Explore 30

The Arva Explore 30 is a 30-litre ski touring backpack from Arva, the French avalanche-safety brand, built to carry a full day in the mountains in any season. It is made from 100% recycled polyamide, has a dedicated pocket for your shovel and probe, and carries skis, a snowboard or a splitboard.

Who it's for

Ski tourers and splitboarders doing full days in the backcountry, and walkers who want one pack for the whole year. In winter it carries avalanche gear, skins and layers for a long day on the Main Range; in summer the same pack takes a hut trip or a big day on the high-country walking tracks. Snowshoers are covered too.

Capacity, and what actually fits

Thirty litres is a proper day-tour volume: shovel and probe in their own front pocket, skins and crampons in the base compartment, a warm layer, shell, lunch and a flask in the main body. The removable zippered divider means the base compartment can open into the main bag when you want one big space for hut gear instead.

How it carries

A ventilated back with generous foam padding keeps air moving on the climb, and a waist belt with a large zippered pocket keeps your phone and snacks in reach. For the skis, the quick diagonal carry lets you put them on and take them off without removing the pack, which is exactly what you want at a bootpack on a cold ridge. For wide skis there is a lateral A-frame carry that clips in two moves and balances the weight better. It also carries two ice axes, a helmet on the integrated holder, and a snowboard, splitboard or snowshoes, with a compression system to cinch it down when it is half full.

Fitting it

The Explore 30 has a back length of 44–51 cm. Measure your own from the knobbly vertebra at the base of your neck down to the top of your hip bones; if you land in that range, it is the size to try. Load it with your normal day kit before you judge the fit, because an empty pack tells you very little.

Access and organisation

• Safety-gear pocket on the front with internal sleeves, so the shovel and probe come out fast in a rescue.
• Quick-access base compartment you can reach without taking the pack off, for wet skins, crampons, gloves or a bottle.
• Wide opening to the main compartment.
• Very large goggle pocket for goggles or small valuables, plus an interior pocket for keys.
• Stretch mesh pocket on the right shoulder strap for a 500 ml flask or bottle, and the pack takes a hydration system.
• Daisy chains for extra gear, and a safety whistle.

Weight

1140 g empty, measuring 40 x 54 x 17 cm. That buys a fully featured touring pack with a padded, ventilated back and a separate base compartment. The fabric is 420D and 630D recycled polyamide, GRS and bluesign certified, with 200D and 300D recycled polyester linings and no PFAS. We stock the Explore 30 because it does winter and summer equally well, so one pack covers the whole year.