Airbag backpacks.
ABS’s latest airbag offerings for this season recently showed up on my doorstep – a big box required by how many different packs they make! The ABS airbag backpacks are unique in that they consist of a single base unit that can have several different types and sizes of packs zipped on to give the ultimate in versatility. New for this year everything has gotten lighter and has sharper looks. ABS has been in the airbag game for over 20 years, and although they seem to have found a winning formula with their airbag system, they are still making small changes to ever improve their backpacks.
Dr. Andy Gnar models the Vario 18 Ultralight while contemplating some sidecountry turns. Need more snow!
New for this season, the ABS Vario series has 40, 25, 18, and 15 liter zip on options, plus a bonus cover. The Powder series has 5 and 15 liter zip ons. There’s not as much reduction in weight from last year as I’d hoped, but things have gotten lighter, and that’s great. If you have an older zip on from previous years, or have one of the many third party zip on packs, you can still use it on the new base units, as the zipper size standard has remained in place.
The Powder 15 base unit is unchanged, including the long neoprene hip belt strap. The zip on now has two big zippered openings.
ABS Powder Line
The Powder series packs are small and lightweight, perfect for sidecountry and mechanized skiers. The Powder base unit is practically identical to last year’s, save for a new back panel material. The 15 liter zip on has been beefed up and has a two clamshell zip compartments that completely open up- a shovel and probe pocket in front, with the main compartment in back. Included are a hydration bladder pouch and hanger, but no hose port, so you’ll have to route it through the zipper. Gear loops are added to the front, but the diagonal ski and vertical snowboard carry system are the same as last year. Basically some webbing loops that come with some straps. Doesn’t interfere with airbag opening. See last year’s ABS Powder review, as not much has changed. It’s still geared towards mechanized skiing and freeriding as it has a short back so that the hip belt will ride high on most people. This works well for light loads, giving lots of mobility. My 5′ tall wife skinned with it and found that the length worked well for her, but the hip belt wouldn’t cinch tight enough around her skinny waist. In fact it only just gets tight enough for me. So, if you’re short and fat or like to free ride with a light load, this is the pack for you.
Comes with a detachable helmet carrier. Very easy to use and hook onto the gear loops.
Easily get to avy tools with the big opening. Only short shovel handles will fit.
Leg loop strap- necessary for keeping the pack on you in an avalanche. Most manufacturers have figured out a way to have one side stay fixed to the hip belt while the rest can be quickly stashed into a pocket when not in use. ABS continues to baffle me by not making their leg loop this easy to use. You have to completely remove the leg loop when not in use. They do provide a pocket for it, but it's on the opposite side of the hip belt. The Vario packs have the same issue.
ABS Vario Line
The Vario pack system has been around for a few years, and was one of my favorites for the last couple seasons (see last year’s Vario Review). This year, ABS has dropped some weight from the base unit by using lighter, but stronger, airbag fabric like the Powder series and improved the hip belt buckle. The zip on size break down has changed; the 15 and 18 remain, but the 30 and 50 have been replaced by a 25 and 40. I’m a little sad to lose the 50 liter for big hut trips, but the 40 should actually be fine for that. Regardless or which one you order, your base unit will now come with a new fabric cover, which can actually be used as a pack in itself! I’ve been calling this the ‘Vario 0’.
The Vario lineup. Top row, left to right: 15, 18 Ultralight, 25, and 40. Bottom: 'Vario 0', base unit, and cartridge and activation handle.
The 'Vario 0' carries just as much as the 15 liter, but without the bells and whistles. It comes with any size of zip on ordered.
The only way to open up the '0' is by the zip on connecting zip which runs around the entire circumference. No big deal if you don't need to get into it that often. Shovel pocket and handle straps included. Just enough space to also have some water, skins, extra layer and some food.
The Vario 15 now has two full clamshell opening zips — main compartment in front and avy tool pocket in back. It actually has a bit more volume than the Powder 15, and comes with a hydration hose port, though the port runs the hose across both zips on the outside, making it seem like an afterthought. Ice axe carry and similar diagonal ski carry and vertical snowboard carry to the Powder 15.
ABS Vario 15. Two full zippered openings make it much easier to get into the pack than last year's.
Main compartment opens to reveal a couple of smaller zippered pouches and enough room for water, puffy, skins, and a snack.
Shovel tool pocket is a full clamshell zip. It is between the main compartment and your back, rather than the typical outside of the pack. The Vario 15, 25, and 40 all have this feature, which apparently some people like. I feel that putting the shovel blade in this position creates a dead space where you don't want dead space, right against your back.
Because shovels are curved, you can't get around the dead space. If you flip the blade around as in this picture, you still get dead space behind the neck, and the neck then protrudes into the main compartment. The end result of putting your shovel and probe in the avy tool pocket is that the heavier pack contents are pushed further out away from your back, increasing swing weight, and to make matters worse, if you use a long shovel, it will poke you in the small of your back at the bottom of the pack. Solution? Don't use this pocket and store all your gear together. Better yet, cut the divider out (as tends to happen over at WildSnow HQ).
