Gregory  Targhee 24 Snow Pack - Women's

Great size, beautiful emerald green women’s day pack perfect for winter adventures and then some! I never wore a women’s specific pack before, and the fit amazing! Feels very light on and fit amazing especially on the shoulders. In winter when you have lots of gear, this will make a big difference! My favorite feature is the sleeve for the water bladder hose. As someone who does a lot of winter field work in Wisconsin, where my Nalgene and my camel back hoses commonly freeze - this will be a savior! It perfectly fit my 2L bladder and can zip away hose until you want it. All the components are well made with tough material, so could fall down the hill pack side down and it would come out unscathed! (It’s slippery in winter ;). Lots of adjustments to fit your body and your gear. Stash pocket on hip belt nice size but doesn’t fit iPhone. No outside water bottle pockets. Cool hidden pocket for helmet. Could also use for other outside gear like extra clothes or shoes. Pack easily carries skis and even snow shoes! Very comfortable to wear, especially light and slim in winter when extra weight is a killer. Will be my new go to daypack!

Perfect day pack for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, or ice climbing. Functional yet durable with straps to hold specialized gear. Built-in insulated storage for bladder tube to keep from freezing.

I gave this pack four stars simply because I normally use whatever kind of pack I might have lying around and just get creative to make it work. So this pack is by no means necessary, but now that I have it, I am actually excited for all the functional components I can utilize for my winter activities. There is a handy zipper on the front that does expand to carry a helmet. I had a hard time finding it at first, but once found it is very accessible. There is small zippered pocket on the top for quick access to items like phone and keys, and several larger pockets depending on needs. I was actually pretty impressed at the ease my shovel fit in the front pocket with plenty of room and height to spare. Also plenty of straps and hooks on the bag various activities or tools. What I am most excited about is the insulated compartment and sleeve for my hydration pack. The pack I have been making work does not keep water from freezing in the tubing during use, so becomes pointless after a little bit of time. I am so excited to have water that doesn't freeze during my time outside! My current winter activities primarily consist of hiking, snowshoeing, XC skiing, and downhill skiing--and I see this pack being helpful and functional for them all as I do more of these activities getting further into winter.

Truthfully, this bag is a bit more heavy duty then I need in the upper Midwest, but I'm excited to use it for activities this winter. This is 100% a bag intended for backcountry skiing/snowboarding and I think it would serve that purpose really well. I did have to watch a couple of videos to see all of the functionality this bag has to offer, so it's definitely something you'll want to figure out at home before going into the elements. I'm 5'1" so I thought this bag might be kind of long, but it actually sits really well! The bag is very durable and the hardware feels sturdy. It has a convenient pouch to hold goggles and there's a helmet pouch as well. I love the insulated pouch for holding my water bladder so it doesn't freeze. I'll easily be able to clip things like my microspikes on the outside of the bag without fear of ripping/tearing the fabric. I'd say the downside is that the bag isn't as versatile as most of mine (e.g. you have to fully take the pack off if you want to bra something from the main pouch and it's heavier to support the weight of winter gear), but it's well designed for backcountry/winter activities.

It hasn't snowed where I live yet so I haven't been able to test it out but in comparison to my current ski pack, the Gregory pack is definitely a better choice. This pack can carry skis two different ways and it's easy to strap a helmet onto it. But best of all, it has four sections in which to carry and organize all of the things you need to pack when skinning uphill! There's the classic top stash with my favorite feature across packs -- a lanyard to securely attach your keys and wallet, a front pocket for goggles that also has a cover for your helmet, and a middle main section to stash your clothes. Accessible via the back zipper is a spot for your hydration pack and anything else you want to carry. The back panel is also impressive with a contoured and textured pattern that feels super comfortable. The hip belt is substantial with a stash pocket on one side and a fabric hook on the other. I'm short with a short torso and the straps adjust to a comfortable fit because of the cross chest buckle. Highly recommend!