Gear Review: Osprey Kode 30 Ski Pack

The Osprey Kode 30 is their ski and snowboard specific pack. Its designed for carrying skis and snowboards to your favorite backcountry powder stash. I'm a big fan of Osprey and their packs and this one is no exception. It is well built and smartly designed. Osprey seem to get all the big things right, and hit the little details you never notice because you shouldn't.

For $140 the Kode 30 in size large has a 2000 cubic inch capacity (the small and medium are 1600 and 1800 respectively), avalanche gear specific pockets for your shovel and probe, decent sized main compartment, fleece lined goggle pocket, an insulated routing for your hydration reservoir drinking tube, easy access pockets on the hip belt, emergency signal whistle on the chest strap and of course straps for carrying your skis, snowboard, ice axe or snowshoes. The stiff back panel functions like an internal frame and keeps loads comfortable, the shoulder straps and hip belt are well padded and making carrying heavy skis and boots as comfortable as possible. The pack is designed to cary skis in a couple of different configurations by routing the skis and straps in different ways. The straps are lined with a material designed to drip the boards of your choice. These are all the big things you expect from this kind of pack. Where Osprey excels is in the details. The zipper pulls are big, tough plastic and easy to grab and hold with gloves on. Not enough companies take gloved hands into account when designing cold weather clothing and gear. For the 2 months I have been using this pack it has performed great. My only issue has been that it is not waterproof. While hiking with a loaded pack while it was snowing, my body heat was melting snow and soaking the pack and its contents. Osprey does make a waterproof pack cover, but it obviously doesn't fit with skis strapped to the pack. This is a small caveat though. Pack your stuff in a dry sack inside the back and call it good.

All in all this is great ski and snowboard specific pack. Their are cheaper packs out there, but you won't find a better built, better thought out pack. I am a big fan of Osprey and they have built another great pack.

Dave