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Last season, we (and the rest of the industry, it seems) were pretty obsessed with a new ski touring backpack: Raide Research’s LF40. Kyle Siegel, the man behind Raide, was on a personal quest to create a better backpack for modern ski touring, and knocked it out of the park with his initial offering. Siegel, and avid ski mountaineer and backcountry freeride skier, spent a few seasons researching some of the other popular pack options out there, and developed a design that incorporated his learnings. This year, Raide returns with an updated LF40 and a new, smaller, LF30 pack. Both packs will be available with or without the new Safeback SBX unit–a breathing system for avalanche burials.
I just received the new Raide Research LF30 pack in for long-term testing. Obviously, I haven’t had a chance to get out into the mountains with it, but have had a chance to mess around with it at home in the Tetons while I patiently wait for the snow to fall.
Specs:
- Volume: 30 liters
- Weight: 1075g (measured) or 1690g (with Safeback SBX unit - stated)
- Available Colors: Black or White
- Material: Challenge Ultra 400x
- Frame Size: S, M, L
On the surface, the new Raide LF 30 pack looks quite similar to the existing LF40–albeit significantly more compact in its 30-liter volume, and with some new pockets and an updated back panel. The general construction and shape remain the same, which is a good thing. Siegel uses Challenge Ultra 400x material, similar to Dyneema, and an excellent choice for a lightweight but durable ski pack.
The Raide LF30 is still very much a pack tailored towards the ski guide or “freemo” crowd who like to go fast and light into technical terrain, but would work really well for everyday powder ski touring, especially in places like the Tetons, San Juans, or Europe, where you can for the most part get away with carrying smaller day packs.
The LF30 isn't quite as ultralight and minimalist like the Samaya Ultra 35, which foregoes most features in the name of creating a truly ultralight pack for ski mountaineering. The Samaya pack weighs in around 800 grams, and can be stripped down to a paltry 490 grams, but isn't the most functional for skiing. That's where the Raide LF30 and LF40 has it beat by a mile.
I’m able to fit a full ski touring kit including skins, avalanche rescue equipment, my rescue sled setup and first aid kit, a 30m rope and harness, crampons, a snack bag, 1L of water in soft flask, and a few extra layers and inside the pack with some room to spare. Two ice axes and my helmet fit on the outside. The LF30 definitely isn’t the pack to bring on a hut trip or overnight mission, but for day trips it’s perfect.
Some neat features include a novel avalanche safety tool pocket that’s accessible from both the bottom of the pack and inside the main pocket. With some practiced movement, it is possible to remove your shovel and probe from your pack without ever taking it off. That’s not only helpful in a burial scenario where it's definitely advantageous to keep your pack on whenever you can, but also during early season or when you need quick access to your probe to check snow depths for finding a weak layer in the snowpack, or mid-winter when probing for a cornice or crevasse.
Another great feature is the external “wet” pocket, for stashing wet skins on the way down. It's easily accessible, and has a full layer of waterproof material between it and the main internal pocket.
As before, the main compartment is accessible from both the roll top closure and the fully zippered and padded back panel. The back panel contains a small mesh pocket that’s a great place to stash some snacks, a multitool, or your snow study notebook. There’s a small pass-through for a hydration bladder or radio cord at the top center. The frame of the back panel and some of the external straps are removable if you want to lighten up the pack even further.
The hip belt features a stretchy, zippered pocket on both sides, but does not contain much padding, nor do the shoulder straps. A 30L pack shouldn’t really ever get so heavy that you need additional padding, so that’s ok in my book.
The LF30 is also available with Safeback's new SBX avalanche survival unit built-in. The Safeback SBX is a system designed to pump breathable air towards the wearer's airway, much like the Avalung was supposed to do back in the day. It works with an electronic fan and tubes built into the shoulder straps to deliver air to a burial victim. I'm still pretty skeptical about how well this system would work, and sure as hell never want to actually test it's effectiveness in a burial, but Cy Whitling wrote a few words about testing the system in a different pack.
I’m excited to get out very soon and see how the functionality of the new Raide Research LF30 translates on snow.
