This backpack features a lot of space for packing up materials needed for camping and overnight hiking. It has all the pockets you could possibly need to care one or two changes of clothing, a tent, a small sleeping bag, and a few other necessities without having to dig around to find it all. It has the perfect space for a medium trip (two to three days) but probably still is not the best if you are planning for a very long trip (a week or longer). Because it is bigger and designed for overnight trips, however, this is too much space to be taking with you for just going out for a few hours of hiking and won’t be comfortable for such a small trip either.
The pack does have adjustable arm straps which makes it easier to balance to your height and walking style as well. Unfortunately, however, it is not built to be suited for the natural curves and build of most women. It was designed with the idea of a male build in mind and because of this might not be as comfortable for both genders. Osprey does have a very similar line called the Ariel, however, which was designed more for an effeminate build to carry.

Knowing what your pack is made out of is very important. Most people do not even think twice when they go for their equipment, but with certain allergies out there, you don’t want to end up carrying something that will be uncomfortable for medical reasons. Not only that, but you may want to make sure that you feel the material is up for handling what you need it to, or that it is environmentally friendly. That being said, we wanted to bring you awareness of what these bags contain just on their own.
The main build of this pack is made of Nylon Dobby. So what is that exactly? To put this to it’s simplest answer it is nylon in a particular pattern with a polyurethane coating. This makes the material water resistant, fire resistant and is anti-microbial. It keeps your backpack strong and is a material that has been used for years now in the medical industry, so your pack is definitely tested as far as material goes and isn’t likely to fall apart. If you have a sensitivity to nylon though, you may want to avoid this pack.
The accents are made of high tenacity nylon and the bottom is a nylon pack cloth. To keep you up on what this means, this back can hold and stretch a bit without breaking and the bottom will hold against the weight, so you don’t have to worry about your pack pulling apart at the seams. Having a higher tenacity means it will take a lot more to really cause strain on the fabric, which is a very good thing for any product in this line. The pack cloth is specifically designed to be resistant to water, which means you can set your bag down even on damp ground and expect it to work at keeping your things dry.
Of course, there is a downside to nylon, you do have to take care not to leave it out in the elements for too long without taking care of it. Over time it will wear out just to sunlight and constant heat barrage. So, you do have to take care that you don’t leave it wet or out in the sun when it isn’t in use.

This is where both overpacking and under packing come into play most with backpacks. This bag is designed to carry between 30-45 pounds comfortably. Underpacking may sound like you won’t have to strain as much, but with the design, it shifts the balance of the bag and the way it sits on your back. Overpacking will cause the same issues. If you stay in the range it was intended for, you’ll find that between the straps, the ventilation mesh and the way things are kept easily organized, you will get one of the most comfortable trips you could expect with a pack this large on your back. It sits perfectly into the curves and builds of a male adult to allow everything to be evenly spaced throughout. It has been stated by many of those who have used this particular pack, that it is one of their favorite and most comfortable when compared to others in the same area. So long as you pack accordingly, this bag is one of the best you can own for short camping trips.

Going back to the materials used, nylon od one of the most reliable products that you can find for camping and backpacking equipment and this becomes obvious due to a large number of companies who use it. Most of the packs that are made of nylon are considered the best available, and they last for years when properly cared for. They can handle the weight without breaking, are naturally water resistant to begin with and easily flexible. However, nylon does have less of a resistant to chemicals that are known for eating at fabrics, to begin with, like bleach, oil and other flammable liquids. While it is flame resistant, its oxidation tolerance isn’t very high. Direct sunlight and overwhelming heat can actually turn it brittle and eat away at its elasticity over long periods of time. This is why it is very important to take care of your equipment like these bags when you aren’t using them. Even fully unpack8ng and lightly wiping it down in the evening when camping can lead to a much longer life span. It is a good idea as well as not to store your packs in places where they will have to endure the elements on a constant basis. So if you don’t have room for a lot of bags, take care to only purchase what you need and store and care for them appropriately.

This pack is designed for a mid-range load. What that means is if you want to actually have weight in the pack before you will actually find it comfortable, somewhere around 30 pounds before you actually see what it can do to keep you from straining, and it can carry between 40-45 pounds ultimately without causing undue strain on you or the pack. While you could easily carry less and might be able to carry a little more, doing so will through the suspension and balance off causing the pack to not work at its optimum performance for you. For those of you who prefer the usual measurements, this bag has an optimum of 65 liters of space.

This bag is designed for shorter camping trips and is best if kept to such. If you are planning a trip shorter than a day in length, you probably want something a little lighter and smaller, since the bag itself is around 5 pounds in weight on its own. For its specific use, this is considered very light-weight, but for a day trip, this is much heavier than you would want. It is intended for 2-3 days, so if you are going for longer, you might not find this to be enough. Osprey makes a lot of camping and hiking bags, though, so if this isn’t your perfect bag, they probably have one to meet your needs!

This, as always, is mostly on opinion and personal taste. Some may find the appearance to be lacking in that modern desire to stand out instantly, but then, is that what you are going for? Osprey bases their products on use and ability to do what you need it to. Being flashy often means sacrificing the integrity and quality of design. While these bags don’t scream ultimate personality, however, they are nice. They won’t make you want to flinch and run away screaming, rather they show more of the serious adventuring type by how they look. The fact that they last and will leave a lot of the flashier bags behind them in life span is a definite plus to us!

If there is one thing this company is known for with every product they offer, its that you will get the support you need while you use it. They even have designed suspension systems that are entirely unique to their particular lines of packs. They did not get the great reputation they have for nothing, after all. They put a lot of work into assuring their bags do what is necessary to stand out. This particular bag utilizes anti-gravity suspension both in the upper pack and across the waist, which eliminates the pressure points and pulls on these locations. The Lightwire tension frame actually makes weight have easy and equal transference across the entire frame between 40 and 45 pounds. As mentioned before, however, if you overpack, by the time you hit 50 pounds that system begins to not be able to ideally handle the weight. With less weight, the shifting inside the pack is likely to have the same problem.

We have mentioned this part multiple times on grazing. This particular bag has multiple pockets and places to store things in an organized fashion, so you don’t have to worry about digging to find what you are looking for throughout your trip. There are outer pockets for things like your camera or water bottle, so you don’t have to dig or carry the items in places that might make the trip uncomfortable. It also has smaller inner pockets to help with organizing things like clothes and gear and a larger main section to carry tents or sleeping mats comfortably. All around this bag is perfect for keeping track while at the same time not making it hard to get to the items you might want while on the go, which is definitely awesome.

-Reinforced nylon materials
-Water and fire resistant
-A lot of organizational pockets
-Great for a 2-3-day trip
-Lightweight
-Great support
-Respectable quality brand

If what you need is a short-term trip bag for a weekend hiking plus camping trip, this is definitely the bag worth getting. It will work for years to come if treated as intended and cared for properly. If you are needing bigger or smaller, though, feel free to look up the articles we have on other Osprey bags, you may find one better suited for your needs!