Going into this review, I knew Osprey had a good reputation for quality backpacks. But after you’ve gone through a few backpacks of your own, you realise a lot of them are quite similar and it’s hard to imagine any extra qualities or features that Osprey could bring to the table.
Boy was I wrong.
I was super impressed with Osprey, not just with the Farpoint 55 model that I’m looking at today, but also with the choice of styles available and the handy Packsizer app.
The Osprey Packsizer app.
In fact the Packsizer app was a massive draw to shopping with Osprey again tbh. You just download the free app and take photos of yourself, your torso and full length (friend’s help required), and it recommends which of their backpacks are suited to your frame! How awesome is that? That’s the part I found tough when I bought my first backpack, choosing which one was right for my body shape, so I really appreciated this app.
The daypack attachment.
Like I said, I went for the Farpoint 55 as it was a good size for travelling, although actually a little smaller than I’m used to as a 60-65 litre kinda girl. It was also one of those backpacks with the daypack that zips onto the front. I’ve had mixed experiences with these as they can just be a bit flimsy and unstable, and look like they could easily just zip off. Particularly worrying if you check your bag into the hold on a flight with the daypack intact.
However on the Farpoint 55, there are extra straps for this bad boy! A panel of fabric goes across the zip and extra straps clip it into place. So the daypack feels extremely secure and I felt confident it wasn’t going anywhere.
The only negative is that backpacks that have the daypack attached can be a bit bulky and unbalanced when they’re on your back. They’re not as compact as toploaders, where the weight seems to be better distributed. However, this is definitely the best I’ve seen of this variety.
Easy access.
This backpack is also the kind that has a zip going right the way round like a suitcase, unlike a toploader. This gives you the advantage of being able to access the contents of your backpack without having to pull everything out to find something. Which can be a pain in the arse.
The down side to this kind of backpack though is that if you’ve perfectly rolled everything to fit it in, I find by opening the whole backpack things tend to start to unroll and it gets a bit messy. But worth it for easy access I think.
The Osprey Farpoint 55 in transit.
But my absolute fave thing about the Farpoint 55 is a zip at the back that conceals the main backpack straps. I know what you thinking, who the f cares? Erm, me bro.
When you have a backpack you’re all straps and clips everywhere and checking onto a flight normally means having to either go over to the oversized luggage counter to check it in or leaving it on a random trolley next to the check-in desk. Which leaves me with fear and premonitions of my baggage not arriving in my destination. This is so that your bag doesn’t get caught on anything in transit. However, with this large piece of fabric that zips over the straps, the Farpoint 55 is transformed with no more random bits sticking out and the check-in person will gladly put your backpack onto the conveyor belt like a normal bag. DREAM.
It’s the little things guys…
For ease of use there’s also a side handle so when you collect your backpack from the baggage claim, you can carry it like a holdall until such point when you need to unzip the compartment and make it a backpack again. A handy little detail I think!
Overall I was really impressed with the Farpoint 55. Which is a big thing for a traditional toploader kind of girl. The Packsizer app was cool and how about the concealed straps? Thumbs up, Osprey!
What do you think of this backpack? Have you used Osprey before? Let me know what you think in the comments below or tweet me @HeelsInBackpack!
Total Blogger Transparency: I accepted this backpack free-of-charge for review purposes, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I wouldn’t play you like that shorty.