Osprey Packs

You could say Osprey Backpacks was born when Mike Pfotenhauer, the company’s founder, sewed his first backpack at age 16. The backpacking pack he was using at the time had an awful fit, and he had a vision of how to improve upon the design. He asked his mother to teach him to sew, and soon he was making his own custom-fitted packs under the name Santa Cruz Recreational Packs. Before long Mike opened a retail shop where backpackers and travelers, having heard his reputation, would come and be fitted. Each pack took a couple days for Mike to sew, but his customers considered it well worth the wait. Mike officially founded Osprey in 1974. By 1976 Osprey was introducing exciting innovations in pack design, such as the breathable mesh back panel, and soon Osprey began to make a splash in the fledgling outdoor industry. Over the course of the next two decades, Osprey enjoyed industry success and accolades, as well as two relocations—one to Dolores, Colorado in 1990 and another to its current location in Cortez, Colorado in 1994 as the company grew. At first, Osprey fought the trend of outsourced manufacturing by employing local tradespeople to sew packs, but the need to stay competitive was crucial, and eventually Osprey moved its production to Korea and Vietnam. Mike, however, didn’t want to lose touch with his workers or with Osprey’s production, so in 2003 he moved his family to Vietnam, where they stayed for four years, visiting the factories daily to ensure the designs were produced accurately and faithfully. Since the early 2000s, Osprey products have received many notable accolades, including several prestigious Gear of the Year Awards from Outside Magazine. Many of these award-winning designs span the range from backpacking packs like the women’s Aura and the men’s Aether to running and cycling packs like the Rev or Raptor series and travel options like the convertible Ozone, the wheeled Contrail, or the smaller Portal laptop shoulder bag. One of the reasons for Osprey’s long string of achievements is its dedication to innovation in a single product group. As CEO tom Barney says “We’re a pack company, and every season we have to get it right on packs. We can’t have a good footwear year but a bad apparel year. We have to have a good pack year every year.” This dedication shows in every item that leaves the Osprey factory, its All Mighty Guarantee and lifetime warranty, and it shows in every decades-old Osprey pack that you see on the back of a rider or runner churning out the miles on the trail.

Osprey takes technical packs to a new level with their backpacks. Find great deals and a large selection of Osprey packs at Backcountry.com. 

Osprey Packs - Bags & Backpacks

Osprey takes technical packs to a new level with their backpacks. Their intuitive design and clean lines may make them appear simple, but beneath the surface lies the fruits of exhaustive research and innovation. From the Versatile Switch series to the shockingly light and comfortable Aether and Ariel, Osprey makes a pack for every occasion and every backpacker.

You could say Osprey Backpacks was born when Mike Pfotenhauer, the company’s founder, sewed his first backpack at age 16. The backpacking pack he was using at the time had an awful fit, and he had a vision of how to improve upon the design. He asked his mother to teach him to sew, and soon he was making his own custom-fitted packs under the name Santa Cruz Recreational Packs. Before long Mike opened a retail shop where backpackers and travelers, having heard his reputation, would come and be fitted. Each pack took a couple days for Mike to sew, but his customers considered it well worth the wait.
 
Mike officially founded Osprey in 1974. By 1976 Osprey was introducing exciting innovations in pack design, such as the breathable mesh back panel, and soon Osprey began to make a splash in the fledgling outdoor industry. Over the course of the next two decades, Osprey enjoyed industry success and accolades, as well as two relocations—one to Dolores, Colorado in 1990 and another to its current location in Cortez, Colorado in 1994 as the company grew. At first, Osprey fought the trend of outsourced manufacturing by employing local tradespeople to sew packs, but the need to stay competitive was crucial, and eventually Osprey moved its production to Korea and Vietnam. Mike, however, didn’t want to lose touch with his workers or with Osprey’s production, so in 2003 he moved his family to Vietnam, where they stayed for four years, visiting the factories daily to ensure the designs were produced accurately and faithfully.
 
