Osprey Exos 46 Pack

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

Just got my Exos 46 yesterday. Medium fits comfortably for me at 5'9" and 155 lbs. Just for grins, I packed my gear to make sure everything fits - and it does! I easily packed the following with room to spare in the main compartment:

Kelty Light Year Down 20 degree in compression sack
Big Agnes Q Core regular size
Bear Vault BV450
REI Chrysalis UL Solo tent with footprint (poles strapped to outside in side mesh pocket and secured with side compression straps, which can be cleverly threaded on the inside or outside of the side mesh pockets. The tent inside the pack in a REI compression bag)
GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Soloist Cookset (also containing MSR Microrocket, 4 oz.Isopro, camp towel)
Platypus GravityWorks water filter with both bags
Exped Multimat (11oz of multiuse luxury), strapped on with integrated sleeping pad straps (nice feature!)

With these items, weighs in at a little over 15 pounds. Pretty nice baseline considering few comfort compromises.

There are plenty of nooks and crannies left in the main compartment to be filled with small soft items (socks, etc), plenty of room in the floating top for ready access items (headlamp, first aid, etc), 2 large mesh pockets on belt (phone/gps, sunscreen, compass, map), a second mesh side pocket (waterbottle), and a small mesh pocket on the shoulder strap (granola bar or jerky). Plus there is a second compartment with a side zipper (separate from the main compartment) big enough for additional larger clothing items and the exterior pocket (good for wet items/rain gear).

I'll add to this review once I have taken it for a spin, but must say my first impression of the suspension is positive and the airflow on my back is great. The padding on the shoulder straps and hip belt are pretty light/thin, cutting down on bulk and weight, so I suspect this pack would be uncomfortable with super heavy loads.

So far so good. Seems that Osprey thought of everything.

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

I have used both the Exos 58 and 46 for a while now. They share the same suspension design, so I will just roll my thoughts on both packs into one review.

Along with some shorter trips, I hiked across Kodiak Island with the Exos 58. It was 60 miles with no trails, 20k feet of climbing, rugged mountains, alpine ridges, and dense brush. Typical coastal Alaska. The Exos did pretty well at first, but the limp hipbelt did not keep the pack riding up on my back consistently. The trampoline back panel has a tiny bit of give so with each step the pack would slouch down lower and lower until my shoulders were carrying more and more of the ~35 pound load. This would happen slowly and incrementally so I would not notice until I got a nerve/muscle twinge in my trapezius or lower neck. I could over-tighten the hip belt until it was constricting my waist to reduce this pack creep, but that just led to sore hips and iliac crest bruising. By the end of the trip my shoulders were not happy from carrying the sagging load, and my hips were not happy from being cinched down on so tight. Maybe I just need to be more pair-shaped (I'm 5'11", 190# with a 34" waist). The aluminum tube that runs the perimeter of the back panel also contacted the bottom of my back below the lumbar area. A grippy-material lumbar pad would solve a lot of this pack's issues, along with a slightly more structural hipbelt. The mesh material on the backpanel wings on either side of the hipbelt also started to chafe through where it rubbed on the hipbelt pockets. The Atmos uses solid nylon here and would be less likely to wear out.

Part of my problem is probably that the frame on the large Exos is pretty short, so the pack does not have to slip far down before the load lifters on the shoulder straps become useless. Being less than 6' tall and with a normal length torso for my height, I was dismayed at how little good the load lifter straps did me.

I have been testing the Exos 46 this fall to see if it would work better for me than the 58. I have done about 40 miles so far carrying 30 pounds in the pack and it exhibits all the undesirable characteristics that the 58 did. Not surprising since they share the same design.

The rest of the pack is great. Lots of useful pockets, reasonably easy to load (aside from the back panel intruding deeply into the main compartment, making bulky items hard to get down to the bottom of the pack), amazingly light for a framed pack, and most of the harness is super comfy. The short torso length and dishrag of a hipbelt are deal breakers though. This may fit lots of people well, but it just doesn't work for me.

