BCA Stash 30

Our take Most ski packs of this volume are one-size-fits-all, but the new Stash offers 3 inches of torso length adjustment. “My partner’s torso is several inches longer than mine, but when we loaded up 35 pounds of video and photo gear and traded off shooting and skiing we both felt great,” one 5’9” tester said after an expedition into Tam McArthur Rim, Oregon. The adjustment mechanism is an easy-to-reach hook-and-loop flap behind the lumbar pad.

The details Suspension consists of a thin, flexible perimeter wire that extends into the hipbelt and helped the Stash shadow our every move. It has the best snowboard carry in the test, thanks to dual horizontal, rubberized straps. (Ski carry is A-frame or diagonal.) A snow-safety pouch on the front keeps probe and shovel handy. Access the packbag via a big, U-shaped zipper in the backpanel that helps keep gear out of the snow, or through another U-shaped zipper for top-loading. A fleece goggle pocket on top fits even the largest lenses.

Trail cred “The burly side ski carry slots are big enough for my 130-millimeter fatties, but the nylon webbing holds my skinny cross-country skis just as tightly,” one tester says.

30 liters; one size (18-21 inches)