actually really need the shell unless it is snowing quite a bit, but the times i have gone it has been snowing a lot and i needed a hard shell. i expect where i plan to go this Jan it will be more of the same.

i won't be touring to the point that we'll be staying overnight - the place i'm planning to go is a hut with guided service so i should hope we are not staying overnight in the woods mainly thinking about a big pack swinging around while going downhill -

the 45L Mammut pack i used last year in the Cascades was such a hindrance to skiing esp. with respect to balance in steep stuff. everyone else had a much smaller pack than i did - averaged about 25-30L - and they all managed way easier - theirs didn't swing about so heavily. it was awful. everything was jostling around back there.

@WaterGirl yes i don't like the ones with frames either. the one i used last year had a frame and it kept hitting the back of my helmet. did i say it was awful yet. i still have nightmares about using that pack with so much powder that i can't properly enjoy my lines. i'll look into your 2. recommendation as i think i'll need something of that size - !

 

[WaterGirl]

@echo_NY another option is the Black Diamond Dawn Patrol 32 which is actually 30L for small/medium size. I used this several times before I bought the Arva it is another pack that is light without a frame and really I never really noticed it when I was skiing. If I hadn't found the Arva on sale for $99 I would have probably ended up w/ the Dawn Patrol. Sounds like your pack was awful - all packs mentioned above and the Dawn Patrol "fit" me well and don't move around.

 

[marzNC]

which arcteryx shell do you use?

Sorry, can't figure out which shell I got. There is a code # on the tag but that seems to apply to assorted versions. I think the MRSP was around $600, far more than I would normally pay for a shell. But I was in the Arc'teryx outlet store south of Denver and there was an additional late season discount. My husband is an enabler when there is a big discount involved.

The Beta AR seems the most similar.

 

[echo_VT]

the black diamond dawn patrol sounds perfect @WaterGirl i will look into it!

@marzNC haha my husband is also an enabler, and the Beta AR looks amazing.

okay! i think i know where i am headed. i will go check the product out in stores at some point soon i hope and make a decision shortly thereafter!

 

[echo_VT]

Alright! I did it and pulled the plug - this is what I ended up getting. Thank you everyone for the thoughts! (Posted this on the wrong thread but thought to copy paste here)

I recently got some Black Friday deals and scored a women’s specific backcountry pack and a shell.

I got the women’s patrol 35 from mystery ranch. We considered the airbag one from osprey but decided to maybe go for it at a later time since they are still new to the backcountry scene (although well supported by the industry now)

https://www.mysteryranch.com/patrol-35-womens-pack

I’ve tried it and it’s very customizable and the organization is pretty amazing. I hope I love it for the long term - I will be taking it up with me when walking uphill.

The husband just got the patrol 45 last season and he loves it. He just took it with him to hike to the fire tower at Hunter (there was lots of snow up top!) and he said it was great.

I believe the person who runs the company was a great bag designer for maybe arcteryx or something? And well respected bc the bags were amazing. So we’ll try them and see how it goes. Thanks to everyone for the recs though - we were looking at those bags too.

I also wanted a do-everything shell- my one goretex layer from MEC is great but with no pit zips, it’s tough when going uphill. Arcteryx came out with a backcountry ski specific shell called the senitel (or sentinel?) so I should be receiving that soon (it was ordered last week).

I tried on the beta sv as well as the senitel - at the store in NYC. While the beta sv is amazing, I was sold on the senitel and backcountry specific features. And we were considering the outdoor research one that’s at the top of outdoor gearlab list for women’s shells - but came across an arcteryx deal we couldn’t pass up.

Can’t wait to put these to use!

 

[echo_VT]

The pack has a frame but is adjustable and it was okay. With the helmet it didn’t hit the back of my head at all. I’m still unsure but I hope it’s fine and doesn’t pose an issue. A nice thing about the frame is it lets everything be distributed evenly as you can cinch the bag down so it is close to the body when in movement.

I hope it works out -

 

[echo_VT]

So the one I ordered was the original but it was the sentinel LT that we were interested in (the new one that just came out) so we are getting that soon I believe!