Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR Airbag Ski Pack Review
One of the most lightweight and versatile avalanche airbag packs out there
San Juan Mountain Guides Head Guide Patrick Ormund wearing the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L in the wilderness near Red Mountain. Courtesy Blake Gordon, PrimaLoft.
March 6th, 2025
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Our verdict
With the ability to deploy multiple times on a single charge and to switch out a zip-on pack from 18 liters to 40 liters in the normal frame size, and 16 liters to 36 liters in the small frame size, the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR is simply one of the most lightweight and versatile avalanche airbag packs out there. It is this author’s top pick for an avalanche safety pack for anyone who is getting into the backcountry on the regular.
We tested and evaluated the largest version, the 40-liter AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR, over a couple of months in the Colorado and Utah backcountry. Compared to our tester’s experience with other avalanche airbag packs, the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC easily comes out on top—like an airbag pack should. That’s thanks to its comfort, feature set, ease of use, travel friendliness, and light weight.
40 L
28 L / 30 L
San Juan Mountain Guides Head Guide Patrick Ormund agrees. We spotted Ormund, a guide since 2001, wearing the same model we tested at the PrimaLoft House gathering at Red Mountain Alpine Lodge with San Juan Mountain Guides. “I like the way it carries, it’s comfortable,” he tells us. “I have the 40-liter pack. It holds everything that I need quite well….I actually really like the way it fits and stays close when I’m skiing. I’m pretty psyched with that.”
We’re pretty stoked on the pack, too. For anyone going into the backcountry and into complex and uncertain terrain, this is the avalanche airbag pack we’d recommend. That stands whether you're skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ski mountaineering or even if you’re snowmobiling.
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Specs
Weight: 5.42 pounds
Airbag system: LiTRIC
Charging: USB-C
Activations (per charge): Rated for 2
Certifications: EN 16716 standards
Compatibility: All Tour and Freeride zip-ons are cross-compatible with the AVABAG LiTRIC base in their respective normal and small sizes.
Comparison table
| SKI PACK | VOLUME (L) | WEIGHT (lb) | SKI CARRY? | BOARD CARRY? | HYDRATION SLEEVE? | EXTERIOR POCKETS | AIR BAG? | MSRP* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC Tour 40 Unisex |
40 | 5.42 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 | Yes | $1,400 |
| Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC Freeride 16S Unisex |
16 | 5.14 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 | Yes | $1,250 |
| Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC Freeride 18 Unisex |
18 | 5.29 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 | Yes | $1,250 |
| Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC Freeride 26S Unisex |
26 | 5.56 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 | Yes | $1,350 |
| Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC Freeride 28 Unisex |
28 | 5.71 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 | Yes | $1,350 |
You can learn more about other ski packs we like in our Best Ski Packs guide.
Who is it for
The author testing the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L pack at Berthoud Pass, Colorado.
We would recommend the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR to anyone who’s in the backcountry and avalanche conditions regularly, or as a very, very nice gift from someone who wants to increase the safety of their loved ones in the backcountry.
While it might not be needed for someone who’s new to backcountry skiing and going into backcountry one or two days a year on safe slopes, for anyone getting into big, open and complex terrain, like the vast backcountry in Colorado, Utah, Washington, or Alaska, an avalanche airbag is a really good thing to have. The modulatory of the Ortovox AVABAG pack system makes it ideal for backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers, mountaineers, and even snowmobilers.
With the ability to deploy multiple times on single charge, a continual run time of 60 hours between charges, and the ability to fully charge via USB cable in 25 minutes, the pack is suitable for everything from single day outings to multi-day trips with little access to electricity.
Testing the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L after traversing the Highway to Heaven on the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour.
How we tested
We tested the AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR throughout Colorado’s backcountry, primarily on the Front Range at some of our favorite spots including Berthoud Pass and Jones Pass. We also used it during the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour, where we skied in and out of bounds between six Utah ski areas in a day.
We didn’t have a chance to change out the zip bags to change the capacity of the backpack, but we did find zipping the 40-liter pack on-and-off easy, and anticipate that the system is robust enough to work for years without fail.
