Hyperlite Mountain Gear Headwall 55 Ski Backpack Review

Known for making some of the most sought-after packs for ultralight backpacking, Hyperlite Mountain Gear has brought its robust Dyneema construction to the ski and snowboarding world with the Headwall 55. Designed in partnership with ski mountaineer Cody Townsend, it should come as no surprise that the Headwall 55 is a purpose-built, rugged pack for gear-intensive or multi-day ski adventures. I tested the Headwall throughout a winter of ski-touring in the Pacific Northwest and abroad in the Norwegian Alps. Though billed as a pack for multi-day objectives, I was happy to also use the pack during day trips and came away very impressed with the thoughtful combination of durability, essential features, and carrying comfort. Read on to hear about my experiences with the Hyperlite Headwall 55, and for a wider view of the market, see our full article on the best ski backpacks.
 

Table of Contents

• Weight
• Carrying Comfort
• Pockets and Organization
• Other Features
• Build Quality and Durability
• Fit and Sizing
• Women's Experience
• What We Like/What We Don't
• Comparison Table
• The Competition

Performance

Weight

Hyperlite is known for their lightweight backpacks, and the Headwall 55 is no exception. At just 2 pounds 9.7 ounces, the Headwall is competitively lightweight for a backpack of its capacity. For reference, Black Diamond’s similarly intentioned Cirque 50 weighs just over 3 pounds, and Patagonia’s smaller Descensionist 37L weighs almost a pound more than the Headwall (3 lb. 4.0 oz.). Hyperlite is able to maintain this light weight by using Dyneema fabrics throughout the pack and keeping pockets and features to a minimum. That said, if you want to reduce weight even more, you can remove the hip-belt and the internal aluminum frame stays, saving an additional 6.8 and 4.0 ounces, respectively. But in my opinion, the Headwall strikes a nice balance between organizational features and weight savings. making it a great choice not only for backcountry skiing and snowboarding, but for backpacking, alpine climbing, and mountaineering as well. 
 

Carrying Comfort

Hyperlite claims the Headwall can comfortably carry 40 pounds, and I found this to be true throughout my testing. Even when hauling a week’s worth of gear for a hut trip, backpacking remained fairly comfortable. The aluminum stays that run the length of the torso do an admirable job of transferring your load to the thick waistbelt, and the ¼-inch foam in the backpanel provides additional protection against poorly packed or sharp gear. 
 

That said, I did have to be mindful not to overload this pack. When carrying the weight limit (or close to it), I could see the potential for the stitching to be stressed, especially along the shoulder straps, which bear the brunt of the load due to the lack of load lifters. On the flip side, I found the Headwall more comfortable to carry when fully packed than not. It felt a bit floppy when skiing half-filled, especially since there are no interior pockets to keep smaller gear from moving around inside. This is something to consider before purchasing, since it limits overall versatility.
 

Pockets and Organization

Unlike most dedicated ski packs, the Headwall 55 is decidedly minimalist. In total, the pack has five pockets: one large main compartment, a smaller zippered internal pocket, a stretchy exterior pocket, and two hipbelt pockets. The main compartment easily holds enough gear for most gear-intensive trips, and the roll top closure allows for extended storage when needed. The interior zippered pocket is great for small valuables like car keys. The exterior mesh pocket is outfitted with internal sleeves for a shovel handle and probe, but the stretchy Dyneema fabric allows it to expand to fit a midlayer or hardshell jacket. The hipbelt pockets are large enough to hold an iPhone, snacks, multitool, satellite messenger, headlamp, and chapstick.
 

While I rarely had issues organizing my gear in the Headwall 55, it’s worth emphasizing that the lack of pockets does call for careful packing. For instance, there is no lined goggle pocket, helmet carry, or additional pockets for divvying up gear. The lack of back or side access also limits accessibility to the pack. Simply put, you’ll have to be sure to put gear you'll need access to near the top of the pack or plan to go digging mid-tour. Water, in my experience, is the trickiest thing to pack in this backpack, as there are no water bottle pockets or a hydration bladder sleeve (I’ve had some luck strapping a Nalgene to the side compression straps). The sheer size of the pack also requires some creativity when using it as a daypack. As I mentioned above, the Headwall can feel unwieldy when only carrying a few items, though stuffing the main compartment with light layers and compressing the roll top and side compression straps down as much as possible seemed to do the trick in most cases. 
 

Other Features

The Headwall 55 is low on features, but there are a few to mention here. The sides of the pack are outfitted with three buckled compression straps that not only help tighten down a load, but can hold extra gear or A-frame skis. In fact, the Headwall 55 is one of the best packs I’ve used for A-framing. The three-strap design holds the skis tight to the pack and cradles the bindings for a secure carry (note: the Headwall 55 doesn’t have an option for diagonally-carrying skis or carrying a snowboard). There is also a Y-strap that buckles over the rolltop closure that can be used to hold a foam sleeping pad, tent, or rope. The pack comes equipped with two ice axe loops and daisy chains along the shoulder straps, sides, and down the center of the bag. Rounding out the design is an adjustable sternum strap and durable carrying loop.
 

Build Quality and Durability

After a winter of heavy use, the Headwall 55 shows very few signs of undue wear and tear. The 150-denier (D) fabric has shrugged off everything I’ve put it through so far, including several heinous bushwhacks to reach the snowline, high-speed collisions with tree branches, abrasion against rocks, and plenty of A-frame ski carries. The stitching along the seams has remained tight and tidy, even with the pack stuffed to capacity and carrying heavier loads. The seams are also taped throughout, meaning the pack is highly weather-resistant—a huge plus for wet winter environments. Lastly, the lack of features and pockets means there’s fewer features to fail. This is especially important on long ski trips where a broken zipper or ripped seam could mean ending a trip early.
 

