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YETI built its reputation on containers that refuse to quit. Now your favorite Austin-based cooler (and insulated bottle and beach chair) company has leveraged that legacy and a strategic acquisition to build its first hiking pack. Meet the Skala: a hauler that holds up through day hikes to summit pushes.
We were given an exclusive sneak peek at the Skala in September 2025, when a group took it along the switchbacks of the Wildflower Trail to Teton Village in Jackson Hole, Wyoming [shown at the top of the page]. The first thing we noticed was the robust RipZip opening—a Y-shaped, tri-zip, easy see-it-all access point that lets you simply pull and peel to swap a layer or grab a protein bar without excavating your whole kit. Why rummage when you can reveal? It’s an innovation we’ve already praised on the YETI Ranchero everyday backpack, and it’s unmistakably some outstanding, outdoor-oriented engineering inherited from YETI’s acquisition of mission-driven pack designers Mystery Ranch in 2024. (We once dragged Mystery Ranch bags across Europe/Iceland for over two weeks in autumn, so we know they hold up to rough curbs, cobblestones, and weather conditions.)
The Skala’s durable chassis includes more backcountry checklist highlights: lightweight, weather-resistant Guardcore nylon; a vented back panel with urethane foam and an airflow channel (nobody wants a shirt that feels like a sponge); plus a lightweight AlumaLite frame paired with micro-adjustable load lifters and a harness offering eight inches of torso tuning. Choose from four capacities: 32L and 40L for big day excursions/an overnight, 50L and 60L for multi-day expeditions. Available in men’s and women’s builds with multiple frame sizes and gender-specific padding/contouring for a dialed-in fit and well-distributed load, so the pack stays balanced even if the scree stops being polite.
In terms of organization, the Skala shows off YETI’s cooler mindset. There are multiple internal and external pockets to stow things with intention, keep them from migrating, and ensure they are protected when the weather turns sideways. From sunglasses to headlamps to first-aid kits to toiletries, there’s a place in the bag (or on the belt) for everything and everything in its place. The 50L/60L sizes add an externally accessed sleeping bag compartment below the main cavity. And stretch-woven hydration holsters hug close, so water (surely a YETI Rambler) stays in reach but out of the sway zone.
The Skala backpack is available now, and prices are $300 (32L), $325 (40L), ($375L), and $400 (60L). Ridgeline (greyish white) and Classic Navy [featured above] are core colorways, while Venom (green) for men and Desert Bloom (pink) for women [shown below] are seasonal drops at launch … limited-run candy for the gear-obsessed crowd that likes fluorescent equipment.
While we’re talking adventure-ready gear, YETI’s RipZip isn’t the only closure we’re going to celebrate. Arcade Belts just released an all-new belt combining Performance Stretch Pro webbing and a magnetic buckle. The REPREVE recycled yarn and rubber fabric allows for a higher denier that balances increased abrasion-resistance with proven moves-with-you comfort. And the lightweight SwiftLock buckle quickly and easily snaps into place, designed for one-hand operation (because sometimes you’re holding a flashlight and just need to get the business done … so always dig a hole before it gets dark). We’re fans of the $49.95 Adventure Mag belt’s holeless yet adjustable build. You can wear it at your waist or your hips, and it’s stretchy but not too stretchy. It’s TSA-friendly but also rolls up nicely for packing, and it wears comfy on a plane or during a steady elevation gain. Having a new, perfectly fitted backpack isn’t much use if your pants are falling down, amirite? Arcade’s new belt is available now in five colorways [Polar Black Vio shown below].
