Deuter Guide 45+

I spent the better part of a decade cheaping out, bouncing between lame hand-me-down backpacks for ski touring so you can imagine how amped I was when a Deuter Guide 35+ pack came into my life. Sure it doesn't have a built in stereo and won't do my laundry for me, but it makes ski mountaineering & touring a cruisey.

The Deuter Guide 45+ pack has all sorts of smaller brothers in it's family, but it seemed like the perfect fit for long day missions our favourite kind of trip. So over the course of the last few months shredding with it, we had to of course put it to the test, as we were faced with some unanswered questions.

First up, would it fit my fat skis? Bingo. The wide side straps easily strapped up my 108 underfoot boards, with room to spare for even fatter.

Next, would it accommodate all our junk? And when it gets smokin' hot, still hold everything and our clothes? Check. On a trip up to the Icefields Parkway in the Rockies in scorching sun it easily held all the food, a full 3lt Camelback, backcountry gear, ice axe, helmet, harness/ropes, video camera in the pouch, jackets and even has some gear loops for biners and our make-shift harnesses...

The pack fits comfortably, and has a pivotal hip belt that makes extended mountaineering and ski touring a joy.

But seriously, it's solid build, effective use of pockets straps, and loops, and breathable supportive frame makes it an epic choice for guides & skiers alike.

You never know when you might be in the woods, on the ski out from an epic day in Glacier Park or the Duffey, when you come across a guy who needs old crampons but regrettably left it behind to save weight for his 24 Pilsners to come along. Time for a temporary trade? With a versatile pack like this... I see a solution...