My high school boyfriend gifted me a Dakine 50L Boot Pack for my sweet sixteen. Since then, I have taken it to mountains around the world and also backpacking through Europe -- in the summer. It accompanied me through college and on many moves (more than I can say about the boyfriend...). If you are skiing locally, there is no better way to store AND haul your boots and other gear. And if you are skiing away from home, you either ship your gear to your destination or you carry it on the plane. If you're carrying it on the plane the 50L Boot Pack is the way to go. With a compact design, it can tuck up into the overhead compartment, allowing you to keep the essentials with you and avoid the risk of your luggage getting lost in transit.

Helpful hack: take advantage of the empty space inside your helmet before putting it in the dedicated helmet compartment. This is a great space for goggles, as the helmet adds some extra protection.