Thule Upslope 20L vs 35L backpacks

I am a big fan of Thule from Sweden – I have previously written about their amazing photography, I own three Thule bags (among them the Thule Crossover Sling Pack which I reviewed), on this blog I have analyzed Thule’s roof top boxes against its main competitor, and I have remarked Thule’s non-obsolescent products which endure very hard tests and sport a 25-years warranty.

Earlier this year, the Swedish manufacturer introduced a new line of technical backpacks: the Thule Upslope series.

Aimed at the practitioners of backcountry skiing and snowboarding, the Upslope backpacks have been engineered with many smart solutions.

They have several ways to access the compartments, making it easy to store and retrieve your gear while on the slopes, thus eliminating the hassle of removing your backpack entirely every time you need anything on the backpack, even if it’s located at the bottom.

Side pockets are designed for easy reach and provide on-trail access to suncare, snacks and other gear.

Additionaly, adjustable loops hold any type of ski or snowboard in place while reaching the top.

The new Thule Upslope backpacks which are available in 20 and 35 liters sizes, and both sizes are available in two color options: Roarange/Grey and Black/Grey. Here is how these colors look in real-life:

And this picture shows the Thule Upslope 20L (left) carrying skis and the Thule Upslope 35L (right) carrying a snowboard:

So far so good. Both backpacks look cool but, which one is best? Which one should you choose?

Considering that both backpacks, as always with Thule, are pricey, this is no minor issue.

Here’s an indepth comparision between the Thule Upslope 20L (20 liters) backpack and its 35L (35 liters) equivalent, so you can choose your fit.

	Thule Upslope 20L	Thule Upslope 35L
Volume:	20 L / 1220 cu in	35 L / 2135 cu in
Height:	49 cm / 19.3 inches	56 cm / 22 in
Width:	30 cm / 11.8 in	36 cm / 14.2 in
Depth:	26 cm / 10.2 in	31 cm / 12.20 in
Weight:	0.8 kg / 1.76 lb	1.38 kg / 3.04 lb
Materials :	420D Cordura Nylon	420D Cordura Nylon
Ski carrying options:	Diagonal	Diagonal and A-frame
Snowboard carrying options:	Vertical and horizontal	Vertical and horizontal
Helmet bag:	No	Yes. Two positions: bottom and front.
Main compartment:	1 main compartment with an inside, unzipped pocket and with dedicated probe and shovel handle sleeves	1 main compartment with inside, zipped pocket
Side pockets:	2, triangular-shaped	2, rectangular-shaped
Other compartments:	None	One compartment for avalanche tools with dedicated probe and shovel handle sleeves
Insulated hydration sleeve:	Yes, with no dedicated reservoir pocket	Yes, with dedicated reservoir pocket
Goggles pocket:	Yes	Yes
Top compression cinches:	Yes, internal	Yes, external
Adjustable chest strap:	Yes	Yes
Adjustable waist strap:	Yes	Yes
Warranty:	25 years	25 years
SKU number:	209200	209100
Recommended retail price (RRP):	$119	$159

Here are two videos with instructions on how to mount either snowboards or skis.

Thule Upslope 20L:

Thule Upslope 35L:

And finally a quick overview on the Thule Upslope 20L, by Magnus Welander, Thule CEO: