How to choose a ski backpack: size, back panel and what to carry

To choose a ski backpack, start with one question: what will you do with it? A pack for a day on the piste, a pack for touring off the lifts and a pack for getting all your kit to the mountain are three different objects. Volume, how it carries skis, how you get into it and how it sits on your back all follow from that answer. This guide goes through each in turn, then lists what is worth carrying on a ski day.

Ski backpack size: how many litres you need

Capacity is given in litres. More is not better on the snow: a half-empty large pack shifts as you turn, and a full small one leaves your spare layer in the car. Buying guides from ski retailers and mountain schools give broadly the same ranges by use.

Ranges summarised from buying guides published by Snow+Rock, Mountain Madness and Switchback Travel. Treat them as a starting point, not a rule. If you ski with children and carry their layers, or you tour in cold, windy places, move one step up.

A travel ski backpack is a different tool

A big ski backpack does not have to be a touring pack. A travel pack is about organisation: boots apart from clothing, the helmet in its own space, goggles where they do not get scratched. The Challenger 65L Ski Backpack is built that way. It is a 65-litre pack in waterproof, durable 100% polyester, with separate zones for helmet, goggles, gloves, ski boots and clothing, external straps to secure skis and poles, and an optional detachable back support frame for carrying comfort when it is fully loaded. Its product page lists skiing, snowboarding, trekking and travel as uses. It is the bag that gets your whole kit to the mountain in one piece; for a light day of lift-served skiing you will want something smaller on your back.

How a ski backpack carries skis or a snowboard

Carry systems matter the moment you have to walk: from the car park, along a ridge, up a bootpack. The common systems are:

• A-frame: one ski on each side of the pack, tips joined above your head. Stable and balanced for longer walks.
• Diagonal carry: both skis across the back, held by a loop at the bottom and a strap at the top. Quick to set up, less balanced over distance.
• Vertical snowboard carry: the board held upright against the back panel, or horizontally with straps at the sides.
• External straps: general straps that hold skis and poles to the outside of the pack, useful for short distances and transport.

Before you buy, check on the product page which system the pack has, and whether it is described for skis, for a board or for both. If it is not stated, assume it is not there.

Back panel, access and fit

Back access

Some ski packs open through the back panel, the side that sits against you. You can lay the pack in the snow, harness side up, and reach inside without putting the wet, snowy side against your back when you close it. Others open from the top or the front, like a daypack. Neither is wrong; back access is simply easier with gloves on in deep snow. Check the product page to see how each pack opens.

Fit on the body

• Torso length: the hip belt, if there is one, should sit on your hip bones, not your waist. Many technical packs come in more than one back length.
• Shoulder straps: close to the neck without pressing on it, with no gap between strap and shoulder.
• Sternum strap: keeps the shoulder straps in place when you turn.
• Support frame: a frame spreads a heavy load. On the Challenger it is detachable and optional, so you can remove it when the pack is lightly loaded.

Try the pack over the jacket you ski in. A pack that fits over a T-shirt can sit very differently over an insulated jacket. Pockets placed high on a jacket stay reachable with a pack on: the Versa 3L Shell Jacket Men has high-positioned zipped side pockets plus sleeve and arm pockets, for that reason.

What to carry in a ski backpack

A ski day starts at minus ten on the first lift and can end in sun on the terrace. What goes in the pack covers the gap.

• A spare warm layer. Light, packable, easy to pull on over a base layer at the top of a lift. The Hybrid Pro MidLayer Men and the Hybrid Pro MidLayer Women are slim, lightweight insulated mid layers made to go under a ski jacket. For a cold, dry stop, the Reversible Waterproof Short Down Jacket Unisex uses 750 white goose down with a waterproof face fabric, in a short length.
• A dry base layer. After a climb, a dry top on the skin is warmer than any extra layer over a wet one. The Termo-Stretch Training Top Men is a four-way stretch thermo fabric with a brushed inner face and wicking, quick-dry performance.
• Water and food. An insulated bottle or a bladder with an insulated tube; hoses freeze on cold days.
• Spare goggle lens or goggles, in a soft case, and sunglasses for the afternoon.
• Spare gloves or liners. Wet gloves are the first thing to make a day cold.
• Sun cream, lip balm, a small first-aid kit and a charged phone, kept close to the body so the battery stays warm.
• For touring: skins, ski straps, a scraper and a headlamp.

Off-piste: safety kit and training

If you leave the marked pistes, the standard kit is a transceiver (ARVA), a shovel and a probe, carried by every person in the group, plus the training to use them. The transceiver goes on your body, not in the pack. Shovel and probe go inside the pack, in a compartment you can open quickly. Many avalanche courses also recommend keeping equipment inside rather than strapped outside.

A backpack is not avalanche equipment unless the maker says so and describes what it does. The Challenger 65L is a ski and travel pack; its product page does not list avalanche features. Before going off-piste, check the local avalanche bulletin, take a recognised course and ski with people who are trained. A RECCO reflector in a jacket helps organised rescue teams locate you, but it does not replace a transceiver; we explain why in what makes a ski jacket safe.

For the fabric side of staying dry under a pack, where straps rub and press on the shell, see waterproof ratings explained.

Ski backpack: frequently asked questions

What size ski backpack do I need for a resort day?

Buying guides usually suggest about 15 to 25 litres for lift-served skiing. That holds a spare layer, water, snacks and a spare lens, and stays small enough to wear on the chairlift.

Can I wear a ski backpack on the chairlift?

Many skiers do with a small pack. Loosen the shoulder straps or move the pack to your front before you sit, so it does not catch on the seat or push you forward. Follow the lift operator's rules.

What is the Challenger 65L Ski Backpack for?

For carrying a full ski or snowboard kit. It has 65 litres, separate zones for helmet, goggles, gloves, boots and clothing, external straps for skis and poles, and an optional detachable back support frame.

Do I need an avalanche backpack to ski off-piste?

The basic kit off-piste is a transceiver, shovel and probe for each person, plus avalanche training. Any pack that carries the shovel and probe inside can hold them. A pack only counts as avalanche equipment if the maker says so.

What should I keep in my ski backpack?

A spare warm layer, a dry base layer, water and food, spare goggles or lens, spare gloves, sun cream and a charged phone. Add skins, ski straps and safety kit for touring.

Sources for capacity ranges: Snow+Rock backcountry backpack buying guide · Mountain Madness, ski touring: choosing a backpack · Switchback Travel. Product details as shown on each product page at the time of writing.