Backpacks
Product 2022
Woman, Man
We tested a version of the ARVA ST 30 last season. It wasn’t missing much for this bag to win the FIRST Award.
The new ARVA ST 26 was tested this winter for three months. We used it freeriding, on groomed slopes, almost every day professionally.
The ARVA ST 26 is first and foremost waterproof. We had been eyeing-up Arc’teryx packs for a long time, which protect your gear from rain and wet snow. With the model designed by ARVA, we now benefit from this great waterproofness, which allows you to store gloves, clothes or even paper documents without worry. You can sit it down in wet snow without any worry. The zips are all waterproof and slide well. They didn’t deteriorate under the effect of UV rays.
The other major quality is this pack’s toughness of this bag. The Ripstop fabric is tear-resistant, and you’d really have to give it hell to make any holes in it. The only downside concerns the shoulder strap edges, with the friction of the skis on your shoulder, it loses its color. Folds appeared without causing any weak points.
The ARVA ST 26 is very pleasant to ski with because it never interferes with the skier’s movements. It doesn’t make any squeaks or noises. Its straps slide well over your ski jacket when you put it on.
Even if we understand the designers’ logic that they wanted to lighten the bag, for freeriding (we use ski lifts), a wide waist belt would have been welcome. On this version of the ST 26, we therefore have a thin attachment system, which isn’t really easy to grab with thick gloves on.
We didn’t test the removable carrying system, so we can’t comment on that. At most, we can say that it is useful for quick carrying. Once the straps are removed, the ARVA ST 26 is even more aesthetic and fluid in its design: a real success!
The storage is simple and effective.
Despite a thin waist belt, this magnificent bag won the FIRST Award. Its waterproofness, carrying ability, practicality and robustness are its main qualities.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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