I don't ski, but I do a little climbing and mountaineering and I was struggling to choose between the Osprey Mutant 38 L and the Blue Ice Kume 38 L. So, naturally, I bought both. I like them both but I think I like the Kume a little more than the Mutant for a number of reasons.
The Kume is not as stripped down and is a little more feature rich than the Mutant, so for general bombing around the snow (e.g. snowshoe trips, snow hiking, mountaineering/alpinism where you are not trying to go as stripped down and light as possible) I feel that I am able to organise my gear a little better in the Kume. For super stripped down mountaineering purposes the Osprey probably suits that function a little better, but I don't target that style of trip as often so I think the Kume is going to get a lot more use. I also like that the Kume does not have a brain. For smaller pack sizes I find the brain style of pack a little outdated and finnicky - I do see the purpose of brains for larger packs (e.g. 55 L and above) but for this size of pack and the style of day trip I use this style of pack for, the brain is too cumbersome and fiddly. Yes, you can always remove the brains but then the top of the pack isn't covered like the Kume is. I also like that the Kume has a dedicated avvy pocket, which the Mutant does not, so the Kume is more suitable for a greater variety of snow trips. On either side of the avvy pocket are also sleeves to insert shorter ski touring/skimo ice axes, which is a really neat feature for fast stowing (in addition to the conventional ice axe carry). I like that one hip belt has a zippered pocket, and the other has a gear loop - I think it makes the Kume a little more versatile. Inside the main compartment is also a zippered pocket, inside which a helmet carrier is included. I also like the collapsible false floor in the main compartment to segregate gear. The pack is also extremely comfortable and seems to carry weight well.
In terms of features I do not like as much firstly the fabric, although ripstop, is definitely nowhere near as thick as the Mutant. While this means that the Kume is a fair bit lighter than the Mutant, it also means I will most likely only really use the Kume in the snow and where it won't get battered as much. Whereas, I would be more likely to take the Osprey cragging and for a lot of summer uses. The face fabric of the Kume (where the Blue Ice logo is) is quite thick and feels quite sturdy, so possibly the bottom of the pack could be made with this material too without too much of a weight penalty, and I would feel better about the durability of the bottom of the pack. I think the zippered hip pocket is just a little tight, especially when the hip belt is cinched tight on my hips to carry weight, so I am not sure how much I will be able to squeeze in there. Additionally, while the ice axe sleeves are neat, they are only about 40 cm deep. I feel like anything longer than tiny skimo/touring axes will therefore be a little too long and awkward in the sleeves. For example I am relatively tall and use a 60 cm ice axe, so at least one third of the axe will be sticking out of the sleeve. If the sleeve could be constructed in such a way to have an opening at both ends, that would be a much move convenient and versatile holster, I believe.
Overall, I think the Kume is really fantastic in both its design and construction. I can see myself using the Blue Ice Kume much more (especially in colder/winter seasons) than the Osprey Mutant, though that pack has many merits too. The Kume edges out on top of the two as my favourite due to its versatility, the thought put into its design, and its comfort.
