Osprey Stratos 24 Backpack

I am a huge Osprey fan; I bought the Osprey Focus about 4 years ago, and when it finally wore out (after I dragged that thing everywhere), Osprey replaced it with an equally awesome bag, the Quantum. Therefore, when I needed to buy my husband a daypack for our hiking trip, I was sold on getting him an Osprey. The Stratos was a great choice. The contoured, breathable back helped wick sweat off his back and was very comfortable. It holds more than it looks like it holds; we kept it stuffed throughout the trip and it held up well. It has sturdy hip pads, and a smaller pocket that was good for holding wallets, compasses, keys, etc. The side mesh pockets are great, too. They are very deep, so you can toss water bottles in there and they won't fall out, even over rock scrambles and falling in a river. I love my Quantum and it has held up well on day hikes, biking, and everyday use, but after this trip, I'm definitely tempted to get myself a Stratos, too. One thing to note: The Stratos, like most Ospreys and good daypacks, build up, rather than out. For people used to bookbags, this can be surprising and make it seem like the bag doesn't hold as much. It does. It also means that you have to be a bit strategic about how you pack, but the benefit is a much more comfortable hike with less stress on your lower back and better balance. Definitely worth it. It is also worth keeping in mind that the Stratos is really intended to be a hiker's bag. If you are looking for an all-round bag that you can take hiking but will mostly use on a daily basis (groceries, biking, walking, school, work, whatever), then think about the Quantum and other bags in that series--it is a better allround bag. But for a dedicated dayhike bag, the Stratos is great.I highly recommend the Osprey brand. The bags are quality and the customer service is outstanding--seriously one of the best companies I've ever dealt with.

This is a great pack for day hikes, particularly in the southwest US because of the need for air circulation in that part of the country. The ventilation is fantastic and avoids the excessive perspiration on the back when hiking for prolonged periods in the sun. The construction of this pack is sturdy yet flexible enough for rock scrambling. The tradeoff of providing the ventilation though is that the capacity of the pack is lessened because of the arch necessary to provide the air flow. The interior space is further lessened with the addition of a hydration unit. If you can tolerate those items, this is a great pack. The rain cover is quite handy and tucked neatly out of the way but accessible when necessary and quickly deployed. Packing takes some though because access to items on the bottom require the removal of of items on the top. I'm 6'1" and I bought the large size and it fits perfectly. The hip belt removes most of the weight from the shoulders so upper back and neck fatigue are minimized or eliminated. Once adjusted, you hardly know you have it on. Lots of small, zippered exterior pockets for keys, energy bars, or whatever and they are easy access. Exterior pockets for water bottles are also useful.I would have given this pack five stars except for two things. Although I love the hip belt for distribution of weight, I would have preferred that it be removable when carrying light loads. Secondly, the straps are way too long. Perhaps Osprey wanted to ensure that this pack fit 300-lb users although I don't think that is their primary market. I'm nearly 200 pounds and the excess straps are cumbersome. I'm going to cut them off and seal the ends to make them more manageable.For a day pack, this pack is great and I'd recommend it.

This is the perfect day pack. No matter the weather too. I have used it in the 20s (F) and the 70s (F) and having your back exposed is so nice. The topmost pouch is pretty much the only one you can get to while you wear it though. It is possible to open the main pouch with some work, but you might as well take it off. My one qualm is that you can't really balance the pack. You have to lay it down, or lean it against something. The number and placement of smaller pouches is excellent. Everything on the pack feels very sturdy, and I plan on getting a water pack to add to this eventually. The straps are very long, but I can take care of that on my own. The best thing about the pack is the warranty, or what they call their All Mighty Guarantee. This worked perfectly on the AT, so I look forward to hanging on to this pack for years and years. If I need a larger pack, I'll definitely be looking at Osprey.

A friend recommended this bag for my trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro. But there were just a bunch of little issues that added up to it being a pain. The "back mesh" that makes up the technical frame -- and separates the bag from your back -- is almost flat. Since my back is not flat, that left huge gaps that strained my back on the 8-10 hour days of climbing. Also, as others noted, you basically have to unpack the bag to get something out and the "cell pocket" is too small to store anything. The final straw though was when the zipper broke on the third day. I returned it for a refund as soon as I got home.On the upside: built in rain cover was handy; the Osprey water reservoir worked great (though it needs an insulating tube to keep from freezing on a summit); and it looks pretty good.If you do decide it is for you, most guys over 5'7" or 5'8" will need large.

This is a great rucksack.I bought this so I could cycle to work with a sweat free back.And it does that job perfectly.It holds a lot of stuff & has a separate rain cover which I've used a few times already.It's also extremely comfortable. Fits perfectly to my back.(Make sure you choose the correct size by measuring your back first)It's not the best for running, but I probably shouldn't be running with a bag anyway.However it is brilliant for walking, cycling & hiking.