Osprey Packs Stratos 24 Backpack - 1300-1700cu in

The little helper

jrap481979

Member since  Apr 7, 2013

Posted on May 15, 2013

We used the bag as a carry-on luggage and for day hikes during our trip to Europe. Airlines did not object to the size and it fit easily in overhead compartments. The bag was easy to carry and kept my back cool while hiking in warm Italy and the contents dry in rainy Norway. Good balance and adjustable with easily accessible compartments.

The Third Osprey Pack We Own

Tim Peterson

Member since  Jan 16, 2013

Posted on January 16, 2013

• Gender: Male
• Familiarity: I've used it several times

The Osprey Stratos a very comfortable, sensible, and handsome pack. Great for the day tripping 14er climbs. I am impressed with the storage capacity and convenience of accessibility. We have been up a down many climbs and have never questioned our purchase. We decided to buy two more. We are an Osprey family for sure.

stratos 24

Dylan Hall

Member since  May 27, 2011

Posted on December 23, 2012

• Gender: Male
• Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

This is just a great little bag. If you want to do some day hiking or climbing, this bag is for you. It may not hold alot, but all the necessary things can go inside, when I take people out guiding, i can out my harness on and put a rack on my loops and that will free up space. The ice axe clip is great to clip a helmet to, just by clipping one part through the bottom lop and the other through the clip, it doesnt move around and annoy you while your on an approach. Also works as a great multipitch bag, I love the gear loop on the side, i only wish it was on the right hand side instead of the left. can fit a days worth of food water and med kit in it. The two straps on the top to cinch it togethe work great for hanging two carabiners and attaching some map case to it, like sealine. water bottle spots don't really fit your standard nalgenes or the big silo nalgenes. those gotta go inside somewhere or you carry it. This bag makes you think on your essentials and what you really need to take with you. It doesnt really allow you to carry any backcountry luxuries with you.Trekking pole holder works great and the rain cover is awesome. I love free rain covers in bags. Works great, will keep everything dry in a downpour like in Pisgah National Forest in Brevard, NC. Which is a temperate rain forest, it rains typically everyday or every other day which is where I guide in the summer. Rain protection is great. The nylon ripston material is really abrasive resistant and you can drag it over rocks and such all day long. Would not be a good caving backpack. Overall this is a great little bag from osprey.

Osprey Stratos 24

mol3777102

Member since  Apr 12, 2010

Posted on August 22, 2012

This is my second Osprey pack and they are great. I really like the venting behind the back, which keeps me cool. The large fits me really well and i am 6'2". i use it for long day hikes and runs in the 15-25 mile range when a smaller hydration pack is not enough for gear and food.

Great Daypack. Not big enough.

Paul Mandell

Member since  Mar 21, 2010

Posted on August 8, 2012

I have had this pack for quite some time now. I plan on returning it for something larger.
Since Ive had time to adequately test this bag, Im going to throw down a straight-forward review for those of you considering the Stratos 24.

