The Ortovox Switchback 27L Backpack puts a shoulder pocket, a side compartment for crampons and climbing skins, and rope access all within reach, so the most important gear never requires taking the pack off mid-tour. Built minimalist and lightweight for long days in remote alpine terrain, it balances a genuinely technical feature set, from ski carry systems to an integrated safety compartment for shovel and probe, against the low weight demanding ski mountaineering actually calls for. What Our Gearhead(R) Experts Are Saying:"I've pulled my skins from the side compartment and clipped my ski crampons back on without ever sliding this off my shoulders. On a long tour where every stop costs time and body heat, that access adds up fast."