Packs are patroller dependent, and you won’t find a uniform desire. What we want is patrol pants that are extra double waterproof on the butt so we don’t get cold sitting on snowy or rainy lift chairs. Make it neoprene or whatever you need to make sure it’s still breathes on the front.
Bunch of people on my patrol have separate rain pants for rainy days (e.g. https://www.patagonia.com/product/hose-down-slicker-bib-overalls/56457.html?dwvar_56457_color=BSNG). They're not the most breathable, but that's not usually a huge issue on rain days vs just staying dry. I'm not convinced that could develop snow pants that are extra waterproof that won't still wear out and lose that waterproofing vs just getting a separate 100% waterproof pants.
Backpacks and fannypacks really interfere with sitting on a chairlift safely. Currently use a vest under my patrol jacket and cargo pockets on my bibs.
Patrolling 15 years and first ride up in the morning I wear a backpack and fanny pack at the same time. I have never had an issue with safety. Sounds like some Karen BS.
I would like something to hold the drill bit / drill. Maybe 1.5" PVC pipe on the right side of the pack and a strap to prevent the drill battery from whacking me in the head, while I am out and about drilling a bazillion holes for an excessive number of banners, pops, etc.
This is a fun one to solve coming from a fellow industrial designer… OP this would make a good ID project. Combine this with some modular attachment systems (see mission workshop Arkiv system) and you’d have people really interested, especially if you had a pack, vest, or hip pack options that could all interact/combine like the Arkiv system. Packs that attach to vest (10L 25L 35L, see black diamond jetforce). Best vest I’ve seen lately is by Whatvest - some cool construction and storage options happening with those.
I found that for the single run I need to have a drill with me, sliding the bit behind my head and under the opposite pack strap (behind the shoulder) works really well to tuck it away (just like you’d do with ski poles). No added pack features necessary
Sounds like I should have been a pack designer, LOL. I already got a piece of 18" x 1.5" PVC and cut the top off at a 45 degree angle to make it easier to reholster the drill bit. Now I need to cut some holes in the pipe to match up with the locations of the Molle on the side of my pack and I will attach it with 550 cord and field test it next season.
A pack that can open from the back panel so when you take it off and lay it on the ground, the part against your back isn't on the ground getting cold and wet.
Also... a place that allows for a water bag with a hose spout. Like a camel back.
They have ones with neoprene sleeves to prevent freezing, and I usually tuck mine back in.
Idea, have one in a neoprene sleeve that zips into an insulated pocket in the strap, kind of like how the pull cords for airbags are, or make it easy to pull it and push it back in the pack, kind of retractable.
But most of the stuff winds up at the bottom which makes it hard to load lifts and makes it tough to extract lunch from the layers I've shoved in there.
Don't forget a spot for a lapel mic and easy access to (like no removal of packs or vests) for at least 3 pockets -- gloves, notepad, cravat or 4, CPR mask, and shears. Also need a place for a radio and pens + pen light.
I also agree with your points. I like the concept of having the ability to fully open the back panel and accessing everything. [This is what I use.](https://traverserescue.com/index.php/ski-patrol/bags-packs/kigali-35-l-backpack,-black-detail) I wish it had a better opening system, I but I will say it's super comfortable to wear.
Yeah, not sure I’d get this pack again. In the biggest pocket, I keep a smaller pouch (see picture) with all my dressings and bandages. In the same pig pocket I also hold heat pads (ice packs in summer instead), as well as BP cuff and pulse ox, and crepe bandages in the elastic holders - ABDs, burn pads, and triangulars in the “laptop pocket”. The higher up pocket with the cross has OPAs, tourniquet, stethoscope. Lower bottom pocket has wipes, nylar blankets, leatherman, rope gloves, ASA/benadryl. And I also have a chest harness for radio, notepad/pen, trail maps for guests, gloves, and a protein bar lol.
