It’s time to evaluate my present backpack, the Osprey Kestrel 32. Having a backpack that matches correctly and is geared in 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 via 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 substances whereas trekking via the Mongolian steppe for 8 days, carrying all the things from meals to firewood to sleeping luggage.
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 a daily journey day, I barely even observed 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 all the things in your bag, and cargo it up quicker.
The harness adjusts as effectively, utilizing a very robust 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 if you’re trekking, mountain climbing and even simply strolling. There’s nothing worse than having sweat dripping down your again whereas travelling!
On the again is a pocket excellent 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 in a position to deal with as much as roughly 20 kgs of weight, what extra might you need?!
The Kestrel 32 is available in two totally different sizes: small/medium and medium/massive. In addition to 4 totally different colors: Fireplace Pink, 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 imagine! 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 kind of pockets which might be excellent 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 easy accessibility to whilst you’re on the transfer, ie: level and shoot digicam, lip balm, iPhone, snacks, a lighter, medication, and so forth.
Operating alongside the mesh pocket on the entrance of the bag they’ve added one thing known as “entrance daisies” that are these excellent little loops you can hook carabiners onto. I hooked water bottles off of the entrance of my bag, and generally sneakers. It was ultimate.
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 each 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 perimeters 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.
If you happen to had 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 good place to place smaller gadgets that you simply don’t need getting misplaced in the principle compartment, ie: playing cards, headlamp, jewelry, and so forth. There’s additionally a hideaway raincover.
In my view, there are 3 cons to this backpack.
The primary and most necessary is that the zippers can’t be locked collectively. You’ll be able to solely lock collectively the zipper ties which might simply be lower open. That is ridiculous as a result of clearly, each traveller desires to have the ability to correctly lock their bag.
The second is that I’d have favored to have one other pocket or two within the backpack for small gadgets. The one on high of the bag is helpful, however it could be good to have one or two which might be hid contained in the bag.
The third con is that in contrast to the Osprey Farpoint Collection, the harness unit can’t be zipped away with a view to defend the backpack straps from injury, both from getting caught on one thing or from airline workers being a bit of too tough with the bag.
Other than that, all the things is a “professional”.
I’d advocate this backpack to anybody. Despite the fact that 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!
If you happen to plan to do any form of climbing, trekking, tenting or mountain climbing, this backpack is good. If you happen to don’t plan on doing any form of outside actions, I nonetheless assume this backpack has a great deal of options that the on a regular basis traveller might 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 obtained mine on sale on-line for about $90, however from the shop, it’s often 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 evaluate helped. Good luck discovering the proper backpack for you. Click on right here to see the backpack on Amazon.
Replace: Since scripting this evaluate, we switched to Osprey Stratos 34 backpacks which served us very effectively on varied hikes, together with the Inca Path to Machu Picchu.
What sort of backpack do you employ? Would you advocate it? Why/why not? Share with us beneath!