Make no mistakes this pack is great. It's well designed and when it comes time to perform, it does not disappoint--to a degree. The name of the game here is day hikes. Some people have written that they can fast-pack or rock a minimalist over-nighter out of this pack. Some people even claim they can go up to three days out of it. I call shenanigans. With the compression straps loosened all the way, I can fit either a fleece or soft shell, first aid kit, 2 liters of water, one day of food, my headlamp, a spare knife, a role of duct tape and a small amount of cord into the main compartment. If I'm extra careful, I can also get a water filter in there. Recently I used it for an over-nighter. I managed to fit my sleeping bag, one beer, an extra layer, my headlamp, and a small first aid kit. In the top mesh pocket, I can fit my wallet, a pen, a small moleskin, and my ipod or camera and my keys. Originally I used this pocket for sunglasses but on a short hike with a loaded pack, I reached for my glasses at the end of the day, only to find that they had somehow been smashed and irreparably damaged. Now, eye wear stays on my face when this pack is on. The other small pocket on the top is useful for miscellaneous items, but with a full pack its difficult to load or retrieve anything. The pockets on either side of the lumbar straps are very cool, and quite handy. I generally reserve the left one for trash (mine or whatever I might find along the way). The right one holds anything from snacks to gear I may need to access quickly. In addition to that, there is a pocket located on the right shoulder strap for your phone or gps. An iphone will not fit. Any small brick phone will fit wonderfully and securely, and access is easy. I really love this feature.
Another feature I particularly like is the rain cover and stash pocket for it. Located towards the bottom of the bag, above the gear loop is a small zipper. Unzip it and pull the rain cover out, and wallah! Dry bag. That being said, its not totally waterproof and pressure points will allow water to get through in heavy rain. No big deal though, unless you deal with downpours on the reg.
The gear loop on the bottom of the bag is pretty useless. An ice axe will fit well, and there is a small elastic snap mid way up the bag to secure the shaft and keep it from wriggling loose. You might also be able to carry a pack shovel with this feature, but do so at your own risk. I attempted and do not recommend it, but with the right handle, your shovel will stay put. Frankly, I would not attempt to ski or mountaineer out of this pack.
The airspeed back panel is a pretty nifty feature. On hot days it makes quite the impression. However, if you're expecting a sweat free back, you'll be sorely disappointed. The AirSpeed system makes a difference to be sure, but your back still sweats, albeit to a much lesser degree than with other packs. This system also presents somewhat of a catch-22. In designing the pack to breath, and choosing to do so with a fixed external frame, Osprey drastically limited the carrying capacity of this pack. Simply put, the frame basically makes it impossible to carry books or a laptop because of the concave shape of the frame. It is nice however, to be able to throw gear wantonly into your bag and not worry about a lumpy mass digging into your back.
The shoulder straps are comfortable and this pack features adjustments normally saved for much bigger packs. The lumbar strap system works well, though the straps are much too long for my tastes and serve only to get in the way. The chest strap works well, and the whistle in the buckle is a welcome sight. Comfort and adjustability aside, if you overload this pack (which is easy to do) you will suffer mercilessly. I've been using this as a crag pack for the six weeks now, and if Im honest, its a hellish ordeal to try and carry anything more than my draws, harness, shoes and chalk bag. I fandangled my rope onto the top of the pack via the two cinch straps located posterior to the shoulder straps, but anything more than a mile or two becomes unbearable and I have to stop and take my pack off. I recommend keeping it below 25lbs whenever possible.
Inside the main compartment is space for a three liter water bladder and dual port holes (left and right) to feed your hose out. There is no dedicated hose holder, however both straps have elastic bands which can be used to keep a hose well out of the way. There is a strap to hang your bladder located against the back panel of the pack, but accessing it is a a nightmare, and the top mesh pocket needs to be empty if you seek to stand any chance of securing your bladder. Also note that due to the shape of the frame, pack space is eaten up by a fuller bladder and its very easy to place un-due pressure against it.
Bottom line:
This pack is light and sturdy, and for anyone looking for a very solid day pack, this would be a worthy addition to your gear selection.

Fantastic

Ryan Silve

Member since  May 5, 2012

Posted on May 8, 2012

Awesome bag! I tote this around the city, on dayhikes, overnights, and, if the weight is spread around, on ultralight 2-3 days (it's possible). The pack rides beautifully and the airspeed suspension is terrific. In fact, the suspension system on this bag sent me off into full on conversion to Osprey for all my packs. I've yet to experience anything beyond minimal sweating on my back, owing entirely to how well air glides through the suspension system.

The included rain-cover is a fantastic bonus and a feature which I would love to see on some larger packs (as opposed to buying standalone covers that can, and will, be forgotten).

My one minor ding on the bag is that the airspeed suspension makes for a slightly awkwardly shaped panel where large objects (such as some laptops, if used for school) might not fit easily. To me, the benefits of the airspeed far outweigh this minor drawback.

Awesome Pack!

