the best Backpack: Long Treks…           Osprey | Aether 100

Why it’s the best:

Adjustable: The “fit on the fly” straps sound gimmicky. They’re actually transformative. They let you create the right length for hip-belt and shoulder-straps, and also the right mix of padding versus cinch strap. The padding covers all the right places (think bony spots) and everything cinches down tight-just-right.

Heavy loads: This pack carries heavy loads with ease. Hoisting your 80lb pack up off the ground still feels like – well – 80lbs.  But once it’s on your back, you’re good-to-go – comfortable, balanced, and stable. And light loads feel even better!

Comfortable: This pack is comfortable.  It’s comfortable, even with a heavy load. It’s comfortable, even as the miles roll by. It’s life-changing. I didn’t know it was possible to adjust a pack at the trailhead, and spend the rest of the day hiking without pain, or a steady stream of adjustments to relieve pain (aching shoulders, then screaming hips, then a compressed spine, then back to the shoulders…).

Balanced: The frame and straps keep weight well-distributed, well-centered, and well-balanced. That balance keeps you nimble, agile, and dancing across rock-tops – whether stream crossing, avoiding mud, or just having fun.

Pockets: Plentiful pockets allow you to segregate gear, keeping things organized, easy to find, and segregated appropriately (e.g., cooking gear separate from sleeping gear). External pockets provide easy-access for select items (and mesh, which allows wet items to dry).

Rain Cover: The built-in rain cover unzips from the bottom of the pack. It’s effective in covering it from top-to-bottom, isn’t dislodged while hiking, and is effective for protection when the pack is lying on the ground.

Day Pack: The lid doubles as a day pack. It unzips to reveal backpack straps, with a dedicated sleeve for a hydration bladder (e.g., Camelbak), and a spacious pocket for everything else. It’s comfortable, effective – and far superior to the “fanny pack” approach of other packs.

Durable: The pack has withstood extensive bushwacking and abrasive surfaces without showing any wear. The cinch straps are effectively reinforced, and haven’t exhibited any strain or unstitching.

Other great features:

Hydration port: Hydration tubes can be exited from either side of the pack (allowing you to choose right-or-left).

Hydration sleeve: The hydration sleeve includes a strap that can be hooked on the bladder to keep it vertical as it drains.

Nothing’s perfect:

Pack bottom: The pack-bottom isn’t extra-burly with double-thick nylon or rubberization (which could be an issue over the long-term). But it hasn’t shown any wear to-date.

External water bottle pouches: The external water bottle pouches are made of stretchy mesh, with a strap to hold a bottle in place. They work fine for bottles inserted vertically (which requires taking off the pack to access). But horizontally, they have an unpleasant habit of slipping partially out, with the occasional kidney massage (not fun).

Lid strap length: The pack fits a large load. But it would be nice if the lid straps were a bit longer, allowing you to stuff in more gear for extended or winter treks.

Squeak: Our first pack had an annoying squeak. The straps on a fully-cinched pack were rubbing on the plastic frame elements. Osprey customer service was exemplary, (i) acknowledging the issue affected some units, (ii) offering at-home troubleshooting steps, and (iii) offering warranty repair/replacement if needed.

Tales from the field: