View Full Version : Osprey packs
I'm buying my new pack soon, and I'm wondering if any of you have experience thruhiking with Osprey women's packs? I'm pretty sure that's what I want to get, but I'm not sure what size/model. Any advice?
i am trying to get my hands on the new exos pack they just came out with for my upcoming thru attempt! i have a daypack (stratos 40) which i love, and am hoping the exos will not disappoint.
I got Osprey Aura 65 last summer and did a couple week-long hikes with it. Absolutely love it. This would be my choice for a thru. It is lightweight, lots of pockets, very comfy frame and shoulder straps. Love the ventilated backside and belt pockets (perfect size for a small digit camera). The inside of the main compartment is unusually shaped due to the frame design and needs a little getting used to in terms of packing. But after a while you can figure out how to pack everything you need into it. I am 5'6 and size medium is perfect for me.
happy trails,
t.
earthbound
01-12-2009, 21:38
I used the Osprey Talon 44 on my thru-hike. It isn't women's specific, but it is one of their lightest packs and it worked great. The women's specific packs really only change the shoulder straps and waist belt (a little). Try on a ton of backpacks and try them out before you make your final decision.
i am trying to get my hands on the new exos pack they just came out with for my upcoming thru attempt! i have a daypack (stratos 40) which i love, and am hoping the exos will not disappoint.
These guys had "some" in stock yesterday, I ordered one and it's arriving on Wed. I got the Exos 58.
http://www.gearzone.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=249-10508
Thanks everyone!
I'm 16" torso so I know I need the small size, but I'm not sure if I need a medium belt. My hip measurement is around 31". (If I'm measuring correctly).
earthbound
01-12-2009, 21:48
try on both a small and a medium waistbelt. If you go with one of the heavier osprey packs like the ariel, you can get a small pack (torso) and a medium belt. You can't do that with their lighter packs because the waistbelt is built in. Go with what fits your torso though. I used these little foam squares as extra padding on my hips and they worked great.
Pickleodeon
01-13-2009, 09:19
I have the Luna 65, it's a little heavier, and now it's discontinued I believe. But it's a comfy pack, it's a small size. I'm only 5'2".
bigcranky
01-13-2009, 12:16
My wife, Dragonfly, tried on about 200 packs over the course of a year, looking for perfect fit. (Okay, I exaggerate. It was maybe 100 packs.) She ended up with an Ariel 55, which is the female version of the Aether 60. Her feeling is that the Osprey shoulder harness fits better than any other she tried. Most shoulder harnesses are too wide, so they dig into her neck, or they aren't properly curved, so they dig into other places. The Osprey harness is narrow, properly curved, and fits like it was made for her. The heat-molded hip belt also fits like it was made for her because, well, it was made for her.
The Ariel series is a little heavier than some packs out there, but fit is pretty important, too. If I had to recommend an Ariel pack for a thru-hike, I'd probably recommend the Ariel 65. That extra 10 liters will help with bulky winter gear and clothing, and a full load of food. Dragonfly can use the 55 because we hike together and share some gear. Also, she doesn't need room for a winter bag.
RockStar
01-13-2009, 14:01
Thanks everyone!
I'm 16" torso so I know I need the small size, but I'm not sure if I need a medium belt. My hip measurement is around 31". (If I'm measuring correctly).
I have a little over a " torso and I sport an Ariel 55 in size Small. The shoulder Harness is adjustable. They use, what appears to be, bomb proof velcro to secure the shoulder harness. I LOVE this pack! The waistbelt is so comfortable and it holds loads so nice! I have LONG been drooling over the Diva for it's luxurious comfort, but mine rides like a comfortable porsche in Osprey clothes, if ya know what I mean. It's WAY less weight than the Diva. (Gregory Diva in case anyone wasn't sure)
I will have to say that I am SOLD on the Osprey packs. I have lower back issues and this pack is SO comfortable! I usually have 30lbs(4-5days food and water) or less to carry, but an option of carrying more. I don't compress my sleeping bag as much to take up any spare room(So I won't be tempted to put more crap in ;}).
