Ultimate Direction SkiMo 28 Pack

This does what it should so well in winter. You can strip it and it is good in summer. The compression straps are stiff and hard to tighten but work and don’t wear out. It is a bit boxy, but not an issue in a pack this size. Smallest pack that could carry 2 pair skis, and does have a tow hook contrary to the description.

Is the race hook removable? I'd probably want to use this for long day hikes/runs where I need more gear than I can fit in a running vest and would prefer to do without the hook if possible.

From Colorado. Used the product several times, including one 4000' rando-race, and one multi-hour speed tour/training session in blower conditions. First impressions: great quality, sleek and functional design with well-thought-out features that simply work well, like they're supposed to, and body (running) vest style is very comfortable and can be adjusted to have weight on the hips if you pack heavy. Very light, as you can imagine, but the main compartment fabrics feel rather robust that will take thoughtful daily abuse- as with any light equipment, some respect is required. Here's a few things that are not included in the typical write-up... interior is white which makes for easy finding of gear, crampon compartment is a useful pack-on quick-access spot for water bottles, extra gloves, etc., the water holder on the left shoulder strap can easily fit any cycling-style water bottle (even 24 oz sizes, or like the CAMP straw style)- so you don't need the collapsible bottle to make it work, and all the buckles have integrated magnets that make closure just a bit faster (cool feature that more pack-makers should use!). Note that the design of the buckles make closure slightly finicky at first, but you'll quickly get used to it. Only make drawback, which can be easily fixed, is that the shoulder ski holder bungee is slightly long, which prevents the diagonal carry (the reason for 1 star deduction)... I'll be shortening mine to make it carry better, so it should be a non-issue. All in all, a very respectable pack that UD put a lot of thought into- you'll be pleased with it.