While few, I do have some gripes with the durability and build quality of the Headwall 55. Most notably is the closure on the exterior avalanche pocket, which consists of a single strip of Velcro. In my opinion, it doesn't provide the most confidence-inspiring hold. I haven’t had any issues with my gear slipping out, but I do worry about it doing so in the event of an avalanche or big crash. There is a Y-strap that buckles over the avalanche pocket and roll top closure on the pack, but the extra step of having to unbuckle the strap to access avalanche gear in a pinch seems like a slight oversight. On the durability end, the only wear the pack has shown is some loose stitching along the Velcro patch of the avalanche pocket. Functionally, this has not affected the pack, and it’s likely due to the stretchy mesh material of the pocket. The fabric is also prone to holding onto dirt and grime, which, again, doesn’t affect the functionality of the pack, just the aesthetics. Nitpicks aside, the build quality is generally top notch, just as I expect from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. 
 

Fit and Sizing

The Headwall 55 comes in Hyperlite’s standard torso sizes: small, medium, large, and tall. My torso measured to 19 inches, which put me at the lower end of the size range for the large (19-21 in.). Because the Headwall doesn’t have any load lifters, I knew that sizing the pack correctly was important, so I opted for the larger size rather than sizing down to a medium. Normally, I would take the time to dial in the fit at home before going on a long trip, but due to time constraints, I had to adjust the pack on the first day of a five-day hut trip I had planned in the British Columbia backcountry. Right out of the gate, the Headwall 55 adjusted easily to fit my body, and after just a few miles on the skin track, I found the ideal adjustments for the hipbelt and shoulder straps. I had no hotspots while skinning or hiking, and the shoulder straps were nicely supportive. The hip belt hugged my iliac crest well to take the load off my shoulders. Even while contorting awkwardly to get around deadfall or thick trees, the pack stayed close to my body and moved with me without causing undue strain. 
 

Women's Experience With The Headwall 55

Hyperlite only offers the Headwall 55 in a unisex pack, meaning there’s no women’s specific version. Because of this, it’s not surprising that our female ski editor had a slightly different experience with the comfort of the pack. With a 17-inch torso, she was on the cusp of a small or medium size and decided to opt for the medium. However, she found the medium a bit unwieldy in practice. The lack of load lifters were her biggest gripe, and she felt the bulk of the weight was forced onto her shoulders as a result. While not all women will have the same problem with comfort, we do hope that Hyperlite considers a women’s-specific fit in future iterations of this pack. 
 

What We Like

• Dyneema construction and minimalist feature set make this one of the lightest ski backpacks on the market for its capacity.
• While our female editor had some issues with comfort and sizing, our male editor experienced no discomfort and found the pack fit true to size.
• The large main compartment swallows most gear, and smaller hipbelt pockets, an interior pocket, and a stretchy exterior avalanche tool pocket can be used to divide up smaller gear.
• Roll-top closure can be expanded for monstrous overnight loads or be compressed for fast and light day trips.
• Three-strap size compression expertly A-frames skis or splitboards.
• Dyneema construction is very durable and the build quality is top notch.
   

What We Don’t

• Lack of smaller pockets can make it tough to pack this bag for day-tours.
• No side or back access requires careful packing for on-the-go access to water, layers, and gear.
• The simple Velcro closure on the avalanche pocket isn’t the most confidence-inspiring. 
• Lack of load lifters can make this pack tricky to dial in the right size.
• No women’s-specific fit. 
• Expensive and can be tough to find in person.
   

Comparison Table

Editor's note: Exterior pocket number includes the avalanche tool compartment where applicable.

The Competition

The Headwall 55 is among our favorite ski and splitboard backpacks, but there are plenty in the market to consider. From within Hyperlite’s line, the Crux 40 strikes us as a viable alternative. Like the Headwall, the Crux boasts a fully Dyneema construction and minimalist feature set, but it also has back zipper access and a removable brain for better access and organization. If you'd like to read more, see our full review of the Crux 40. Another similar option to consider is Raide’s LF 40L. Its UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) fabric performs similarly to Dyneema, and the pack comes with zippered back access and several smaller pockets for gear organization. While both certainly lean ultralight (though the Crux actually weighs a bit more than the Headwall), you do forgo about 15 liters of volume in going with either the Crux or LF 40, which doesn't make them the best choice for multi-day ski tours. What’s more, both Hyperlite and Raide gear is pricier and tougher to find than competitors like Patagonia and Black Diamond.
 

Speaking of Black Diamond, their Cirque 50 pack is more closely aligned with the Headwall 55 in terms of intention. Like the Headwall, the Cirque 50 has enough volume for gear-intensive or multi-day trips. Though, with features like a deployable helmet carry, side stash pocket, and shoulder pockets, the Cirque has more ways to organize that gear. We also like that Black Diamond offers the Cirque in two sizes and included load lifters, which helps dial in fit for a range of body types. While the Cirque’s nylon fabric isn’t as durable or lightweight as the Headwall’s Dyneema, it keeps this pack much more reasonably priced and accessible for those newer to the sport. That said, if weight is your main concern, it may be worth spending up for the Headwall 55.
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