Osprey Kyte 36

The Osprey Kyte 36 has an adjustable harness which allows for a more customized fit.

The Osprey Kyte 36 offers an extra large opening for easier packing.

Editor rating: 8.7 / 10

User's rating: based on 0 user ratings

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By NicoleK

Osprey Kyte 36 Review Facts

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An advantage to traveling on rougher and uneven terrains such as experienced when hiking or mountain climbing is the ability to work muscles that are readily used when walking on flatter surfaces. It helps us build those muscles and helps our balance in our daily lives. When participating in this type of activity it is important to consider the equipment needed in order to do so effectively and safely. The primary piece of equipment would be shoes, of course. Hiking shoes and hiking boots offer different safety features in order to protect the foot and the ankle from damage that can be caused by the trails. Other equipment includes items like hiking poles which can help stabilize the walker when on more questionable surfaces and hiking first aid kits in order to assist if the worst happens which may be that the equipment fails. There are helpful pieces of equipment as well, which don't necessarily offer protection but more so offer conscience to the hiker when hiking. This includes items like special hiking socks which would help the hiker keep warm and offer impact reduction. And backpacks which are specially designed in order to offer support, stability, and durability.

Our website is one dedicated to providing real consumer reviews to those looking to buy either the best of a group of similar products (like hiking pants for instance) or for those looking at one particular product in order to determine if it will satisfy their needs. This article is a single product review on a hiking backpack offered by the popular outdoor brand Osprey. The hiking backpack specifically is the Osprey Kyte 36. We looked at what those who purchased this backpack thought of it, both the good and the bad. We also looked at the construction of the unit, its overall durability and, of course, quality of the bag. We also wanted to see if it was in line with the market when it comes to both its longevity and its features. This is our review of the Osprey Kyte 36. We hope that this review assists you with your next hiking backpack purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Reviewers appreciate its comfort level
They also appreciated how well it carries the weight of its contents
The capacity of this bag is impressive
It is also small enough to use as a carry-on, which reviewers appreciate

Cons

The top or the brain of the bag doesn't completely cover the top of the bag when full
It is also quite small and doesn't fit much
There also seems to be some durability concerns

FEATURES

This bag offers all sorts of interesting features including an external hydration sleeve in order to eliminate the need for a smart water bottle and keep the hiker hydrated throughout their hike. It also offers an ultralight LightWire frame intended to offer some weight distribution as well as not add too much additional weight to the pack. It offers both shoulder straps and a hip belt to offer better support and stability to the pack which helps with longer trips as well. There is both a zippered sleeping bag component as well as a strapped one at the bottom of the bag for either easy storage or more room. It offers side zipper access to the main component in order to offer access to it from both the side and the top. This makes packing and accessing your materials easier. It offers a tuckaway ice tool kit that allows those wearing the bag to strap ice picks and trekking poles to the shoulder straps for easier access to them. It has an integrated rain cover for the purpose of offering additional storage as well as offering some weather protection. It has upper and lower StraightJacket straps to also help with stability. And it offers dual stretch-mesh pockets and front panel in order to offer better breathability and ventilation when on the trails.

MATERIALS

The materials offered by hiking equipment, in general, are one of the most important features because hiking usually exposes equipment (and the hiker) to rougher and more aggressive elements. It is important that the hiking equipment be both strong and functional as a result. Ultimately this will protect the hiker and the gear they are carrying. This particular product is made of 210-denier ripstop nylon and offers a steel alloy frame to offer some structural integrity without adding too much additional weight. Those who bought this product did take issue with the materials used for this product as they did find with very short time and wear the material started showing holes and tears at the seams. This is discussed in more detail below in the durability section. Though there were issues with the fabric used there were some compliments about the lightweight nature of this bag, most noting that this bag is extra lightweight and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time which is positive.

COMFORT

This bag offers LightWire frame transfers the load to a comfortable spacer mesh harness and hip belt which helps with weight distribution as well as airflow. Those who purchased this product did find it to be quite comfortable and found that it was able to offer a nice weight distribution making the bag easier to carry. There is one reviewer that found that the bag caused them some back pain throughout their trip which persisted after the hike. They did note that they had existing back pain though. There were also some reviewers that found that the bag offered some weight distribution to the hips rather than entirely through the shoulders which made the bag much more comfortable than alternatives on the market.