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

I've been using a 65 liter REI ultra-light pack for a few years now and its always done the job but I've always known it wasn't the best pack. I've been doing more backpacking on tougher terrain this year and needed something that fit better and had much more stability. After doing some overnights involving climbs, this became abundantly clear.

The REI pack was 3.5 lbs and I definitely didn't want to go heavier. I wanted a full upgrade. I found this pack which is a pound lighter and insanely comfortable. Since the large is 49 liters and I was used to 65, I immediately wondered if this was going to be big enough. The Osprey is so adjustable that I had no problems fitting in everything I would usually take with me.

After a three day backpack, I could not have been happier. I only have two minor complaints-- it squeaks and creaks a little bit at first. Either that went away or I stopped noticing it. The other is the side pockets. They look like you could fit a water bottle in them but once you're loaded up-- no way! I found, though, that with the side straps the pocket are perfect to carry my tent poles and sleeping pad on the outside.

I also wish it came with a rain cover. Either way, this pack is amazing.

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

So I searched and searched and searched and all reviews and sources led to this pack. And for good reason!

This pack is a perfect combination of weight, size, and functionality for a minimalist backpacker. My goal was to pack intelligently enough to be able to survive a week out of this thing, and that I did.

First thing you'll notice is this thing isn't decked out with tons of fancy features. And you'll be glad it isn't. They are simply unnecessary! The design of the bag is so good that whatever 'luxuries' you think this pack lacks, make up in proper fit and simplicity. I tried lots of other backpacks, including the heavy dutier line of Osprey packs, and despite them having an outrageous amount of additional padding, none were simply as comfortable as this pack. The suspension works great, and distributes weight as it should among hips/shoulders. The airspeed mesh design works amazing as always. (I've owned another Osprey pack with it)

I took this backpacking for a week in hawaii, and didn't have any issues. I got rained on a good amount, and didn't even take out my rainfly because it was simply unnecessary. I was REALLY impressed when one day I had to forge a stream 60ft wide almost chest deep. I thought my tent/gear was gonna be all wet (luckily had sleeping stuff in dry sack), but to my suprise nothing was wet at all! This thing was dunked in water halfway for over a minute and my gear was barely damp. I guess that's what you get for not having tons of zippers/sleeping bag compartments on your bag.

At one point I hiked about 12 miles a day for 3 days, with about a 24-28lb load, and everytime I woke up my shoulders/traps barely felt sore from the day before, as it should! I looked forward to every day of hiking, and not dreading body pains instead.

Only thing I could really mention is you can't overstuff the hip pockets because of the minimal padding. Whatever is in there will dig into your hips if they are.

Also, a big reason why I chose this size is because it is carry-on approved, technically. It is just shy of the 45 linear inch rule on most airlines, and fit into the overhead bins without a problem, even when packed to the MAX. Airline employee's would glance at it, and let me through. If they ever questioned it, I simply challenge them to measure it and they just let me through. Note that this would probably not appply to the largest size of this pack.

So if you're thinking about this pack, go try it on, if it fits your anatomy well, you'll love it. Simple as that. Happy trails!

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

I hadn't bought as backpack for over 40 years. I can not believe the advances in design for light weight, multi-purpose and weight distribution. I am hiking the 500 mile Camino Santiago in September and I couldn't of found a better backpack. Thanks Osprey and REI!

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

The Osprey Exos 46 has suited my needs perfectly as both a backpacker and traveler. I switched from a behemoth external frame pack to the exos 46 and it immediately exceeded my expectations for it, and after over 1000 miles on trails and 6 months backpacking in Thailand my pack is still going strong. This pack is not for heavy gear and I found it slightly uncomfortable if loaded with more than 30 lbs as the hip strap is pretty wimpy. That being said if you are a lightweight backpacker or just like traveling light while on vacation then the exos 46 is the pack for you. No long thru-hikes with this pack yet but i would feel confident taking it on the AT. (AT 2009 800miles)

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

Just got the pack and used it once. Can't describe how comfortable this pack is with a load around 20lbs. The frame is great. I was afraid it was going to be too springy, but it performed extremely well.