Having worn other avalanche airbags, we found that the Ortovox AVABAG was as easy to put on as a regular backpack. That’s in part thanks to using a normal plastic waist buckle as opposed to a metal buckle that other avalanche airbag packs use. Ortovox accomplished this by moving the clip to secure the leg loop onto a loop on the waist belt. Other avalanche packs secure the leg loop by passing it through the waist belt.
Short video of arming AVABAG LiTRIC trigger.
We also really appreciated the trigger for a number of reasons. With most avalanche packs the airbag trigger is kept zipped in a shoulder strap pocket when not in use to reduce the likelihood of accidental deployment. With the AVABAG, the trigger can be secured higher or lower on the shoulder strap and is never hidden away. Instead it’s placed in active mode by rotating halfway around. The black side is off and the orange side is active.
If you forget to arm or turn the AVABAG to active before an avalanche occurs, it’s still much easier to arm than in other avalanche airbag packs, where the user must unzip a shoulder pocket and then pull the trigger out of it before they can activate the airbag. Ease of use here increases speed and safety with a system used in high stress situations.
Since the trigger is electronic, Ortovox also makes it easy to pull it to activate the airbag. With canister airbags, where you have to pop the canister to release the compressed gas, it can be more difficult to pull. We also noted that the LiTRIC system wasn’t so easy to deploy that bumping into branches was likely to activate it accidentally.
Unlike many other avalanche packs we’ve tried on, we found that the AVABAG wore much like a regular ski backpack, that’s thanks to the positioning of the LiTRIC system at the top of the pack, as opposed to it being in the middle or at the bottom of the pack. It allows you to pack it more like a normal backcountry ski pack, with your heaviest items at the bottom. You can learn more about other ski packs we like in our Best Ski Packs guide.
Related: Best Avalanche Beacons
What we liked
The Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC Tour 40L with helmet carry out.
Lightweight
Multiple deployments on a single charge
Wears and carries like a normal pack
Modularity
Ease of use
Quick-charging
Long-lasting battery
Well-designed pocket for avalanche tools
Travel and TSA-compliant
Easy-to-pack airbag
Color-coding for avalanche safety features, including the zippers for the avalanche tool pocket, the leg loop, and airbag trigger.
What could be better
Straps are too long
No fabric reinforcement for avalanche tool pocket or ice axe carry
A little hard to see the LED lights on the unit through the mesh panel
No display showing deployment counts
Features
Weight
The LiTRIC airbag system weighs just 2.4 pounds. That allows Ortovox to make some of the lightest avalanche airbag packs out there. Whereas some avalanche packs still top 7 pounds, our 40 liter test unit only weighed 5.4 pounds, a little heavy for a backcountry pack but much lighter than most avalanche packs, especially for the capacity.
The LiTRIC airbag system doesn’t take up much space in the AVABAG TOUR at all. The orange cover makes sure you can’t turn it off while using the pack.
Airbag system
The LiTRIC airbag system deploys quickly and easily. We found the omnipresent, twist to arm handle was easy to pull to deploy the airbag and the airbag inflates in under five seconds, though the fan stays on for a couple more seconds.
The LiTRIC system is currently the lightest electric airbag system and also the most compact we’ve seen. It won an ISPO award when the system was introduced in 2022, as well as a Red Dot Award for its innovations.
Charging
Ortovox claims the 25-gram lithium battery can charge in about 25 minutes via a USB-C cable. This means you can also charge it in the field with a backup battery. Once full, Ortovox says the battery should last 60 hours (2 and a half days) in the field if you forget to turn it off. In our testing, we were never able to fully deplete the battery system even when on stand by. This included leaving it on for over 30 hours straight (by mistake) and after multiple deployments. We did note, however, that the battery did charge up rapidly and we’d say it was fully charged in about a half hour. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the system is so robust since it has to meet certain standards for certification, including staying on for at least 24 hours at -30°C—you know, in case you decide to ski mountains in the Antarctic winter, no big deal.
Activation count/Warranty
Though the LiTRIC doesn’t have a visual screen, Ortovox says the system is good for 50 deployments (which you will hopefully never need in the field) or 10 years. After 50 deployments the system’s LED lights will blink in a pattern that means the system should be inspected by Ortovox before more deployments or replacement. The LiTRIC also has a 5-year warranty when registered. That’s the longest warranty for an electric airbag system available.
