Patagonia PowSlayer 38L Backpack Review: A Technical Ripper for Big Alpine Missions

Patagonia has put their heads together on this one. The PowSlayer 38L Backpack was obviously built by backcountry travelers for backcountry travelers. It has every feature you’ve been asking for in a perfect touring pack, with no over the top frills added to weigh it down.

This is a dialed ski touring pack, and the splitboard-specific features help it stand out in a crowded category. As someone who ski tours and splitboards, this pack is an all encompassing ripper. Whether you’re looking for a pack to take chill laps up the local hill or ripping down rap-in couloirs, the PowSlayer from Patagonia is a great choice.

First Impression

Out of the gate, I was impressed by the overall look of the bag- the bright blue color, the reinforced rip-stop material, and the sturdy buckles, zippers and straps. It has a sleek design and low profile that initially seems like it wouldn’t hold a full day’s gear, but after putting it to the test it definitely stuffs full like a 40L pack. This was my first rear-entry ski pack.

At first, accessing the main compartment while the pack was on the ground felt awkward — the shoulder straps seemed to get in the way. Thankfully, the straps are designed to flip cleanly to the side, giving you unobstructed access to the rear panel. Once I figured that out, it became a non-issue. In classic Patagonia fashion, the care tag is gigantic, but on the PowSlayer it ends up getting jammed in the zipper every time you use it. A quick snip makes that a non-issue.

Design and Gear Carry

The sleek and high center of gravity design came in clutch during a low-tide bush bashing excursion up Teton Canyon to the Eddington Chutes. The willow bushes and spruce trees were doing their best to hook and capture each of us as we passed through thick sections, but the low profile bag on my back went the whole day without getting snagged up. The board straps, cross-carry ski straps and helmet carry attachment all tuck away seamlessly.

The cross-carry ski system is adjustable, allowing you to switch the lean of your skis with the simple switching over of a girth-hitched loop towards the bottom of the bag.

There is a rope tie down up top that tucks away when not in use. When combined with the side straps, this pack will keep your rope locked in on the descent of even the biggest BAMs (Big Alpine Mission).

I often like to clip the hip belt around the front of the bag when not in use, and this pack’s slot on the lower front helps keep this process polished and smooth. I use this mode when I’m riding chair lifts, storing my bag in the locker room (helps avoid buckles getting stepped on and broken), on the uphill when I don’t need to be fully locked into the bag, or anytime other time I don’t want the sturdy hip belts flopping around and getting in the way.

The hip belts have pockets on both sides big enough to fit a large smartphone plus a granola bar or two- and both sides have gear loops. The PowSlayer is simple, effective, and field-friendly.

If you’re looking for the ultimate storm-proof setup, this pack pairs perfectly with the Patagonia Women’s PowSlayer Jacket—a lightweight shell built for the same big alpine missions.

Compartment Breakdown

Any ski touring pack worth its weight has a dedicated avi pack, but a large majority of packs I’ve used skimp on the size, making it tough to fit in and/or retrieve the shovel head and probe. Among others, in a 22L sidecountry pack I have from Patagonia, the shovel head pouch design impedes you from comfortably filling up the main compartment of the pack- no such issues arises with the PowSlayer. My shovel, probe, saw, small first aid kit and repair kit all fit in the dedicated pocket without hindering your use of the rest of the pack.

The rear access panel is solid enough to keep your contents from poking you in the back, and the zipper is plenty thick and rugged to seemingly handle a lifetime of use. By keeping the hip belt clipped and spinning the pack around to your front, you can open the back compartment without taking off the pack- pretty clutch for a quick layer change or sip of tea. However, I do love a side zipper access point for a quick grab without having to open up the entire back panel, and the PowSlayer doesn’t have this feature. While there is a nifty piece of fabric in the main pouch that helps items at the bottom from falling out, if you’re not careful jackets, water bottles, or other goodies can fall out when opening up the rear panel.

The oversized top pouch can easily fit a pair of goggles, snacks, ski straps, and whatever other “junk drawer” amenities you need to toss in. Every zipper on the pack comes with paracord extensions to ease access while wearing gloves in the cold.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lightweight, yet sturdy feel

• Sleek, low profile design keeps everything tight

• Avi pocket with ample room

• Large hip belt pockets with gear loops

• Generous rope, ski and splitboard carry features

Cons

• No side zipper to access main compartment

• Care tag gets jammed in zipper, but has easy permanent fix

Overall Impression

The Patagonia PowSlayer 38L Backpack strikes an impressive balance between minimalism and full-featured performance. It carries like a streamlined technical pack but stores gear like something larger. For ski tourers and splitboarders who want clean design, smart organization, and dependable durability, it’s a serious contender.

For the guys, the pack complements the Patagonia Men’s PowSlayer Jacket, which we’ve tested extensively in the Teton backcountry.

Related TETON Tested Ski Touring / Splitboarding Backpacks We Reccomend

1. Arc’teryx Micon 32L Backpack Review
2. Osprey Soelden 32L Backpack Review
3. Gregory Alpinisto 25L Backpack Review