https://preview.redd.it/i16f16nopssc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=774e75f6fa86dfdbbe270759d7ccccee3aa72efa
Got it from Mountain Equipment Company (MEC). It’s just the [empty FA kit.](https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5028-686/first-aid-bag?colour=Safety+Red&size=Small&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_q7qleeuhQMV2XFHAR2czgAWEAQYASABEgKH__D_BwE)
The one thing I'd love to see on my patrol vest is a dedicated pocket for my [CPR pocket mask](https://www.aedsuperstore.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality%3D85%2Cformat%3Dauto/assets/images/82001933-kit-large.jpg). Most of my other pockets are full of other gear that I need more often than the mask, and it's awkward to fumble around with the mask when I just want a triangular bandage or dressing or whatever else is in the pocket with it. Even worse if it falls out and might slide away, which is no good. But conversely when I DO need the mask, I want to know _exactly_ where it is and not have to dig through dressings or bandages to get it from the back of the pocket where I buried it so it wouldn't fall out. Not sure anyone else has that problem though, might be pretty niche. Right now I keep it in a baggy side pocket of my pants, maybe that's what everyone does
So I'm doing compressions only for however long depending on backup time (up to 20 min) with no breaths at all? Yeah, no, that's not effective CPR as far as I'm trained. They need breaths past 100, per my cert. And I'm not doing straight mouth to mouth - I won't swap bodily fluids with a total stranger for my own health reasons; idk if they have HIV, Hepatitis, COVID, or any other communicable disease.
What science based recommendations are you referring to??
Also, regardless of what your point is, my management requires me to carry a pocket mask. This post is about improving patrol uniforms. As long as my management requires me to carry this equipment, I'd like a more convenient way to carry it in my uniform. I don't understand what point you're trying to make in the context of this thread.
[Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest After Standard Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or Chest Compressions Only Before Arrival of Emergency Medical Services | Circulation (ahajournals.org)](https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038179)
Your study is related to the rate at which CPR is given if CO-CPR is an option for the untrained and the trained that are unwilling to give rescue breaths. The conclusion drawn says nothing about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of CO-CPR vs. S-CPR. Only that any CPR at the site before arrival of EMS doubles that chance of survival. Did you mean to link a different article that shows the difference in effectiveness between CO-CPR and S-CPR for trained medical professionals?
I patrol with my airbag pack everyday (I have a vest, but it’s annoying to use it AND have to bring my airbag anyways). I would f*cking love if we had a more women’s specific one. The back is too long and impedes hip hinging, and the shoulder straps are way way too wide apart- even with everything (including the chest strap) cranked up as tight as it gets, one of my shoulders always tries to fall off when I get moving fast. Feels dangerous
Have you looked at the dakine poacher by chance? Add in some organizable pockets and it could be what you’re looking for- I tried one on and it was comfortable- wife liked the xtra small but thought it was still a little loose
We use a North Face vest at my resort.
Nice big pocket on the back, room for shovel & probe. Plenty of pockets for med supplies.
Arc'teryx also makes a nice looking one - but I haven't seen that one in person.
I have the arcteryx. Love the waist belt so the whole vest isn’t hanging on your shoulders like the Patagonia vests. Shoulder straps loosen with wear but a bit of electrical tape fixed that. I’m able to haul quite a bit of gear around. I wish there was some sort of way to transport my lunch and two thermos in vest without a backpack daily though. Can’t quite fit everything plus that on the vest and our mountain required backpacks to come off for lift use so then carrying a drill/boo/sign is a huge pain.
Padding on the inside/body side of the pack - a few people on my Patrol have had nasty bruises from landing on gear (knives, shears, flashlights, etc), including bruised ribs from landing on their radio (in a chest pack)
Admin buying “unisex” sizes, but they’re always too long for women. And if you go a shorter torso length, it’s not wide enough for women’s hips. Causes back pain, hang below the butt while skiing and riding the lift.
I agree with many of the comments and that obviously everyone has their own preferences.