Modularity
With four different zip-on pack options for each of the torso lengths, Ortovox offers more zip-on packs for the LiTRIC AVABAGs than we’ve seen from other manufacturers that offer zip-on packs, like Black Diamond, which only offers three sizes. This means if you want you can have a zip-on pack ready for a multi-day hut trip and one that’s ready to rip it up on a day when you want to go fast and light.
The main D-zip compartment of the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR pack easily splays open to access the contents of the pack.
Ease of use
We found the AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L was the easiest avalanche airbag pack to use that we’ve tested. After turning the system on you can see when it’s ready to deploy by looking at the LED lights, which you can see with the pack opened or closed. The trigger is easy to arm and pull, and you can inflate the airbag without needing to waste a canister—making it ideal for practice without paying for a new canister or canister refill.
Long operation time
The LiTRIC has a rated standby time of 60 hours, meaning you could leave it on for days in the harshest conditions and it should still deploy. In my own testing, I left it on for at least 30 hours in one usage and it didn't deplete the battery (I'd forgotten to turn it off).
Durability
We’re not entirely sure on this one since we only had a couple months with the pack, but Ortovox offers a warranty with registration of five years. We did find the fabric thinner than some other airbags on the market, but thicker than those from some other companies.
Collaboration
Ortovox and Arc’teryx developed the LiTRIC system together to compete with the electric airbags systems offered by other companies, like the Alpride E2 systems offered in other airbag packs including the Osprey Soelden Pro (men’s) and Sopris Pro (women’s) avalanche packs and the JetForce system offered by Black Diamond. LiTRIC is lighter than both. We’ll see if other companies are able to use it.
Storage options
We only tested the LiTRIC for a couple of months. But longer testing from others has shown that the LiTRIC system will hold its charge for months while not powered on.
Eco-friendliness
The LiTRIC AVABAG has a lithium battery and electronics in it that will require proper disposal at the end of life. The pack itself doesn’t use any PFAs in the fabric or other materials.
Certifications
The LiTRIC backpacks from Ortovox conform with the EN 16716 standards for avalanche airbag person protective equipment (PPE). That means it has a secure leg loop, the trigger is easy enough to pull but not so easy that it’s likely to pull by mistake and the airbag itself can withstand impacts during an avalanche situation.
The generous and easy to open avalanche gear pocket in the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR pack.
Performance in the field
The thing about the 40-liter AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR is that, except for the leg loop and omnipresent trigger, you’d hardly think you were wearing an avalanche airbag. It wears just like a normal backcountry ski pack and has all the features you’d expect from one. This includes multiple options for carrying skis and snowboards, a helmet hammock to carry the helmet outside the pack, a pocket dedicated for an avalanche probe and shovel and stash pockets for snacks.
The bright orange-colored portions of the pack are related to avalanche safety, making it easy to access your safety gear in a stressful situation and remind you to use the features. We found the ability to deploy the airbag in testing a great practice feature you just can’t get with a canister airbag unless you want to burn through the $15–$40 it costs to refill a canister and/or carry multiple $150 to $300 canisters into the backcountry on sketchy days.
Though the LiTRIC system is rated for two pulls a charge, we successfully pulled the trigger on the airbag at least four times between charges, allowing the system to recharge the super capacitor from the lithium battery multiple times. Still, given that the unit we used was a test unit that other journalists were evaluating as well, we didn’t want to deploy the airbag too many times and we also didn’t know how many times it was already deployed.
We also liked that once deflated we could stuff the airbag back into its chamber. Most other airbags required a particular folding pattern to fit back in their compartment. The LiTRIC is as easy to pack as stuffing a rain jacket into its pocket.
Deploying the LiTRIC airbag system vs. a Mammut canister airbag system.
Ortovox Litric vs. similar airbag packs
At this point it’s hard to argue that a canister-based avalanche airbag system is better than an electronic system like the LiTRIC. The electric systems just offer so many advantages, including the ability to deploy multiple times on a single charge, the ability to travel on planes with them, and batteries lasting longer and getting lighter.
“The only airbag pack I had in the past was the Arc’teryx Voltair. That thing was heavy. It was not worth lugging around. I didn’t get other airbag packs partly because of weight and partly because of the utility of using a canister,” Ormund explains. Arc’teryx co-developed LiTRIC with Ortovox and now uses it in its airbag packs as well, but the Voltair weighed 7.6 pounds.
