Osprey  Skimmer 28 Hydration Pack - Women's

Purchased this bag for a hiking trip in Maine. It definitely did a good job. I am 5'3" and noticed this pack just wasn't hitting right on me tho. I loved the ease of use and how durable it was. It distributed the weight well. My shoulders and neck felt great after 5 days of hiking. No strain from this thing!! Unfortunately, I just could never get the hip belt to sit on my hips right. I was constantly adjusting throughout the day. I must have a longer torso or something. For this much money, I had to return it to get a better fitting bag. If not for that, I would have certainly kept it.

I had an older version of the Skimmer that I sent in for zipper repair. Osprey couldn't repair that pack, so they sent me this updated version as part of the lifetime guarantee. I like this version much less than the old one- it's smaller, has fewer pockets, has one less zippered hip pocket, and only comes in muted colors (my old Skimmer was bright orange for visibility when biking). Additionally, the front shove it pocket is too shallow (this was also an issue for me on the previous version). I had items fall out during travel that are now lost .The most basic function I expect from a backpack is to secure my items when inside. I'm disappointed in this pack. The only improvement is enhanced airflow along the back compared to the previous version.

I have both the newer and older version of the Skimmer, the newer SKimmer has me disappointed, I don't like the ruck style and miss the pockets. My biggest complaint is the lack of pockets on the newer Skimmer. I love my older version so much more than my newer Skimmer, and I hope that some day Osprey will bring back the older style Skimmer.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Love this pack! Super comfortable, can fit way more than you expect, so many pockets and to top it off - the color is perfect!