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Osprey is a company that continues to impress us with their innovative designs that are ergonomic, durable, and loaded with all the right features. This is one of the larger traveling backpacks we reviewed, and it’s not exactly as versatile as smaller daypacks are, but it’s just what you need for longer trips and outdoor adventures.
But keep in mind that with the larger size you can also expect a heavier bag. While a few pounds more may not seem like much, this extra heft can matter once you’ve been hiking for several hours.
But fortunately, the Xenith features a top of the line suspension system that works to take a lot of the load off your back, encouraging longer use and improved user comfort.
The Xenith by Osprey is a larger than life daypack that’s perfect for long trips on the road. It’s a great pack to take climbing or hiking, and it features a number of storage compartments you can use to keep your gear organized.
Overview and Features
This is a great pack for week-long trips due to the overall design, stellar suspension, and comfort. The pack features suspension and padding to help evenly distribute the weight, minimizing the amount of weight that’s placed on your back.
It also features high-density foam that provides extra support, yet the pack still remains soft enough to conform to your torso. Instead of placing most of the weight on your back it’s spread out along the shoulders, upper back, and hips. This bag is also equipped with ergonomic shoulder straps that are well designed.
Combined, the hip belt and shoulder straps provide the perfect balance of support, allowing you to easily haul your gear all day long.
Both the shoulder straps and hip belt feature an extra layer of foam padding, making it more comfortable to carry moderately heavy loads. When compared to other daypacks in this price range, this bag is slightly stiffer, which is why it’s better for hauling heavier loads.
The hip belt is one of the pack’s best features. It’s heat moldable, so you can enjoy a custom fit.
The pack features a seventy-five-liter capacity and weighs in at a little over five pounds. For some, this weight can make traveling with this pack a little challenging.
This pack is also available in four color options including discovery blue, graphite gray, Mediterranean blue, and tektite gray.
You can also choose from three size options: medium, large, and extra-large. Keep in mind that the price will vary from size to size.
Suspension Design
Worried that this pack is too heavy for all day use? The minds at Osprey worked hard to come up with an impressive suspension system that will reduce the amount of weight that’s placed on your back.
Out of all the daypacks we reviewed, the Xenith features the most robust suspension system. And the result? You can carry a heavy load with ease. The suspension consists of a combination of a Light Wire 3.5-millimeter frame and a more typical central aluminum stay, both of which work to effectively transfer the load of the pack to the hip belt.
The bag can easily handle loads up to fifty pounds.
Design and Storage
On the outside of the pack, you’ll find a couple of large zippered pockets. You can use these pockets to keep important personal items easily accessible and organized.
This daypack offers a great balance of functionality and features, all while maintaining a good weight for a pack of this size, and while supporting a major suspension system.
you’ll love the dual zippered pockets located on the front of the pack because they’re so easy to access, even when the pack is loaded up. Located directly above these pockets is a stretchy mesh pocket that’s perfect for storing shoes, snacks, and drinks. On either side, there is also one large mesh pocket for water bottle storage.
The pack’s lower straps extend over the sleeping bag compartment and can fit most types of tripods or cell foam pads.
Fit and Adjustability
The pack also features four inches of torso length adjustment using the shoulder straps that are attached to a large Velcro flap. The straps are found inside the main back panel. This design will allow the wearer to enjoy a custom fit.
This is the perfect pack for longer trips and it’s a great choice for people who often head to the backcountry for longer excursions. Because of the sheer size of the pack, it’s not recommended for short trips where a lighter, smaller bag would work fine.
Pros
- Two exterior pockets feature a secondary hole, so water bottles can be oriented forward, allowing for easy access without having to take the bottle out of the pack. The pockets have a couple of holes that can easily store one-liter bottles that can be carried diagonally or vertically.
- This pack can handle up to fifty-pound loads
- Users can enjoy a more custom fit thanks to the adjustable straps and heat moldable hip belt.
- Available in four colors.
- Equipped with dual ax loops.
- The pack features a top of the line suspension system that makes it easy to haul around heavier loads.
Cons
- The pack weighs a little over five pounds.
- Due to the size, this pack isn’t a good choice for commuting or shorter trips.
- This bag is not waterproof.
- Some hikers felt that heat molding the belt didn’t make much of a difference.
- This bag is a little on the pricey side.
- If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly daypack, take a closer look at the Sierra Designs Discovery 30 Daypack.
Outdoors Habit.com Product Rating:
Hands down the best daypack for travel and outdoor adventures, the Xenith by Osprey is one of the most comfortable daypacks you’ll ever wear. Because of its larger volume and durable design, this pack is the best choice for people in search of a pack they can rely on when traveling abroad, or long hiking, camping, or climbing trips. This daypack received a rating of four and a half stars.
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