The Patagonia Black Hole Snow Roller

Ski bags haven’t evolved in a long time. The biggest differences between them are how many pairs of skis a particular bag holds, and whether or not the bag has wheels. A few years back, Athlon innovated when it put protective hard caps on the ends of its soft ski bags to protect your skis at their most delicate and vulnerable points—the tips and tails.

Patagonia, never satisfied with the status quo, set out to develop a new breed of ski bags that would hold up to rough use by the airline and skiers alike. The result: the sleek, eco-friendly, eye catching Black Hole Snow Roller.

“For the Black Hole Snow Rollers, we wanted durability and simplicity,” said the bag’s designer, Scott Bryan. “We wanted to create the most bomber, long-lasting product we could with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Many of the current snow rollers found in the market are over-built on features where they should be over-built for durability. We flipped that equation to give the Black Hole Snow Roller the buntlines required to stand up to the most rigorous travel.”

Highly water resistant and super durable, this shiny bag is made from the same 14.7 ounce 1200 denier laminated polyester that the rest of Patagonia’s Black Hole series is sewn from. The fabric is laminated to keep the water out, then the seams are bound for more weather protection and the whole bag is treated with durable water repellent (DWR), much like a ski jacket or pants, so that any water that does splash on it rolls off.

The bag is sleek—there are no straps or handles to drag, but it’s still easy to carry. You can roll it with a front handle or carry it with haul handles. It also has four corner-mounted webbing daisy chains in case you need to strap extra gear to your bag, or strap the bag to the roof of your car, or perhaps a yak on your next expedition. The bag is foam padded to protect your skis—it also gives the bag structure, so the Black Hole holds its shape, which makes it easy to load. A clamshell zippered exterior pocket gives easy access to the main compartment, and an interior mesh pocket lets you keep track of little things. Pack it with skis—up to 190 cm—and pack it with gear. The Black Hole Snow Roller holds 130 L / 7933 cu in. We can’t attest to its durability quite yet—we’ve only hauled it half way around the world once so far—but we’re highly optimistic.

Available July 2013