Patent ID: 7971764

Claim:
A backpack for skiing gear comprising: (a) a shell having a rigid back walk a bottom wall, a top wall, a front wall, and opposite side walls defining a closed stowage space; (b) an auxiliary ski-harness panel having upper and lower portions is hinged to the front wall of the shell; (c) the lower portion is substantially rigid and defines a preformed, reinforced aperture serving as an elongated ski port in a central portion of said lower portion of said auxiliary ski-harness panel; (d) the width of said port exceeding the back-to-back depth of a pair of skis but being less than the depth of bindings on the skis; (e) harness anchor buckle means attached to the top wall of said shell; (f) ski strap means attached to the shell front wall and adapted to engage and secure juxtaposed skis to said front wall; (g) the upper portion of said ski harness panel being hinged to the lower ski harness portion and adapted to engage skis positioned between the shell front wall and the ski harness panel; (h) adjustable harness strap means attached to the upper portion of said ski harness panel and having buckle means adapted to mate with said harness anchor buckle means; and (i) whereby a pair of skis with bindings may be secured to the backpack with the load transferred through said ski harness panel.