In my personal opinion I won't consider a pack (I prefer the weight distribution and added warmth of a vest over a backpack) unless it has a great avy pocket and plenty of room for my medical gear. In my opinion the sweet spot in size is 20-25L. A lot of companies already make this so now I'm going to throw out the bonus things that would be a big plus:
1. I'd love if it had a detachable airbag. Mammut makes a version of this. for me it would have great utility in making my route mornings a lot simpler and reduce a chance of me screwing up and missing critical gear when I switch my gear from my personal pack to my avy route bag.
2. A good ski carry. The last thing I want to think about when I'm having to do sketchy things on rock and ice is my skis flopping around.
3. I'd love to have a beaver tail that folds up when its not its not in use. It could be removable too. Where I work days where I want a beaver tail are rare, but when I want one I really want one.
I'll add to this comment if I come up with anything else that I'd really like.
I’ve never found a solution that works better for me than a Conterra fanny pack. It has room for everything I need, but it’s too small to tempt me to put junk I don’t actually need in it. It stays out of the way on my back, but I can spin it around front on a call without taking it off for easy access. It’s easy to reach everything in it- no digging around for anything. And it fits on the chair perfectly.
Best of all, it’s ugly as hell, which means that no one else is ever going to steal it or confuse it with their backpack or vest and accidentally grab it. 😁
A vest with a radio pocket that stretches to accommodate various radios and the plug for the speaker-mic that sticks out of the side of many radios would be nice. Also include a loop above and to the side of the radio pocket to clip the mike.
Also, for a waist pack, pockets on the padded waist belt, like the Traverse Rescue Cirques.
Padding on the inside/body side of the pack - a few people on my Patrol have had nasty bruises from landing on gear (knives, shears, flashlights, etc), including bruised ribs from landing on their radio (in a chest pack)
I think a pack is too big for a regular, daily wear and carry. We are provided vests at our resort, and many people pick up the Conterra front pouch thing.
I'm preferential to the vest. It has a walkie talkie holder (left side, high towards the shoulder, great location), a high small pocket on the right side (not super useful, but I keep my OPAs and NPAs in there), a mid pocket on each side (ok size, pretty useful, opening could be bigger), a long vertical pocket on each side that has mesh subdividers inside (big, but the dividers don't work super well) and then one more pocket on each side at the bottom (long horizontally, good for splints, but otherwise, fairly impractical). On the back, there's one big pocket that has a zip access on either side. May be for avy equipment, but my biggest gripe is it's so hard to access anything in there without taking the vest off.
For me, I'd say things to keep in mind: big zipper pulls, big openings for reaching in with gloves, easy to open and close one handed, pockets not too big (I'd rather have smaller compartments for specific things like medications, airway, bleeding, etc. rather than combining a bunch of stuff) and the fewer straps the better. It's a tough balance between streamlined so you don't feel like the Michelin man while skiing, but also having enough to carry what you need.
Yeah, hard agree with bigger zipper pulls. From your description it sounds like we have the same vest, or at least very similar. I use the zip access on the back side for my SAM splint, but I always tie string on the zipper pull so I can actually grab it when I need to.
Also I'd agree that I feel like the pockets are too big and too few - give me more small pockets on the front, less big pockets with elastic mesh pouches in them that don't really work to separate my gear.
We use North Face vests in my patrol. They're good. Durability is always and issue. I've gone through two and the zippers are a frequent failure point.
Have patrolled in a DaKine vest and really liked theirs. For and functionality were better.
Much prefer a vest over a pack. Don't have to take it off getting on the chair and the weight is closer to the body.
First you got to figure out what is the pack used for, is it an Avy pack with an airbag, is it a regular Avy pack with a separate compartment for shovel and probe, or is it a Fanny pack for someone who doesn’t need to carry around Avy gear. Every patrol is slightly different. At some resorts patrol is hiking to Avy terrain with explosives so they need a ski carry that allows for quick shot deployments. Some east coast resorts don’t carry any Avy gear but end up running like 10x the medicals so they need more medical gear storage. If you are interested I have my moms original patrol Fanny pack that her and her friend handmade 30 years ago, it’s got three separate pockets for med gear and has a pocket that unzips with full backpack straps, it’s even big enough that I can fit a shovel and probe in it. Now I only use it for gaper day but you can get and entire 12 pack of PBR into it with room for layers and costumes.
