One of the "Avalanche Airbag-equipped backpacks (commonly known as Avalanche Airbags)" that I also featured on our website last year for the first time, the Black Diamond Jet Force Pro was a very well-made, wonderful backpack. But of course, your journey through the best outdoor gear doesn't end there. Humanity's desire to live safely and comfortably in the bottomlessly dangerous field of snowy mountains is endless and unrelenting. This season, another great item has been released, and it has been bothering mountain lovers.
That's the backpack I'm reviewing this time, the Osprey Soelden Pro 32 (Soleden Pro 32; the female model is Solis Pro 30) . Soleden is the backpack with an avalanche airbag, created many beloved and excellent models such as the Kestrel series Atmos , Ether and Variant
I was excited to try it out this winter, so I'll post a review right away.
table of contents
- Main features of the Osprey Soleden Pro 32: Combines the latest avalanche safety performance, with the comfort of being comfortable enough to produce no gully sound.
- Main Specifications and ratings
- Detailed review: I tried using it for backcountry skiing
- Summary: A modern avalanche airbag that is not only safe, but also has excellent potential as a backpack.
the Osprey Sole Denpro 32 : Combines the latest avalanche safety performance, with the comfort of being comfortable enough to produce no gully sound.
The Soleden Pro 32 (the female model is Solis Pro 30) is the flagship model in the Osprey Snowpack series, and is a new snowy mountain backpack equipped with an avalanche airbag system. In addition to the lightweight, durable construction that has been cultivated over many years through the development of excellent mountain climbing backpacks, it is equipped with the Alpride E1 airbag system that delivers top-class performance in low temperatures, including stability, lightness and maintenance. It also includes convenient storage spaces that have been carefully thought out for winter mountain backcountry climbing, achieving excellent comfort, safety and functionality in a high level, in a balanced way. It provides safety and comfort beyond the boundaries of all outdoor activities in snowy mountains, including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoes, and winter trekking.
Recommended points
- Lightweight yet excellent durability and wear resistance
- Excellent fit and comfortable to carry on both climbing and downhill
- Lightweight, safe and easy to use Alpride E1 avalanche airbag system
- A well-thought-out storage that efficiently stores lots of BC equipment
- A lineup for men and women that fits widely
- It is not a gas or lithium-ion battery, so it is convenient to carry around on flights
Interesting points
- It basically only deploys once when fully charged
- You have to fold it when re-stored after unfolding
- Another pocket for small items on the top is even better
- It's even better if you have another size larger than 40L.
- Airbag zippers often open naturally (if you're packed in your luggage)
- High price
Main Specifications and ratings
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Item name | Osprey Soledenpro 32 |
| External dimensions | Height 56 x Width 32 x Depth 27 cm |
| capacity | 34 liters (when Alpride is installed = 32 liters) |
| weight |
|
| material |
|
| Size variations | One size for men (Soledenpro) / One size for women (Soledenpro) |
| Helmet carrier | Standard equipment |
| Snowboarding compatible | ◯ |
| Installing the skis | Both A-frame and diagonal are ◯ |
| accessories | Mini USB cable for charging |
| evaluation | |
| Airbag system performance | ★★★★☆ |
| Comfort | ★★★★★ |
| Slide stability | ★★★★★ |
| Storageability | ★★★★☆ |
| Backcountry convenience | ★★★★☆ |
| weight | ★★★★☆ |
Detailed review: I tried using it for backcountry skiing
The ultimate comfort you can feel when you carry it on your back
Until now, most of the backpacks equipped with avalanche airbags have been produced by specialized manufacturers of snow safety products. What makes Soledenpro clearly different from these models it is a backpack made by a specialist outdoor backpack manufacturer . One of the things that you can feel most about is the comfort of carrying it.
The lightweight yet cushioned EVA foam back, shoulder strap and waist harness are comfortable to wear, and are also designed to prevent snow from sticking to water and not retaining water.
