Shop Osprey New Season Shop Osprey Daylite Plus AG Antigravity backsystem™ - Shop Antigravity Osprey Manta & Mira AG - Watch the video Buy any 2 Osprey Compression Sacks get an 8L FREE Our Top 5 Osprey Packs Womens Mira AG 26 Rucksack Womens Questa 27 Rucksack Santa Cruz California 1974. Mike Pfotenhauer sat at his sewing machine with a head full of ideas and a burning passion to build the most innovative backpacks to the highest standard. Fast forward to 2015. One man’s vision has grown into a wide range of Osprey rucksacks and accessories that are being used from the highest mountains to the most remote islands and everywhere between. With innovation in every strand of each pack and an identity born out of true specialism, Osprey continues that true pioneering spirit today.Please confirm you are not a robot by checking the box.September 18, 2013 Product Reviews, Social The market for commuter backpacks is saturated to say the least, but few companies have dedicated as much energy and effort to the almighty backpack as Osprey.

Founded in 1974, Osprey has built their reputation by making premium backpacks for serious backpackers. backpack lijst zuid oost azieInitially, every pack was sewn by owner and founder Mike Pfotenhauer. backpack lijst zuid oost azieEventually he moved to Colorado and expanded his fledgeling business by hiring local women from a nearby Navajo reservation (one of whom now oversees all Osprey repairs, some 20 years later). wildkin backpack wholesaleWhen outsourcing became inevitable, Mike moved his family to Vietnam and stayed for four years, overseeing the overseas operation that Osprey is unabashedly proud of.north face backpack von maur

I’ve been using an Osprey Talon backpack for a number of years, and I’m confident in their product’s materials, design and durability. miga backpackI’ve yet to find a need for their All Mighty Guarantee, which seems to be one of the best in the outdoor industry, but it’s refreshing to know that my pack is covered for life.ncix laptop backpack In recent years Osprey has ventured further into the bike market, and the Radial series represents their take on the ultimate commuter backpack. It offers 30+ liters of cargo capacity (including a padded laptop compartment), an incredible array of organizational capabilities, and a number of features that are seldom seen all in one pack. One thing many companies try to accomplish but fall just short of is creating a backpack that allows air to pass between you and your pack.

Osprey’s AirSpeed backpanel does this better than any pack that I’ve ever used. It uses a combination of stretched mesh which rests against your back and a curved, rigid panel with contoured padding to hold the pack away from your back. The packs main straps are also made with mesh and perforated foam to increase ventilation without sacrificing comfort. I was pleasantly surprised by Osprey’s unique LidLock helmet holder. When you’re off the bike, you can use this elastic mounted plastic clip to securely hold your helmet to the outside of the pack. It’s incredibly simple, and undeniably effective. The Radial 34 features an exterior lock pocket which I found incredibly handy. I also like the zippered side pockets, which are great for items that you take on and off such as gloves, arm warmers and sunglasses. Rather than attempt to build a waterproof backpack, which typically compromises the pack’s accessibility and aesthetics, Osprey opted to include a retractable rain cover.

While this may not be the ultimate solution for extreme situations (for example, a rolltop with a floating liner is almost certainly the most watertight), it’s definitely effective and it’s completely out of the way when not in use. The size M/L Radial 34 measures 22″ x 15″ x 12″ and weighs just under 3 lbs. With such a lightweight design you might suspect its durability, but as I said earlier, Osprey packs are built to last. My Talon pack has been ridden hard and put away wet for years, seen its share of brambles and tumbles, and save for a smattering of mud stains, it’s still every bit as good as the first time I put it on my back. I have no reason to expect anything less from the Radial 34. The Radial 34 is available in S/M or M/L and comes in black or green. There’s also a smaller Radial 26. The Radial 34 retails for $169. I have acquired a lot of packs over the years, so it takes something pretty special to interest me in adding to my collection. After nearly three years of coveting the Osprey Exos 34, I finally pulled the trigger earlier this month—and then put it to the test on a series of challenging hikes.

Initial review: Outstanding, especially for tall hikers. Long-term review: Uncertain—I have several significant concerns about how well this pack will hold up over time. A quick backgrounder on this pack. It’s a very lightweight, 2-pound pack with enough room (1,953 to 2,197 cubic inches, depending on size) to carry a lot of day hiking gear or enough equipment for an ultralight backpacking trip. It uses the company’s “AirSpeed suspension,” which features a distinctive thin metal frame that runs around the perimeter of the pack; a tensioned mesh backpanel stretches across it for maximum ventilation. Otherwise it has most of the standard features of packs these days, including a floating lid pocket, kangaroo pocket on the back, large water bottle pockets on this side, internal hydration system, load stabilizer straps, side compression straps, plus some bonus features such as two small waistbelt pockets and a “Stow-on-the-Go” trekking pole attachment system. It’s reasonably priced at $149.

There are plenty of ultralight packs out there, so what is about this pack that I found so enticing? The large size fits tall people extremely well, a rarity for packs of this capacity. I’ve long searched for a pack of this size and weight that properly fits my 6 foot 5 inch frame—and this is one of the few that fits the bill (so to speak). The pack features a lightweight mesh waistbelt and is designed to handle loads up to 25 or so pounds, which it did easily and comfortably on a series of long day hikes and one short overnight excursion. The suspension system easily transferred the load onto my waist and lower body, finally freeing my shoulder muscles from day-hiking loads. Overall I’m quite excited to have this pack in my collection, but it’s tempered with a nagging sense of foreboding that certain parts of the pack will not stand the test of time. 1) When you set the pack down, it rests on two points on the metal frame, which is covered with a thin layer of fabric.

It seems inevitable that this fabric will abrade over time, expose the metal frame underneath, and potentially affect the tension of the backpanel. I may put some duct tape over these points to improve their durability. 2) The water bottle and waistbelt pockets are mesh, as is the waistbelt. In my experience, mesh fabric is almost always one of the first things to fail on any backpack. It only takes a small tear and the damage can steadily propagate, plus it’s a very challenging material to repair. 3) The compression straps, and the straps that attach the floating lid, are extremely narrow (approx. 1/8″) and run through equally small buckles, which are subjected to a lot of force when you pull the straps tight. I am concerned that these (hard to find or replace) buckles have the potential to fail over time. Of course, these are the compromises you make to gain such significant weight savings, so we’ll see how things hold up in the years to come. It’s got a tough predecessor to beat, however: It replaces a North Face Exocet day pack I purchased in 1997 and used as my go-to day pack for more than 15 years.