It's a 40 degree bag. In my own experience, this bag is good right down to 40 degrees. I've used it in unexpectedly colder temps without much trouble (i.e. 35) you just need to bundle up! But at 40 it's perfectly comfortable.

No way. I have this bag and at 5'10.5", the regular is just long enough for me. I'd prefer a long for myself. You wouldn't even be able to fit in the regular.

The pack itself is just water resistant, but it comes with a raincover.

Sort of. I also have a 15.4" laptop and I can get it in, but the sleeve has to stretch just a little bit to get it in. This certainly isn't the ideal pack for carrying a laptop that size as the corners aren't really protected as they protrude a bit from the pack (which is a bit smaller than the laptop).

I think that this pack would be good for running in that it is lightweight, has a decent back panel and most importantly really good hip straps to keep it in place. It should be just about the right size for carrying what you describe.

Yes, it does. It fits in a side pocket inside one of the water bottle pockets and fits the pack great!

Yes, there are stretchy side pockets that you can put a smaller water bottle in. You won't be able to fit a 32oz nalgene or similar, but you can carry bottles.

According to the Osprey website, it does.

You should have no problem fitting a DSLR like that one in here but you might consider getting a dedicated photography backpack as that will have padded compartments for the lenses and other accessories along with the camera body.

I'd refer to Osprey's sizing chart on their website. And as Kate said, that is based on torso length. I'd get out the measuring tape and refer to the charts, but based on your height the S/M should work fine for you.

I haven't used this exact model, but I have used other North Face packs, and yes I'd say they do lose a good deal of their initial stiffness relatively quickly. The back panel is designed to retain some stiffness but it certainly wont' be as stiff as it is as new for too long.

These gloves should perform fine in those temperatures. I find that they don't cut wind well enough to really be useful on their own once it gets any colder than the mid to upper 30s, but for the use you described they should do just fine.

I agree with Dwayne, you should have a pro fit you to a pack. Everyone's fit is a little bit different, and it may be that you need to size up to get a wider spot for your neck. Problem is this could wreck the rest of the fit, but it's worth a shot. Either way, a trained professional can certainly help you find one that fits you.

I've had no durability issues with it being thrown in cars, trains, etc. If you were really concerned you could throw it inside another bag for the flight. (I believe Osprey makes a series of covers just for this purpose).

Yes you should have no problem doing that. You can also put it under the top closure if you're looking to free up the straps on the bottom for a tent or something similar. The problem I see with strapping something to the side is it will throw off the balance of the pack unless you put something on both sides.

Not at all waterproof. They readily absorb water.

No, it isn't really particularly water resistant. If you get caught in the rain for a few minutes it won't get soaked through but you'll definitely need a rain cover for any kind of sustained precipitation.

Yes, that will fit fine.

It isn't big enough for a bike helmet. The stretch pocket really isn't very large and can't hold much more than a small book or two or a shirt or something of similar size.

I have the yellow one, and it's pretty true to the picture on the website. Perhaps a touch darker.

Yes, but the port for headphones/water is in the center of the top of the pack, which can make routing the cable a little tricky.

This would be a good back for that. If you need to carry a lot of other items like notebooks, textbooks, etc. you could consider a larger pack like the quantum but this should work fine for you. Do note that the hip belt is not as substantial as that on the talon (potentially important for running).

Small for sure. I'm 5'11", 185 pounds not slim and a large was way too much for me, so a medium is my size. Therefore, a small should fit you well.

Arc'teryx claims that the mesh packpanel is breathable to help wick away sweat. Check out the pictures from the product page on Arc'teryx's website. The 360 is especially helpful for viewing the packpanel.

http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Packs/Aerios-14

Yes but it does not have a dedicated pocket or sleeve for a laptop.

No it does not. If you want a good technical pack that can be used on day hikes then I'd consider getting a padded sleeve to put the laptop in (like Todd said). If the primary intended use is commuting then I would suggest a pack from Osprey's 24/7 series (the Comet, Quasar, or Quantum specifically) as each of these has a built-in padded laptop sleeve and space for papers, binders, or whatever else you need to carry.

I have had good experiences with Gregory's line of rain covers. The XS size should fit this pack just fine.

I would go with the 22. Fitting all the stuff you listed in the 11 would be a stretch. With the 22, you should be able to fit all that stuff and if you want to bring an extra layer or two, you'd have room for that too. It will be all in all a more flexible pack.

I think your best bet would be to buy a separate rain cover for the pack. The pack itself is not weather/water proof, but with a good cover you should be fine.

That's a tough situation. I don't think that this pack can be adjusted for a torso that small. If you are willing to, I'd recommend looking at packs sized for older children, as they should come in a size appropriate for you.

No. You will need a rain cover of some sort to keep your stuff inside it dry.

The straps on this pack will allow you to compress it fairly small, but not as much as a dedicate compression sack. If you are willing to accept the trade off of slightly less compression in order to get a double duty piece of gear, then I'd go for it. If you really want the full effect of the compression you already have with your dedicated compression sack then I would stick with that.

No. You would need a larger pack to carry a larger laptop like that. This pack should fit any laptop up to around 15 inches.

This should definitely be big enough for what you want to do with it. I wouldn't pick anything smaller though.

I would definitely size up if you intend to wear them over other pants. That's what I did and this lets them be a good emergency rain layer as that afternoon storm rolls in.

I would reccomend something a little larger for carrying schoolbooks. It's wide enough to carry most books, but not deep enough front to back to carry more than one or maybe two. Also the material is very lightweight and I suspect the wear and tear of school use might be a bit much for it.

I have used my pack a lot over a year and a half and have not had this problem. I think you just got a couple duds. Ospey's warranty is great though you should have no problem getting them to repair/replace it.