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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3589 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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 Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:45 pm |
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Here's my take on Osprey backpacks. I generally like them. hey are relatively lightweight and are functional. I have owned maybe eight or nine of their packs ranging from smal 18L day packs to Atmos 50. I currently own the Exos 48, Talon 33 and Talon 22. All the other Ospreys I have owned I gave away to friends or relatives because I no longer used them. Osprey has repaired two of my packs, sent me a buckle that I broke broke slaming the car door on, and replaced another pack that could not be repaired.
Most Osprey packs are not robust in materials. In other words if you treat them roughly they will likely show the damage. One reason I keep going back to Osprey is that for me they are comfortable. Since I rarely carry heavy loads nowadays, I have enjoyed the luxery of the ventilated back. I sweat a lot and having a pack that the breeze gets to my back is a game-changer. I will never return to the sweaty back again. And since I am not doing any technical climbing and carry reasonable loads I am willing to forego having the load a couple more inches closer to my back. offtrail brush busting has not been an issue either.
Having expressed my like of Osprey packs, let me acknowledge that they don't work for some people. The most common complaint I have heard is that the frame of the tensioned backpanel of some packs hurts their hips. Also some feel the shoulder straps and hip belt need more cushioning.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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thunderhead
Member
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Posts: 1519 | TRs | Pics
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Ewww. Better get a new pack soon before wall street trashes them. My go-to main Exos has loyally hauled my gear on some million or so vertical feet gained over the last 10 years, still works but is showing its age.
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3589 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:04 pm |
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| thunderhead wrote: | | My go-to main Exos has loyally hauled my gear on some million or so vertical feet gained over the last 10 years, still works but is showing its age. |
I have an Exos 48, which is a really great pack. I haven't had it as long as yours, but it is showing some wear and tear. I am told Osprey will release a newer version this spring, which I am eager to see. If it turns out to be good update, I will likely get it. I used the original Atmos 50 for about a decade or so and loved it. Then the Atmos series got heavy and the Exos series was introduced to seemingly replace that niche. No pack is perfect, but for me the Exos 48 checks most of the boxes for the stuff I do.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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Chief Joseph
Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 7701 | TRs | Pics
Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
Wow, that's a lot of packs you have bought over the years! Makes me think that McHale packs, expensive as they are might actually save some people money over the long run as I doubt one would ever wear out. I have an old REI that is made of similar heavy duty material and It's probably 30 years old and still in great shape. I for sure will never wear it out.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3589 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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Sat Jan 08, 2022 7:31 pm |
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| Chief Joseph wrote: | | Wow, that's a lot of packs you have bought over the years! |
People buy lots of stuff for several different purposes. Twenty-five years ago I thought I needed one pack for everything. Then I discovered that what I really wanted were a few packs that covered many situations. I use a pack for one reason or another at least four or five times a week, not just for backpacking or day-hiking. I also have given away packs which still have plenty of life in them to friends and family if I replace it with something different that meets my needs better. I can carry a 11.5L bear canister horizontally inside the top of my Exos 48, which is important to me since I backpack in areas where bear canisters are required. For me, all my Osprey packs have been incredibly comfortable.
| Chief Joseph wrote: | | Makes me think that McHale packs, expensive as they are might actually save some people money over the long run as I doubt one would ever wear out. |
My three-season baseweight is about 10-12 lbs, so I don't need a honkin' huge indestructable McHale pack. If I had purchased a McHale backpack twenty-five years ago I would have needed to replace it at least twice because I "downsized" my backpacking gear. Also I like packs with a ventilated back, something McHale doesn't offer AFAIK. I have several friends who have multiple McHale backpacks, some investing well over $2000 in them. Some of them have old McHale packs which have been relegated to the "I don't ever use that anymore" gear closet. I am not jealous in the least. I have owned two REI packs which were excellent build but lacking features I wanted. I sold one and gave the other to a youth org that specialized in trips for inner-urban teens.
I have a MSR Dragonfly, MSR XGK, and a SVEA 123 which haven't been used in years. They all work fine, at least they did when I last used them, but I now don't do backpacking that justifies the weight and volume they come with. I had a MSR Whisperlite International as well, but gave that away to a friend. That's the same way I am with my backpacks, I move onto different gear that suits me better whenever I make changes.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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