Front view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with Dyneema® Stretch Mesh UL front pocket
Side view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with 4 side compression straps
Side view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with 4 side compression straps
Rear view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with Hardline with Dyneema® shoulder straps
Close up rear view of the Hyperlite Mountain gear Crux 40 with #8 YKK zippered back panel entry for quick access on steep slopes
Inside view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 showing the internal sleeve with one main and two side avalanche tool pockets
Front view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with Double drawstring closure to add an additional 15L of storage
Top close up view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 in White
View showing the #8 YKK zipper avalanche pocket half unzipped for easy access to gear on the slopes, on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Front view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with Dual Ice Axe Pick Pockets with 3/4" buckles
Angled front view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 in White showing the Dyneema® Stretch Mesh UL front pocket
Close up view of the dual Ice Axe Pick Pockets with 3/4" buckles and reflective bungees on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Close up view of the reflective bungees holding an Ice Axe tool on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Front view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with gear stashed in the Dyneema® Stretch Mesh UL front pocket
Close up view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 showing the Dyneema® Stretch Mesh UL front pocket and Dual Ice Axe Pick Pockets
View of the Removable hip belt with a gear loop and ice clipper slot on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Close up side view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 showing the low profile side sleeve pockets
View of the zippered removable top lid on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Close up of the zippered pocket on the removable lid on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with skis attached using the A-Frame carry method
Overhead view of an empty Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with all the necessary gear for a trip laid out around it
Skiier wearing the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with skis attached using the a-frame carry
Skis attached to the Hyperlite Mountain Gear using the diagonal carry method
Front view of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 with the diagonal carry kit attached, sold seperately
Skiier Cody Townsend ascends a steep slope wearing the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Skiier kicks up snow behind them as they ski down a snowy slope wearing the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Skiier Cody Townsend descends a steep couloir wearing the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Using ice tools, two skiiers ascend a snowy slope in preparation to ski a nice line wearing the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40
Skiier wearing a headlamp at night in the snowy terrain with the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40

Crux 40

Rated 4.6 out of 5
Based on 13 reviews

Designed with ski legend Cody Townsend, this 40L pack is meant to meet the demands of climbing, skiing, and the safe transition between the two in steep, technical terrain.

Torso Length
Weight: 42.2 oz
Availability: In stock, ready to ship
$499.00

How to Choose a Pack Size

Your torso length, not your height, determines your pack size. We recommend the following to determine yours:

  1. Tilt your head slightly forward to locate the bony bump at the base of your neck. (This is your 7th cervical (or C7) vertebra).
  2. Using a flexible tape measure, have someone measure starting at that spot and running down along the curve of your spine.
  3. Place your hands on your hips so you can feel your iliac crest, which serves as the “shelf” of your pelvic girdle. (It’s the first hard thing you feel when you run your fingers down from the sides of your ribcage.) Position your hands so your thumbs are reaching behind you.
  4. Have your friend finish measuring at the point where the tape crosses an imaginary line drawn between your thumbs. This distance is your torso length.
    • Small (15.0” - 17.0” torso)
    • Medium (17.0” - 19.0” torso)
    • Large (19.0” - 21.0” torso)
    • Tall (21.0”+ torso)
  5. If your measurement falls right in between sizes (for example, if you have a 17.0” torso, so you are right on the line between a Small and a Medium), we suggest you choose the larger torso size.

WATCH THE VIDEO

How to Choose a Pack Size

How to Choose a Pack Size

Your torso length, not your height, determines your pack size. We recommend the following to determine yours:

  1. Tilt your head slightly forward to locate the bony bump at the base of your neck. (This is your 7th cervical (or C7) vertebra).
  2. Using a flexible tape measure, have someone measure starting at that spot and running down along the curve of your spine.
  3. Place your hands on your hips so you can feel your iliac crest, which serves as the “shelf” of your pelvic girdle. (It’s the first hard thing you feel when you run your fingers down from the sides of your ribcage.) Position your hands so your thumbs are reaching behind you.
  4. Have your friend finish measuring at the point where the tape crosses an imaginary line drawn between your thumbs. This distance is your torso length.
    • Small (15.0” - 17.0” torso)
    • Medium (17.0” - 19.0” torso)
    • Large (19.0” - 21.0” torso)
    • Tall (21.0”+ torso)
  5. If your measurement falls right in between sizes (for example, if you have a 17.0” torso, so you are right on the line between a Small and a Medium), we suggest you choose the larger torso size.

