LF 40L

Everything is super well thought out, pack is comfy, it carries well even when maxed out full, all the features are fantastic. The only thing it’s missing is gear loops on the waist strap! Otherwise it’s perfect!

I love my Raide pack. Its design is well thought out and functional. The back panel access is sweet. I like the separate probe and shovel components. Ultimately, it’s the right tool for the job for me!

This thing has been my trusted go-to pack since it arrived on my doorstep. Every feature is carefully thoughtout and designed to help ease transitions and use in the backcountry. I've used the zipper pulls and buckles with thick mittens and it's no issue. I have plenty of space for a short multi-day adventure or can strap it down for a quick afternoon tour. This pack has handled a beating after 100+ days out and still works like a charm. Looking forward to many many more years of adventures with this pack.

One of the best things Kyle does when developing products is give options for how people use their gear. The v3 LF40L is a great example of small iterations giving more flexibility. I have had all 3 versions and this one (for me) is the best so far. Besides all the cool main features (shovel access, probe access, expandability etc) it is often the small details which makes ski touring more enjoyable.
As always --> YMMV.

THINGS THAT WORK FOR ME ON THE v3
--New zipper on the outside stash pocket. I generally carry skins in my jacket, and use the exterior stash pocket for a shell or puffy. So the zipper keeps that area dry.
--Double hip belt pockets. I carry most of my nutrition on my hip belt for easy access...2 pockets means I can easily carry 500+ calories.

THINGS THAT DON'T WORK FOR ME ON THE v3
--Metal hip belt buckle. I spend a lot of time behind Whistler Blackcomb and so lift access is used. The metal hip bucket is too finicky with gloves on when loading and unloading lifts, so I swap it out for a plastic buckle. HOWEVER, if I was a ski mountaineering guy, I would use the metal buckle for longevity and security.
--Sternum strap. On my previous white v2 pack, the sternum strap slid up and down easily on the "rails".....my new black v3 sternum strap sort of stays in place, but can slide out of position when in strange positions. One concern is if over time, the sternum strap "rails" will smooth down with use and thus the strap will slide out of position more. I would prefer a molle style system for securing the sternum strap.

Really enjoying the bag. Personal preference is still to have a zipper closure instead of drawstring at the top

And I noticed the “skins” pocket doesn’t naturally dry out on its own, even with the bag wide open it needs a little assistance to make sure it really gets dry in there

When it comes to backcountry skiing I am not a weight shaving, gram counting ultra athlete. Ultimately I’m out there to ski fun and interesting terrain and I’ll put in as big a day as needed to achieve that. Until now it’s felt like backcountry ski packs were either designed for the ultralight/minimalist crowd or for the heli/side country type. Raide has managed to make a pack that in my opinion strikes the perfect balance between the two. It’s got every feature that I find myself wanting, but nothing extra. Transitions are quick, easy and intuitive. It cinches up nice for short days with minimal gear, and I have also used it for 3 day spring traverses. It does cost a decent amount but, it’ll last season after season and your money is going to real genuine people, and not some mega ski corp.

TLDR; If you’re serious about ski touring, and you’re not gram counting ultra minimalist, buy this pack. It’s the bee’s knees.

In Generally i am stoked, cool backpack nice size and easy to compromise it, nice features etc.
But i am disappointed cause the shoulders are disforming and are way to soft when carrying havy, like you do in a 40l pack…
So i am looking for a closer to maybe replacing/update shoulders

Between work and play, I’ve used this pack almost every single day from December till now (mid April). Without a doubt this is the most high functioning piece of gear that I have ever used. What Raide did here was not try to reinvent the backpack, but instead took all of the best ideas from across the market and put them together in an extremely thoughtful way, with high quality craftsmanship. As a cinched down day pack it carries like a dream, and I hardly notice it while skiing. I live in the PNW and the waterproof material has kept all of my goodies dry on some truly biblical rain days. I recently had the opportunity to try out its multi night capability and it performed very well. It carried 40 ish pounds of gear plus skis and boots about as well as you can hope for without a complicated and heavy frame/ suspension system. I think for true winter camping I would opt for a larger pack, but for hut trips and spring missions the max volume with the roll top expanded was quite adequate. I was in between the M and TL sizes and opted for the T; sometimes I think it feel a bit too long, but I think that’s part of what helps it carry so well when filled to the brim. I would be curious to try a medium size someday. I also am curious to try the 30L but, the 40L does everything so well that I don’t think I could ever justify owning both. Thanks Raide for putting in the work to make a product that actually lives up to the hype!

The storage location for the shovel and probe. The access from the back, all the straps, etc. You can tell that it was designed by someone who has seriously skied in the mountains. The access from the top is also unique and can be used in various ways with individual ideas. The storage space for the climbing skins is particularly excellent.

Overall this bag is great but I share the same complaints as many others.
1.)Metal buckles.so i just replaced them
2.)stitching on the outside front opens up so many options to carrying poles, crampons and tools in various ways.
3.) the webbing for the shoulder straps is too skinny, it twists and gets bound up in the retainer thing
4.) I got a waterproof zipper and buckles put on the primary top closure of the bag, I was getting to much snow inside the pack from the original drawstring closure.
5.) the waist belt pocket without a zipper is useless.
6.) you got 3 stars because it is such an expensive pack and the chest strap was hot garbage - i got this stitched as well and replaced the chest strap

gripes and moans aside, i appreciate the attention to detail and overall putting out a great bag. I am excited for version 3?