The moderately voluminous waist harness provides a firm load on your lower back, and combines the shoulder strap, which curves naturally along the body lines, to balance the load across your back. A stabilizer strap is placed on the shoulders, providing an outstanding fit and there is no feeling of the backpack being swinged or pulled backwards. It's so enchantingly comfortable to carry, and it's completely uncommon to carrying a spring/summer backpack, so you can't help but feel excited.
Regarding the difficulty of this pack being shaken (difficult to shaking the center of gravity), you should not overlook the presence of side straps that can compress the pack. Packs equipped with an avalanche airbag often do not have side straps attached to prevent interference with the deployment of the airbag, but in this model, buckles are placed on the top and bottom of the backpack, allowing the entire pack to be compressed to prevent dowels from being doweled even if there is less load inside. Of course, this means that you will need to remove the buckle when opening the main zipper, but instead, you can maintain a comfortable carrying experience in any condition.
In addition, the combination of lightweight, highly durable nanofly fabric and UHMWPE (so-called Dyneema) fabric makes it relatively lightweight for an electronic airbag of over 30 liters, while also providing reliable, robustness that does not compromise on durability and wear resistance. Of course, it is certainly heavier than a typical backpack without an airbag, but it is "adjusted" enough to be able to get used to.
To put it in more detail, it is certainly true that the pack size is one size and the back length cannot be adjusted, but there are no avalanche airbags that are so well made in the first place. Moreover, there are female models for people with smaller builds, so even now it can be said that they can accommodate a wide range of body types.
Excellent stability for both hiking and downhill
As mentioned above, the load is firmly applied to your back from your waist, near the center of gravity, so it is very comfortable to carry heavy loads and hike up. The avalanche system itself is also located below, so the center of gravity does not come extremely upwards, and it fits firmly even when sliding under heavy loads, and does not feel like your body is swinging (see video below).
Light, safe and easy to use Alpride E1 avalanche airbag system
The Alpride E1 Avalanche Airbag System installed in this pack is a state-of-the-art airbag system that uses a power source called a "super capacitor" that is neither gas nor battery. It is said to be a great product that has overcome many of the drawbacks that have been previously held with airbags, and has the main features listed below.
- Starts stably even under ultra-low temperatures of -30°C (up to 50°C).
- Quick inflation (150L balloons inflate to MAX in about 3 seconds)
- Can be used as many times as you like with a charge of 20-40 minutes (40-80 minutes for batteries) using USB or AA batteries
- Long life (Charges more than 500,000 times)
- Lightweight and compact (Airbag system only weighs 1280g)
In any case, the Alpride E1 system is lightweight and compact (photo 1 below) that does not have storage space, as well as simple operation and easy to charge via USB (photos 2 and 3 below) and extremely easy to use. Perfect for users who are purchasing an airbag backpack for the first time, or for those who want to practice hard in case of an emergency. is inferior to the Black Diamond Jet Force reviewed last year It's a lie to say that it doesn't bother you, but if you set up AA batteries (photo 3 below), you can charge it in 40-80 minutes on site, so it's fine as long as there's nothing too much.
To power it, simply lift and turn the orange button as shown in the photo below. From there, the operation test will automatically run, and if there is no problem, the light will come on and the set will be completed.
Under normal operation, the lights visible from the outside at the side of the pack will slowly blink green.
In this state, if an avalanche is hit, all you need to do is pull the trigger on the shoulder hard (the trigger can be changed depending on your preference, from the right and left shoulder).
From there, a 150L balloon inflates instantly. See the expansion in the video below.
Incidentally, while you are still taking action, be sure to tighten the sternum strap on your chest and the leg strap located on your waist along with the waist harness. This will prevent accidents such as when you get caught in an avalanche and activate the airbag, the backpack may come out of your body or the backpack may be strangled by a backpack that has stomped it.
The leg straps can be placed inconspicuously at the base of the waist harness, making it easy to take out. The loop at the tip passes through the strap, but I have attached a carabiner to it, making it easier to secure it at any time (photo below).