Andrew Dancer

Member since  Feb 12, 2012

Posted on May 3, 2012

I use this pack everyday for commuting to and from class and for day hikes. It is a perfect all around mid sized pack. I am in love with it. It is THE most comfortable pack you can buy. If you want an all around pack that can squeeze a good sized load in, this is the one for you. And osprey makes it in some really sweet colors. I promise you will fall in love with it just like i have.

Osprey Stratos Across the Canyon

Nancy Z

Member since  Jun 9, 2011

Posted on June 9, 2011

Awesome pack for a thru R2R hike across the Grand Canyon. 3L bladder fit great and held just the right amount of water to get me to the next water stop. The pack still had plenty of room for change of clothes, med supplies, accessories and food, food, food!

Fit comfortable enough to run with when I hit the flat grounds. Didn't even move or feel it on my back when climbing the rocks over the waterfalls.

Only issue; I am an organizational nut so I would have loved to have another chest strap pouch or another small pouch on the back, similar to the one where the Osprey logo is imprinted.

Perfect pack for a long hike and then some!

Backpack for Running Commute

Steve in KS

Member since  May 24, 2011

Posted on May 24, 2011

I bought this pack to facilitate running to work (4.5 miles one way) on the weeks that I am on call and have to take my laptop home with me. My requirements were that I needed a pack that would allow me to strap my laptop securely to my body to minimize bouncing and yet allow me to run relatively comfortably.

We are a single-car family. My normal mode of operation is to have my wife drop me off at work on Monday with clothing and food for the week. Then, I run to and from work during the week and on Friday she picks me up after work so that I can take home my dirty clothes and empty food containers to prepare for the next week. For normal weeks, I only carry a small fanny pack to and from work -- enough to hold my ID badge and one or two small items. My job requirements recently changed such that one week out of five I will be on call and will need to take my laptop computer home with me each night. I purchased this pack after my running consistency was wrecked during the first week that I was on call. Though I have yet to have a turn in the pager rotation since I bought the pack, I have used it twice to commute and once just as a test running from home.

For running, I find that trying to fit the pack as recommended does not work for me. With the hip belt resting on my hips, there was too much bouncing and after I adjusted the shoulder straps to reduce the bouncing, the hip belt was resting well above my hips. I just snugged it up where it rested and it seems to work well. My pack is a medium. I thought of returning it for a large sized pack, but I think that I would still have the hip belt pulled up off of my hips and this one should be sized appropriately if I ever use it for hiking.

Positives:

* It works. I am able to run the 4.5 miles between work and home with my laptop with minimal bouncing once I get the straps adjusted. I do sometimes have to readjust straps while en route, but that is easy to do. It is great that I won't have my training disrupted so much the next time that I'm carrying the pager and that I won't need to get a ride home when I occasionally have to bring my laptop home for some after-hours work.

* Compression straps. The compression straps hold the laptop securely to prevent bouncing.

* AirSpeed suspension. I really like this. Though I do get warmer wearing the pack, I sometimes feel a refreshing breeze blow across my back. Very nice.

* Rain cover. Though I have not used it, I appreciate the fact that it has an integrated rain cover in the event that I get caught in the rain between home and work.

Negatives:

* The Stow on the Go trekking pole attachment on the left shoulder strap rubbed the inside of my arm a couple of times when I was reaching to adjust straps or wipe sweat from my brow. It seemed like something that could cause chafing if I ever did decide to run farther than 4.5 miles. Since I will never be using trekking poles, I cut it off. Problem solved.

This pack definitely allows me to do what I want to do even though "running commute" is not listed among the recommended uses. Personally, I would recommend that a person try to avoid running with a backpack if possible because it is simply nicer to run without one. If, however, you cannot avoid it, I think that this pack can work well.

great for the student commuter!

soquel

Member since  May 14, 2011

Posted on May 14, 2011

I love my backpack. I ride my bike everywhere and this pack, although a little longer (comes up a little past my neck when riding) than i had anticipated its super comfy to walk and ride with and things dont sag or get in your way because of the sweet back support. The mesh back plate also keeps my back relatively sweat free which makes me feel less gross coming into a class room after a hard ride up some hills. Perfect space for laptop and books and acts as a great long day hike pack too.