Ormund also notes the frustration of not being able to travel with a pressurized gas canister and having to get one at your designation. “That and it’s just one and done, and then you can only ski at treeline or below treeline terrain. It just kind of didn’t seem worth it. But this thing, with the weight, I really don’t notice it that much.”
While the LiTRIC system isn’t the first electric avalanche airbag, it is the most compact, and the whole system weighs about 2.4 pounds. That allows Ortovox to surround the system with a well thought-out, lightweight frame and modular backpack system. Our 40-liter test unit (the largest size offered) has a claimed weight of 5.4 pounds and the smallest, the 16-liter unit has a weight of 5.1 pounds. That’s significantly less than earlier generations of airbag packs, which could weigh upwards of nine pounds. Ortovox also offers a lighter LiTRIC pack, the AVABAG LiTRIC Zero 27, which only weighs 4.3 pounds, but you can’t change out the packs like the rest of its LiTRIC line.
The modularity of the pack and its lightweight should convince skeptics who are adverse to previous generations of avalanche airbags because of their weight, awkward airbag system placement, and weight distribution. Whereas other airbag packs had the airbag system in the bottom or somewhere in the middle of the pack, Ortovox places the whole unit at the top of the pack.
Weight
The Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L we tested weighs 5.4 pounds, among the lightest for a 40 liter airbag pack. For instance, an electric pack of similar size, the BCA Float E2-45 Avalanche Airbag 2025 (41 liters of pack space with the E2 system in), weighs 7 pounds.
BCA’s closest-sized canister pack, the Float 42 Avalanche Airbag 2025 weighs 7.1 pounds with a full canister.
Black Diamond’s largest electric airbag pack, the 35-liter JetForce Pro 35L, weighs 6.7 pounds.
The 42-liter ArcTeryx Micon LiTRIC 42 pack is slightly lighter than the AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L at 4.9 pounds.
Overall the lightest AVABAG LiTRIC modular zip-on model Ortovox offers is the 5.1 pound Freeride 16S. The difference in weight between a 16-liter pack and a 40-liter pack that can carry 2.5 times as much gear on the relatively same platform is 0.3 pounds or about 5 ounces, which is, in our minds, pretty impressive.
The lightest Ortovox LiTRIC is the Zero 27 at 4.3 pounds. But that pack isn’t modular like the other LiTRIC packs.
However, the lightest avalanche packs we’ve found are either the ARVA Reactor Tour UL 25 or the Arc’Teryx Micon LiTRIC 16L pack. But there are definitely some clarifications that need to be made.
The ARVA Reactor Tour UL 25 airbag pack claims it is 3.9 pounds with a steel canister—a carbon fiber canister for the Reactor is also available, which would cut the weight down a little. It’s not clear if that weight is with a full canister (most canisters compress air at something like 3,000 psi, which adds weight). In its testing Wild Snow said that the Reactor Tour UL 25 was 4.4 pounds with a fully charged steel canister.
The Arc’Teryx Micon 16 weighs 4.1 pounds, according to Arc’Teryx. Since the difference in weight between a charged and uncharged battery is beyond anything most scales can detect, we can say Micon LiTRIC 16 is likely the overall winner in the category.
Cost
When it comes to cost, the 40-liter model we tested was $1,400, about the same as other electronic avalanche airbag packs of the same size and more than the shelf cost of most canister packs. The BCA Float E2-45 Avalanche Airbag 2025 is $1,399 and the Black Diamond JetForce Pro 35L is $1,499.
Canister airbag packs start at about $500, and 35-40L canister packs start at about $750. But the real cost of one is about $200 more since that’s the cost of most canisters, which aren’t included with the backpack. Lighter weight carbon canisters cost about $300 each if they’re available.
Using some “for instance” math, a 40-liter canister pack will likely cost you about $500 more over its lifespan or about $1250 or more. That’s including having two canisters (one as backup), which would be about $400 more. Then there’s the cost of refilling them after using them ($15 to $40 per charge), and if traveling you either have to rent a canister at a daily rate or mail it to your destination ahead of time and send it back, domestically that could cost $40 or more per trip and internationally, much more.