DURABILITY

As mentioned earlier, this bag uses a 210-denier ripstop nylon material. Though the material is labeled as "ripstop" there are still some opposing views on the durability of this bag. Some reviewers were very happy with the durability of this product while others had some concerns. Those that had concerns notice that this bag did show some visible signs of wear near the bottom stitching of the bag. And this was not due to sliding but just regular usage. Those who had this issue had concerns that the material used to construct this backpack isn't very strong and may be made of a cheaper material. One positive that reviewers noted is how great the customer service team is at Osprey and the bags warranty. One reviewer had a strap break and as a result, they had to send the backpack back to the manufacturer to be replaced. Instead of replacing it they replaced the entire backpack which the reviewer was very pleased about.

CAPACITY

This product offers both a sleeping bag component as well as external sleeping bag straps in order to offer different capacity options to the wearer. It also offers shoulder strap hooks for hiking poles and external straps on the back of the pack for other items like equipment. The main compartment of this bag also has top loading and side zip access providing multiple portals to pack and store items depending on personal preference. For storage, it has a top lid as well as zippered pockets. It has side and front stretch mesh pockets too, and two additional zippered hip belt pockets for maximum storage in a minimalist bag. The bag itself does hold quite a bit, however, the "brain" portion of the bag (which is the component that covers the bag but also offers some additional storage options) when full does not completely cover the top of the bag exposing whatever is in the bag which is a problem.

USE

The manufacturer's website says that the intended use of this bag is for hikes and mountain trips. It is labeled as versatile, lightweight, clean and highly functional. Because of the size of this bag, it narrows down the margin of use according to consumers. Reviewers noted that this bag isn't great for day trips as the bag is quite large. While others said that the capacity isn't enough for long trips or trips in cooler climates. This bag is ideal for shorter trips, really anything longer than a day trip and shorter than 5 days. The bag is also not the most durable product on the market (discussed more above) making this less than ideal for more rigorous terrains. This should be noted before buying this bag.

STYLE

Those who purchased this product were quite pleased with its minimalist design. They noted that even though the pack is quite tight as a result, this bag looks pretty sleek when on and even when full which is positive. The zippers of this bag are covered and camouflaged in order to offer a sleeker design. It looks quite even all the way from the top to the bottom even when fully loaded which also looks quite nice. It offers a lot of internal components for the purpose of keeping everything hidden away, however, it does include hide-away and removable straps in order to offer additional towing capacity. It also comes in new and different color options to suit individual styles. It also comes in some more classically feminine colors like pink to appeal to men and women that may prefer that option. The rain cover completely covers the bag for those looking for additional rain protection or for those who are looking to even further minimalize the bag if preferred.

SUPPORT

StraightJacket side compression straps for a more secure and supportive fit. It also offers an innovative suspension system in order to offer better weight distribution to the wearer. Weight distribution is important when considering hiking backpacks as hikers will carrying heavier items like water, food, and equipment when traveling in order to allow those hiking to stay hydrated, nutrient filled and have the ability to rest if required. Weight distribution will allow heavier packs to spread the weight a little more evenly in order to take the pressure off of one area of the back and evenly spread it throughout the back and hips. This protects the hiker in the long run and will make for a more enjoyable trip.

ORGANIZATION

One comment that reviewers made about this pack are that though the side pockets are handy they are not easily accessible when the pack is on the back. This would mean that after the backpack was one, even though these pockets are meant for quick access, they can't really be reached making them sort of pointless. One positive that reviewers noted is that because this backpack has external straps intended for a sleeping bag, this bag is ideal for those doing overnight trips which are quite positive notes. They found the straps to be a nice add-on, leaving room for other items in the bag itself. One reviewer did note that this bag does not offer a laptop sleeve which they would have liked.

KEY FEATURES

- Handy external hydration sleeve
- Tuck-away ice tool loops for easy carrying
- Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachments for hiking poles
- Integrated rain cover for weather protection
- Adjustable harness for a more customized fit around the torso and waist
- LightWire frame for a lightweight fit with proper weight distribution
- Airscape mesh back panel for breathability and ventilation
- StraightJacket side compression straps for a closer and more secure fit

BOTTOM LINE

Overall, though this pack is widely regarded as being a good product, it is probably best served for a shorter trip. Though the bag offers a decent capacity level and weight distribution because the top of the bag (or the "brain" of the bag) is not floating it is hard to fit much in this bag. If not utilizing the outer straps of this bag but rather using the inner compartment to store your sleeping bag it offers even less capacity. A smaller sleeping bag is required when traveling with this bag which might make it better for warmer climates. Though not a terrible choice there are certainly some issues that concerned reviewers a little bit but still a highly regarded bag.