Cost: $190

Product description:  Made with the ultralight thru-hikers in mind, everything about this pack is light and fast. The mesh Airspeed™ Suspension stabilizes the load and simultaneously provides maximum airflow for high-output ventilation. The ExoForm™ hipbelt and shoulder harness combine for all-day carrying comfort.

Product specifications: 

Bob's impressions: I quite like the design of this frame pack. It's low weight and good carrying capacity make it an excellent choice for long weekends and overnights. I haven't taken it out for longer trips, and may or may not do so (because of the one issue I have with the pack, but I'll get to that in a bit).

We own several Osprey packs, for several reasons: they are very well built, they include the features we look for, and the company stands behind their products. I've had two Stratos daypacks, gotten tons of trouble-free miles out of each, and will opt for another if my current one ever wears out. My wife and I both use trekking poles and I'm a big fan of the stow-away feature (this is included on the Exos as well) which I use all the time. Because of that, and as an example of the company's integrity, I wore through an attachment strap for the stow-away element on my first Stratos and emailed the company about it. They asked me to clean and send in the pack (I can hardly blame them on the cleaning thing, my pack gets pretty skanky after a while). I expected them to return the pack with a repair, but instead they sent me a brand new one.

Both the pack body and the top lid of the Exos seem pretty spacious. I have had no trouble getting all the gear I need into the pack without having things hanging off like tree ornaments (as a former sailor, I want things to be tucked away and shipshape). The compression straps are a bit skimpy, but that's a concession I was willing to make in order to have the lighter weight.

The only drawback of the pack that I've found so far, and to which I alluded above, is that the innovative perforated shoulder straps are not as comfortable as I'd hoped. I haven't loaded 40 pounds into the pack (its stated limit), and I'm pretty confident I haven't gone much over 30. However, after only five or six miles I sometimes (not always) begin to feel the straps dig into my shoulders. I've fiddled with the adjustments quite a bit and still haven't come up with an arrangement that fixes this problem. To be honest, though, it hasn't stopped me from using the pack, and the fact that on my last trip my return leg to the trailhead was ten miles without any problems makes me wonder if there's something I'm not doing, or should be. Additionally, I've read other reviews that praise the shoulder straps for their comfort, so I'll continue to work with them to see if I can find a reliable sweet spot.

In any case, if you're someone who wants low weight but still likes having a frame, this pack may just be your best option. I'm pretty happy with it so far, and I suspect the best is yet to come.

(Italics indicate manufacturer's remarks and details.)