A Dialed Pack for Big Backcountry Adventures: Raide Research LF 30L Review

My face pressed against the glass of the helicopter, I gazed out across the Alps, drooling over Mount Blanc’s terrifying northern slope and the endless peaks stretching all the way to the Matterhorn. As the helicopter slowed to a hover, I took note of the safety zone, stepped over the skids, and slung my pack over my shoulders to keep it from blowing off the steepest slope I’ll ever ski.

Last spring, I was in the French and Italian Alps as a guest of Eleven Experience — and I brought a few toys to test. Most notably, Raide Research’s LF 30L ski mountaineering daypack. The Alps were an ideal sandbox to test and play with this extremely technical pack.

Materials science, engineering, and old-fashioned passion elevate the Raide Research LF 30L to a top choice backcountry ski pack. Using a problem-first approach, no matter what the need, the LF 30 is the solution for most every day in the backcountry.

Well thought out and user-friendly, it’s a light, durable, and capable precision tool for big days deep in the backcountry. For my testing in the Alps, I couldn’t have had a better tool.

In short: The Raide Research LF 30L ($400) is a well-executed, lightweight pack for the ski touring fanatic. With multiple access points and load-carrying flexibility, even fully packed, the LF 30L holds its shape and keeps your kit organized. Avalanche safety gear all has its place, making it fast and easy to access when speed is of the essence.

Check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Ski Backpacks.

Raide Research LF 30L Review

GearJunkie reviewed the Raide LF 40L backpack when it was released in 2023. Ski editor Will Brendza concluded that this pack “sits on the bleeding edge of the future of backcountry ski gear.” When I got my hands on the LF 30L — a smaller pack for shorter, but still technical tours — I was curious to see if it lived up to the high praise.

LF is short for “light and fast,” but I’d wager to say it’s more ‘light and functional.”

At just under 2.5 pounds, this pack is decidedly light, but not the lightest on the market. Raide never claims to be. And that’s a good thing. Paring down to the absolute minimum trims weight, but also durability and utility that can impact functionality in sketchy situations.

Everything about the LF 30L is the culmination of what works in the current landscape of backcountry packs, but welded seamlessly together with functional intent. And in the backcountry, functionality means speed. Especially when you need it.

The Testing

In addition to taking an avalanche training course and generally sliding around my local hill, this past April, I was invited to ski in the French Alps. Just south of Chamonix, outside Val-d’Isere, boundless backcountry opportunities spilled off the slopes. I could ski all the way to Zermatt if I had the time. Instead, I stayed closer to my chalet, with lift-assist access to the local backyard.

The spring snow was hard in the morning, softening to corn toward the afternoon. My longest tour was 10 miles, with the occasional lift to slingshot over to the next valley over.

Compartment Access

The LF 30L has three ways to access its contents. Primary access is through the U-shaped, clamshell-style back panel. This is an easy way to see all of your kit without having to dig through your gear or unpack on the slope to retrieve that water bottle that sifted to the bottom of your pack.

It works great on the snow. You can lay the pack down while keeping the back and shoulder straps dry. You can also un-shoulder the clipped pack and rotate it around your waist, and do the same. It’s quick and easy. I often found myself doing this on the go. It makes short breaks shorter and prevents items from getting tossed by a gust of wind.

The top of the pack has a roll-top closure that expands the 30L pack to just under 40L when fully loaded. This is exceptionally useful for overnights, as it allows you to carry all your gear up, and then reduce capacity for day trips.

Just behind the neck, and out of the way of the helmet clip/rope clip, Raide sewed in a watertight zipper that puts loose items close in reach without having to open the entire pack. I found this a great way to access my sunglasses, snack, or belay parka.

Avi Gear

The LF 30L has dedicated pockets for your avalanche safety gear. A vertical pocket slides up the right side of the pack and is accessible on the go through a waterproof zippered port at the bottom of the pack.

Behind the pack hides a wide, semi-circular zipper pocket for your shovel blade and handle. Both the probe and shovel can also be accessed from inside the pack. The shovel pocket has a small drain port sewn into the bottom to let accumulated snowmelt flow out of the pack.

There’s some merit to keeping these two equally accessible but independently stored. You are more likely to use the probe first, either testing a snow bridge’s stability or probing for a skier. Only after you find the body do you need the shovel. This configuration helps you move more systematically when the seconds count, and reduces the chances of dropping the shovel out of reach.

Stash Pockets

Outside the pack, the LF 30L has two external pockets to store gear. One massive “shove-it” style pocket on the outside that’s perfect to keep your wet skins or crampons, and another smaller pocket to keep things dry.

