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.

This is the perfect size for day hikes. It holds plenty of water, but putting the bladder back in it's area requires you to remove just about everything from the pack and then put it back in. I use a inline filter that slips into the bladder sleeve, but it's a bit of a trick to get it in there. Had plenty of compartments to organize your gear by category and the two smaller pockets keep your most used items at your fingertips. I am going to pick up another one of these packs for my wife, and would recommend this pack to anyone interested in hiking some 14ers...

I was looking to upgrade from a Camelbak Mule, mainly to carry more winter and camera gear. I spent about an hour at REI trying on packs from Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Deuter, Gregory, North Face; pretty much all that was on the shelf. I put weight in the packs and tested the adjustments, the features, and I really liked this pack because it fit comfortably on my back. I also like the mesh back on the frame with ample space for air to flow (I tend to run hot in the summer!). This pack has enough stow space for all my DSLR camera gear, nice hip pockets for my point-and-shoots, phone, and bars, and the special ability to stow poles on the left side without taking the pack off was a huge bonus. The three pockets on the back open easily with the zippers, and the included rain cover is great. I've had it out on a few hikes and it is very comfortable. If you need a fully-equipped day hiking pack, take a look at this!

I've owned the Osprey Statos 24 for 3.5 years, hiking 850+ miles with it, in all seasons and weather conditions. It's just now starting to show wear and tear. I like the Airspeed feature that lets air flow between the pack and my back. I love the hip pockets to store snacks, camera and GPS for quick access. Water bottles are easily reached from the side mesh pockets without taking the pack off. The treking poles stash system is very convenient. In the winter, it easily carries avy equipment - the shovel on the outside, the rest inside. I'm so impressed with the pack that I'm giving the old one to my son and am buying a new one for myself.

I use this backpack for my daily commute to/from work. I'm very pleased with its ruggedness and durability; the AirSpeed design is a great breathability modification for the sweltering humidity Southern afternoons are known for. I have gotten caught in a couple of pop-up storms and deployed the raincover - the size and retention bungee of the raincover keeps it tight and snug on the body of the backpack, which kept the interior quite dry. The only issues I have with this backpack are the bottom straps limiting the load configuration, the zippers tend to snag on the overlay fabric lip and the raincover doesn't have a place for a safety light (which could possibly be a safety issue during rain which limits visibility).

This is a great day pack. I own two other Osprey packs (Aether 70 and Talon 44), and this one did not disappoint! This replaces an older day pack that I have owned for many years. After going from my larger Osprey packs (very comfortable) to my smaller day pack, I realized I really needed a new day pack. This pack is great, with a few pockets and pole straps. However, I don't think lots of pockets are a good thing, because it just adds weight. This is a very nice balance of the two. The size is a little small for my needs, but I can't blame that on the pack. It's a 24liter, I should have gotten a little larger, but I am still happy with this.

This is the best pack I've owned for commuting. Back Panel: The mesh back panel is awesome. The reason I bought the pack. Really amazing. It's curved and actually directs air onto my back, so it may vent better than not wearing the pack (maybe). I get to work with a dry back, even when I'm riding 5 miles or more in hot summer weather. Size: It's a perfect size for carry a small tool kit, change of clothes and a rain jacket. The curved back does intrude on the space. Not a big deal. Only issue I've had is carrying a laptop. The laptop ends up sitting at an angle and cuts the space in half. You can put stuff over and under the laptop, but if you're travelling for work, you often have to pull the laptop out to get at your clothes. Like I said, not a big deal, but can be a little tricky if you're changing clothes in a small, cramped bathroom stall. Rain Cover: The integrated rain cover has kept my stuff dry in a downpour that lasted 20 minutes. Overall: Best pack I've ever owned. Period. Previous Products: Vaude pack The mesh wore out pretty quickly, rendering the pack useless. Patagonia Messenger bag Still get a sweaty back, hard to carry heavier items. Crumpler Mahoubar Has no frame and doesn't work well when heavily loaded or lightly loaded. It only works when it's full, but doesn't weigh much. Also causes sweaty back issues.

I have to say, I love my Osprey Stratos 24 day pack. I bought it nearly 2 years ago. I keep hiking records, so I know I've carried it over 450 miles, and it still looks as good as the day I bought it. Not only is it durable, but it's also versatile. Without taking the pack off my back, I can reach water bottles, camera, GPS, snacks and I can stash trekking poles in conveniant straps under my arm when I don't need them. I use it year round - it will carry any gear I throw at it (or in it). No matter what you do in the outdoors, if you're just going out for the day, this pack can do the job.

I have had this backpack for 5 months now. I bought it for bicycle commuting because of the spectacular ventilation. Since then, I have climbed 9 Fourteeners in it, with hikes up to 12 hours. I have ridden in the rain with it, used it as a school backpack, traveled with it, dropped it and spilled things on it. It is 100% solid. Pros: -Ventilation. I don't see how a backpack maker can improve on this ventilation. The cavity created by the mesh backing is really big. It's designed to fit Osprey hydration bladders, even. I have also found it's a nice place to stow gloves, a small jacket, or even a bike lock. You will still sweat around the hip belt and shoulder straps. -Load Carrying. I felt just fine with 4L of water, 10 essentials, food, and a jacket, for many hours at a time. No comfort problems. -Comes with a rain cover, stored in a pocket at the bottom of the outside. -Trekking loops hold poles for access while walking. -The best warranty a company could give. Doesn't matter when you bought it. Doesn't matter what you did to it. Osprey will replace it. For this warranty, I automatically favor their packs when I am looking to buy. Cons: Straps are way too long. Osprey tried to design this backpack to fit everyone who has ever lived, it seems. Looking at the straps, it could fit someone who was seven feet tall with a 45 inch chest and 50+ inch waist. That's stupid. I (6'2", 160lbs) got the medium. I cannot see why it was neccesary to make the adjustment straps so outrageously long just so it could fit a few more people, but bother everyone else. Water bottle pockets are slightly too small. A Nalgene bottle is a tough fit in these. Normal 24oz bike bottles fit great. Bigger hip pockets would be nice. The current ones don't fit food bars very well. It would be nice to have pockets that could hold several Snickers bars or gloves. Notes: There are two places a hydration bladder can go. Either in the back ventilation area, or inside the backpack, where there is a loop and pocket to hang it. The 3L Osprey bladder is a tough fit on the outside, but possible. Overall, unless you need every single liter of space inside the pack, a Platypus bladder on the inside is much better than the Osprey bladders. The Platy bladder is much lighter.

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.