Osprey Packs

Raptor 14L Backpack

While yes this is very

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] While yes this is very well made it is soooo unbelievably over designed. Who needs 6 zippered pockets on a very small 14 L pack?? 6!?!? and that’s not including the giant zippered pouch for the hydration bag which then incloses the hydration tube in a almost 2-foot long zipper. But that’s not all! Inside two of the zippered pockets are more pockets-plus a pull out - fold out pouch (that has two more zippered pockets!) Plus on the outside of the pack there are not one but two stuff pockets stacked on top of each other. What were the designers thinking? More More More. A sign of the times I guess. So while I do use the pack (i’m too cheap to replace it) I still forget where the pockets are that I need and I totally do, unfortunately, regret buying this pack. I bought it online and just didn’t realize what I was getting myself into. It's TOO MUCH!. My next small pack will have 2 pockets, one outside stuff pocket and weigh 1/3 as much (did I mention it is really heavy for a 14 L pack?).

Impressed with the updates

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

14L

I've been running a raptor 14L for several years and I only just had to replace due to some broken buckles and streteched elastic. The refreshed Raptor 14L comes with all the great features of previous gen bags, but adds: zipped storage at the hips, magnetic buckle on the chest, better hose routing (zipped into the shoulder) and a very tidy roll out tool compartment at the base of the bag. internal sleeve for a pump keeps things tidy. I'm always happy with my osprey packs feature set and qualtiy.

Good pack, room for improvement in the details

I've been using this pack for about 6 months and have overall liked it. I'm 6' and 180lbs and it's a great fit. The storage capacity is great and I've even been able to fit an entire collapsible trail tool with shovel and mattock heads (Trail Boss USA Tools) while still having room for ample snacks, jacket, work gloves, and a full bladder. The colors and aesthetics are awesome and the overall layout is well thought out and I love that the pack is backed by the Osprey Guarantee. My main issue is the holding strength of the waist strap buckle. It's not a conventional plastic buckle, rather it's an "easy-detach" style where you can release it by pinching on the outside surfaces with a really light squeeze. I've found that during certain movements on the bike, specifically when flexing my core and leaning forward, the buckle pops loose because of the increased tension on the strap. Then I'm left with a loose pack until I can come to a stop and re-attach the buckle - something I've never experienced with packs with conventional waist strap buckles. The zippers on the main compartment can be finnicky. Looking at how the zipper pull string is attached to the zipper body, it seems to be looped in such a way that the zipper gets pulled at an angle - the pull string position imparts a little bit of rotation on the zipper as you pull which causes it to get hung up. Maybe this is something that can be re-worked by the user by re-routing the pull string on the zipper. The magnet that attaches the drinking hose end to the chest strap could be improved. The end of the hose can be knocked off of the chest strap easily by brushing your hand on the hose accidentally or brushing past a tree branch on the trail. It would be nice to have more positive attachment for the hose.

Arizona Trail Approved!

I used the Raptor on my AZT 300 ride for 5 days of really tough riding. The pack did an incredible job expanding during resupply stops and has fantastic organization options for compartmentalizing and providing quick access to layers or snacks. A wind jacket and gloves fit perfectly in the rear stash area. The cinch adjustments keep things tight while expanding well. You can carry a surprising amount even with a full bladder! Chest and waist straps secure great. Handy zipper snack pouches on waist band. Small pockets for securing valuables or wallet etc. helmet holder for hike a bike sections. Top notch product!! 5'10"" 170 lbs fit great.

BEST Biking/Touring Pack Ever!

Love this pack. I can trace it's lineage/features back to my much larger camping backpack. Everything is well thought out and scaled down to the essentials to fit the needs of a long ride without adding much weight to the rider. Very well done + many style points for the helmet clip, easy access tool pouch at the bottom and guided sleeve to keep the hydration bladder tube stable and out the way for a less cluttered look.

After 10 years virtually good as new

I hardly ever write reviews, but while hiking today I realized it's been 10 years since I bought my Osprey 14 pack for a rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike. I have used it countless times for day hikes ever since. You would hardly know. The straps, the bladder, the zippers, all working perfectly. No rips or tears. The only thing I've had to replace just once was the mouthpiece for the bladder system. This pack was a terrific investment. It is like a reliable, good friend to me.

Great bag!

I bought this bag for a 6 day family trip to Walt Disney world. I needed a smaller bag for the flight and to carry a small compliment of necessities for my wife and kids while we explored the parks, as well as decent hands free hydration capacity and capabilities. What a perfect bag. Great size, it fit great and it was comfortable to wear even in the Florida heat! Keep up the good work Osprey.

I use it on every ride

I love this pack. I work in the mountain biking industry and ride every day at work but use this pack mainly on personal rides. I tend to overpack for every ride no matter how short. My favorite feature is the tool roll. Holds tire levers, patches, a bacon kit, derailleur hanger and spare parts, etc. I love how it has a piece of fabric sewed on that acts as a little work station so you don't lose any small parts on the trail. I also stash a tube in the compartment the tool roll lives in. Inside there's room for a pump and a shock pump if you're into carrying one of those. I also carry a small med kit and there's still tons of room for a jacket or snacks if going on a full day ride. I like the kangaroo pouch on the front of the pack. I use it to carry some pretty bulky kneepads and occasionally run the straps through a full face helmet. It's nice that there's a separate compartment for the reservoir. The zipper that goes down the length of the pack strap is a little weird but it makes it easy to get the reservoir in and out. It's simple to compress the pack down if there's less gear and it's not so large that you'll look strange carrying it on a 3 mile ride. My only small complaint is the reservoir itself. I think the zip top is a far better design than Camelbaks I have used, but if I didn't lock the bite valve it would constantly drip. When I got my reservoir it came with a one peice hose. I bought the Osprey quick release hose kit and replaced the bite valve with a Camelbak bite valve and the reservoir is much better than stock. I did have to freeze it and use lots of baking soda and it still tastes like plastic a bit but not nearly as bad tasting as my last Camelbak.

Good overall but some design oversights...

Overall I've been happy with this pack, but I have 2 criticisms: 1. The water hose is much too short. I'm 6'3"" and 190lbs - tall, yes, but not barrel chested by any means. I can barely get the hose magnet to clip, and it often disconnects after a jump or rough terrain. A longer hose would help a lot. 2. The mouthpiece at the end of the hose is pretty flimsy. Mine developed a crack after less than 2 months of use and began leaking, and I definitely don't have filed vampire teeth. Luckily I was able to find replacement mouthpieces, but I hoped they would last longer than a few months.

Great Backpack. Not exactly as pictures

Great pack and seems very well made. Only difference between the one I received and the one pictures is the ""Raptor 14"" is written horizontally and much smaller on mine. Doesn't really matter either way, maybe a recent update.