Raide: The new backcountry pack guides are obsessed with
There is a new pack company on the scene called Raide that was founded by Carbondale, Colo.-based engineer, and skier Kyle Siegel, who worked for Space X and The North Face before deciding to start a company to fill a gap in the market that he saw for lightweight backcountry packs. He believed that you didn’t have to sacrifice function and aesthetics for weight savings, and the best of the best in the ski world have taken notice.
“One of the coolest things about the modern gear world is that small companies can specialize on a small product range and have wide exposure easily. This has allowed Raide to make one of the best full feature ski touring/ski mountaineering packs around,” says IFMGA guide and newly minted Raide ambassador Evan Stevens. “Raide has 100% focus on making the best single product possible and isn’t beholden to what’s marketable and functional for folks outside of its intended use. I’m excited to put this pack through the wringer in the awesome ski terrain it was intended for.”
The brand new Raide Research LF 40 Liter pack is a cutting-edge design geared toward those who don’t want to compromise function for weight savings. This ultralight pack does it all while staying featherweight at 1090g. Despite its barely-there feel, this pack has many features that make backcountry travel a breeze, no matter your objective.
While the pack is 40L, a rolltop can expand to provide 50L of space for missions requiring extra gear or overnights. A removable frame and back panel insert create stability when needed but can be taken out when speed is the most important part of a mission. And the back panel can serve as an impromptu splint or sled for when your day out goes sideways.
Back panel access allows entry to the main compartment when the rolltop is still cinched, and a quick access avy tool compartment brings safety to the forefront.
An ice tool carry as well as both diagonal, A-frame, and front-of-pack ski and snowboard carries make this pack versatile for lightning-speed ascents in steeper terrain, and an integrated helmet carry keeps your brain bucket easy to access without it collecting snow on the up.
MSRP: $399
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