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For nearly 50 years, Osprey backpacks have served those called to adventure into the great outdoors. The company has evolved over the years, but the brand has become the standard for backpacks in North America and much of the world. Its quality is well-known, its service is excellent, and it stands behind everything it makes with its famous lifetime “All Mighty Guarantee.”
Since its founding in 1974, the Osprey backpack product line has expanded to meet a wide variety of adventures and traveling needs. It makes so many packs for backpacking, hiking, traveling, and beyond, that it can be difficult to figure out which one best meets your needs. Fear not: We’ve done the research for you so you can choose the best Osprey backpack to take on your next journey.
- Best Overall: Osprey Atmos AG 65
- Best Budget: Osprey Rook 50
- Most Sustainable: Osprey Archeon 30
- Best Value: Osprey Kestrel 58
- Best Carry-On: Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6
- Best Travel: Osprey Farpoint 55
- Best for Hiking: Osprey Exos 38L
Best Overall
Osprey Atmos AG 65
Best Budget
Osprey Rook 50
Most Sustainable
Osprey Archeon 30
Best Value
Osprey Kestrel 58
Best Carry-On
Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6
Best Travel
Osprey Farpoint 55
Best for Hiking
Osprey Exos 38L
Things to consider before buying an Osprey backpack
Osprey makes a lot of different backpacks for hiking and backpacking, for traveling in the city and across the world. Heck, it even has Osprey baby backpacks.
When you’re deciding what Osprey backpack is best for you, ask yourself what exactly you plan on using the pack for. Do you plan to spend most of your time in the backcountry? Then a backpacking backpack is what you want. Do you need something that you can easily get through an airport? Then one of the Osprey travel backpacks designed to minimize aggravation as you go through security checkpoints and check-in stations is likely what you’re looking for.
The fantastic thing about Osprey’s products is that there are so many shared features across them. But uniting all of these packs is Osprey’s backpack warranty, the so-called All Mighty Warranty. This is its guarantee that no matter what goes wrong with your pack, no matter when you bought it, it will make it right. That’s standing behind your product.
FAQs about Osprey backpacks
Q. Where are Osprey backpacks made?
A. Osprey backpacks are made in a factory in Vietnam, but it also uses Navajo sewing personnel in Colorado who repair products as part of its lifelong All Mighty Guarantee. Plus, it has a distribution facility in Utah, as well as another office in England.
Q. How do I put a water bladder in an Osprey backpack?
A. Putting a water bladder in an Osprey pack is super easy. Nearly every Osprey backpack has a separate water reservoir sleeve on the inside part (closest to your back panel) of the main compartment. You simply need to slide the filled bladder into this sleeve, then thread the hose through the hydration port of the pack.
Q. How do I measure my torso for an Osprey backpack?
A. Ideally, you can get this done by skilled outfitters at stores like REI. But, if you’re going to go it on your own, Osprey has detailed instructions here. You’ll need to measure from your C7 vertebrae (top of spine), down to your iliac crest (the top of your hip bone). It’s not as complicated as it sounds, so check out the video if you need help.
Q. Are Osprey backpacks water-resistant?
A. Yes, to a point. Many of Osprey’s backpacks are DWR (durable water-repellent) treated, which contributes to the pack’s longevity and durability. However, they are not waterproof, which is where the rain covers come in. Oh, you wanted something waterproof? Then you may want to take a look at our best waterproof backpacks.
Final thoughts
Osprey’s quality and understanding of the needs of backpackers of all stripes has resulted in a ton of great choices, and the truth is, it has a number of backpacks that can meet a variety of needs. But the Atmos AG 65, which masterfully combines the best of all Osprey’s decades of engineering, is the clear champ for most folks.
Methodology
Not everyone plans to disappear into the wilderness for a week or more, so the award winners above had to be the best in fulfilling the needs of each particular category. Someone plane-hopping from city to city has very different needs than someone hiking the Appalachian Trail, so I took a careful look at the features offered by Osprey’s impressive number of products to make sure we recommended the best fit for you.
The recommendations in this guide were determined by combining personal experience with the brand, extensive research of buyer likes and dislikes of the various Osprey products (both by using customer reviews on REI.com, Osprey.com, and Amazon, and by digging into comments on social media forums like Facebook groups and Reddit), and then comparing our favorites to other Osprey buying guides (in this case, I looked at the thoughtful guides published by Broke Backpacker, Outdoor Crunch, and Curated.com). I also found some interesting insight at Minimalist Travel and a great, detailed comparison of the Atmos 65 versus the Aether 65 (the two titans of Osprey’s backpacking world) at 99Boulders. Learn more about our product review process.