• CAPACITY: 25 litres
• PRICE: £109 / €125

From the whopping 42-litre Poacher RAS to the 12-litre Heli Pack, DaKine makes snowboard backpacks for every type of riding. The Mission series occupies the middle ground, with packs that offer enough room for a backcountry adventure, but wouldn’t be overkill for a day spent inbounds.

Making it into the Whitelines 100 this year is the latest female-specific edition of the DaKine Team Mission Pro. Boasting legendary freerider Leanne Pelosi’s signature design (for which there’s also a matching mitt), this one should suit just about all levels of rider.

“This has enough room for a backcountry adventure, but wouldn’t be overkill for a day spent inbounds”

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While riding with a backpack isn’t to everyone’s taste, a well-built one can minimise the discomfort. With a belt and sternum strap, you can ease the pressure off your shoulders, and prevent the bag from moving too much as you ride (not that the shoulder straps aren’t comfy, of course). DaKine claims that the bag has been given a female-specific fit, although it’s hard to see exactly what changes have been made in this regard.

If you’re chasing powder Leanne style, then you can strap your snowboard to the back either vertically or horizontally. The latter is more useful if you’re lucky enough to get on the back of a snowmobile, while the former is best for human-powered hiking.

Wearing goggles on the ascent is never a good idea, so there’s a fleece-lined pocket in the top of the DaKine Team Mission Pro to keep them safe until you get to the top. Even worse would be to hike without water, so the the insulated sleeve is the ideal home for a pouch.