This second pocket is small (8” x 8”), and with the pack filled, there isn’t a lot of wiggle room for much more than a map or journal to document the snow conditions.

But the shove-it pocket is roomy and keeps the wet skins from wetting out your other gear. In addition to skins, I used it to store my wet gloves and shell. A third mesh zipper pocket with a keyring is sewn to the inside of the back panel and is the ideal place to secure your wallet or keys.

Two pockets ride on the hip-belt. On the right, a zippered pouch is large enough to secure a phone. A smaller, overlapping stash pocket sits on the left. I like this mixed configuration of zippered and sleeve-style pockets. It allows you to lock down valuables but grab fuel on the go or tuck wrappers without fiddling with zippers.

Over the roll-top, you can tuck the helmet under the shove-it–style pocket. Like everything else with the LF 30L, it integrates seamlessly with the pack, eliminating that annoying helmet sway. You can also keep a rope under this strap and tie the loose ends under the side compression straps. I found you can safely store a few other loose items inside the stowed helmet, like an extra pair of gloves.

For ski mountaineers, the pack can holster two ice tools, with the sharp end protected by burly Ultra 400 pick sleeves. Both tools can be accessed while wearing the pack by releasing the buckles of the pack.

The sliding chest strap has an integrated whistle. There’s a loop to clip a carabiner for hardware. A bladder sleeve is positioned inside the back panel, featuring a central port to accommodate the hose over your left or right shoulder. Raide even runs a glove stash down the left shoulder strap.

Ski & Board Carryability

Whether you prefer to sling skis diagonally, A-frame, or vertically lash your snowboard, the LF 30 is highly modular.

A funky (and robust) gear loop can be girth-hitched to different points on the pack to slide your skis. This modularity allows you to match your ski load to the direction of the slope, eliminating tail drag on the side-hill snow.

For snowboarders, the opposing bottom compression strap buckles mate, allowing you to lash it around the pack to support the underside of your snowboard. A second strap is girthed to the top of the pack and can sling skis ski-mo style or lash the top of the snowboard down.

All lash points for the ski carry options are mounted to the rigid frame of the pack, significantly reducing ski sway during a boot pack.

Frame

Inside the large zippered compartment back panel hides a composite insert. It flexes vertically with the back, but rigid folds prevent it from rounding out when weighted under load. Nine circular pads, separated by 1-inch air channels, are molded to the composite insert, providing padding while allowing heat and moisture to flow away from the back.

A horseshoe aluminum tube is bent to match the curve of the back and is tucked behind the back panel zipper in the pack. This gives the pack even more stability when weighted down. Raide doesn’t drop the hooped stay all the way to the bottom of the pack. This is great — it prevents the stays from rubbing on the ground, and eventually through the pack. Well done.

Materials

The outer bag material is made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) — the same material used in Dyneema. But Raide’s main fabric is not Dyneema. It’s Challenge Ultra 400X. It feels like a slick canvas, is 100% waterproof (to some 130k hydrostatic head), 100% UV-resistant, PFAS-free, and 100% recycled.

This is a great upgrade. I own and love several packs constructed from Dyneema. But once the laminate wears out, the long fibers become exposed, leaving a spider’s web of strands that catch on everything. Over the years, I eventually needed to trim the raw fibers on some of my Dyneema packs.

Ultra 400X is woven and feels notably more hearty. I expect it will last for years beyond my traditional Dyneema packs.

Inside, Raide uses a proprietary high-tenacity polyester base with Dyneema cross-ply ripstop and a waterproof film. Raide designed the fabric because there was nothing on the market that was waterproof and as abrasion-resistant and lightweight as the brand wanted. It feels slick and is a citadel, warding off any water from breaching the pack.

On the Slopes: Raide Research LF 30L

At 2.3 pounds, the LF 30 is light but not invisible. The composite and aluminum frame added structural support for skis and prevented hard goods from poking into my back. The stiff ultra 400 contributes significantly to the squared-up form. It feels substantial even when empty.

A gentle taper narrows the pack toward the bottom, tucking behind the hips and out of the way of your hands. This makes it easy to reach around to the right to deploy the probe. You need to swing the pack off the left shoulder to access the shovel blade and handle. The layout is intuitive by feel, and the zippers slide smoothly. It is, however, ergonomically biased for right-handed people.

Volume & Straps

30L is the standard volume for backcountry skiing. And with its expandable roll-top, it’s more than perfect for a full day assault. I was able to fit all my avi gear, parka, food for the day, and water without pushing the pack or zippers to the limits.

Four compression straps pull the weight close to the body, helping you maintain your balance and stay centered.

While I didn’t have to haul my skis in France, the strap systems hooked up logically at home. The top ski-mo strap ships tucked behind the neck. Once you find it, it’s intuitive to use.

I particularly liked that the accessory ski-haul straps are girth-hitched, rather than sewn to the pack. This allows you to swap sides to match the slope. That, and sharp edges, can quickly trash nylon straps. These straps are easy to replace.

Frame, Pockets, Back Panel

I never removed the hooped aluminum frame, but I don’t know if I’d drop a few grams to go through the struggle. I appreciated how the frame adds some support and curves to match the torso.

The stow pockets on the hip belt of the pack are awesome. I spend most of my time in the backcountry touring, so I’m constantly eating on the go. This keeps a steady drip of calories close at hand.

This is the first pack that I’ve tested with zipper access through the back panel. While not the only pack to do so on the market (Eddie Bauer, Deuter, and Mammut do so as well), I’d look for this in any future backcountry pack. It allows you to access gear in wet, snowy conditions while keeping the back panel and shoulder straps dry. I also found it easy to access gear while on the lift.

Downsides

The LF 30L is the second pack in Raide Research’s collection (after the LF 40L). The company has had time to work out 1.0 issues, primarily addressing the avalanche kit layout. Instead of storing these in a zippered pocket behind the pack, the probe and shovel are now stored in two separate pockets accessed from the bottom. As I shared above, the layout is biased for right-handed skiers.

The pack is also sparsely padded, but this really doesn’t bother me. It’s more padding than a webbing strap, and since I’m already wearing layers, it really doesn’t need padding for comfort.

At $400, the pack is expensive. However, given the cost of high-end materials like Dyneema and Ultra 400, I believe you are getting a good value. Raide has a spring sale that offers a 10-15% price drop.

Lastly, Raide Research sells one of the few pack manufacturers to build a pack specifically to mate with the Safeback SBX Avalanche Survival System. This isn’t an airbag system. Instead, when deployed, it pumps air to the skier for up to 90 minutes. It’s also light and takes up much less space than your traditional airbag.

For $880, you can buy the SB LF 30L, which has two ports that funnel the SBX hoses into pockets on the shoulder straps. While you can feed the SBX hoses through the top of the LF 30L’s back-panel zipper, it makes accessing the pack through the back panel a hassle. It doesn’t seamlessly retrofit the LF 30L with the SBX, and the SB LF 30 isn’t sold without the SBX. You have to commit to one or the other.

Competition

Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s Aspect 32, with its 400D Fully Woven Dyneema, comes close to the LF 30L in terms of durability. I’ve tested the Aspect, but I found that the pullover lid flap is less functional and somewhat wonky.

The side access isn’t as clean as the horseshoe back-panel access in Raide’s pack. The hip belt is thin webbing and lacks stash pockets for treats. All this, and Raide’s aluminum frame allows you to carry more weight more comfortably.

Mountain Hardwear’s Snowskiwoski 40 is light, supportive, and constructed from durable 500D Cordura, but it doesn’t have a back-panel entry for easy access into the main compartment.

Black Diamond’s Cirque 35 has both a roll-top and a side zipper to access the main compartment. Avi tools are stored in a single pocket behind the pack. You have to remove the pack to get to them. And the helmet is stored under a removable mesh helmet carry. I really appreciate Raide’s integrated helmet carry system.

All backcountry packs incorporate some of these accessories, but none pull the bells and whistles together like Raide Research.

Parting Thoughts

My guides in France all rocked a Dyneema pack — most of them made in Europe. One had a custom-made, €900 Dyneema pack, with the telltale silver frayed strands showing the pack’s age. Between cheese and the slopes, the conversation inevitably came back around to the Raide Research LF 30L. They were all impressed by the durability, functionality, and sheer good looks of this pack.

On my way out of Geneva, I saw two blokes walking to the plane, shouldering the LF 40L version. They shared that they skied the Haute Route from Cham to Zermatt with the LF 40.

The 40 is definitely the better pack for extended tours. But for long days with descents sprinkled in, I prefer a pack that isn’t too big or cumbersome and doesn’t get in the way. I like a pack that works with me, out of the way until I need it.

The LF 30L is a thoroughly vetted pack with intentional design. There are so many design elements that, even after 6 months of working with the pack, I am still discovering new ways to utilize them. But these elements don’t interfere with the functionality. The intuitive design works with you, yet simultaneously adapts to your use. The LF 30 is ideal for side-country, backcountry, and gear-intensive trips.