Raide Research and Safeback Announce Partnership

Both born out of frustration with existing solutions available for winter travel in steep terrain, Raide and Safeback have teamed up to create two lightweight avalanche backpacks, launching Winter 24/25.

After a meteoric first season in the market, Raide has not taken the success of their LF40 backpack sitting down. The last year has been spent working to both improve the core backpack features, as well as integrate SBX into the harnesses of the 40L and new 30L backpacks: the Raide SB 30L and SB 40L.

“Safeback offers additional safety margin at a weight that gram-counting skiers can be excited about - while also taking up significantly less space in the pack than alternatives. By incorporating SBX into a light and fully featured pack, we hope more skiers grab the Raide SB 30L and 40L packs when headed into the backcountry,” said Kyle Siegel, Raide’s CEO and Founder.

Safeback SBX, winner of the ISPO Award in 2022, is the first system of its kind to actively supply air to snow burial victims, extending the survival window after burial in an avalanche or tree well without requiring a mouthpiece. These backpacks benefit from SBX’s low weight at 520g – keeping total weight as low as possible.

“When we looked at the ski backpack market during SBX’s development, it was clear that weight was always a concern among skiers, and especially ski tourers, when deciding which avalanche backpack to buy, as well as the pack that gets used. The light weight and functional design of Raide’s packs make it a clear leader in the segment, and we are excited that SBX is part of a backpack that skiers can be excited to use every time they place their beacon into ‘Send’.” added Tor Berge, CEO and Co-founder of Safeback.

Raide’s SB backpacks will weigh 1730g at 30L, and 1880g at 40L – making them the lightest avalanche backpacks on the market at their respective volumes. As important as the weight, SBX’s integration allows the same core-features of the LF40 to remain on the backpack, allowing a highly functional ski backpack for ski touring and mountaineering.

Beyond SBX, Raide’s backpack lineup features a groundbreaking bottom-access zipper for rapid probe and shovel deployment. Without unclipping the hip belt, rescuers can remove their probe from the zipper on the bottom right of the bag. This keeps SBX on the rescuer in case of a second avalanche during the search process. Shovels can be accessed via a separate zipper, and the shovel can be removed while the bag is on the left shoulder. All rescue tools can be accessed without the backpack touching the snow, keeping SBX in place on the user for as much time as possible.

Both backpacks will be available from Raide’s website: raideresearch.com, and will be distributed to select retailers in the US and Europe. Delivery will begin in November 2024.

Raide makes equipment and apparel for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains.

Founded in Carbondale, Colorado by Kyle Siegel in 2023 out of frustration for the current gear market that leaves out those who care about uphill performance and downhill style equally. Kyle combines his experience in mechanical engineering at companies like SpaceX with outdoor industry experience from the Performance Outerwear team at The North Face to develop innovative products to help athletes reach higher and steeper terrain.