Comfort
While we haven’t been able to long-term test multiple airbag packs (see cost above), we have tried many of them on. The Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC was the most comfortable we’ve tried on and while wearing it on the uphills in the backcountry we’d often notice we didn’t even clip the waist strap. The back panel was comfortable as was the hip belt and the leg loop and hip belt were easier to clip into than other avalanche packs we’ve tried on in the past.
Features
The biggest thing we can say about the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L is that it carries like a backcountry ski pack and not like a cumbersome, heavy avalanche backpack. With other avalanche packs we’ve tried on in the past it’s immediately noticeable that you’re lugging around the weight of the system and/or that the weight distribution feels awkward while wearing it unweighted. We didn’t notice that with the AVABAG LiTRIC.
The second biggest thing we can say is that, like with other electronic airbags, the ability to test the pack without a significant cost penalty is great, compared to canister packs. We heard one go off at the beginning of a skin in the backcountry in Crested Butte and immediately thought: “Well, someone just spent a meal and drinks…”
In terms of other features, the avalanche safety gear pocket was easy to see thanks to the orange zipper pulls, easy to access, and easy to secure the probe and shovel in and made it easy to deploy both. It was quick and easy to set our Romp Shepherd skis up in an A-Frame position and the other ski and snowboard carrying capabilities are also easy to set up, as is the external helmet carry. When these features aren’t in use they hide away easily for downhill rides. The pack also cinches down easily with the top and bottom side straps. All of these factors help lower its profile so it’s less likely to snag on any branches when you're cruising through the trees.
Getting ready to transition with the AVABAG pack.
Similar Products
Backcountry Access Float 22
Reported Weight: 6 lbs
Volume: 22 L
Airbag system: Float 2.0
Ski carry? Yes
Board carry: Yes
BCA has offered the Float 22 for a long time. Updated for 2025, the $549 pack offers a good value and uses a compressed air airbag, which requires the purchase of a $200 canister to use—so it costs closer to $750 to start. With a full canister the pack weighs 6lbs. With just 22 liters of capacity, the avalanche tool pocket is tight and it’s hard to pack for a full backcountry day but it can be done. When compared to the Ortovox AVABAG it has less capacity and versatility, but its fabrics are burlier making it a little more suitable for mechanized snow sports than long human-driven backcountry missions.
Backcountry Access Float 22
Reported Weight: 6.3 lbs
Volume: 35 L
Airbag system: Protection Airbag System
Ski carry? Yes
Board carry: Yes
Mammut offers the Pro Protection Airbag in a 35 liter and 45 liter capacity. The most current version of the 35 liter pack runs $779 and the compressed air cylinder adds $224 to the price of the pack, making it $1003 all told. The pack has a generous avalanche tool pocket and enough storage for a day of backcountry touring. The 45 liter pack offers even more volume for $20 more and little additional weight penalty. With a fully charged cylinder the pack weighs 6.6 pounds, making it about a pound heavier than the Ortovox AVABAG.
Mammut also offers the 35 liter version for $329 without the airbag system installed in case the buyer wants to buy the system piecemeal and in the airbag system later—something Ortovox and most other airbag pack companies don’t offer.
Mammut 35L Pro Protection Airbag 3.0
Reported Weight: 6.2 lbs (women's), 6.4 lbs (men's)
Volume: 32 L (women's), 34 L (men's)
Airbag system: Yes
Ski carry? Yes
Board carry: Yes
The Osprey Soelden and Sopris backpacks are another favorite of Treeline Review writers. Like the Ortovox AVABAG, Osprey offers two different back panel sizes, with the Soelden intended for taller people and the Sopris designed for women and/or those with shorter backs. Osprey mentions gender specific designs in the different size options. Ortovox just offers long and short versions. For both packs, Osprey uses the electronic Alpride E2 Airbag System, which has a 2-year warranty as opposed to the 5-year warranty offered on the LiTRIC system.
