NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Osprey has always been at the top of our list for hiking, backpacking and ski touring packs and now with the Osprey Kresta 30 & Kamber 32 Packs both women and men have something to smile about. Loaded with features and made to last, their good looks are only the first thing you'll notice on a long list of 'things done right'. Bravo Osprey on your third Gear of the Year Award.
The Backcountry Skiing Canada Team.
Osprey has thought of everything with their new Kresta 30 and Kamber 32 ski touring packs, for her and him respectively. These packs are designed for the backcountry enthusiast who’s headed out for a slack country lap or an entire day of ski touring. The women’s Osprey Krestra 30 (the main focus of this review) is well equiped for a full day of adventure; whether you plan to hike, snowshoe, ski or snowboard.
The Kresta and Kamber packs have an array of ski touring specific features, such as a dedicated goggle pocket and two main storage compartments to quickly access your snow safety tools and dry gear. Both packs have a built in sleeve pocket for a hydration reservoir, which routes through an insulated shoulder harness to help prevent freezing. The Kresta has a women's specific shoulder and lift straps and the hip belt is comfortable and helps carry the load.
Good looking and full featured, the Osprey Kresta 30 pack also comes in a men's version, the Kamber 32.
The Kresta and Kamber ski touring packs have a smooth formed back panel which is thermal padded and designed to prevent snow from sticking. The internal frame is made of a light wire aluminum material which provides good rigidity and support. At just 30 litres the Kresta is a relatively small pack but it’s suspension system is well designed as it has to occasionally carry your skis and/or snowboard.
In order to access the interior of the Kresta or Kamber packs you need to first undo the buckles located on each of the shoulder straps. Once this is done you can then unzip the back panel access and get at anything you need from inside the pack. You can either keep the hip belt on, and swinging the pack to the front of the body, or you can put the front of the pack onto the snow and access the back panel. Both options will allow you to keep the back panel dry so when you put the pack back on it’s not wet or full of snow.
Huge back panel access so you can easily access your gear.
The main body of the Kresta and Kamber is where you store all your gear that needs to stay dry and away from your wet avi gear. In this compartment area there are a few more zipper pockets. One is a mesh zipper pocket that has a built in hook to secure your keys, the other is for your hydration reservoir. The hydration hose routes through an insulated thermal sleeve in the shoulder harness, helping prevent the hose from freezing.
The right shoulder strap has a built in hydration sleeve to help prevent your water from freezing when the mercury dips.
All the zippers on the pack have extra large loops so you don’t have to take your gloves off in order to unzip or zip up your pack. All the clips on the pack are also glove friendly so your hands can stay warm rather than exposing them to the elements.
On the sternum strap there's a safety whistle built into the buckle, the whistle is located close to your mouth for ease of use and is oriented upside down to prevent snow from getting into it. Further down on the hip belt there are two large pockets to store items that need to be quickly accessed, such as your cell phone or snacks.
A build in rescue whistle is found on the sternum strap,… just in case.
Two options for carrying skis, A-frame and diagonal across the back of the pack, which is also how you’d carry a snowboard.
Looking for a women’s specific ski touring pack (or a men's version in the case of the Kamber pack) which is loaded with features and able to support you on a full day of backcountry skiing? Then the Osprey Kresta 30 may be for you, unless of course you’re now a man, then it’s the Osprey Kamber 32.
Both packs are well designed and allow you to organize your gear in an efficient manner with quick and easy access to your avi tools. They easily fits all your avalanche gear, safety kit and have room for extra clothing and food. The back panel access is super handy and the long list of features makes these packs a winner. If you are a snow boarder, fear not these packs have you covered there as well.
I’m a smaller framed woman with a history of back and feet issues and this pack allows me to carry all that I need without the extra weight. The contour of the women’s specific Kresta pack fits well around my waist and hips and feels great on my back when putting in laps on the skin track.
PROS:
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CONS:
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Osprey Kresta 30
Price: $220 CAN / $170 US
Volume: 30L
Colours: Powder Blue, Twilight Grey
Sizing: XS/S and S/M
Weight: 1.44kg / 3lb 2.5oz
Osprey Kamber 32
Price: $220 CAN / $170 US
Volume: 32L
Colours: Cold Blue, Rip Cord Red, Black
Sizing: S/M, M/L
Weight: 1.36kg / 3lb
Comfort / Fit 2/2 Features 1.5/2 Durability 2/2 Function 1.5/2 Quality / Price 2/2 |
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