Mystery Ranch Gallatin Peak 40 Ski Touring Pack?

[Poser]

I'm in the market for a new backcountry ski touring pack as I hate all 3 ski specific packs that I own: Black Diamond Dawn Patrol 32, BCA Float 42 and a Scott airbag. They don't fit me that well, they lack capacity and don't carry weight well at all. I tried to make the SG Avail work as well, but the A frame carry loops aren't wide enough for my splitboard in ski mode, no helmet attachment and lack of dedicated pocket for avy gear is questionable from a safety standpoint.

Looking at this MR Gallatin Peak 40. https://www.mysteryranch.com/gallat...TaJl1wMWdcQhAS8VUa44F0p6uPVFqhagTngm4EldBmD4c

Anyone have experience with this pack? There are some mixed reviews on it, but having positive angle load lifters and a pack designed to actually transfer weight to the hips is a huge plus that this entire market lacks.

I ride a hardboot splitboard setup so need to be able to attach my binding plates to the pack while skinning. This pack has a lid which would seem to work well for securing the bindings. Capacity seems right.

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[TradArcher]

I use Jones packs and find they carry weight well for me.

For splitboarding that is.

 

[grainhog]

I used the original saddle peak for a season, then sold it and wrote a review on their website, which I can't find now. This was like 2018. It was a great pack, and at 25 L, I could do almost anything with it that I didn't need to spend the night on. They integrated most of my suggestions into the next generation (better alligator clips, helmet carry, bumped up the volume slightly, dedicated ice axe attachment), but somehow it was just more cheesy and heavy and contrived, so I sold that one and never bought another MR pack.

That was the last dedicated ski pack I bought, other than the 22L BD Cirque vest i wear. For dawn patrol up to half days, I wear the Cirque, and beyond the I use a bare- bones HMG pack that I rigged my own cross carry and ice axe attachments to. I attach my helmet with a single piece of shock cord (that I thread through vent holes in the helmet and attach on a daisy loop on the other side with a tiny carabiner).

In my opinion basically all dedicated ski packs are contrived and over-engineered and heavy and otherwise inadequate in some way. I think my modified hmg pack solves most problems, except that dyneema ultimately doesn't hold up to cross carry forever, and there are no dedicated avy tool compartments.

Also, I'm never buying any pack ever again that doesn't have vest-style storage in the front and elasticized stuff pockets like all the ultralight backpacking packs have now (looking at you, stone glacier).

 

[TradArcher]

I used the original saddle peak for a season, then sold it and wrote a review on their website, which I can't find now. This was like 2018. It was a great pack, and at 25 L, I could do almost anything with it that I didn't need to spend the night on. They integrated most of my suggestions into the next generation (better alligator clips, helmet carry, bumped up the volume slightly, dedicated ice axe attachment), but somehow it was just more cheesy and heavy and contrived, so I sold that one and never bought another MR pack.

That was the last dedicated ski pack I bought, other than the 22L BD Cirque vest i wear. For dawn patrol up to half days, I wear the Cirque, and beyond the I use a bare- bones HMG pack that I rigged my own cross carry and ice axe attachments to. I attach my helmet with a single piece of shock cord (that I thread through vent holes in the helmet and attach on a daisy loop on the other side with a tiny carabiner).

In my opinion basically all dedicated ski packs are contrived and over-engineered and heavy and otherwise inadequate in some way. I think my modified hmg pack solves most problems, except that dyneema ultimately doesn't hold up to cross carry forever, and there are no dedicated avy tool compartments.

Also, I'm never buying any pack ever again that doesn't have vest-style storage in the front and elasticized stuff pockets like all the ultralight backpacking packs have now (looking at you, stone glacier).

You just reminded me of the Whatvest I have for front country splitboard laps, not really for longer tours though. Yeah vests are comfy to ride in for sure.

 

[grainhog]

You just reminded me of the Whatvest I have for front country splitboard laps, not really for longer tours though. Yeah vests are comfy to ride in for sure.

Huh, crazy, never seen those before, pretty cool.