In my friend group, it’s a running joke that only rad skiers use backpacks, and by merely wearing a backpack on the slopes, you can elevate yourself into the circle of elites. For several years now, even despite the knowledge that backpacks are rad, I had been reluctant to join the rank of elite skiers. I was somewhat worried about feeling comfortable on the ski lift with something on my back, and didn’t want something to alter my center of gravity while skiing. But, after beginning to feel like the Michelin man with everything shoved into my jacket pockets, and getting tired of using my husband’s backpack to hold extra layers, I finally decided that I, too, should be one of the best skiers on the mountain.
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I purchased the CamelBak Powderhound 12, as it seemed like it would fit my requirements, and also is smaller in size than most other bags. I don’t have any intention of exploring the backcountry, so I felt that bags in the 20L or 30L size range would be far too big. Really I just wanted something that would hold some food, some water, an extra layer, and my extra goggles lens.
After using the bag this season (12 days) I can say that this bag was worth the purchase. It has pockets that fit and separated all of my necessities. It has a pocket for the hydration bladder, a main pocket with a separate lined goggle pocket, and a small side pocket. The side pocket is the perfect size for keys, wallet, tissues, protein bars, or anything else that you might need quick or frequent access to. The main pocket ends up being a bit of a black hole for everything else – sunscreen, even more protein bars, hand warmers, puffer jacket or other extra layer.
One cool feature of the bag is the quick release loop on the left strap. Pulling up on that quickly loosens the strap, making it easy to slip the bag around and access either the side or main pocket. Extremely convenient for that mid-gondola sandwich!
My chairlift fears never really materialized while wearing this bag. It’s small enough, and sits high enough on my back that I never felt unsafe while riding up – I never felt like I was being pushed too forward in the seat, which was one of my initial concerns. What I also really liked is that all of the straps had elastic loops to keep the loose ends tight to the bag. It gives peace of mind while riding the lift, and also is a small detail that really makes the bag feel well thought out.
The only feature that I didn’t test is the ability to strap your skis to the bag to carry them. You would think that at some point over 12 days I would have gotten frustrated enough with lugging my skis around that I would have tried it, but I didn’t. Oh well.
There are a few cons to the CamelBak Powderhound. The key strap in the small pocket doesn’t function all that well at keeping your keys attached to the bag. I found my keys loose in the pocket once, and it doesn’t really have a locking mechanism or anything to really keep your keys on. I think it can be managed by attaching something else to the key ring, but I’m disappointed it doesn’t work well out of the box.
The other con is with the hydration bladder. I had a few times where the tube kinked at the bottom of the bag, and I was unable to get any water out through the tube. I had to stop and reposition the bladder on the mountain, which wasn’t ideal. Again, not a deal breaker in any sense, but something to look out for – make sure to test the flow of water before you get on the lift.
Those are really the only flaws I found with the bag, and I don’t consider them dealbreakers. I would definitely purchase this bag again. It was very comfortable to wear, and helped me carry some extras on the mountain without relying on the limits of my jacket pockets. And, I did become a pretty rad skiier while wearing it.
