herschel backpack with water bottle pocket

1. The mountain is calling, and you must go —fresh powder awaits. If you’re a backcountry enthusiast, that means hiking through pristine snowfields, soaking up stunning mountaintop views, and soaring your way through heavenly sprays of powder. If you’re into resort riding, it means taking deep tree turns, fast park laps, and smooth, freshly groomed runs. Wherever you plan to ski or snowboard, it helps to have a way to carry a bit of your gear. At a minimum, you’ll want space to stash things like spare goggle lenses, a tool for your bindings, an extra layer, an extra helmet, or a hydration pack. If you’re on a multi-day tour, you’ll want even more provisions such as emergency gear, beacons, shovels, food, extra insulation, a flashlight or headlamp, straps to hold your skis or snowboard, and possibly even an avalanche bag. To help you know which pack is best for your winter adventures, we’ve sifted through what’s available and tested a slew of models from the best outdoor brands on the market. Here are our picks of the best ski backpacks perfect for either a day or weekend spent in the snow. Athletico Ski Boot Bag The spacious Athletico Ski Boot Bag allows you to store your boots separately from the rest of your gear, keeping those other items dry and grime free. The zippered side pockets each hold one boot, with venting and grommets near the bottom to drain out melted snow. The large center pocket is big enough to hold all the rest of your gear, and a padded back close to your lumbar area makes transport a little less stressful on your back. The entire bag is crafted with water-resistant polyester, keeping your stuff inside dry even in the snowiest of conditions. Reflective material in the piping and across the straps add safety when traveling with the bag in low visibility conditions or after dark. You can’t beat the price either —it’s one of our cheapest options on this list. Athalon Everything It’s obvious how the Athalon Everything bag got its name: You literally can fit everything in it. A large center pocket will fit not only your snow gear but a change of clothes and helmet, too, while separate ventilated pockets hold your wet boots away from everything. There’s even a pocket on the front to store your MP3 player or smartphone. Its padded back adds comfort when using it as a backpack, and a strap on the top allows you to use it as a carry bag if you prefer. Perhaps what attracts us the most to Athalon’s bags is the five-year manufacturer’s warranty. That is one of the best in the snowsports industry and makes us feel much more comfortable spending close to $70 on a backpack. herschel backpack with water bottle pocket But it’s worth it — the quality is noticeably better than most, and the company stands by its product. Transpack Edge The Transpack Edge is a lower-cost variation of the XT1, and features the “isosceles storage system” that has become a trademark of the company’s bag design. While it might not have the space of the previous two bags, the triangular shape of the bag makes it easier to transport because it is far less bulky. One thing we do miss from the other bags is the rear padding to protect your back. That shouldn’t be too much of an issue, however, as this bag isn’t designed to carry as much as some other bags. The straps are padded though, which reduces the strain on your shoulders. Patagonia Descentionist

2. Made with bombproof Cordura material, Patagonia’s awesomely durable Descentionist fits everything you need for any winter touring expedition. With a main compartment featuring an asymmetrical spindrift collar, the pack opens extra wide to let you pack everything into it while a secure drawcord cinches everything down tightly.It features an ultra- convenient quick-access zipper on the side for added gear, along with a special pocket for a probe or any avalanche tools. Aside from being versatile, it’s also an extremely comfortable backpack with a high-density foam back panel and padded hipbelt which supports heavy loads without crushing your back. Dakine Heli Pro Dakine’s Heli Pro is the ultimate crossover backpack, providing a smaller, bulk-free resort pack that won’t catch on chairlifts while also offering enough backcountry features to sustain a day off- piste. It’s loaded with features including a cozy fleece-lined goggle pocket, shovel compartment, helmet attachment loops, and a sternum strap rescue whistle. It offers wearers the ability to strap on snowboards vertically and a diagonal or A-frame style attachment for your skis. The padded hip belt and back panel makes it comfortable to wear, and its customizable straps ensure it doesn’t rub or chafe, even while ripping at breakneck speedsThe North Face’s Borealis 28L backpack is much closer to a traditional backpack than some of our other selections, but we like it both for its style and versatility. This particular backpack does just fine as you around town backpack with its included laptop sleeve and many fleece-lined pockets for your other gadgets and goodies. But it’s equally at home on the trail and the slopes with stretchy water bottle holders and external bungee storage for wet gear. The Borealis doesn’t have a spotto store your boots, and while water repellent, it isn’t necessarily waterproof. Still, its style and capability to be more versatile than your standard ski backpack certainly make it an attractive option.