We could earn income from the merchandise accessible on this web page and take part in affiliate applications. Be taught extra ›
YETI constructed its repute on containers that refuse to give up. Now your favourite Austin-based cooler (and insulated bottle and seashore chair) firm has leveraged that legacy and a strategic acquisition to construct its first mountain climbing pack. Meet the Skala: a hauler that holds up by means of day hikes to summit pushes.
We got an unique sneak peek on the Skala in September 2025, when a gaggle took it alongside the switchbacks of the Wildflower Path to Teton Village in Jackson Gap, Wyoming [shown at the top of the page]. The very first thing we observed was the sturdy RipZip opening—a Y-shaped, tri-zip, simple see-it-all entry level that permits you to merely pull and peel to swap a layer or seize a protein bar with out excavating your entire equipment. Why rummage when you possibly can reveal? It’s an innovation we’ve already praised on the YETI Ranchero on a regular basis backpack, and it’s unmistakably some excellent, outdoor-oriented engineering inherited from YETI’s acquisition of mission-driven pack designers Thriller Ranch in 2024. (We as soon as dragged Thriller Ranch luggage throughout Europe/Iceland for over two weeks in autumn, so we all know they maintain as much as tough curbs, cobblestones, and climate circumstances.)
The Skala’s sturdy chassis contains extra backcountry guidelines highlights: light-weight, weather-resistant Guardcore nylon; a vented again panel with urethane foam and an airflow channel (no person desires a shirt that appears like a sponge); plus a light-weight AlumaLite body paired with micro-adjustable load lifters and a harness providing eight inches of torso tuning. Select from 4 capacities: 32L and 40L for giant day excursions/an in a single day, 50L and 60L for multi-day expeditions. Accessible in males’s and ladies’s builds with a number of body sizes and gender-specific padding/contouring for a dialed-in match and well-distributed load, so the pack stays balanced even when the scree stops being well mannered.
By way of group, the Skala reveals off YETI’s cooler mindset. There are a number of inside and exterior pockets to stow issues with intention, preserve them from migrating, and guarantee they’re protected when the climate turns sideways. From sun shades to headlamps to first-aid kits to toiletries, there’s a spot within the bag (or on the belt) for all the pieces and all the pieces as a substitute. The 50L/60L sizes add an externally accessed sleeping bag compartment under the principle cavity. And stretch-woven hydration holsters hug shut, so water (certainly a YETI Rambler) stays in attain however out of the sway zone.
The Skala backpack is on the market now, and costs are $300 (32L), $325 (40L), ($375L), and $400 (60L). Ridgeline (greyish white) and Traditional Navy [featured above] are core colorways, whereas Venom (inexperienced) for males and Desert Bloom (pink) for girls [shown below] are seasonal drops at launch … limited-run sweet for the gear-obsessed crowd that likes fluorescent tools.
Whereas we’re speaking adventure-ready gear, YETI’s RipZip isn’t the one closure we’re going to rejoice. Arcade Belts simply launched an all-new belt combining Efficiency Stretch Professional webbing and a magnetic buckle. The REPREVE recycled yarn and rubber material permits for the next denier that balances elevated abrasion-resistance with confirmed moves-with-you consolation. And the light-weight SwiftLock buckle shortly and simply snaps into place, designed for one-hand operation (as a result of generally you’re holding a flashlight and simply have to get the enterprise executed … so at all times dig a gap earlier than it will get darkish). We’re followers of the $49.95 Journey Magazine belt’s holeless but adjustable construct. You’ll be able to put on it at your waist or your hips, and it’s stretchy however not too stretchy. It’s TSA-friendly but additionally rolls up properly for packing, and it wears cozy on a airplane or throughout a gradual elevation acquire. Having a brand new, completely fitted backpack isn’t a lot use in case your pants are falling down, amirite? Arcade’s new belt is on the market now in 5 colorways [Polar Black Vio shown below].
2025 PopSci Better of What’s New
