It’s time to evaluation my present backpack, the Osprey Kestrel 32. Having a backpack that matches correctly and is geared in the direction of the actions you’ll be doing is essential when selecting a backpack. I took this pack on many hikes and treks throughout our very outdoorsy journey by Mongolia, Central Asia and the ‘Stans and I used to be very impressed with it.
We’ve now completed our epic 5 month journey, and right here’s what I can report about my backpack:
This backpack deserves excessive marks on this space. I stuffed this bag with 10kgs of drugs whereas trekking by the Mongolian steppe for 8 days, carrying every little thing from meals to firewood to sleeping baggage.
This pack sat good and comfortable on my hips and completely distributed the burden between my shoulders and my waist. There’s a good quantity of padding on each the shoulder and hip straps as effectively.
Throughout an everyday journey day, I barely even seen I used to be sporting a backpack as a result of it was so snug.
I completely love the way in which the Kestrel 32 is designed. I can’t stand top-loading backpacks as a result of you possibly can by no means see what’s within the bag! This backpack is a panel loader, which suggests it opens like a sea shell, permitting you to simply and shortly see every little thing in your bag, and cargo it up quicker.
The harness adjusts as effectively, utilizing a extremely sturdy Velcro, to make sure the proper match. They’ve additionally added a again panel that permits air to flee out of your physique, which is ideal for while you’re trekking, climbing and even simply strolling. There’s nothing worse than having sweat dripping down your again whereas travelling!
On the again is a pocket good for a hydration system like a CamelBak.
The weight and measurement of this backpack is superb. Weighing in at just a bit over 2 lbs with 32 L of room for gear and capable of deal with as much as roughly 20 kgs of weight, what extra may you need?!
The Kestrel 32 is available in two totally different sizes: small/medium and medium/massive. In addition to 4 totally different colors: Hearth Crimson, Tarn, Conifer Inexperienced and Gray.
Osprey has added a mesh, stretchy, lycra pocket to the entrance of the bag, which stretches such as you wouldn’t consider! I put my sneakers in there, maps, meals and the rest that wouldn’t fairly match into my bag.
On the aspect, there are additionally 2 of the identical sort of pockets which are good for water bottles, or in our case, the underside finish of Nick’s fishing rod.
On the waistband, there’s a little zip pocket on all sides. They’re the proper measurement for placing stuff you’ll have to have quick access to when you’re on the transfer, ie: level and shoot digital camera, lip balm, iPhone, snacks, a lighter, drugs, and so on.
Working alongside the mesh pocket on the entrance of the bag they’ve added one thing known as “entrance daisies” that are these good little loops that you would be able to hook carabiners onto. I hooked water bottles off of the entrance of my bag, and generally sneakers. It was excellent.
There’s a spot proper close to the waist belt for storing trekking poles whereas on the go.
My favorite characteristic might be the compression straps on either side of the backpack. Not solely does it assist to maintain the pack cosy in opposition to your physique, but it surely permits for storing gadgets on the edges of your bag. On one aspect I had Nick’s fishing rod, and on the opposite aspect, I rolled up my jacket and strapped it in.
In case you have been doing any form of climbing the place ice was concerned, there are ice-pick loops on the base of the backpack. Nonetheless, I used the loops to safe the bottoms of my 1-liter water bottles.
The mesh, zip pocket on the high of the bag is a superb place to place smaller gadgets that you simply don’t need getting misplaced in the primary compartment, ie: playing cards, headlamp, jewelry, and so on. There’s additionally a hideaway raincover.
For my part, there are 3 cons to this backpack.
The primary and most essential is that the zippers can’t be locked collectively. You’ll be able to solely lock collectively the zipper ties which may simply be minimize open. That is ridiculous as a result of clearly, each traveller needs to have the ability to correctly lock their bag.
The second is that I’d have appreciated to have one other pocket or two within the backpack for small gadgets. The one on high of the bag is useful, however it might be good to have one or two which are hid contained in the bag.
The third con is that in contrast to the Osprey Farpoint Sequence, the harness unit can’t be zipped away with a view to shield the backpack straps from harm, both from getting caught on one thing or from airline workers being a bit too tough with the bag.
Aside from that, every little thing is a “professional”.
I’d suggest this backpack to anybody. Although the Kestrel sequence is technically a males’s backpack, it labored for me. As a result of I’m tall (5’10”), the harness adjusted to suit my torso completely!
In case you plan to do any form of climbing, trekking, tenting or climbing, this backpack is right. In case you don’t plan on doing any form of out of doors actions, I nonetheless suppose this backpack has a great deal of options that the on a regular basis traveller may use as effectively.
An enormous bonus is its measurement. Technically, it’s sufficiently small to suit as a carry-on bag when flying. The price can be fairly first rate: I received mine on sale on-line for about $90, however from the shop, it’s normally about $130.
It’s time everybody grew to become a light-weight traveller. Downsize your backpack and purchase the Osprey Kestrel 32, it’s the proper measurement for any journey. Hopefully, this evaluation helped. Good luck discovering the proper backpack for you. Click on right here to see the backpack on Amazon.
Replace: Since scripting this evaluation, we switched to Osprey Stratos 34 backpacks which served us very effectively on numerous hikes, together with the Inca Path to Machu Picchu.
What sort of backpack do you employ? Would you suggest it? Why/why not? Share with us under!
