Cruising through the gates for a couple of early runs? A big old backpack is overkill, don’t you think? So does The North Face; hence the PGV. Originally designed for the Snowbird Ski Patrol, the vest distributes the weight of your gear more evenly than a half-full pack, which means your light-and-fast mission will feel a little lighter and get a lot faster. They don’t call it slackcountry for nothing. [$189; thenorthface.com]