>>1959854For a little over two years I ran a hiking MeetUp group with abort 120 members, so I’ve seen lots of different pack. This is the best pack I’ve seen in person.
>weightThis was Ospreys lightest pack at the time, and outside of cottage vendors and frameless options, it was one of the lightest packs available. Weight is cut by not having extraneous features like an extra pocket for a bladder, 1000d fabric, a separate bag compartment, or 1” wide cinch straps.
>fully featuredSide pockets, hip belt pockets, and a big stretchy rear mesh pocket are things you expect on literally every pack. It also has shoulder strap pockets (great for 1/2L water bottles or umbrella setups). And the “stow and go” trekking pole thing is an actually usable gimmick (i end up using it in every hike. The brain is removable and the compression cords work very well.
>comfortThe weight to comfort has never been matched. The shoulder and hip belt padding are very plush. Both have a mesh covering that promotes moisture wicking. Really the comfort comes from the type of suspension. A lot of people using this type of pack claim a heavier load is easier to carry because of the suspension type.
>suspensionThe Air Speed trapeze-style suspension provides air circulation on the back that traditional packs can’t even come close to. It also relieves any pressure points as the entire pack molds to the wearer. The rigidness of the internal tubing frame is much better than a plastic sheet. The load rides noticeably higher than most internal frame packs, putting it more in line with ones center of gravity.
I’ve been using the same one since 2014, maybe earlier. I think it’s the second model of Exos. The third was a step in the wrong direction, with minor amounts of weight being reduced for massive losses in comfort and features. This model Exos is the pack by which all others should be judged.
