Durable, Electric Daily Driver for Backcountry Skiers: BCA Float E2 Airbag Ski Backpacks

Backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling are inherently dangerous sports. As someone who spends a lot of time enjoying these activities, lowering my risk exposure is incredibly important. In my perspective, reducing risk can be done in a few ways, including conservative decision-making and investing in safety equipment. That includes avalanche airbag ski backpacks.

In the past decade, avalanche airbags have become more refined and prevalent among backcountry skiers. Many recreationists now consider airbag ski packs an essential safety tool alongside a beacon, shovel, and probe.

Over the last 5 years of my backcountry career, having a functional airbag pack has been a vital investment for me. In my perspective, it increases my chances of survival in the occurrence of an avalanche. It’s worth noting that there is no guarantee of safety while using any of these avalanche tools.

In short: I spent an entire season testing both of the electric-powered BCA Float E2 Airbags, including the BCA Float E2-35 Avalanche Airbag ($1,300) for backcountry skiing and the BCA Float E2-25 Turbo Avalanche Airbag ($1,300) for backcountry snowmobiling. I found that both of these packs are very well-designed, durable, and functional. Previously, I spent many seasons ski touring in the canister-operated BCA Float 42 Avalanche Airbag ski pack.

I have field-tested many other ski packs, too. These two innovative ski packs have the brand’s newest all-electric, battery-powered E2 airbag system, creating an incredible combination of safety and usability. These two avalanche airbag backpacks have become an essential piece of my backcountry safety toolkit. These designs set a new standard for what I want and expect a backcountry-specific pack to be.

Compare this ski pack to others in the Best Ski Backpacks buyer’s guide.

BCA Electric Ski Backpacks: Float E2 Airbag Review

There’s a whole lot to love about these new E2 Airbags. First, this is a travel-ready and TSA-friendly design, perfect for riders traveling by air.

After riding close to 40 days in these ski backpacks there are virtually no signs of wear and tear. My testing includes multiple overnight hut trips and managing multiday backcountry ski races in Colorado. Most backcountry users will appreciate the thoughtful details loaded into these packs.

For backcountry ski touring, I’ve been testing the BCA Float E2-35 Avalanche Airbag. This bag carries all the gear I’ve needed for a long day in the backcountry. As a professional photographer and volunteer member of our local search and rescue team, I carry a lot of gear.

I’ve used this airbag pack on short ski tours and overnight expeditions. It’s served me through double-digit negative temps to 50-degree spring missions. The pack can fit crampons and an ice axe to drones, cameras, belay parkas, and a rescue sled.

I’m also a backcountry snowmobiler. For sled days, I used the complimentary BCA Float E2-25 Turbo Avalanche Airbag pack. It brought along all of my essential snowmobile gear, including a sled shovel (for all the times my friends and I get stuck).

I’ve tested this pack across countless snowmobile miles, from groomed trails to untracked powder. I’ve worn this pack while driving my sled, shoveling out snow ponies, and taking snowmobile-powered pow surf laps.

Backcountry Ski Backpack: Airbag System

The real showstopper of this ski backpack is the all-new E2 Avalanche Airbag system.

This E2 engine is 40% smaller and 25% lighter than the former E1 system, even with a 162L airbag. In comparison, I have spent many seasons ski touring with the canister-operated BCA Float 42 Avalanche Airbag ski pack. The space savings of the compact airbag system in the E2-35 lets me carry roughly the same amount of gear that I could fit in the old 42L, but the overall package is lighter.

In the big picture, the complete airbag system only takes up 4 L of space, giving the 35L backpack 31 L of empty room for my cargo.

The E2 system also offers superior cold weather performance — operating in a -22°F to 122°F (-30°C to +50°C) temperature range — thanks to a supercapacitor system as opposed to a lithium-ion battery. The supercapacitor system is lighter and more efficient, meaning there’s a faster airbag deployment. However, the difference was negligible when I compared the deployment speed to that in my Black Diamond Jetforce.

Rechargeable, Battery-Powered Airbag

This electric system can easily be deployed multiple times in the backcountry, unlike a canister-powered airbag that is single-use. This means that an electric design is perfect for testing an airbag throughout the season or protecting yourself after a single deployment. The electric system means it’s TSA-compliant, just like a camera or laptop battery, so that you can travel with ease.