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Veteran center attempting NHL comeback
Free-agent center Adam Ruzicka turned to the KHL last season and had a solid showing in Russia with Spartak, but notably hasn’t signed a new deal there yet. Spartak adviser Valeri Kamensky told Alexander Abustin of Sport-Express that the reason Ruzicka hasn’t re-signed yet is because he’s holding out hope to get another NHL opportunity. The 26-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Calgary back in 2017, going 109th overall. He spent parts of four seasons with the Flames before being claimed off waivers by Arizona in early 2024. However, a month later, Ruzicka and the Coyotes agreed on a mutual contract termination, making him an unrestricted free agent. After another NHL chance didn’t materialize in short order, he ultimately signed with Spartak in late May 2024. Ruzicka was certainly productive in Russia, notching 26 goals and 19 assists in 65 regular-season games, good for fifth in team scoring. He was even better in the playoffs, picking up seven goals and five helpers in 12 postseason contests, making the most of his opportunity to play a more offensive role after being more of a depth player in the NHL. Over his four NHL seasons, Ruzicka has played in 117 games, picking up 14 goals and 26 assists. However, a good chunk of that production came in 2022-23 when he recorded 20 points in just 44 games with Calgary before his output tailed off the following year. He’s not too far removed from being a legitimate depth contributor at the top level. Kamensky acknowledged that discussions are underway with Ruzicka, so if he doesn’t get another NHL look, he’ll simply re-sign. But, for now at least, it appears he’s hoping to get another chance at the top level first.
Why Red Sox may regret extending rookie Roman Anthony
To say that the Boston Red Sox are keeping MLB fans and analysts on their toes this season is an understatement. Almost two months after trading the face of their franchise, Boston signed MLB’s No. 1 prospect, Roman Anthony, to an eight-year, $130 million extension. Between trading Rafael Devers and locking Anthony up through 2034, the Red Sox have been the boldest MLB team this season by far. But will this move pay off? Fans expected Sox owner John Henry to spend money on the team during the offseason, but no one anticipated a massive mid-year pact with a rookie would occur. Anthony has only played 46 MLB games, during which he has slashed .283/.400/.428 with 19 RBIs and two home runs. While his rapid ascent through the minor league and hot start to his professional baseball career are beyond what fans could’ve asked for, Anthony’s extension is still premature from a financial perspective. With a $16.25 million AAV on his contract, the Sox have piled high expectations onto a player who recently turned 21 years old. For Anthony’s sizable and long-term commitment to be worth the investment, he should produce an annual 2.0 WAR at least and earn at least three or four All-Star, Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Awards by the end of his contract. For reference, Marcell Ozuna and Kyle Tucker received contracts within $250,000 AAV of Anthony’s contract AAV, according to Spotrac. All three achieved this criterion before they were rewarded with lucrative agreements. Weighing these standards against Anthony’s newness to MLB, it’s nearly impossible to say Boston’s decision-making was backed by more than just impulse. Somehow, Anthony isn’t the first rookie the Red Sox extended this year. With five games of baseball under his belt, Boston closed an eight-year, $60 million deal with Kristian Campbell, who was MLB’s No. 6 prospect at the time. While Campbell’s $7.5 million AAV is drastically different from Anthony’s, the Sox’s strategy to hoard young players before they’ve had enough time to prove themselves isn’t logical. Keeping Anthony off the free-agent market for the next decade may be the best risk the Sox have ever taken, or it may be one of the most expensive decisions made. Anthony must deliver the high-performance projections his contract sets for his early extension to pay off, but odds are, Boston is putting the cart before the horse.
Green Bay Packers: Slo-Mo Video of Jordan Love’s Insane 55-Yard TD Bomb to Romeo Doubs Goes Viral
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
Agent reveals if James Cook still wants to play for Bills amid contract saga
Running back James Cook seemingly surprised the Buffalo Bills when he changed course regarding his desire for a multi-year contract extension and stopped participating in training-camp practices as part of a hold-in. For an article published on Wednesday night, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic spoke with Zac Hiller, one of Cook’s agents, about the 25-year-old's mindset as the ball-carrier remains in the final year of his rookie deal this summer. "James Cook only wants to be a Buffalo Bill," Hiller said. "This isn’t some $200M Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones negotiation. We’re hopeful there’s a resolution soon, and we’ll keep working toward that every day." Cook previously suggested he wants to earn around $15M per season via an extension. However, that was before Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a three-year, $33M deal that included $23M in guaranteed money. While Buscaglia noted that "it’s an imperfect comparison," the perception exists that the Bills may now feel that Cook isn't worth more than $11M per year. According to StatMuse, Cook has recorded the ninth-most regular-season rushing yards (2,131) since Week 1 of the 2023 campaign. ESPN stats show that Cook, Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions finished last season leading the league with 16 rushing touchdowns each. According to Buscaglia, "there is no indication" that Buffalo will trade Cook before the upcoming season gets underway. That makes sense considering the 2025 Bills are expected to do more than simply compete for a playoff berth. As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Buffalo and Baltimore tied as the betting favorites at +600 odds to win Super Bowl LX. Buscaglia added that the Bills and Cook could agree to a reworked one-year deal "with enhanced bonus incentives to potentially earn more in a single season." It's unclear how Cook would feel about punting conversations about a potential multi-year extension down the road with Buffalo's regular-season opener against Baltimore still a month away (Sept. 7). For what it's worth, ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg shared on Wednesday that Cook "is continuing to talk with the team" amid his hold-in.
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