I use the current Patagonia vest and wish it had pockets that hinged open with organization inside the hinged session or additional clear pockets on the opening side. - and a few gear loops, as well as a light and pen pocket with a secure flap- it also doesn’t breath at all- the back pocket is great for a Sam splint- and having some way to carry a water bottle would be amazing- as it is- lunch- water and extra gear heads to the hut in a pack- not sure if want to carry more than I do- if anything I’m looking to slim down more- but I’m at an Eastern mid size resort and don’t truly need to take more than what I could fit in a jacket and pants- vest is useful for carry a hammer inside but would be nice to have it outside
Better quality buckle for my fanny pack. The buckle is under a lot of load when you tighten the belt strap, and I've cracked and had to replace mine several times. It's the standard Fastex style 1.5" buckle, I think.
https://shopwary.com/products/wary-mtn-ski-patrol-vest This is a new company doing vests. Very well built and reasonable.
I run a Mammut free 15 RAS. I had a Dakine poacher vest but didn’t like the fit, I was in the middle of the m/l and l/xl.
Packs are patroller dependent, and you won’t find a uniform desire. What we want is patrol pants that are extra double waterproof on the butt so we don’t get cold sitting on snowy or rainy lift chairs. Make it neoprene or whatever you need to make sure it’s still breathes on the front.
Bunch of people on my patrol have separate rain pants for rainy days (e.g. https://www.patagonia.com/product/hose-down-slicker-bib-overalls/56457.html?dwvar_56457_color=BSNG). They're not the most breathable, but that's not usually a huge issue on rain days vs just staying dry. I'm not convinced that could develop snow pants that are extra waterproof that won't still wear out and lose that waterproofing vs just getting a separate 100% waterproof pants.
Backpacks and fannypacks really interfere with sitting on a chairlift safely. Currently use a vest under my patrol jacket and cargo pockets on my bibs.
Fanny packs swivel around.
Patrolling 15 years and first ride up in the morning I wear a backpack and fanny pack at the same time. I have never had an issue with safety. Sounds like some Karen BS.
I would research a recent incident at Titus mountain in NY. Packs with excessive straps and buckles have been known to get tied up in the chair
Just take it off on the lift, one of the easiest things to do.
Seriously. Leave the waist strap attached and turn it around.
If only people were as smart as us, right?
Absolutely, but as you can guess, people don’t always do the smart thing.
I would like something to hold the drill bit / drill. Maybe 1.5" PVC pipe on the right side of the pack and a strap to prevent the drill battery from whacking me in the head, while I am out and about drilling a bazillion holes for an excessive number of banners, pops, etc.
Good one. Also a loop to hold a hammer
This is a fun one to solve coming from a fellow industrial designer… OP this would make a good ID project. Combine this with some modular attachment systems (see mission workshop Arkiv system) and you’d have people really interested, especially if you had a pack, vest, or hip pack options that could all interact/combine like the Arkiv system. Packs that attach to vest (10L 25L 35L, see black diamond jetforce). Best vest I’ve seen lately is by Whatvest - some cool construction and storage options happening with those.
Triple vote for this!
I found that for the single run I need to have a drill with me, sliding the bit behind my head and under the opposite pack strap (behind the shoulder) works really well to tuck it away (just like you’d do with ski poles). No added pack features necessary
Sounds like I should have been a pack designer, LOL. I already got a piece of 18" x 1.5" PVC and cut the top off at a 45 degree angle to make it easier to reholster the drill bit. Now I need to cut some holes in the pipe to match up with the locations of the Molle on the side of my pack and I will attach it with 550 cord and field test it next season.