A firm tug on the bright orange T-handle activates the airbag. The supercapacitor quickly inflates the airbag, popping the breakaway zipper. Once filled, a finger release on the pack’s exterior releases the air in the airbag. Compared to the older Float canister airbag design, this airbag is relatively easy to refold and rezip into position, even in the backcountry, making redeployments fairly simple.

Easy to Recharge, Backed Up With Batteries

You can recharge the system at home with a USB-C connection or in the field with AA batteries. The ability to recharge the backpack from AA batteries means you can essentially have unlimited backcountry deployments as long as you carry extra batteries.

AA battery backup using a lithium battery (as opposed to alkaline) will allow for one to two additional deployments in the field depending on the ambient temperatures (if it’s colder, that number is lower), so your protection window is very large. This system also allowed me to take this pack on 5-day hut trips while managing a backcountry ski race in Colorado.

Internal Storage: E2 35L and 25L Ski Backpacks

Both the Turbo 25 and E2-35L backpacks have ample internal storage. The Turbo 25 has 21 L of storage space, and the E2-35 has 31 L.

My favorite feature when testing these packs was the unique 10L stash pocket at the bottom. This Velcro-secured pocket is accessible from both sides of the pack. You can open and reach inside the pocket without taking off the backpack.

I found this side-entrance pocket design to be very handy for carrying things that I wanted easy access to while touring. That includes skins, water bottles, snacks, and a mirrorless camera. Being able to access these items without taking this ski pack off was a game-changer. This stash pocket also comes with an internal divider. The divider helps keep wet gear like skins or water bottles from spreading to the entire pack.

Overall, I could fit enough gear in both packs for a full day in the backcountry. My full-day kit includes a medical kit, food, and water. I also carry extra layers, a ski binding repair kit, crampons, ski poles, and skins. I bring a full-frame Sony camera with a 24-70mm lens and a Mavic Air 3 drone, controller, and extra batteries.

Built-In Radio Sleeve, Avalanche Safety Gear, Ski Goggle Pockets

I loved the integrated radio sleeve, which kept my radio easily accessible on the shoulder without worrying about cable management or having it flop around. Both packs also have a built-in radio pocket. The radio pocket was perfect for quickly accessing the radio body without having to dig through my pack, allowing me to fast-change channels when meeting up with different groups.

The trigger has the same zippered sleeve. I didn’t need to worry about the airbag pack accidentally filling up. I could stash the handle away at the end of the day. 

Both packs have avalanche safety pockets on the backside of the pack with separators for a probe and shovel. I found these pockets small, lengthwise and widthwise, just barely fitting my shovel blade and handle. But they were deep, meaning I could fit my splitboard poles inside the pocket, tucked under the shovel blade, which is necessary in freezing conditions. There is a small zippered pocket, which is perfect for a repair kit or skin wax.

Both backpacks have fleece-lined ski goggle pockets up top, though I typically used that pouch to carry my GoPro, inReach, and snacks, because it is the most easily accessible pocket. Inside the main compartment was another small zippered pocket with a key ring. These pocket options helped stash away smaller gear items without cluttering the main compartment.

External Carry Options: E2 35L Ski Backpack

There’s a lot you can strap to the outside of the E2-35L. This ski bag comes ready with very durable frame ski carry straps, two on each side of the bag. These straps also work as compression straps when not carrying skis, helping keep some of the bulk of the pack closer to my back. I also found them great for strapping various items like a camera tripod or ski poles.

Other carry options include diagonal ski carry and vertical snowboard carry, both of which are easily accessible thanks to a well-placed top strap. The external helmet carry on the back panel feels very solid. I like how it stores away when not in use, and can be clipped in two positions to work with both A-frame, diagonal ski, and vertical snowboard carry.

The bag comes with dual ice axe carrying capacity though only one Velcro strap, meaning you’ll need to utilize a ski strap on the second axe. There are a plethora of tie-down points on the bags that will fit a ski strap so you can strap down just about anything to the backpack.

There’s also some storage at the hip belt. The left side offers a zippered pocket perfect for snacks, while the right has a gear loop for clipping, climbing, ice, or rescue tools. However, I would have liked to see two hip belt pockets with gear loops underneath like the older BCA Float 42L.