Since the early 2000s, Osprey products have received many notable accolades, including several prestigious Gear of the Year Awards from Outside Magazine. Many of these award-winning designs span the range from backpacking packs like the women’s Aura and the men’s Aether to running and cycling packs like the Rev or Raptor series and travel options like the convertible Ozone, the wheeled Contrail, or the smaller Portal laptop shoulder bag.
 
One of the reasons for Osprey’s long string of achievements is its dedication to innovation in a single product group. As CEO tom Barney says “We’re a pack company, and every season we have to get it right on packs. We can’t have a good footwear year but a bad apparel year. We have to have a good pack year every year.” This dedication shows in every item that leaves the Osprey factory, its All Mighty Guarantee and lifetime warranty, and it shows in every decades-old Osprey pack that you see on the back of a rider or runner churning out the miles on the trail.

Axo Green

Black

Eclipse Grey

L/XL

Aether Plus 70L Backpack

Blue Sky

Starry Black

One Size

Poco LT Child Carrier

Jasper Red

Volcanic Grey

Farpoint 40L Backpack

Ceramic Blue

Cosmic Red

Stealth Black

Talon 22L Backpack

Aluminum Grey

Jasper Green

Violac Purple

Tempest 20L Backpack - Women's

XS/S

Tempest 24L Backpack - Women's

Blue Fire

Mutant 52L Backpack

Garlic Mustard Green

Deep Water Blue

Aether 55L Backpack

Aether Plus 100L Backpack

Black Cloud

Claret Red

Teal Glass

Violet Pedals

Salida 12L Backpack - Women's

Blue

Hydraulics Hydration Reservoir

Molten Red

Dustmoss Green

Siskin 12L Backpack

Talon 26L Backpack

Cobalt Blue

Orange Sunset

Lime Stone

Katari 3L Backpack

Carnelian Red

Ariel Plus 70L Backpack - Women's

Katari 7L Backpack

Ariel 55L Backpack - Women's

Raven 14L Backpack - Women's

Savu 5L Hydration Pack

Hydraulics LT Hydration Reservoir

Poppy Orange

Ultralight Drysack

One Color

Hydraulics Soft Flask

Daylite 10L Backpack - Kids'

Tunnel Green

Blaze Black

Exos 48L Backpack

Ariel 65L Backpack - Women's

Tempest 30L Backpack - Women's

Katari 1.5L Backpack

Teal Reef

Blue Mage

Kitsuma 3L Backpack - Women's

Kitsuma 7L Backpack - Women's

Challenger Blue

Renn 50L Backpack - Women's

Salida 8L Backpack - Women's

Night Jungle Blue

Ariel Plus 60L Backpack - Women's

Picholine Green

Kestrel 58L Backpack

Talon 11L Backpack

Deep Fig

Acorn Red

Medium Grey Heather

Stonewash Black

Arcane 20L Tote Pack

Shadow Grey

Ultralight Backpack Rain Cover

Dream Purple

Umber Orange/Verdigris

Daylite 2L Waist Pack

Equinox Blue

Eja 58L Backpack - Women's

Plum Red

Skimmer 20L Backpack - Women's

Archeon 45L Backpack

Siren Grey

Mulberry Purple

Kyte 66L Backpack - Women's

Eja 48L Backpack - Women's

New Arrivals

Plan Your Spring Escape—Road Trip & Camp Essentials

Clothing

Footwear

Accessories

On Sale

Training

Women

Shop Kid's New Arrivals

Gear

Kids

All Activities

Camp

Paddle

Bike

Activities

Brands

Basin + Range

Stoic Camp

Camp Colorful with Stoic

Backcountry

Stoic

Exclusive Brands

Stoic On Sale: Up To 60% Off

Featured Deals

Womens

Mens

Sale

Community

Advocacy

Partnerships

Ambassadors

See All Stories

Introduction to Ski Mountaineering

How To Buy A Bike In 2021

How A Winter Kit Made The Perfect Trip

Explore Blog

${defaultPageTitle}

Age

Size

Volume

Sale

Customer Review