By BCA Ambassador Fritz Sperry
I've been working with BCA for a while now and love what they do for the backcountry experience. I also love their dedication to backcountry safety their avalanche gear and Float pack series are the gold standards for durability and performance. BCAs Stash series of backpacks have been in my gear quiver for many years, and now the Stash packs have received a complete redesign.
BCA STASH 20, 30, AND 40 PACKS.
There are three backpack models in the Stash line and they differ by volume: 20 liters, 30 liters, and 40 liters, similar to earlier variants. This variation in size is great for a variety of uses and skiers.
The 20-liter Stash backpack is a ski-area backcountry masterpiece that's small enough to take on the lift, but large enough to carry the essentials should things go wrong past the backcountry gates. Its obviously not big enough for overnights or carrying a lot of technical gear, plus rope, but that's the place of its bigger brothers. I also use this pack for riding bikes in the summer it compresses well and sits perfectly while in and out of the saddle.
The 30-liter Stash backpack is my go-to for small and mid-sized days in the hills. Bigger days require more gear and this pack easily accommodates it all (or most). When you start going after bigger, longer trips, you need to prepare ahead for an unplanned night in the cold, and this pack can carry essentials like extra layers or a backpacking stove.
For the really big days, or days that require a rope and rack, I choose the Stash 40. With heavier loads comes the need for a beefier suspension system, and the 40 liter Stash pack delivers. The shoulder and waist straps make for a comfortable ride, and it compresses well for the most important element of the day the downhill.
STRAPS AND BACK-PANEL ACCESS
Each pack has slightly different pocket variations, as well as accessory placements. They all feature two zippered shoulder straps for hydration tubes and the BC Link radio system. The track-mounted sternum strap is an improvement over the previous design, and it stays in place on each model. All packs received a construction upgrade and now offer a waterproof, coated fabric that's stronger than before.
The suspension systems are easy to adjust to your torso size and the waist belts are comfortable if the pack isn't overloaded. The Stash 30 and Stash 40 offer waist-belt pockets for snacks. These pockets also have loops for gear if your harness loops are difficult to reach. The main compartments feature a couple of extra pockets for headlamp, extra batteries, tools, and what have you. The Stash 40 has a holster for the BC Link Radio, as well as a clip for your hydration bladder. The packs also feature a snow pocket. This packet is waterproof and keeps water away from the dry gear in your main compartment, making it a great place for a shovel, probe, snow-study kit, and other wet items like skins and crampons.
But the Stash series best feature is back-panel access. This makes getting what you need fast and easy when your pack is loaded tight, A-frame style. To top it off, the packs have a soft pocket for optics and stuff you might need throughout the day, like sunscreen.
SKI-CARRY FIELD TEST
I'm not a big fan of side-carrying my skis, but there are side-carry options on the packs. There is also space for two ice axes and the helmet carry pouch is an improvement on previous models. On the Stash 20 and Stash 30, the compression straps are secured by hooks. These failed on previous models, but with the newest Stash series, they are much stronger and have stood the test. On the Stash 40, the compression straps are buckles, and they too have withstood the test.
The sizing is key to the Stash series success: small days, small packs; medium days, medium packs; and large days, large packs. This is also good for small, medium, and large people. With this series, you have no excuse to be unprepared for the worst.
BCA Ambassador Fritz Sperry is a skier, author, photographer, and artist who has skied extensively in the Colorado backcountry. He's the author of Making turns in the Tenmile-Mosquito Range, and Makingturns in Colorados Front Range, Vol. 1, both available from his company, Giterdun Publishing. His article was originally published in the Summit Daily.