A pack for the picky

By brian_heck2213096 Ranked #62 - Weekend Packs (3000-4500 cu in) July 25, 2008

The Osprey Aether 70 (my wife has the Ariel 65) is a comfortable pack. The IsoForm Custom Molding hip belt is superb and adjusts easily. Simply pull the strap on each side of the belt to quickly and efficiently adjust it. (We did not find it necessary to heat mold the belt. I've talked to a number of people about this; most do not have their belt heat molded. Apparently, the belt will, with time, mold itself to you waist.) The shoulder straps also adjust easily and make a custom fit a snap, especially the ones at the top. We carried these packs fully loaded up steep trails to almost 10,000 feet with relative ease. There's lots of room. I'm not a big fan (or wasn't at first) of top-loading-only packs. However, if you pack carefully and with a plan, top-loading-only packs work well. I wouldn't complain about a zipper down the left or right side of the main compartment, nor would I gripe about the addition of a few outside-access pockets (for a stove, fuel bottle, etc.). There are, of course, stretch pockets on each side of the pack, which are convenient and work especially well for Nalgene bottles. The top bag is hyped as a detachable fanny pack. I'm not convinced of its usefulness as a fanny pack--at least not yet. It's kind of a pain to detach. However, it is a great pocket as part of the pack and integrates well as part of the overall design. As with most Osprey packs, there is a plethora of compression straps and more straps. At first I thought that this was a bit too much; however, as I get to know the pack better (How do you do? What can you do for me?) and work with the various features, it all makes sense--every last strap and pull has a purpose and does its job well. The packs appear to be well-made to high standards of quality and attention to detail is obvious. A few brighter colors would be a nice addition to the existing colors. I chose sunburst and my wife chose guava. Overall, we are very pleased with our Osprey Aether and Ariel packs.

View Details: Osprey Packs Aether 70 Backpack- 4000-4400cu in

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