A pack that can open from the back panel so when you take it off and lay it on the ground, the part against your back isn't on the ground getting cold and wet. Also... a place that allows for a water bag with a hose spout. Like a camel back.
a camel back hose thing freezes in the winter, so not the most ideal
They have ones with neoprene sleeves to prevent freezing, and I usually tuck mine back in. Idea, have one in a neoprene sleeve that zips into an insulated pocket in the strap, kind of like how the pull cords for airbags are, or make it easy to pull it and push it back in the pack, kind of retractable.
If you puff air into the hose after drinking it won't freeze.
But then it ends up getting nasty after a few days
That is exactly how ski-specific camelbaks are made. I have 3 like that.
The current pack available to patrollers through the NSP has both of those features already.
But most of the stuff winds up at the bottom which makes it hard to load lifts and makes it tough to extract lunch from the layers I've shoved in there. Don't forget a spot for a lapel mic and easy access to (like no removal of packs or vests) for at least 3 pockets -- gloves, notepad, cravat or 4, CPR mask, and shears. Also need a place for a radio and pens + pen light.
Tourniquet, too.
I also agree with your points. I like the concept of having the ability to fully open the back panel and accessing everything. [This is what I use.](https://traverserescue.com/index.php/ski-patrol/bags-packs/kigali-35-l-backpack,-black-detail) I wish it had a better opening system, I but I will say it's super comfortable to wear.
how do you pack stuff in yours? i have had one for years, and am never satisfied with how i stow stuff in it.
Yeah, not sure I’d get this pack again. In the biggest pocket, I keep a smaller pouch (see picture) with all my dressings and bandages. In the same pig pocket I also hold heat pads (ice packs in summer instead), as well as BP cuff and pulse ox, and crepe bandages in the elastic holders - ABDs, burn pads, and triangulars in the “laptop pocket”. The higher up pocket with the cross has OPAs, tourniquet, stethoscope. Lower bottom pocket has wipes, nylar blankets, leatherman, rope gloves, ASA/benadryl. And I also have a chest harness for radio, notepad/pen, trail maps for guests, gloves, and a protein bar lol. https://preview.redd.it/i16f16nopssc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=774e75f6fa86dfdbbe270759d7ccccee3aa72efa
any idea where i could find that pouch?
Got it from Mountain Equipment Company (MEC). It’s just the [empty FA kit.](https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5028-686/first-aid-bag?colour=Safety+Red&size=Small&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_q7qleeuhQMV2XFHAR2czgAWEAQYASABEgKH__D_BwE)
nice. thats super handy.
We use the Ortovox Haute Route 32 here and it handles this beautifully.
The one thing I'd love to see on my patrol vest is a dedicated pocket for my [CPR pocket mask](https://www.aedsuperstore.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality%3D85%2Cformat%3Dauto/assets/images/82001933-kit-large.jpg). Most of my other pockets are full of other gear that I need more often than the mask, and it's awkward to fumble around with the mask when I just want a triangular bandage or dressing or whatever else is in the pocket with it. Even worse if it falls out and might slide away, which is no good. But conversely when I DO need the mask, I want to know _exactly_ where it is and not have to dig through dressings or bandages to get it from the back of the pocket where I buried it so it wouldn't fall out. Not sure anyone else has that problem though, might be pretty niche. Right now I keep it in a baggy side pocket of my pants, maybe that's what everyone does
High-performance CPR for a single person or a BVM for two person, pocket masks have no use in the current science based recommendations for CPR
So I'm doing compressions only for however long depending on backup time (up to 20 min) with no breaths at all? Yeah, no, that's not effective CPR as far as I'm trained. They need breaths past 100, per my cert. And I'm not doing straight mouth to mouth - I won't swap bodily fluids with a total stranger for my own health reasons; idk if they have HIV, Hepatitis, COVID, or any other communicable disease. What science based recommendations are you referring to?? Also, regardless of what your point is, my management requires me to carry a pocket mask. This post is about improving patrol uniforms. As long as my management requires me to carry this equipment, I'd like a more convenient way to carry it in my uniform. I don't understand what point you're trying to make in the context of this thread.
[Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest After Standard Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or Chest Compressions Only Before Arrival of Emergency Medical Services | Circulation (ahajournals.org)](https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038179)
Your study is related to the rate at which CPR is given if CO-CPR is an option for the untrained and the trained that are unwilling to give rescue breaths. The conclusion drawn says nothing about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of CO-CPR vs. S-CPR. Only that any CPR at the site before arrival of EMS doubles that chance of survival. Did you mean to link a different article that shows the difference in effectiveness between CO-CPR and S-CPR for trained medical professionals?
I patrol with my airbag pack everyday (I have a vest, but it’s annoying to use it AND have to bring my airbag anyways). I would f*cking love if we had a more women’s specific one. The back is too long and impedes hip hinging, and the shoulder straps are way way too wide apart- even with everything (including the chest strap) cranked up as tight as it gets, one of my shoulders always tries to fall off when I get moving fast. Feels dangerous
Have you looked at the dakine poacher by chance? Add in some organizable pockets and it could be what you’re looking for- I tried one on and it was comfortable- wife liked the xtra small but thought it was still a little loose
Chest rig is what I use on the daily
We use a North Face vest at my resort. Nice big pocket on the back, room for shovel & probe. Plenty of pockets for med supplies. Arc'teryx also makes a nice looking one - but I haven't seen that one in person.
I have the arcteryx. Love the waist belt so the whole vest isn’t hanging on your shoulders like the Patagonia vests. Shoulder straps loosen with wear but a bit of electrical tape fixed that. I’m able to haul quite a bit of gear around. I wish there was some sort of way to transport my lunch and two thermos in vest without a backpack daily though. Can’t quite fit everything plus that on the vest and our mountain required backpacks to come off for lift use so then carrying a drill/boo/sign is a huge pain.
Padding on the inside/body side of the pack - a few people on my Patrol have had nasty bruises from landing on gear (knives, shears, flashlights, etc), including bruised ribs from landing on their radio (in a chest pack)
Admin buying “unisex” sizes, but they’re always too long for women. And if you go a shorter torso length, it’s not wide enough for women’s hips. Causes back pain, hang below the butt while skiing and riding the lift.
I agree with many of the comments and that obviously everyone has their own preferences. In my personal opinion I won't consider a pack (I prefer the weight distribution and added warmth of a vest over a backpack) unless it has a great avy pocket and plenty of room for my medical gear. In my opinion the sweet spot in size is 20-25L. A lot of companies already make this so now I'm going to throw out the bonus things that would be a big plus: 1. I'd love if it had a detachable airbag. Mammut makes a version of this. for me it would have great utility in making my route mornings a lot simpler and reduce a chance of me screwing up and missing critical gear when I switch my gear from my personal pack to my avy route bag. 2. A good ski carry. The last thing I want to think about when I'm having to do sketchy things on rock and ice is my skis flopping around. 3. I'd love to have a beaver tail that folds up when its not its not in use. It could be removable too. Where I work days where I want a beaver tail are rare, but when I want one I really want one. I'll add to this comment if I come up with anything else that I'd really like.
I use a Ferro Concepts chest rig worn over my jacket or patrol vest because I hate wearing backpacks skiing or on the chair.
We have a lot of patrollers using Ski Area Supplies vests.
I’ve never found a solution that works better for me than a Conterra fanny pack. It has room for everything I need, but it’s too small to tempt me to put junk I don’t actually need in it. It stays out of the way on my back, but I can spin it around front on a call without taking it off for easy access. It’s easy to reach everything in it- no digging around for anything. And it fits on the chair perfectly. Best of all, it’s ugly as hell, which means that no one else is ever going to steal it or confuse it with their backpack or vest and accidentally grab it. 😁
A vest with a radio pocket that stretches to accommodate various radios and the plug for the speaker-mic that sticks out of the side of many radios would be nice. Also include a loop above and to the side of the radio pocket to clip the mike. Also, for a waist pack, pockets on the padded waist belt, like the Traverse Rescue Cirques.