External Carry Options: E2 25L Snowmobile Backpack

The Turbo 25 pack was designed with snowmobiling in mind and has a few specific tailored features compared to the touring-oriented E2-35L. It has three different ways to externally carry a shovel. First, you can carry a fully assembled shovel on the back of the pack, with the handle pointing upward.

If you don’t like the handle sticking above the pack, there’s an external shovel handle pocket on the left side of the back. Additionally, you can still carry both the shovel blade and handle inside the avalanche tool pocket.

In powder snowmobiling, getting stuck happens a lot; having the ability to carry a fully assembled shovel that easily clips off the pack saves precious time and energy during recovery.

Ergonomics & Fitment

I have used many ski packs over the years, and as someone who likes to bring everything into the backcountry, I know that not all backpacks ski well with anything inside them. The new Float E2 packs are some of the most comfortable packs for backcountry activities, even fully loaded down.

Both packs are internal frame packs with a molded back panel with cooling fins. This back panel is stiff enough to hold the weight of a full pack while also conforming to snugly fit my back. The shoulder straps and hip belt are both extra wide and thoroughly padded, making carrying a heavy load uphill feel easier.

Load leveler straps and compression straps help tighten down the packs for downhill skiing or intense snowmobiling. I was very impressed with the backpacks’ ride quality and snowmobile quality, which inspired confidence to jump off cliffs and rail turns, and get extra dynamic when wrestling my snowmobile.

Critiques

While the new E2 backpacks are by far my favorite backcountry airbag pack, after spending a season with them, there are a few things I wish could be improved.

My biggest complaint is turning the airbag system on. Turning on the airbag system requires opening the main compartment, and then a second zipper covering the power switch, charging port, and LCD screen showing battery percentages.

There is no easy way to turn on the airbag system while wearing the backpack like the Black Diamond Jetforce offers. Turning it on usually requires me to set the backpack on the ground, empty the main compartment almost entirely of gear, and open it fully like a book to gain access to the internal zipper. I have not been able to do this process quickly in the field.

Checking the Charge

To check the charge, you have to be inside the backpack with the power switch while simultaneously looking at blinking lights on the exterior of the backpack, which I find awkward.

Reading the LCD screen that shows the supercapacitor charge and the AA battery charge is almost impossible with anything in the backpack. And it almost always requires me to shine my phone flashlight on the screen to read it.

Strap Adjustment

On both packs tested, the E2-35 and the Turbo 25, the chest strap is hard to adjust up and down on the shoulder straps. Additionally, on my first day with the Turbo 25, I noticed the connection point for the chest strap to the shoulder strap was woefully underengineered. I immediately thought I could lose the clip out of the backpack when not buckled.

Halfway through my first day of snowmobiling, my fear came true. I went to clip the chest strap after digging out a stuck snowmobile. It was no longer attached to the pack, lost somewhere in the snow. The same clip on the E2-35 was designed better. I never had the issue of falling out of the shoulder strap, though adjusting it up or down on the shoulder straps was difficult at best.

Small Avalanche Tool Sleeves

Lastly, on both the Turbo 25 and 35L packs, the avalanche tool pockets are on the small side. Most guides, professionals, and even recreationists are moving to larger-bladed shovels (10” W) and 300m-plus probes. Making a slightly larger pocket would allow for a larger-bladed shovel to be carried as well as a longer probe.

On the Turbo 25, this pocket would not fit my 15×10 Voile T-Wood shovel. Additionally, even with a BCA Shovel and Probe, I had to have both the shovel handle and probe at a diagonal, not in the specified pockets. I just barely got the zipper closed, with the safety tools putting significant pressure on the top of the zipper.

BCA Float E2 Airbag Ski Backpack: Conclusion

The new BCA E2 airbag packs are overwhelmingly loaded with pros despite minor cons. All in all, these electric-powered ski and snowmobile backcountry packs are highly durable and rich in features. They are paired with a smart design: One of the best supercapacitor airbag systems on the market.

These ski backpacks have plenty of storage for short tours to multiday expeditions. Thanks to a TSA-friendly design, they are easy to travel with. The ability to recharge the supercapacitors and use AA batteries as a backup means you can keep the airbag recharged indefinitely in the backcountry, which is great for multiday missions.

For any backcountry skiers or snowmobilers looking for an airbag that does it all, look no further than the BCA Float E2-35 Avalanche Airbag and BCA Float E2-25 Turbo Avalanche Airbag.