When Yeti bought heavy duty backpack brand Mystery Range in 2024 the obvious question was ‘What are they going to do with it?’
Known for their bombproof coolers and other camp and adventure equipment, Yeti have dabbled in commuter and cooler backpacks.
Some companies try to pivot into new products and don’t make it. So far Yeti has proven they can apply their intense engineering to any product. They’re not cheap but they are literally bearproof.
The Skala is Yeti’s new line of ultra-durable backpacks in 32, 40, 50 and 60 litre sizes.
We took the Skala 40 out for a spin to see what Yeti’s backpacking packs are like.
Video Review
Here’s the video review of the Skala 40. It’s a good summary of it’s features on an abandoned ski hill. The in depth review with more details is below.
Pros
- Super durable fabric
- Well-padded
- Big hip belt pockets
- Adjustable harness
- Easy to open all the way
Cons
- Heavier than some 40 litre packs
- Cost
Specs
- 40 litres
- AlumaLite Frame
- Guardcore Nylon fabric
- YKK® AquaGuard® No. 10 Zippers
- Trekking pole loops
- AlumaLite Frame
- Colors: Venom Green, Ridgeline White, Classic Navy
- 3 year warranty
- 25.25 inches tall, 12.5 inches wide
- 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds)
RipZip Access
The first thing I noticed about the Skala is the giant zipper going all the way down the front of it. This is the RipZip opening.
Two zippers keep the top hatch on and another goes all the way down the front almost to the bottom. With one of these, it’s easy to pop the top or peel whole thing.
Giant YKK® AquaGuard® No. 10 Zippers are tight but pull open quickly. A rubbery pull on the main zipper and 2 paracord loops on the side zippers make it easy to open, it’s just a pull. Pulling down on the main zip and up on the top hatch opens everything at the same time.
Beginner tip: don’t leave the front zipper open and pick it up. Stuff falls out. I absolutely did not do this myself.
The zippers have a polyurethane coating down the outside and aren’t waterproof but very water resistant.
Padding
The second thing I noticed about the Skala is all the padding. Packs this size rarely come with this much padding. It’s often on bigger packs for heavier loads. Yeti purchased Mystery Ranch in 2024, a company famous for it’s burly load hauling backpacks. It shows in the Skala line and fits well with Yeti’s ethos. Built to last.
In between the padding is a channel for venting. It’s not quite as much as the full mesh back panels in other packs but any airflow really helps keep cooler. I feel like the foam would last longer than mesh panels.
The lumbar padding curves around your back. It’s quite curved, maybe a little bit too much to start. it flattened out as it warmed up hiking and wasn’t uncomfortable at all.
The hip belt is removable if you want to shed some weight. There are 2 clips on each side and a patch of hook and loop in the middle holding it in.
Storage
Storage on the Skala is simple but effective.
The large main pocket provides most of the space with a small water bladder pouch sits at the back of that. A 3 litre bladder fits no problem in the pocket. There are no other pockets inside.
On top, the lid can hold a few litres of gear for quick access. A zipper in the back opens that compartment.
On the hip belt are generous pockets that easily fit a phone, a few bars, or a big GPS. I love big hip belt pockets. They are so useful on the go.
Around the back, on either side of the RipZip opening, are 2 stretch pockets. They’re big enough for a water bottle, or wet jacket.
On both sides are 2 more stretch pockets with compression straps. They’re slightly smaller than the back pockets and the top is angled forwards. I can’t reach a water bottle there to pull it out but I bet many people could.
Adjustable Harness
The harness can adjust up to 8 inches on each of the sizes so that allows for quite the range in sizing. Sizes come in Small/Medium and Large/Extra Large.
| S/M | L/XL | |
| Torso | 38-51 cm | 43-61 cm |
| Waist | 66-91 cm | 89-102 cm |
How to measure
Like most backpacks, Yeti measures the torso length from the top of your hip bones (iliac crest) straight up to your C7 vertebrae (lump at the base of your neck). Waist is the distance around at the iliac crest.
I’m 170 cm tall with 48cm torso length. I could have gone with either size since there’s a bit of overlap. 48cm (20 inch) is the smallest I would go on the large. It’s the bottom limit of the adjustable range of the harness. I’d recommend the S/M for less than 48cm.
Adjusting
The harness is held in place by some agressive hook and loop (velcro). To separate it and adjust the harness up or down, there is a yoke adjuster built into the top of the harness.
To move the harness, lift the adjuster cover, pull out the adjuster, push the adjuster down into the hook and loop, slide the harness up or down, pull the adjuster out, replace adjuster in it’s pocket.
Materials
The main components on the Skala are the AlumaLite frame and the Guardcore nylon around the outside.
A combination of 420 denier and 210 denier nylon make up the fabric on the bag. This is still relatively lightweight but very strong when you’re scraping along trees and rocks. A carbonate coating on the Guardcore keeps most (not all) of the water out.
The AlumaLite frame is an internal frame made from aluminum. It keeps the bags shape but still lets it move and flex as you hike. Internal frame backpacks will be slightly heavier than those without any frame but will be nicer for carrying heavier loads. The aluminum ‘stays’ connect the hip belt to the shoulders of the harness letting you adjust the weight between the two.
Weight
The Skala 40 comes in at 1.5 kg. This is pretty good for a pack with a frame and thick padding. We rounded up a few examples of other packs around 40 litres to see where the Skala landed. It’s not the lightest. But it’s not the heaviest either. Prices for this size ranged anywhere from $200 to over $500.
| Weight | Price | ||
| Yeti Skala 40 | 1.5 kg 3.3 pounds | $435 CAD $325 USD | |
| Osprey Talan 44 | 1.6 kg 3.57 pounds | $300 CAD $240 USD | |
| Gregory Stout 35 | 1.3 kg 2.88 pounds | $259 CAD $199 USD | |
| Deuter Futura Pro 40 | 1.62kg 3.57 pounds | $359 CAD $240 USD | |
| HMG Unbound 40 | .85 kg 1.88 pounds | $520 CAD $385 USD |
Other sizes
The Skala comes in the 40 litre size we tested here but also 32, 50, and 60 litre sizes.
The 32 and 40 are well suited to short or long day hikes. With small or minimal gear, you can go for multiple days with a 40 litre.
The 50 and 60 litre are focused on multiple days and heavier loads. They have an opening at the bottom as well as the full RipZip down the front. This bottom compartment is great for tents or sleeping bags.
The load lifters also have two options for attachment points. A low or high attachment let’s you adjust the harness more for a good fit.
Both have the AlumaLite frame, Guardcore nylon shell, stretch back and side pockets, hip belt pockets and top pocket lid.
Final Thoughts
Yeti durability isn’t for everyone. It’s going to weigh a bit more and cost a bit more. After throwing around their coolers, mugs, duffels, and cooler backpacks for the last few years, it’s obvious they know how to make durable gear.
The RipZip is a nice way to open the pack quickly so you can get to all your stuff. If you just want to open the top, that’s easy too. Stash pockets and big hip belt pockets easily hold all the stuff.
Load lifters, thick padding and a functional frame mean it carries better with a heavier load than your average 40 litre.
If you’re going cheap or ultralight, you’ll have to look at other pack options. For everything else, definitely try on a Skala.
Price: $435 CAD, $325 USD
Verdict: Recommended
More Photos
