2015 Silverton Splitfest • snowboardmountaineer.com

About Mammut

In 1862 Kaspar Tanner laid the building blocks of Mammut with the establishment of his technical ropery . Today Mammut is part of the Mammut Sports Group AG which develops and manufactures alpine, outdoor and snow sports products. Mammut Sports Groups have been located in the Swiss town of Seon with subsidiary companies in Germany, Norway, Japan, Korea and the USA. Mammut celebrates 150 years making exceptional outdoor gear.

My initial impression – Mammut Nirvana Pro 35

Mammut keeps their packs simple yet technical and built extremely well. The lumbar and load lifters conform well, even when the Mammut Nirvana Pro 35 is loaded down with an AT setup. The Nirvana Pro 35 accommodates a splitboard extremely well in A-frame and vertical carry modes. The pack itself is spacious and lightweight – yet durable. This is an awesome pack overall, and would even accommodate shorter duration hut trips.

Review of the Mammut Nirvana Pro 35

Technically this Pro Series pack could be considered a guide pack to some with it’s 35 liter capacity. However the pack fits well and the compression straps can transform this in to a day pack. The Nirvana Pro 35 has two main spacious compartments. The first compartment for avalanche gear has an isolated waterproof barrier between the main compartment. The avalanche gear compartment also has a slider sheath for rapid access to the avalanche probe and can easily accommodate a full sized avalanche shovel. There is also an internal compression strap inside this compartment.

Features

Capacity: 35 Liters
The force created by gravity acting on a mass." class="glossaryLink " target="_blank">Weight: 3 lbs 7 oz, or 1650 g
Dimensions (cm): 52 L x 32 W x 24 D
Upper Fabric: 420 denier Nylon Tritan Ripstop
Trim Fabric: 1680 denier
Nylon Ballistic Back System: CONTACT U Frame Mammut item # 2510-02280
Fully opening back zip for easy access to the main compartment, even with board or skis attached 6 millimeter U-frame is adjustable for a customized fit 2-layer high-density EVA back padding, hip and shoulder belts with laminated stretch fabric cover.
Dedicated front pocket for avalanche safety gear – compartments for probe and shovel, plus a SOS label with emergency instructions and a rapid puller for the quickest access.
Ski attachments for side or diagonal carry Lateral, extremely sturdy, Velcro ski loops are width adjustable.
Snowboard carrier has a fully adjustable stabilization belt to ensure your legs have freedom of movement.
Helmet carrier has snow protector to keep the inside dry and is removable/stowable 4 front gear loops for helmet carrier fixation.
Two attachments for ice tool and trekking poles.
Padded goggle pouch.
Zipped inner valuables compartment with key clip – cause there’s nothing worse than having to unpack to dig for your keys after the descent.
Removable, padded hip belt with pocket.
Hydration system compatible, with insulated hydration tube cover integrated into shoulder strap.
Modern, bright color choices so you show up in the trees and flat light.

Mammut backpacks keep things simple yet technical, and the Mammut Nirvana Pro doesn’t mess around when it comes to integrating safety and convenience into skiing and snowboarding backpacks.

The main compartment can be accessed through the top or through the back with a full access rear zipper. The main compartment includes a hydration compartment that is built in to the shoulder strap with a zipper for the hydration hose to prevent freezing. Mounted to the rear back panel is a mesh zipper compartment and a first aid zipper compartment which have easy access.

A front top pocket is fleece-lined for goggle storage or sensitive items. On the top is a zipper compartment with an attached helmet carrier which pulls down across the face and mounts to durable anchors on the face. The helmet carrier is made of durable construction, however, when mounted it prevents access to the goggle compartment, avalanche safety gear compartment, and main compartment. It is my understanding that the new Mammut Nirvana Pro 35 has a removable helmet carrier that clips to the face only to prevent this. Likewise it is a very easy modification to change this, and the removable helmet carrier can be ordered from Mammut.

The hip belt and should straps are very well padded and constructed. The internal frame allows for a heavy load or AT setup to be mounted, yet the pack does not feel bulky or cumbersome. The hip fin also has a small zipper pocket. The zipper pulls are well constructed and large to accommodate rapid access without having to remove gloves. The avalanche safety gear compartment zipper is made with a red aluminum tube zipper pull to denote ease of access in emergency situations. The pack can be easily adjusted to torso with adjustable load-lifers and hip fins.

The AT gear lashings are well thought out and practical. On the main face two substantial buckles provide an easy vertical carry for either snowboard or skis. The straps also have velcro hold downs to prevent straps from getting caught. The Nirvana Pro 35 has double compression straps on each side. Additionally, at the base are modest adjustable A-frame straps for splitboard or skis. There are also two top adjustable ice axe / trekking poles holders, and a right side ice axe look at the base. On the left side is an addition loop that can be concealed in a strap garage for diagonal carry or an additional axe.

Nirvana Pro 35 is constructed with a 6mm millimeter internal U-frame for support. The lumbar support is high density EVA back padding. The padded hip belt is easily removable. The lateral stability of the pack is awesome.

Gallery of key features