Osprey  Stratos 24 Pack

This pack is so close to perfect. Day hikes are the intended uses and it has plenty of room and comfort for that. It is so close to be able to be used for multi-day hikes but it doesn't have outside straps for a tent. I'd say if they could add the extra 2 straps on the bottom for a tent it couldn't get any better. I know that is not the intended use but for people who pack light it would be a great benefit. get outdoors!

I purchased this pack about six months ago mainly for a day pack and wound up using it for up to three day back country trips. It takes a bit of careful packing and wise choices but this pack will handle the rigors of long three days trips. I typically pack the interior with a sleeping pad, sleeping bag, food, cookware, stove, extra clothing, and the top with all the little doo dads like lights and lighters and medical stuff. I put my bladder in the pocket that is separate and meshed in the front. I would highly recommend this pack for day trips, overnighters, or ultralight backpacking. I am already comptemplating the 40 litre for winter gear which is a bit more bulky just from the performance of the 23 litre.

I am a small woman and got this pack for use on day hikes. This pack is super, super comfortable and like everyone else says in reviews, the mesh and curve of the pack really keeps one ventilated. However, I will also agree with some and state that this also cuts back on the amount of packing room within the bag. Now, for me..that could be a good thing because it makes me reconsider "do I REALLY need to take this?" (I am a self-admitted over packer!) The quality is amazing and this bag really takes a beating (and yet somehow manages to still look almost new!) Overall, I would say that if your most interested in comfort this pack is for you....if you want room and pockets for alot of stuff.....you might want to look elsewhere.

I’ve had this pack for one spring / summer season and the start of the winter. It has been with me on every hike into the Chugiak ( Alaska ) about twice a week. Its pros are its cons. It is very light weight, well balanced and streamlined, a plus for bush whacking in the alders. It holds every thing you want for a technical day hike ( rope, food, misc gear ) or a day out snow shoeing . One of the cons is when weighted down with ropes ( or your flavor of weight ) the connection between the hip belt and the pack digs into your back. Unloaded ( or not over loaded ) the stream line couture is a pro. As stated before the mesh back is a plus and molds very well, but this area is useless with the exception of the hydration bladder ( this is also a Pro because if you compress your pack down the bladder has its own area so every thing stays dry ). Now maybe its because I live in Alaska, but some one stated before they put 5 days worth of gear in here( tent food sleeping bag etc ) , max loaded for me was a Jetboil, an OR bivy, a big A sleeping pad, and a compression sack with some cloths ( poly jacket, /gortex shell, OR gaiters and my pant legs off my zip off’s. ) with 3 dehydrated food pouches in the outside pocket there was no room for my down bag so it was roped outside… in this configuration it was miserable. Other cons things fall out of the old style pockets I think they have made them a bit higher now with a banana like curve also you need a pack shell as its sponge even just bush wacking. Conclusion: I love this pack. As a technical daypack there is none better, I’ve put it though its paces more then a few times. Its very very durable Osprey did more then a fabulous job designing this. If a technical day pack is what your after then look no farther. not only would I recommend it, when and if mine dies I'm getting another one.

This pack is very verstile and it's large capacity is a plus. The pack is perfect for toting gear and rope to the local sport climbing routes, and also on day hikes. The pockets on the hip belt were perfect for holding gu while hiking up the fourteen thousand feet peaks in Colorado. The cinch straps were nice and helped the pack stay stable and balanced while scrambling. I was also impressed with the toughness of the pack and how well it is made. The mesh back was nice keeping my back dry. I also liked outside pockets on each side which were handy to store gloves and such. This is an excellent pack with many uses.

This is my second pack from Osprey (first was the Atmos 50, a tremendous fastpacking/backpacking bag), and probably my favorite of all time. The air core frame keeps your back dry on all but the hottest of days, a hydration bladder can stow in 2 different locations to accomodate more storage, and the hip belt pockets are great for carrying energy bars, gorp, and even a slim point and shoot camera w/case. The main compartment capacity is very good, though limited somewhat by the inner aluminum frame struts which allow for the aircore to do its job. I do a decent amount of hiking on/near the AT, and this bad boy goes with me on every day hike there, regarless of season!

I picked this up last year when I was looking for a large day pack that could haul extra gear on day-long trips. The Stratos fits the bill exactly. I use the hydration sleeve and a few bottle inside the pack to haul water in dry Southern California. There's enough room inside to bring extra clothing and supplies for a dawn-to-dark adventure. The outside compression straps hang onto an extra jacket well or to my trekking poles when going through dense brush. I just love the waist belt pockets for snacks or energy gels. I have a hard time saying anything bad about this pack.

I needed a new daypack and tried this one on in the store and decided I liked the feel of the airflow across my back. I have used this for long day hikes, snowshoeing, and climbing at the city of rocks and it has met all of my single day needs. I have not tried to do an overnight trip with this bag, but I think as long as I split some of the shared commodities with my girlfriend I should be able to fit the tent and bag in. I am considering getting a slightly larger bag for weekend trips, but I will definately look at Osprey when that time comes.

I'm pretty sure this is the most comfortable day pack available (I'm a small woman). It feels balanced, the straps are adjustable, cinches down prefectly, it doesn't rub and the ventilation is like nothing I've seen or experienced on any other pack. The comfortable design easily makes up for its extra weight compared to similar packs. The problem with it is that the area used for ventilation significantly reduces the pack's volume. You can cram soft stuff into the ventilation area through a zippered slot at the top, but then you're no longer ventilated! Since it has such an ergonomic shape (i.e., curved!) it's really hard to pack anything rigid like a Nalgene bottle or my digital SLR. As a result, I love the idea of this pack but hardly ever use it.

Extremely comfortable, even when fully loaded. Full loads do not seem heavy. Simple, functional, easy to use. This pack sets a new benchmark for comfort. One of my favorite pieces of gear. I've used it for 2+ years and still love it. I gave it to my wife, borrowed it once, and never gave it back. (I bought her the Stratos 18 as a replacement.)