The E2 system also allows multiple deployments on a single charge. However, it is heavier and bulkier than the LiTRIC system and requires specific folding rather than the LiTRIC which stuffs easily into its compartment. It doesn’t have a lithium ion battery and instead uses 2 AA batteries or a micro-USB to recharge the supercapacitor that powers the airbag. The packs are well organized with a good avalanche tool pocket but though they both cost eh same as the Ortovox LiTRIC 40L and 36L ($1,400) they have less capacity (Soelden 32 liters and Sopris 30 liters) than the Ortovox AVABAG can offer. They also weigh more with the Soelden weighing in at 6.4 pounds and the Sopris at 6.2 pounds.
Osprey Soelden Pro / Sopris Pro
Should I buy the Ortovox Litric Airbag Ski Pack?
If you’re in the backcountry in significant avalanche danger a good number of days a year, the Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L is a best choice for an avalanche airbag pack. It’s really the first airbag pack we tried out that felt more like a regular backcountry backpack than an airbag pack with backcountry features.
Ormund estimates he wears the LiTRIC pack about 90% to 95% of the time while skiing in the backcountry. “Especially midwinter, but from the early season through the full winter season,” he says. “That’s the thing in a snowpack like this—it’s another element of it. Being in the continental Colorado snowpack and stacking the odds in our favor are pretty important.”
We agree. Colorado’s snowpack year-in and out is some of the notoriously most prone to slide and usually results in the highest avalanche deaths annually. After avalanche education and helmets, we hope more people will consider avalanche airbags as another line of defense against avalanche injuries and fatalities, and the comfort and ease of use of the AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR system is the best argument we’ve seen yet to make that happen.
Weighing just under 5.5 pounds, it’s lightweight compared to many other options, offers more storage and carrying capacity than most other airbag packs, and has all the well-thought-out features that you’d expect to find on a high-end backcountry ski and snowboard pack and can even handle mountaineering duties.
The LiTRIC airbag system is the lightest electric system you’ll find in 2025 and is more compact than other options, taking up less space in the pack. Plus with the LiTRIC system you can actually deploy the system to test it and get used to it without having to pay a $15–$40 refill penalty for each pull of the handle. In a high-stress situation, like an avalanche, having that practice under your belt can mean the difference between a botched deployment and a successful one.
For all these reasons, we heartily recommend Ortovox AVABAG LiTRIC TOUR 40L over other avalanche airbag packs.
40 L
28 L / 30 L
Where to buy
The Ortovox Litric Airbag is a specialized piece of safety equipment, so it isn't sold at many major outdoor retailers such as REI. However, you still have some options. Here are some of the pros of the retailers that carry this bag.
Backcountry
Pros: Frequent sales for Expedition Perks members (free to join), fast shipping, Gearhead chat customer service is excellent
ortovox
You can sometimes find more options when purchasing directly from the retailer. Sometimes, purchasing directly from the retailer can make it easier if you need to make a warranty return, such as if there is a defect.
About the author / Why you should trust us
Chris skiing in the backcountry near Crested Butte.
As an outdoors writer covering adventure and gear, Chris writes regularly about the outdoors and enjoys outdoor activities all year-round, including skiing on the slopes and backcountry, snowshoeing, and ice climbing. He’s authored numerous gear guides for Treeline Review, writes for Popular Mechanics, Bicycling Magazine, Popular Science, Backpacker, and other outdoor publications/organizations.
In all, Chris has over 20 years of exploring, skiing, climbing, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, guiding, and playing in the wild. These days, Chris spends most of his time skiing, ice and rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, hiking, climbing, and crisscrossing Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. He enjoys using all his knowledge of gear and skills to learn about new equipment and how it will benefit him: “Yes, I’m selfish,” he jokes—as well as Treeline’s readers.
Chris has authored multiple outdoor guidebooks. His most recent Falcon Guide is "Colorado’s Best Front Range Adventures: The Greatest Hiking, Climbing, Paddling and More From Denver to Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.” In it, you’ll find the region's best hiking, cycling options, climbing, and rafting along the Front Range.
Chris is also the author of Falcon Guide’s “Climbing Colorado's Fourteeners: From the Easiest Hikes to the Most Challenging Climbs,” and edited Justin Lichter’s excellent guide to thru-hiking titled, “Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide To Ultralight Hiking And Backpacking.” He has also worked with National Geographic’s mapping division in developing their Colorado 14ers Map Pack Bundle. All of this experience has helped Chris become a first-rate gearhead and product tester.
You can read all of Chris' stories at Treeline Review on his author page or his website.
