Originally Posted: January 2022
Updated: December 2023
Osprey Kode 42 Snow Pack
Osprey Soelden 42 Snow Pack
General Comments
My wife thinks that I have a backpack fetish. I have specialized packs for short day hikes, long day hikes, short backpacking trips, long backpacking trips, short mountaineering trips, long mountaineering trips, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, canyoneering, running, and downhill skiing. Hmmm…she could be correct.
In my defense, I look at backpacks the same way that a golfer looks at golf clubs. Most golfers own numerous clubs so that they have just the right club for any given situation. Similarly, I own a multitude of backpacks so that I have just the right backpack for any given situation. Backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing require a variety of very specialized equipment, which in turn demands a very specialized backpack to carry everything.
The following reviews focus on two similar Osprey snow packs. As the proud owner of numerous Osprey packs in various sizes and for various purposes, I can equivocally say that their quality and comfort are unsurpassed. Service after the sale is equally important, and my experience with their customer service department has always been very positive. In every case, they have stood behind their products without hesitation. I can say the same thing about most other outdoor equipment firms but, sadly, not all.
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Affiliate Disclosure: My gear reviews may contain affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something that I’ve linked to, I might get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Be assured, though, that my reviews are unbiased and involve only gear that I (or a mountain partner) have used extensively. For all items, I discuss the cons as well as the pros.
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Gear Review Summaries
Osprey Kode 42 Pack Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Ample volume for long day trips or hut-to-hut trips in the backcountry.
- Top-quality construction using heavy-duty materials.
- Shoulder harness and hipbelt system comfortably carries heavy loads.
- Well-designed strap system for carrying skis, snowboard, snowshoes, and helmet.
- Backpanel hatch gives convenient access to main compartment, especially when carrying skis or snowboard on pack.
- Avalanche safety pocket is large and well-designed.
- Double top lid pockets allow for good organization of smaller items.
- Interior hydration pocket keeps bladder and hose out of the way.
- Hydration sleeve on right shoulder strap protects hose and reduces risk of freezing.
- Twin pockets on hipbelt provide easy access to small items.
Cons:
- Heavy-duty materials result in slightly greater weight than Osprey Soelden/Sopris and similar snow packs.
- Backpanel access requires unbuckling load-lifter straps, which is slightly less convenient than alternative system used on Osprey Soelden and some other snow packs.
Bottom Line: Excellent heavy-duty snow pack for backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing, especially on long day trips or hut-to-hut trips that require lots of gear and clothing.
Product Link: This model is no longer available but could likely be procured from clearance or used gear sites.
Similar Products & Links:
Osprey Soelden 42 pack (a lighter weight version of Kode 42 but provides essentially same function)
Osprey Sopris 40 pack (a women’s version of Soelden 42)
Osprey Kamber 30 pack (a smaller version of Kode 42 with a different access configuration)
Osprey Kresta 30 pack (a women’s version of Kamber 30)
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Osprey Soelden 42 Pack Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Ample volume for long day trips or hut-to-hut trips in the backcountry.
- Top-quality construction using mid-weight materials, resulting in less weight than Kode/Kamber/Kresta and similar snow packs.
- Shoulder harness and hipbelt system comfortably carries heavy loads.
- Well-designed strap system for carrying skis, snowboard, snowshoes, and helmet.
- Backpanel hatch gives convenient access to main compartment, especially when carrying skis or snowboard on pack.
- Backpanel hatch zipper does not require unbuckling shoulder straps.
- Avalanche safety pocket is large and well-designed.
- Double top lid pockets allow for good organization of smaller items.
- Dual hydration tunnels allow wearing hose on left or right shoulder strap.
- Single hipbelt pocket provides easy access to small items.
- Gear loop on hipbelt pocket would be useful for technical ski mountaineers.
- Top lid can be raised for large loads or removed when not needed.
Cons:
- Mid-weight materials result in slightly less durability than Kode/Kamber/Kresta and similar snow packs.
- Backpanel access requires swinging hydration bladder out of way, which is slightly less convenient than alternative system used on Osprey Kode/Kamber/Kresta and some other snow packs.
- Most users would likely prefer having a second hipbelt pocket rather than gear loop.
- Top weather flap is a nuisance when top lid is being used.
