Cirque Ultra 25 26/27

The Cirque Ultra 25 is a durable, sleek, weather-resistant ski mountaineering pack with vest-style shoulder straps. The body is Challenge Sailcloth UltraWeave 200D, with UltraWeave 400D on the bottom and ice tool zones for extreme abrasion resistance. It carries 25 liters and weighs 850 g.

It is fully strippable: the waist belt, frame sheet, ice tool straps, helmet carry and sternum straps all come off, dropping the weight close to a pound for lightweight missions. The trade-off is a minimalist design, so you give up some of the pockets and padding of the standard Cirque packs.

It is for skiers heading deep into the backcountry who count grams and want weather protection. A quick-access, highly weather-resistant roll top, a dedicated avy tools compartment with internal dividers, a weather-resistant accessory pocket with a coated zipper and an upper strap for rope carry keep it simple and functional.

Available in S/M for torso lengths of 16 to 19 inches and M/L for 18.5 to 21.5 inches. Vest-style shoulder straps with multiple pockets keep all-day items within reach, and heat-treated aluminum dogbones with micro PickPockets fit any ice tool, plus a removable diagonal ski carry for bootpacks.

We think it is one of the best light-and-fast ski mountaineering packs made, and a joy to carry on long, committing days.