I really like the way this pack carries a load. It keeps the weight close to your body and the center of mass is low, which is great for skiing. The probe and shovel compartments are nice too.

I've owned a lot of bags and I could never find one that worked well for all types of ski touring. Depending on the tour, I might need a bag anywhere from 32-50L. I was always switching between bags and would end up forgetting something or being disorganized. I've got a couple of bags from the other big dyneema bag company and the raide bag takes the cake. Living in the PNW and often climbing volcanoes I need to bring sharp pointy things. This bag carries technical tools well and even protects the pick heads. The full back zip is the best option to get to all your gear without emptying out the bag. The roll top design is useful and unique. I could go on and on. A few things I think could be improved- the back outer zip pocket is hard to use for much when my pack is full. I haven't figured out what to keep in it yet. The diagonal carry strap could use an easier storage method. It would also be nice to have a vertical snowboard carry without having to give up your side buckles. For instance if I had tent, sleeping pads, or pickets strapped to the sides I couldn't vertical carry the board. Maybe some kind of external crampon carry would be nice. Awesome bag and stoked to see the future products from this company.

Finally was able to get out in the backcountry and try out my new LF40 on a day trip. What impressed me was how comfortable the pack is. Part of that is it’s incredibly light. It also fits incredibly well (I’m 5’7” and got the small). Lastly since I was only using it for a day trip I was really amazed by how the pack cinches down and felt like the pack I generally use for single day outings. I bought this pack to replace an older one I used for multi day trips like yurt trips but always found it to be unwieldy once we were at our destination and then basically day skiing from that point. It was a similar 40 L pack that expanded to 50 L. I really could see making the Raide my one quiver pack. The materials and workmanship seem excellent though I can’t at this point comment on longevity. I like the layout of the pack though I feel like any new pack requires some figuring out. Overall so far very happy with the purchase. I love supporting a small innovative company.

Hi Raide team! I used the pack on a week-long ski backpacking trip, carrying a load of 50+ pounds for up to 10hrs/day. While I love the durability, easy access and other features of the pack, my biggest grievance was that already after several hours of carrying the pack the ends of the metal frame started digging into my lower back, leading to severe bruises and forcing me to roll a puffer jacket around my hips in order to keep going throughout the majority of the trip. It may be an issue more relevant to women's build - not sure. But adding more padding to this area of the pack or offering some sort of a padded belt cover/accessory would be a huge upgrade - currently I would not risk another trip without finding a solution to mitigate this issue.

Incredibly well-designed pack that keeps on delivering in all kinds of conditions and holds up to a ton of abuse on big mountains. From c2c ski summits to multi-day cold weather mountaineering, this pack peforms extremely well. The only limitations I've noticed are that I would not exceed 60lbs as the weight on the shoulder straps becomes very painful. Also, when the pack is stuffed full to the top, the A-frame carry can no longer flare out the skis and they hit your legs as you walk, but you can do a diagonal carry in this situation.

This pack is pretty versatile when it comes to climbing and/or skiing. It has enough storage for multi day trips and it holds all the technical equipment needed for all of the sports it’s designed for. I recently went for a ski and wanted use of two ice tools for the approach climb and this pack was able to deliver in style. It packs down pretty well for shorter missions but it seems to really shine in the big day to multi day category. I dig the roll top drawstring hybrid thing they have going on for the top of the pack and the helmet carry pocket works great as a quick storage for food, water, other nicnacs that need quick storage, and helmets… obviously. The buckles are fine, not great, but fine. Being slightly larger could be nice but it’s not a big deal. Same goes for the metal waist belt buckle. This pack climbs and skis well.

I’d gone back and forth for months on whether or not I should get this pack. Ultimately, when I decided I was going to, the M/L size was sold out. I took an honest look at myself in the mirror, spent some time with the measuring tape, and decided the S/M would be a good fit for me. I guess part of growing up is realizing you don’t need the biggest pack, longest/fattest skis, etc.

This is all to say, this pack is amazing, and the fit for me has been great (I’m 5’9”). Everything is super dialed in. It’s cool because there are a lot of super sweet features on the pack, but they’re integrated in a very intuitive and simple way. This makes it so the pack is fully loaded with all the features I want, but it never feels cluttered. When not packed to full capacity, it’s cinches down and skis/climbs very nicely. And then when it needs to be at fuller capacity for bigger days, it carries the weight super comfortably. I also really really love the diagonal ski carry system. On other packs, I’ve only ever A-framed because the diagonal carry system hasn’t been great, but I love this one. It’s so fast and so easy. I’ve also A-framed and it works great as well. And the freaking stretchy skin pocket is so awesome. Honestly, every feature on the pack is awesome. Again, very detail and feature oriented without being cluttered.

It also looks sick. I might not be the best skier on the mountain, but I feel like it with this pack on my back.

I spend a lot of time walking with a pack on my back as a ski guide and an Infantry Soldier. I’m very picky with my packs, bottom line, the Raide LF40 is awesome. Carries way better than the other popular white packs made of a similar material. Took this out for an overnight trip with ski touring gear, stove tent and -20F sleeping bag. I still owe Raide an actual weight of the load out, but at around 35-40lbs, the pack carried without issue. I am 5’9” and got the s/m because that’s what was in stock and it was recommended for my height. I typically like taller back panels, but with the load lifters I’m able to adjust the loads just right.

One minor tweak I’d love to see is an ice clipper slot on one side of the waist strap.