WATCH THE VIDEO

How to Choose a Pack Size

With a clever, zippered back panel entry to reduce the risk of lost gear on challenging pitches, this ski mountaineering pack prioritizes access to technical tools in high-exposure environments. Primary features include:

  • Internal avalanche tool pockets for optimal security
  • Front and rear haul loops/anchor points
  • Removable hip belt w/ right gear loop and left zippered pocket
  • Drawstring extension collar with removable lid
  • Low profile side pockets for pickets and wands
  • Front stretch mesh pocket for quick storage
  • Accommodates A-frame and diagonal ski carry

Product Walkthrough | Crux 40

WHY CHOOSE THE CRUX 40?

A white triangle logo on a black background.

THINK BIG, PLAY IT SAFE

Innovative storage designs accommodate a variety of whatever ice tools and avalanche safety equipment you need for the routes you want to tackle

A white triangle logo on a black background.

RIGHT BACKATCHA

The smart back panel opening lets you set down your pack and easily reach water or gear you need without having to dig around for it on steep, sketchy inclines

A white triangle logo on a black background.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH

It's what you signed up for. With the unparalleled durability of fully woven Dyneema®, the Crux 40 is ready to deal
average rating 4.6 out of 5
Based on 13 reviews
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92% of reviewers would recommend this product to a friend
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Review posted
Reviewed by Justin
Verified Buyer
Rated 4 out of 5

Great Ski Mountaineering Pack

I’ve been out skiing on a couple volcanoes with the pack. My initial impressions weren’t great, but I’ve since really been enjoying the pack.

Pros:

- Suspension: the back panel provides much better load transfer directly to the top of the glutes than previous HMG packs I’ve owned. The pack is comfy for extended periods of time in the 30-40lb range.

- Burly side and bottom material. Getting the woven Dyneema material is one of the primary reasons to get this pack.

- Mesh external pocket is useful for wet skins.

- Back panel access is the best option when loaded up with gear, carrying your skis and boots on your pack.

- Weight distribution while skiing is great. Pack moves with you while you ski.

Con:

- Quality control: Mostly minor things. The cordlocks on the ice axe attachments were defective. Seemed like they had no internal spring. Easy enough to replace and I already had extras lying around. All the orange cord pull tabs had to be retied after they came undone within a few days.

- Brain is the worse part of the pack. G-hooks are used to attach the brain to the pack. You need tension on the hooks or they slide right off. However, even with the pack completely full, the brain is too big to tension tight, so the hooks constantly come loose. The only way to tighten the hooks is to clip them further down on the daisy chains, but this isn’t possible with a diagonal carry. You’d need to stuff the pack beyond the outer drawstring cinch for the brain to tension.

- Back panel…

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Reviewed by Ron K.
Verified Buyer
Rated 5 out of 5

Awesome backpack, but…

I’ve been looking for a backpack to replace my pack that has served me well in the backcountry for over 15 years. And after failed purchases of two other brands, I’m pleased to say that I finally found it…the Crux 40! It’s internal frame shape comfortably hugs my back, the back panel entry is very convenient for easy access, well-designed ice axe holders allow for quick release, the hip pocket is great for small tools/energy snacks, separate shovel/handle/probe sleeves eliminate annoying congestion in the pack, and the 40L allows me to easily carry all my skimo gear, with plenty of extra room, relative to my old 30L pack. So here’s the “but”…why no offering for a helmet holder? I chose to opt for a Blue Ice helmet holder which easily attaches to the daisy chain loops. So I recommend buying one of the several compatible helmet holders that are sold separately, as a great solution!

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Reviewed by Tyler
Verified Reviewer
Rated 5 out of 5

Best Pack

This pack checks all the boxes. I rode with this all season in the backcountry around CO. It carried everything I needed, plus extra space. Come spring time, that extra was able to fit all the crampons, ropes and extra food I needed for those long missions. The outside ice axe carry saved me on a boot pack where I wanted my axes half way up. Without having to take the bag off, just reached around and unclipped and they were available. I love this pack. Wish it had a better place for my BCA radio, but keep the unit in with my shovel handle works enough. Can't say enough good things about this pack. Only wish it came in black!!

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Review posted
Reviewed by Ron K.
Verified Buyer
Rated 4 out of 5

Great, but…

I love the pack for backcountry skiing, but I find it hard to believe that you don’t sell a specific-compatible helmet holder as an accessory, similar to many other pack vendors…Arva, Blue Ice, Deuter, Mammut, Arcteryx, Ortovox, Millet, etc. With all the attention given to the detailed features of the Crux 40, how did you miss that one? It would be very to design, and have it attach to the daisy chain loops.

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Reviewed by Asit R.
Verified Buyer
Rated 5 out of 5

WTF

Best pack ever!

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