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did my best to do a little sluething re: the confirmed reports of a BD avalung pack designed for snowboarding and was directed twords this:



sorta Ho-Hum if you ask me. its supposedly called the Outlaw (yes!, cause in this era of extreme sports, its nice to still be viewed by the industy and the public as a bunch of hooligans ). looks pretty much like a covert pack with a board carry system, and not really that great of one...yawn... I really was hoping for more considering BD's stature as an innovative company. but i guess they figured we were probably all too stoned to notice their half assed attempt at designing anything for snowboarders. they kinda got the idea that we needed pack compression too, but only on the bottom board carry strap. doesn't look like there is any easy way to compress the top of the pack, which can make for some pretty bad board wobble with an empty pack, especially when it gets windy. they also decided that we snowboarders don't climb ice, and therefor only need one ice ax carry loop which it looks like you need to tuck under the board compression straps to secure. i'm not that huge of a fan of clamshell packs. they are a yard sale of gear in the making. i really think snowboard specific packs need full board compression, and backpack panel or large side zip access to go with it so you don't need to start unstrapping stuff to get into your pack. also doesn't look to have much for organization or small pockets on the outside, and there is no easy way to rig a helmet attachment system. I guess this is what happens when you ask a bunch of skiers who have never ridden or carried a snowboard to design a pack for backcountry snowboarders. they prob should have made a call across town to voile and asked some real snowboarders what they thought of the whole idea. then mabye we would have something a little better to work with. oh well..always hope for the 09-10 season. but overall, a little bit disapointing for BD's first ever "snowboard specific" product.
chris

I have an anarchist 42L and have added two 2" wide buckle straps with gripper silicone rows taken from an old tactical pistol holster. I used it with those today and wrapped both add on straps around the two pack straps that cinch the pack hood down toward the back bottom. It worked perfect for me.

The anarchist has four compression straps, two per side, a pair at the top and a pair at the bottom. The top ones actually cross the entire pack, the bottom ones merely cover the side area. They work decent enough, but a better design is still to be desired.

I purchased an Anarchist pack without checking it out too thoroughly and was pretty disappointed after using it a few times. I have used a few other BD products and they seemed well thought out, but this pack is really a poor design, even for skiers. Their other packs don't seem any better, at least as far as boarders are concerned. BD also did not seem to be the least bit concerned with any feedback or ideas from riders. It's too bad they are the only company with the avalung.

I have a BD covert and I love it. It is plenty easy to carry my board in ski mode or board mode- you guys just need to use your imaginaaaaations a lil bit better.

I've used my new Anarchist pack a few times this season and it's performed fine. I was a little concerned about the carry straps, as they look pretty flimsy. So far they've held up ok, though I did buy some extras that are burlier which I can sew on if necessary. I've used the extra strap which came with the pack to cinch things down on a few occasions. If I cinch things down tight, it seems to be pretty stable (i.e. - no wobble).

BD will never get on the snowboard scene. They now focusing on a complete AT boot line, and also my retail buddy just told me they were going to target on-piste skiing...WTF? I wouldn't be surpised if they stopped producing Trad Pro to make room for their 10th model of tele ski or 25th model of glove!

You can't beat a DaKine pack. I just rock my avalung sling and pick and choose which pack I wear for a specific lenght tour.

I've got the smaller anarchist (32L) and I love it. Love the side entry and that I don't have to cram everything like in the smaller covert. It could use better straps for when you are forced to carry your board, I'll try what Mumbles mentioned sometime soon.

Yep...

It looks like they stopped designing it half way through.....

i prefer to carry my board as skis.

as for two axe loops - when was the last time you brought two axes with you, and was it overkill? its a ski bag not a climbing bag. (two axes can also fit into one loop, i do it all the time)


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I will 3rd. that motion. They have all the bases covered. BD makes good gloves.

I have a Backcountry Access "BC Stash Rider" and it's been the absolute cat's meow for day trips .