Osprey Stratos 24 Pack

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

At 24 liters this is a perfect size for a true daypack. It rides like air on your back. I am very picky when comes to my gear purchases. This pack becomes a part of you very fast. The pack easily holds everything you need for a full day of adventure, 3 Liters water, food, cooking gear, mid-weight jacket, socks, bag of trail essentials and camera. The pack it self is highly adjustable the mesh back panel is perfect and really works. I live and hike in the South and truly love the air-speed panel. Everything you need fits inside the pack for the day, no need to strap things to the outside. Lastly I really appreciate the trekking pole holding system, now you don't use up a mesh side pocket to hold your polls when you're not using them.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

So I finally decided to upgrade to a good day pack, and chose this one. It is fantastic. It sits comfortably along the hips, the padding on the waist and shoulder straps is awesome, i barely notice i have it on. The best part is that my back stays dry, and I dont end up with a giant puddle when taking it off.

The numerous pockets make organizing all my gear that I carry with me, layers, waterfilter, snacks, book, water bottles, keys, etc. super easy to find and carry. I love that the waist belt has pockets, i keep my camera there since i'm an avid photo taker.

Another great and unexpected find, this backpack makes the perfect pillow when lounging next to an alpine river or lake. Its really quite comfortable.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

So I just finished RAGBRAI 2010 with this thing... and I LOVE it! That's 500+ biking miles in 7 days, 70-95F temps, a lot of hydration refills, and one very rainy/cold 4-hour morning. And the thing that impressed me the most was the lack or almost lack of a concentrated wet spot on my back on those hot days.

I was seriously excited about that! You cyclists know exactly what I'm talking about, considering all those venting claims made by pack manufacturers about miniscule channels in their padding design. The venting on this thing is huge by comparison.

From that experience, I have some tips/tricks for you if you decide to get this or test it for yourself:

1) If you're biking road distance (as opposed to MTB), keep the waist straps correctly mounted across your hip bones BUT loosen the shoulder straps and the chest strap about 1-2 inches each. That'll get you some comfy play when you go into your riding crouch, and gravity will do the rest to keep things stable.

2) At road speed in the rain, really make sure that the rain cover is especially secure around the top corners and across the top. I had a tiny gap across the top during the start of the storm and found that it was enough to let quite a bit of water through to the pack. If I had been standing still, the gap wouldn't have been an issue but 15mph+ in a storm, it's a different ballgame. However, very little got into the pack because the pack material resisted the water that got through the cover very well. Unfortunately, enough got through before I fixed it to run the ink on my route maps.

3) Try not to use a Camelbak bladder. It's tempting if you already have one. I know because I brought both a Camelbak AND the 3L Osprey bladder. It's not that the former are deficient but rather it's a pack design thing. You'll need a bit of manipulative force to get a full bladder into the pack pouch and the hard shell on the Osprey bladder makes this easier.

4) The reinsertion of the hydration bladder takes a bit of a learning curve, but I found that it became comfortable very quickly (i.e. by the 3rd refill). The hard edge of the Osprey bladder catches on the first of two crosswires that give you that fantastic ventilation. I solved that by using one hand to push the bladder into its pouch while putting my other hand in the venting space and pushing the bladder clear of the wire as it gets close. It got easy very quickly but expect some jostling the first couple of times.

I used the pack 6 entire days out of the 7 and couldn't stop talking about it.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

While searching for the right backpack for a 10-mile bike commute, I tried out Gregory's Z30 (too large) and Z22 (too small), each for at least a few days. Both packs featured mesh material with suspension to lift the pack off of the back, but I found the straps to be lacking in comfort. Instead of trying out another Gregory pack, I tried Osprey's Stratos 24, which had the right size and the mesh backing. The straps seem to have more padding than the Gregory packs. Almost on a daily basis, it comfortably carries a change of clothes, shoes, toiletries, and a sack lunch. It also came with a rain cover that the smaller Gregory packs did not have. The Stratos 24 will also carry a 15" laptop (when not carrying the above-mentioned items) with some books/magazines, though it is a tight fit in width if the laptop is in a sleeve. The internal compartments lack pockets, but the pack makes up for it in other features. It has been about 3 months since I got the Stratos, and I'm still very satisfied with it.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

I use this backpack for my day hikes and general outings to the outdoors. The best thing I like about this backpack is the suspension. Without it, the pack would be bouncing all over the place when I'm moving fast. I though the shoulder straps padding is a little bit excessive for a light day pack. To me the straps was a little too foamy and bulky for an active, light load backpack. I feel that osprey should have use the the shoulder straps of the talon backpack for this stratos backpack. The other issue I'm having with this backpack is that it is starting to show wear and tear at the bottom and its only been about six months since I bought it. I guess I put it on the ground too much. So keep yours on your back. Aside from these complaints, this is a great pack for its intended use.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

After reading other reviews and seeking input from several specialists at the REI stores, over multiple visits, I chose the Stratos for my day hiking pack. It excels as a day hiking pack. This pack delivers everything I need and then some. The comfortable padded waist belt is the main reason I purchased the pack. (A tip from REI, never purchase a day pack without the chest clip either.)

I am a long torso 6'2" person and the large size pack fits perfectly.

I added that the Stratos is easy to clean b/c I packed a lunch on my most recent hike and spilled salad oil on part of it. (Don't ask me why I didn't pack it better.) After collecting a layer of trail dust on the trip back, the pack cleaned up with light soap and water. The pack looks brand new.

Well done Osprey.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

Primarily day hiking in mountainous terrain, 5-10 miles per trip. It is a smallish pack but.. when fully loaded with essentials, foul weather gear, water, trail food and emergency supplies you can move very efficiently through any terrain. This pack will not slow you. Excellent investment.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

This is my 6th Osprey pack and the redesigned Stratos did not disappoint in the slightest. It's the perfect size as a day pack or even a quick overnighter. Lightweight, adjustable, super comfortable with decent weight loaded (including 3L of H20), and high quality. I use it for day scrambles, commuting, and day-to-day stuff (carrying all of my cycling gear). It also meets carry-on size regulations for most airlines. One thing I would mention is that according to Osprey, I should fit a medium (torso length) but the hip-belt rode up too high when I tightened the shoulder straps. I returned it for the large and that was perfect. I recommend you take some extra time for sizing, especially if you plan to use it as much as I do. Great pack from a great company.

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

I have owned this pack for less than six months. I have hiked numerous times with it and for what it is, a lightweight backpack, it was working great. Unfortunately the frame on the pack has a design flaw. The frame has two vertical stays with a perpendicular metal cross-member that is merely wedged in between the stays and held in place by two flimsy pieces of fabric. Well, once it falls out(and it will) this pack is rendered uncomfortable as anything in the pack can and will be jabbing you in the back as you hike. Furthermore trying to get this cross-member to stay in place again once it falls out is always going to be a temporary repair.

I have owned many backpacks and this Osprey is a big disappointment. This is a

Comments about Osprey Stratos 24 Pack:

I have always enjoyed Osprey packs. They have great durability and utility. My Osprey briefcase has been all over the world and is still holding strong. I did extensive research before getting the Stratos24 and feature wise it seemed to fit my needs. I have had nothing but regret since getting it. The air and suspension are nice but the sleeve and routing of the bladder are horrible. It is not an easy pack to pack, bladder fit is not user friendly, if loaded anywhere near capacity things bulge and poke or are impossible to retrieve. I hope newer models are better.