Lucy Lulu
01-13-2009, 14:53
I have the Ariel and the Aura. I used the Ariel 65 on the PCT, and it is very comfortable. I have no bad things to say about it. I did end up sending home the top pocket since I did not need the capacity, and getting a couple of hipbelt pockets.
I want to go a little lighter for this years CDT hike, so I will be using the ULA Circuit, but if I discover I need a little more winter clothing, I may end up switching back to the Ariel.
I have an Aura 65 that I like real well.
I have an Ariel 55 and I love that thing. It carries like a dream. It's so comfortable I hardly know it's there, and it never throws me off balance. If you don't use the lid or the straps for it, it weighs just over 3 pounds (size small.) It's not very big, so you have to pack carefully, OTOH, it prevets you from lugging too much stuff along.
my exos 58 arrived yesterday and it's so light! the only thing i am unsure of now is the size--i ordered a medium (my stratos is also size M), but think i may also get the small, test em both side by side, and send one back.
there is PLENTY of room in this bag!
both of the exos 58s are going back to rei and i am headed to campmor this weekend to try out some of their packs. the issue with the exos is that the hip belt is fixed: my torso length makes me a small, but my hips make me a medium, and no matter how i adjust, the fit isn't right. i love the idea of a 2lb internal frame pack, but unf. this is not the one for me.
skinewmexico
01-25-2009, 01:47
I think the lack of interchangable hip belts is the only bad thing about the Exos.
docllamacoy
02-07-2009, 16:22
REI-Outlet (http://www.rei.com/outlet/search?vcat=OUTLET_SEARCH&query=osprey&button.x=0&button.y=0) has some '08 Osprey models for sale for great prices. I just got one of the Auras.
i just brought home an aura 50 and an aura 65 to load and test. i bought the 2009 versions b/c the mesh over the suspension seems more sturdy than the 2008 version. thus far, it looks like i can fit my gear into the aura 50 (with my thermarest on the outside). now that i've read about the exos, i'm going to order one to compare. i also have a short torso (17" or so) and the small ospreys seem to fit me better than other brands. thanks for this post!
Jolly Lama
04-13-2009, 11:51
Mindy, my wife is a mountain climber and has used or tried virtually everything on the market. She loves the Osprey which is impressive since she comes from a Arc Terryx. My best advise I can give you is to get the smallest pack you can get away with. For a tru hike 3000-3500 ci should be more than enough. You can and will ditch stuff along the way but you are stuck with your pack. If you buy the pack last you take take everything you own down to the shop and start comparing pack volumes. For our thru hike we are both carying Ospreys. Mine is 1700 Ci and hers in 2200 ci we can carry 7 days food and water with room to spare and nothing strapped to the outside of the pack. Ali
Chaco Taco
04-13-2009, 12:07
Wakapak has an mens atmos 50 and seems to like it. She tried out the 09 Ospreys and fell in love. They seem to have more support on the shoulder straps and hip belts.
Ladytrekker
04-16-2009, 14:37
I have the ariel 65 and am very happy with it. The nice thing about an outfitter is getting the correct fit. Osprey has a plastic harness you put on that measures your torso for their packs and then you have a choice of belts to get the exact right fit. You can also heat the belt to get a fit to your body only. I chose not to heat the belt because when doing alot of hiking I lose weight and the fit changes. I ended up with a medium pack, what I thought I needed changed when I was able to be fitted. The point is to try on, try on, try on. Good Luck.
Ladytrekker
05-07-2009, 18:32
I have the Ariel 65 medium (18" torso) and they can change the belt to fit, I really like it, holds all my stuff. I am now waiting on my new neoair sleep pad coming ups tomorrow, so excited.
kyhiker610
06-30-2009, 22:15
Osprey packs are built to last... I work for an outfitter, and Osprey are the packs I recommend AND the packs I use. I have an Ariel 65, Medium with a small hipbelt (which is one of the major perks about the ariel series--interchangable hipbelts).
GO to an outfitter and get sized, get them to load the pack with the weight you think you might be carrying (or the stuff you own that you KNOW you'll be carrying) and try it on for about 15-20 minutes.