Excellent helmet carry mesh easily clips into the gear loops, way easier than ones I've tried from other manufacturers. Ice axe goes on too, but if you deploy the airbag, the bag on the ice axe side might puncture, so use tip protectors. One great thing about ABS is the dual bag system, so if one punctured, you still have another!
Vario 18 Ultralight
The Vario 18 Ultralight zipon is unchanged this year, save for new colors and little bungies on the inside that hook in with buttons to organize your shovel and probe. I found them difficult to use, so pulled them out. The 18 was one of my favorites last year, a super light pack and just big enough for short tours or side country skiing (see my review of last year’s Vario 18).
Same diagonal ski carry as the other ABS packs, it works well if you add your own strap to the top and trim the bottom strap. Two side pockets (one is visible in this photo) are great for quick access to snacks or gloves. Tele bindings, not Dynafits. Hah, take that Lou.
Vario 25
The Vario 25 replaces the original 30, and instead of a top loader drawstring, it has a zippered main compartment and a clamshell zipper avy tool compartment in back. You also get a small goggle type pocket accessible from the outside, small zippered pouch inside the main, and a bladder pouch. Hydration hose port is between the main and avy tool zippers, so at least it will only interfere with the avy tool zip and not both. Ice axe loop and the standard ABS diagonal ski carry and vertical snowboard carry as well.
The Vario 25. You can see the avy tool zip running long along the bottom, while the main compartment is just a short zip around the top. Note the gear loops and ice axe holder.
The main compartment has a relatively small zippered opening, which works well if you don't overstuff the pack. A slight constriction just below the zipper makes getting things in and out somewhat tricky.
The avy tool pocket, which is nice and big, but has the same issues as the 15. If you decide to put everything, including avy tools, in the main compartment, the opening is too small to be able to get at anything effectively. If you swap places- shovel and probe in front, everything else in the tool pocket, the tool pocket is too slim to hold much. I say cut the divider out and be happy.
The Vario 25 and 40 come with load lifter buckles on the shoulder straps to connect to the pack, which is great for pulling the weight in closer to your body. The problem is that the connecting straps on both the 25 and 40 are on the wrong side of the avy tool pocket, so if you use these straps, you can't fully open up the zip. Not the end of the world to have to undo the strap or to just open the zip part way and reach in from the side, but it's a definite oversight.
Accessing the shovel through the side, without opening the zip all the way. This will work with small shovels, but it's tight with a fully loaded pack.
As with all ABS pack ski carry systems, it won't interfere with the airbag. Helmet mesh carrier is the same as the ones above- easy to use.
Vario 40
The ABS Vario 40 is superb. It offers a significant amount of space for it’s weight, making it ideal for long days, ski mountaineering, and overnights. It’s definitely bigger than Snowpulse’s Pro 35 and will hold more than BCA’s 42. It’s a top loader, making it easy to stuff full, yet has a side zip for easy access to the bottom. And for those of you waiting for an airbag pack that has A-frame carry which is actually compatible with the airbag, here it is at last, and well executed to boot. The lid (which is permanently attached, unfortunately), has two pockets, and there’s an ice axe loop. No snowboard carry, though it could easily be accomplished with some mods. This pack (and all the other Varios) comes with the ‘0’ pack cover, so you get the versatility of a small side country pack and a full featured touring pack in one- well done ABS!
The Vario 40 might seem to hang off your back a little bit if you forget to use the load lifters and hip stabilizer straps. With those cinched up, it carries very comfortably.
Solid A-frame ability, and if you must have diagonal as well, it wouldn't be hard to set up with an extra strap.
Side zip access is nice to get things at the bottom. Expansion collar for loading it full.
Ski carry poses no problem with the airbag. Ice axe spike might be an issue, but the rest of it is protected by my skis (assuming they don't get ripped off in a slide).
Quick weight breakdown, including zip on, base unit, filled US steel cartridge, and activation handle:
Vario 40: 7.65lbs
Vario 25: 7.29lbs
Vario 18: 6.95lbs
Vario 15: 7.17lbs
Vario ‘0’: 6.44lbs
Both the Powder and Vario series packs use the same ABS non refillable cartridge which must be sent back in the mail to one of their many distribution centers, including several in the US and Canada now. They use a dual airbag system, which provides some extra safety through redundancy — if one malfunctions or rips, you still have another. Each bag is 85 liters, for a total of 170 liters, 20 more than other airbags. This system has been around for many years and has saved many skiers lives in Europe. See my ABS How To for more on how to set up and use ABS packs. For weight comparison and pricing on this and other airbag backpacks for backcountry skiing, see the Wildsnow airbag overview.
Nick Thompson brings an incredible amount of skiing and mountaineering experience to WildSnow.com. Nick grew up climbing and skiing in the mecca of Telluride. He has a super attitude and incredible drive, making Nick one of those people who is terrific to be in the mountains with.