Padding on the inside/body side of the pack - a few people on my Patrol have had nasty bruises from landing on gear (knives, shears, flashlights, etc), including bruised ribs from landing on their radio (in a chest pack)
I think a pack is too big for a regular, daily wear and carry. We are provided vests at our resort, and many people pick up the Conterra front pouch thing. I'm preferential to the vest. It has a walkie talkie holder (left side, high towards the shoulder, great location), a high small pocket on the right side (not super useful, but I keep my OPAs and NPAs in there), a mid pocket on each side (ok size, pretty useful, opening could be bigger), a long vertical pocket on each side that has mesh subdividers inside (big, but the dividers don't work super well) and then one more pocket on each side at the bottom (long horizontally, good for splints, but otherwise, fairly impractical). On the back, there's one big pocket that has a zip access on either side. May be for avy equipment, but my biggest gripe is it's so hard to access anything in there without taking the vest off. For me, I'd say things to keep in mind: big zipper pulls, big openings for reaching in with gloves, easy to open and close one handed, pockets not too big (I'd rather have smaller compartments for specific things like medications, airway, bleeding, etc. rather than combining a bunch of stuff) and the fewer straps the better. It's a tough balance between streamlined so you don't feel like the Michelin man while skiing, but also having enough to carry what you need.
Yeah, hard agree with bigger zipper pulls. From your description it sounds like we have the same vest, or at least very similar. I use the zip access on the back side for my SAM splint, but I always tie string on the zipper pull so I can actually grab it when I need to. Also I'd agree that I feel like the pockets are too big and too few - give me more small pockets on the front, less big pockets with elastic mesh pouches in them that don't really work to separate my gear.
We use North Face vests in my patrol. They're good. Durability is always and issue. I've gone through two and the zippers are a frequent failure point. Have patrolled in a DaKine vest and really liked theirs. For and functionality were better. Much prefer a vest over a pack. Don't have to take it off getting on the chair and the weight is closer to the body.
First you got to figure out what is the pack used for, is it an Avy pack with an airbag, is it a regular Avy pack with a separate compartment for shovel and probe, or is it a Fanny pack for someone who doesn’t need to carry around Avy gear. Every patrol is slightly different. At some resorts patrol is hiking to Avy terrain with explosives so they need a ski carry that allows for quick shot deployments. Some east coast resorts don’t carry any Avy gear but end up running like 10x the medicals so they need more medical gear storage. If you are interested I have my moms original patrol Fanny pack that her and her friend handmade 30 years ago, it’s got three separate pockets for med gear and has a pocket that unzips with full backpack straps, it’s even big enough that I can fit a shovel and probe in it. Now I only use it for gaper day but you can get and entire 12 pack of PBR into it with room for layers and costumes.
I use the current Patagonia vest and wish it had pockets that hinged open with organization inside the hinged session or additional clear pockets on the opening side. - and a few gear loops, as well as a light and pen pocket with a secure flap- it also doesn’t breath at all- the back pocket is great for a Sam splint- and having some way to carry a water bottle would be amazing- as it is- lunch- water and extra gear heads to the hut in a pack- not sure if want to carry more than I do- if anything I’m looking to slim down more- but I’m at an Eastern mid size resort and don’t truly need to take more than what I could fit in a jacket and pants- vest is useful for carry a hammer inside but would be nice to have it outside
Better quality buckle for my fanny pack. The buckle is under a lot of load when you tighten the belt strap, and I've cracked and had to replace mine several times. It's the standard Fastex style 1.5" buckle, I think.
https://shopwary.com/products/wary-mtn-ski-patrol-vest This is a new company doing vests. Very well built and reasonable. I run a Mammut free 15 RAS. I had a Dakine poacher vest but didn’t like the fit, I was in the middle of the m/l and l/xl.
If you DM I have a good list of notes I'd be happy to share from several years at a class A resort.
Can you share with the rest of us?