The one thing I do see as someone who does a pack fit almost every day is that people don't wear the appropriate clothing and shoes... you won't be hiking 15-20 miles a day in wal-mart sandals and jeans and a hoodie!!! WEAR your hiking clothing/shoes so that you know your shoes can take the weight and your shirt won't rub against the shoulder straps!!!
Ladytrekker
07-03-2009, 19:27
I have the ariel 65 and am happy can get all my stuff in it and it fits well, I like the way osprey fits the belt to your size and the pack sits on your hips and relieves your shoulders from all the pressure.
Rhapsodist
10-25-2009, 19:34
The Aura 50 or 65 is the best pack in the world. the Ventilation is KEY. Nice organizational packs without too much weight. Everything about the design is smart. i used to have a kelty and then and LL Bean but it just wasn't for me. Osprey is nice and high. it stays off my but when other packs just use it as a shelf.
Not exactly en pointe, but ... I'm a guy who just bought an Aether 70 for a PCT attempt next year, after trying out a GG Nimbus Latitude in the field and reading up on many other options (my antique Kelty Tioga has passed on - RIP). The Aether fits great and carries the weight comfortably, but I have a question. This pack has more straps and buckles than Carter has liver pills. Which ones have you cut off to reduce weight without affecting functionality?
Lucy Lulu
10-27-2009, 10:47
Just a follow-up....
I ended up taking my Ariel 65 on the CDT since I carried quite a bit of water through NM. This pack is bomb proof, and so comfortable. Although it's appearance is a little battered, it now has about 4,700 miles on it. It has been dropped down a mountain side (more than once, but no comment on my ability to control it), run over by a truck, and drowned at least twice. It's drawstring needs replacing, but other than that, this is a great, durable pack.
and a post-script to my osprey experience: i ended up with an ariel 65 and absolutely love this pack! it went 1,685 miles on the AT this year and will finish with me next summer. planning on hiking the PCT in 2012 with it as well.
it performed beautifully (survived countless drops/shoves/scrapes) and carried the weight of my winter gear and summer gear equally well. i left the brain at home and had no problem fitting everything in. my only want is for some sort of hip belt pocket, those side pockets can be a bit tricky to reach with the pack on.
Ladytrekker
10-27-2009, 11:19
I use a Ariel 65 and am happy with it, however, have not thru hiked with it. But I did notice reading trail journals this year there were quite a few of them on the trail. What is good about Osprey is the fact that the belt is changeable and if you really want a custom fit the retailer will put it in a oven and heated and then is put around your hips for a custom fit. I chose not to do that at this time thinking that losing weight might affect the belt fit.
When I tried on my Ariel 65 (medium pack with small hipbelt), it fit like perfect shoes would fit. It is very stable on difficult grades. Is it wrong to love a pack?
mumbles mcgee
01-11-2010, 01:04
Has anybody out there taken a Talon 44? I just got mine this fall and haven't been able to give it a real run through (although I've taken the Talon 33 for an overnight & loved it). After packing the 44 up with my thru hike gear it seems to me that it will work well. Not a lot of small organizational pockets, but I have plenty of stuff sacks for organizing and I really don't feel like I will want and/or use them. I've been finding very little in these messages boards about anyone taking an Osprey Talon. What gives?
Jessica Cichowski
01-11-2010, 18:03
I have an Osprey Aura 65 which is super comfy and has a lot of nice features that make organizing your pack fairly simple. I have a size small, am 5'6" and weigh about 125.
ShelterLeopard
01-11-2010, 18:33
I would LOVE the Osprey Exos 46- planning to get it in Harpers Ferry when I switch out my winter gear for summer gear.
Gunner81
02-05-2010, 21:43
I hiked with an Ariel 65.....by the most comfortable pack ever!!!!!!! I would recommend going to an REI if you can, (and if not go to your closest outfitter) and have them pack up all the ospreys with 20-30 lbs. and test out how they feel. Get whatever feels the best on you. A well fitted pack will carry the weight much better then a pack that may weigh less but not carry the weight as well. Good Luck.
Hello,
I am selling my Osprey Exos 58--size Small pack. Only used for 3 days. Lightweight! $140
Let me know if you are interested. :)