The Jones Higher 30L pack is largely unchanged from last year, save for some minor improvements (including streamlined shoulder straps and waistband, as well as a lighter weight overall). It’s still got what it takes to keep all your gear organised, even on complicated multi-day missions.

“The Jones Higher 30L pack takes much of the stress out of hiking up with a lot of gear, and accessing it once you need it”

There’s a specific pocket for your shovel and probe, meaning they’ll always be easy to access in an emergency. The rest of your provisions live in the main compartment, which is accessible via the back panel as well as through the top zip. If you’re taking a helmet (and if you’re that far out of bounds, you probably should), there’s a built-in carrier that prevents it from awkwardly bouncing around as you hike.

Your goggles will stay safe in the bespoke fleece-lined pocket, and there’s space for a hydration system too. As for carrying your board, you can strap it to the back as normal, or if you have a splitboard then there’s the option to use the more efficient ‘A-frame’ method.

Simply put, the Jones Higher 30L pack takes much of the stress out of hiking up with a lot of gear, and accessing it once you need it. What more could you want from a backcountry backpack?

We designed the 30L R.A.S. to be the ultimate backcountry snowboarding pack for avy prone terrain. The carry straps, pockets and helmet holder all interface perfectly for carrying a snowboard or splitboard, and it’s big enough to hold a full alpine kit.

For 2018 we lightened up the pack by changing the material and streamlining the shoulder straps. Mammut’s new Removable Airbag 3.0 system is also a game changer; it is a lot lighter than the previous system, and way easier to get in and out of the pack.