The leg straps have a loop at the tip through the waist harness (left), but if you attach your own carabiner, you can make it easier from taking it out to set it up.
Once the airbag is completely open, you will need to re-store it in a safe place (photo 1 below). This is a bit of a hassle, but you have to press the eject button and drain the air yourself (photo 2 below) and fold it. The folding method has been decided, and fold it according to the instructions on the inside of the pack (photo 3 below) (photo 4 below. However, once you get used to it, it's easy enough to fold it straight away without looking).
A well-thought-out storage that efficiently stores lots of BC equipment
It's not just the comfort of carrying that you'll want to admire the work of a backpack-specialized manufacturer. The pockets and attachments that are carefully thought out to store and carry complicated BC equipment are also sigh-filled.
Main compartment with easy access with a U-shaped front zipper
The main storage has a wide U-shaped zipper, so there is no stress at all whether packing or taking out your luggage (photo below). You can push your luggage into the gaps that are exclusive to the airbag system.
My personal favorite is this main storage zipper (photo below). It's extremely durable and smooth, with hooks that are easy to use even when wearing gloves, making it extremely easy to use, and even keeps you looking lovey-dovey.
Ski/Snowboard attachment that can be attached not only to diagonals but also to A-frames
You can attach the skis not only to diagonal diagonals (right of the photo below), but also to an A-frame (left of the photo below). This is great because I was grateful for the stability and ease of walking.
The buckle that secures the skis has a stopper, so you don't have to worry about the strap coming loose while walking (photo below). The attention to detail is taken advantage of the know-how cultivated through the company's excellent snowpacks up until now.
Of course, snowboards can also be installed on the front. In that case, you can pull out the drawcord that is stored in the front all over and attach it.
A variety of BC equipment can be stored smartly
In addition to the main storage and ski attachments, there are also neat pockets that allow you to organize and store tools used in snowy mountains. This seems obvious, and I was very impressed that there were no packs that were well made due to the nature of the avalanche airbags.
First of all, on the front, there is a J-shaped zipper pocket storage that can hold avalanche tools, like most snowpacks (photo 1 below). There is a long stash pocket on the side where you can store goggles and other items (photo 2 below). The lining inside is not brushed fleece, but it has a finer surface than other linings, making it seem to prevent some scratches. On the left side of the waist harness there is a zipper pocket for small items (photo 3 below). This contains items that should be removed immediately, such as lens wipes and emergency call devices (inReach mini).
A helmet holder is stored at the top of the front, and you can pull it out to secure the helmet (photo below).
By using the sides and front straps, you can securely secure the ice axe and poles (photo below).
You can also secure the transceiver inside the pack and pass the speaker microphone through the shoulder strap (photo below). There are also plenty of other convenient storage options.
Summary: A modern avalanche airbag that is not only safe, but also has excellent potential as a backpack.
The biggest attraction of SoledenPro is that it is not only safe as an avalanche airbag, but also as an extremely excellent backpack for carrying and carrying luggage. The Black Diamond Jet Force avalanche airbag I reviewed last year was not only the overall ease of use, but also the performance of the airbags in particular was outstanding. However, in terms of backpack comfort and storage, such as ease of use, the Solden/Solis Pro clearly stands out.
Of course, the Alpride E1 system made from a super capacitor is not superior to the Jet Force system, but it is a top-class, high-performance airbag system that is used by many brands, making it extremely reliable and easy to use. Even first-time users will be able to easily gain safety.
As always, the price is still not easy to reach, but this backpack offers almost the same comfort and ease of use as the favorite I carried from spring to autumn, and is sure to be a piece that will further lower the threshold for avalanche airbags.
Note
The content written here is merely a personal consideration based on the author's understanding and experience, and does not guarantee the safety or legitimacy of the product. We recognize that this is a tool used in extremely dangerous fields such as snowy mountains, and be sure to fully understand the official information of each manufacturer when purchasing and using products, take sufficient consideration of risks in the natural environment, and make each decision at your own risk, taking into account each individual's responsibility.