One caveat with the frame is that it was much more rigid than other osprey packs with which I was familiar. This pack might restrict movement too much for activities like rock climbing, however, a backpacker or hiker should be fine.

Only other aspects which I would like improved is more room in the side pockets. Its not so much lack of room as much as they are very tight. I can get a nalgene very easily (one handed without looking) in the angled opening but platypus bottles and other items require a little more effort and top loading. Also, the strap for the hip belts are very long. They hang down almost to my knees and I am not a bean pole I am ~36 in. waist.

Its a great lightweight pack with alot of features you don't get in packs this light. It also seems to be a very efficient packer, I can't believe it is only 46L in the main pocket, it feels like more. Doesn't SEEM delicate, but don't want to comment on the durability until I use it more. I am a 23" torso and feel I am at the limit for this pack. I'd very much like to give it 5 stars, but there's no such thing as a perfect pack...

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

I walked 300 miles across Europe for a month with this pack. This is my third similar walk, and my third pack (previous trips were with the Osprey Kestrel 45 and 35). This pack saves nearly a pound of weight over the Kestrel models. This is a good size for these walks; I had Crocs and a one-pound sleeping bag inside the pack with no problem. Very comfortable; with the suspension keeping the pack off the lower back, there was wonderful ventilation on hot days. The water bladder pocket is inside the pack, so that does impact the available interior volume. The pack is also quite sturdy; I took a severe fall that resulted only in a tiny fabric tear (less than 1/4 inch) and no frame warping. The hip-belt pockets are made of netting, which can occasionally snag the contents, but have good visibility. There is no rain cover included, so be sure to get a separate one. Excellent pack - highly recommended, and I won't need to replace this one.

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

Thus far I have used this on three day backpacking trips in the Rocky Moutains of Colorado. Overall I find this to be a very good balance between light-weight and comfortable carrying capacity.

I can say that my approach is right between minimalist and comfortable camping, leaning to minimalist. For me the max capacity is about three days worth of gear/food (~32-35 lbs). Though that exceeds Osprey's recommended upper limit, I believe the pack handles that load fine. Great pack for me as I will rarely go on longer than 3 day trips and will use it for its sweet spot overnighter with two long days. I can easily see using this for long day hikes too.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of trying on this pack. It is not highly adjustable and relies on a relatively close match to the wearer's contour to achieve successful weight transfer. Medium fits my broad back, shoulders and waist and long torso.

A couple niceties-
-The type and size of the pockets are nice for me and helpful for organizing.
-The breathable back-panel makes it super comfortable in reducing overheating on the back.
-Appears durable

A couple downsides-
-While the belt is effective, it's not the most confidence inspiring. I would like to see the width of the belt straps a taste wider. (Maybe because I load a bit more.)
-The side mesh pockets are stretchy but just large enough to fit a standard water bottle when the pack is full.

Comments about Osprey Exos 46 Pack:

I used this on my 2011 southbound thru-hike of The Appalachian Trail and loved it. I was downgrading from a 60 liter Deuter and consider this to be a great transition into ultralight backpacking. One of the best features is the water bottle pockets that are easily accessible while walking. I have seen people overload this pack. It's very comfortable with under 30 lbs. in it and I have pushed it to 35 once or twice, but to make this pack last and to ensure it's comfort I wouldn't do any more than that.

My only complaint? I like to use my packs as seats and really beat them up. This packs frame bends if you sit on it and you cannot throw it around as you can a ULA or granite gear, but the weight and comfort make it worth and besides Osprey guarantees for life -worst case scenario, you send it back and get a new one:)