Every ski touring bag needs a helmet carrier!
Nowadays, ski touring backpacks are full of features that are well thought out and designed to help us fiddle less and ski more. One of the most innovative ideas that is generally overlooked is the trusty external helmet carrier.
This little bit of engineering genius has helped ski tourists move away from a variety of mediocre solutions including carabiners hooked to chin straps, bungee cords, stuffing it inside your pack, helmets hanging from the backpack shoulder straps, or not bringing your helmet at all, etc. Now skiers can rejoice with well designed helmet holders becoming the norm. Besides working without hassle, they allow you to bring a smaller backpack because the helmet is stashed externally or bring more snacks to fill all that extra internal space. This is a win-win situation.
Finally, here is one last nugget of free wisdom that will streamline your ski touring game. Since your helmet is being carried externally, it creates a hollow space underneath that can be used to stash jackets. This means when you stop for a break or you are heating up as you crush vert, you can grab or stash your warm puffy jacket from right under your helmet without having to rip open that pack. If this trick is speaking to you, remember that it is a safe bet to stash your synthetic jackets or hardshells under your helmet instead of your water intolerant down jacket. Another bonus, you've got even more space for snacks in your backpack now.
If you are missing out and are dreaming about buying a new backpack equipped with one of these fancy harnesses but your current bag is still in good shape, and you love it or your pocket book is a little light, there is hope for you too! Many companies make helmet carriers that can be easily attached to almost any pack. Here is one made by Deuter that is simple to attach and adjust.
Helmet carriers are just another great innovation to ski touring and a great reason to always bring a bucket, especially when the early season stoke is high, the tide is low and the sharks are lurking just below.