Bottom Line: Excellent mid-weight snow pack for backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing, especially on long day trips or hut-to-hut trips that require lots of gear and clothing.
Product Link: Osprey Soelden 42 pack
Similar Products & Links:
Osprey Sopris 40 pack (a women’s version of Soelden 42)
Osprey Soelden 32 pack (a smaller version of Soelden 42 with a different access configuration)
Osprey Sopris 30 pack (a women’s version of Soelden 32)
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Full Gear Reviews
Osprey Kode 42 Pack Review
During the past eight years, I’ve used an Osprey Kode 42 pack for all of my winter/spring snow trips, and it has proven itself to be an unfailing partner. I have never owned or seen a snow pack that offers the same level of quality, durability, and versatility. Sadly, Osprey no longer makes this pack, but they do make some similar models. If my Kode 42 ever goes missing, I would probably start scouring clearance and used gear site to find a replacement.
To begin with, the Kode 42 is constructed of heavy-duty materials that are assembled to Osprey’s unparalleled quality standards. After eight full seasons of use, my pack shows virtually no signs of wear and tear. If there is anything to complain about, it would be that the burly construction results in a somewhat higher tare weight than many other snow packs, but I have no problem justifying an extra pound or two in this case. For those putting a bigger priority on pack weight, Osprey makes a lighter model called the Soelden 42 (men’s) and Sopris 40 (women’s).
With a rated capacity of 42 liters, the Kode 42 sits near or at the top end of the range for all available snow packs. This is probably more capacity than most backcountry travelers need, but I appreciate the fact that it could readily accommodate all of my basic equipment and clothing for any day trip, with space remaining for some emergency bivouac gear or some hut/yurt clothing. Rest assured that the shoulder harness and hipbelt are well-padded and fully capable of handling whatever load that this pack can hold. For those wanting a smaller snow pack, Osprey offers the Kamber 30 (men’s) and Kresta 30 (women’s).
The Kode 42’s main compartment is primarily accessed from the top, which has a cinch cord skirt and a buckle-down top lid. Many current snow packs have a clamshell opening with a U-shaped zipper that gives quicker access and a cleaner silhouette. However, I prefer a top opening because it allows for overloading the pack when the situation demands. This feature alone makes the Kode 42 suitable for multi-day hut-to-hut trips. For example, I used every liter of the pack’s normal capacity—and then some—on a recent three-day hut-to-hut trip in the Deschutes Mountains.
A zippered backpanel hatch on the Kode 42 provides secondary access to the main compartment. Uninitiated snow trippers might view this feature as a bit frivolous, but it is really an important feature on a snow pack. First, it allows you to reach items in the bottom of the pack without having to unload most of the contents onto a snowy surface. Second, and more critically, it allows you to reach items inside the pack when you have skis or a snowboard strapped on the outside.
Snow packs having a backpanel hatch can be configured with the zipper curving either above or below the shoulder harness, with each configuration offering specific pros and cons. On the Kode 42, which has a zipper curving above the shoulder harness, the load-lifter straps must be unbuckled and re-buckled every time you open and close the hatch—a fairly minor inconvenience.
Any snow pack needs the ability to carry a user’s snow toys, whether they be skis, snowshoes, or a snowboard. The Kode 42 has well-executed side straps and front straps for carrying a pair of skis in an A-frame or diagonal mode. I prefer to use the A-frame carry method when combined with a simple improvement to the standard arrangement, How to improve an A-frame ski carry system. An equally well-executed pair of front straps provides a convenient carry system for snowshoes or a snowboard.
The Kode 42 is loaded with convenience and organizational features, most important of which is an easily accessible avalanche safety pocket. This pocket has a J-shaped zipper opening and several internal sleeves for holding a shovel blade, shovel handle, probe, study kit, and other items. I’ve seen many snow packs that have ridiculously small avalanche safety pockets, but this one is roomy enough to accommodate all of my avalanche gear plus a large repair kit and raincover.
Other useful features on the Kode 42 include double pockets (small and large) on the top lid, dual hipbelt pockets, helmet straps, and an interior hydration bladder pocket. I especially like the fact that the bladder hose is routed through a full-length sleeve in one shoulder strap, thereby reducing the risk of the hose freezing in cold weather.
