The Sidetrack 14 is a relatively small (14-litre) daypack with a robust build, using hard wearing 420d dual sided PU coated nylon, so it will handle being dragged and snagged on chairlifts, rocks and trees (although you may not).
The moulded backpanel has fairly minimal padding, but sits snug and stable against your back as you bounce down those powder fields - that said we'd have liked a more substantial hip belt.
There's just one compartment, with easy zipped access and pockets for shovel (and/or hydration system), handle and probe plus a small outer zipped goggle pocket with soft lining and key clip.
At 14-litres capacity you're limited in what you can carry in the Sidetrack but you should be able to squeeze everything in that you need for a day out in the backcountry, if not an overnighter, and if you're mainly piste skiing it's more than big enough.
You can also carry skis or board on the outside of the pack - here's where a wider, perhaps padded hipbelt would be most useful as it would provide more comfortable and stable support around the hips, although again the small size of the pack means it's unlikely you'd be using it for long hikes with your skis on your back.
As a hard wearing, basic daypack for scudding around in resort or for short forays into the backcountry the Sidetrack 14 works well, but for more adventurous days out you may need to look for something with a bigger capacity.