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Osprey Soelden 42 Pack Review
I recently started using an Osprey Soelden 42 snow pack for some of my ski touring and snowshoeing trips. When Osprey discontinued the Kode 42 snow pack, they introduced the Soelden 42 as a lighter-weight replacement. (Both models are marketed for men; the corresponding female packs are called Kestrel and Sopris, respectively.) My initial inspection of the Soelden 42 quickly revealed that Osprey shaved off a couple pounds of weight, but they did not skimp on material or construction quality. I would actually classify it as a mid-weight snow pack.
With a rated capacity of 42 liters, both the old Kode 42 and new Soelden 42 sit near or at the top end of the range for all available snow packs. This is probably more capacity than most backcountry travelers need, but I appreciate the fact that it can readily accommodate all of my basic equipment and clothing for any day trip, with space remaining for some emergency bivouac gear or some hut/yurt clothing. The shoulder harness and hipbelt are adequately padded to handle these bigger loads. For those wanting a smaller snow pack, Osprey offers the Soelden 30 and Sopris 30.
The Soelden 42’s main compartment is primarily accessed from the top, which has a cinch cord skirt and a buckle-down top lid. Many current snow packs have a clamshell opening with a U-shaped zipper that gives quicker access and a cleaner silhouette. However, I prefer a top opening because it allows for overloading the pack when the situation demands. This feature alone makes the Soelden 42 suitable for multi-day hut-to-hut trips.
For those times when you need even more capacity, the top lid can be raised several inches. The top lid can also be removed entirely to accommodate smaller loads; in this instance, a weather flap located below the lid is used to cover the pack’s opening. Some users might find this versatility to be quite advantageous, but because I never have occasion to go lidless, the weather flap is just a nuisance for me. Most likely, I will end up cutting it off.
A zippered backpanel hatch on the Soelden 42 provides secondary access to the main compartment. I regard this to be a very important feature on a snow pack for two reasons. First, it allows you to reach items in the bottom of the pack without having to unload most of the contents onto a snowy surface. Second, and more critically, it allows you to reach items inside the pack when you have skis or a snowboard strapped on the outside.
Snow packs having a backpanel hatch can be configured with the zipper curving either above or below the shoulder harness, with each configuration offering specific pros and cons. The Soelden 42 utilizes the latter option, which provides quicker access to the pack’s interior because the load-lifter straps don’t need to be unbuckled. However, if you are using a hydration bladder inside the pack, you will find that it covers the hatch opening and must be swung out of the way—a fairly minor inconvenience.
The Soelden 42 has a well-executed arrangement of side and front straps that allow you to carry a pair of skis in two different modes, a snowboard in two different modes, or a pair of snowshoes. When not in use, the front straps tuck away cleanly out of site. The side straps are particularly well-designed for carrying skis in an A-frame configuration, which is my preferred mode; however, I use a simple improvement to the standard arrangement, as described on my Trailcat Tips page.
The Soelden 42 is loaded with convenience and organizational features, most important of which is an easily accessible avalanche safety pocket. This pocket has a J-shaped zipper opening and several internal sleeves for holding a shovel blade, shovel handle, probe, study kit, and other items. I’ve seen many snow packs that have ridiculously small avalanche safety pockets, but this one is roomy enough to accommodate all of my avalanche gear plus a large repair kit and raincover.
Other useful features include double pockets (small and large) on the top lid, a hipbelt pocket, a helmet hammock, an exterior gear loop, and three interior mesh pockets. The gear loop would likely appeal to ski mountaineers who are executing technical maneuvers such as rappels or belays. I personally would get more use from a second hipbelt pocket rather than the dedicated gear loop; on rare occasions when I do anything technical, I simply use the gear loops on my harness.
There is a small tunnel on each shoulder strap that allows you to route a bladder hose on either side; the other tunnel can be used for a radio cord. Because these tunnels are very short, they don’t provide any freeze-protection for a hydration hose. Also, the opening for each tunnel is located directly under the load-lifter straps, which makes it a bit tricky to feed a hose through.
Based on approximately ten day trips with the Soelden 42 thus far, I can say that it possesses all of the quality and comfort expected from an Osprey pack. It also has a lot of well-executed features that are typically desired in an all-purpose snow pack. Although I’m not ready to replace my faithful Kode 42 pack with this impressive newcomer, I am looking forward to continuing my evaluation.
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