Not really, not yet. But it saves on paper to combine the two subjects. Osprey have their new Exos packs coming out next season which are very light for the capacity and style. We’re looking at 840g for a 46litre pack with proper internal stiffening. They won an award at Friedrichshafen, which we’ll be seeing on the swing tags no doubt.
We’re used to such weights on the flaccid sacks of the niche US makers, it’ll be interesting to see if it’s as well featured as it looks with proper pockets, closures, attachments, compression and load carrying. It’s a style I’ve really taken to with the Haglöfs LIM and Gregory Z35, so I’m looking forward to seeing how I get on with one of these.
What was interesting is that in the press release they have a weight chart with some of their own packs and the ones from the competitors that they’re targeting. It’s comes as a pdf, have some sympathy with me for having rewrite it…as if.
The new shit;
- Osprey Exos 58 990g
- Osprey Exos 46 840g
- Osprey Exos 34 780g
Existing models compared;
- Osprey Atmos 50 1520g
- Deuter ACT Lite 50+10 1560g
- Berghaus Freeflow IV 50 1640g
- Osprey Atmos 35 1220g
- Deuter ACT Lite 40+10 1500g
- Lowe Alpine Airzone Centro 45+10 1750g
- Gregory Z35r 1400g
- Lowe Alpine Airzone Centro 35 1450g
- Berghaus Freeflow IV 35+8 1450g
- Gregory Z30 1250g
- Osprey Atmos 25 1080g
- Deuter AC Lite 20 980g
- Berghaus Freeflow IV 25 1250g
- Lowe Alpine Airzone Centro 27 1410g
- Gregory Z22 1190g
A number of things are apparent there, the names included and the names missing for a start. The weights are probably all rounded up, the Z35 is a wee bit lighter than that, but we’ll have to assume a level playing field or sorts.
Berghaus display all the qualities I expected with their weighty beasts targeted at the middle of the market and big chain stores and Lowe Alpine really have to discontinue using stainless steel thead and lead buckles.
Deuter and Gregory come out well, but missing are the packs I’m most regularly carrying, OMM and Haglöfs.
The LIM 45 crashes through the door at 1035g and the Villain 45+10’s got it’s back and covering the exits at 1160g.
I think we’ve learned something today.
The packing part is what I’m going now. Preparing for a weekend in the pissing wet windy Mamores. With chums though. Alright!
Have had my eye on the Exos46L for a week or so – got a pic of it on my blog to remind me how promising it is. Saying that if OMM did the Villain for 6’2 folk like me I would be sorted. I do like the LIM pack honest but I tell the wife you need flexibility in your backpack choice. Sounds convincing sort of.
It does look promising Martin. A LIM with a lid?
I’ve no idea how to get the photo off the pdf press release, so please folk go and look at http://summitandvalley.blogspot.com/ and have proper read while you’re there, it’s good stuff.
Talking of justification, what are the capacity increments that you can get away with when getting new kit? 10 litres aye, 5 litres would be explanation overdrive I think.
Again another fine looking product from Osprey,so impressed have I been with the Talon 33 That I wouldnt hesitate to buy another sack from them,in fact the Talon 33 is the most versatile and comfortable sack I have ever owned(and theres been a few).But there are times when a little more volume would have been handy…and thats where the Exos 46 comes in,its already on my ‘to buy’ list for the autumn.
I think theyve got the size increments spot on too.
Cant wait.
Have a good weekend in the pissing rain up there…its been sunny down here all day,which is a shame because I’ve spent most of it replacing the brakes on the mitsubishi…’kin nightmare,the discs were shot to pieces,which would explain the filling loosening judder under braking! Then I discovered the caliper has partially seized,oh joy,Then to top it all the parts supplier has sent me the wrong discs…bastards!
Lucky white heather :o)
Is that us? That picture’s bloody brilliant.
Yon list is hilarious. I wonder if it’s right. We go round shops and put stickers on all those packs saying:
“This pack is pish”.
That said, I was toying with the idea of getting Mr. Gregory to allow me to stock the Z35-R & Arreba. They’re quite cool I think.
Here – why do Beghaus and & Lowe Alpine still exist? Talk about meritless, one-time greats who’ve fallen from grace.
Bastards.
It’s you and Brian approaching the summit of Nevis last June :o)
I quickly caught back up of course.
similarly waiting to get my hands on the Exos 58 – and rather more hopeful that it will be sooner rather than later
(wink)
photos out of PDF?
Try this link
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/05/how-to-extract-images-from-pdf-files-without-using-copy-and-past/
Good lad, I’ll have a look at that, it should make my life easier.
We’ll hear all about the Osprey packs :o)
mum’s the word
;=O
Does anybody have any idea/firm dates as to when we can expect to see the Exos range in stores in the UK?
It should be round about now?
New season deliveries to the shops start at the beginning of February. The word is that it’s good kit.
>> The new shit;
>>
>> * Osprey Exos 58 990g
>> * Osprey Exos 46 840g
>> * Osprey Exos 34 780g
Make that:
* Osprey Exos 58 1140g
* Osprey Exos 46 1050g
* Osprey Exos 34 960g
on production models (Just got a medium Exos 46, which weighed in at 1052g). Still seems a great sack for the weight, but I don’t know where the extra 190g came from!
Jeez, that’s quite a difference. I wonder if there were failures in testing and they had to beef some parts up?
Yeah, I know, especially considering the weight of the sack in the original spec; 190g is a reasonable % jump in weight! If the weight increase has been due to them beefing up certain components/areas of the design, then I don’t mind so much – I’d rather have a rucksack that lasts as well as being lightweight! If it’s just been a bit of cheeky marketing on Osprey’s behalf, however, I will feel a tiny bit cheated! ;)
I did wonder about the weights when I saw Osprey’s web site stated the figures I’d quoted, but the pdf manual (and also the paper manual which came with the sack) stated the pre-production weights!
Having said that, I’m still pretty happy with the Exos and it seems to be fairly comfortable when loaded up my regular kit (around 10.5kg all in). The mesh straps and hip belt could rub a little on any exposed skin if, say, you were wearing just a t-shirt, but as I tend to wear a base layer too even on warm days, this shouldn’t be a problem! I guess time will tell on that one! The fit of it on my back feels probably as comfortable (if not a little more so) as my Aether 70 too!
The weight’s fine, and if they’ve tightened up something that’s added a little weight you can’t knock that.
Besides, as I’ve said before it’s the marketing department thay weighs products :o)
It’ll be good to see how it ages with use, that’s the real test.
This news makes me glad I got a Mariposa instead.
Half the weight of a Exos 58 for a 69 litre pack that will very happily carry 15kg as it has shaped aluminium struts.
The real bonus is there is nothing to go wrong – it is after all a nylon bin bag with mesh pockets and some straps!!
… and before anyone says it I know it probably won’t last as long as an Exos ;-)
That will teach me!
I wandered over to the Gossamer Gear website after writing this and discovered they have remeasured the Mariposa at 59 litres – oh well, it is still a great (and very light) pack.
PTC – interestingly, Trail’s own Graham Thompson quotes 875g for the Osprey Exos 46 on a Gear Exclusive video piece on LFTO’s website.
I’ll add to things by saying that the airflow system at the back seems very good and comfortable (joys of working from home meant I could bounce around the house in it!) – I’ll be taking it for a brief jaunt around the Dales this weekend, so hopefully will be able to offer more afterwards!
Given that GT weighed it in at 875g, I can only presume that the extra weight is some slight change in the construction to make it more robust, and as PTC said you can hardly knock them for doing that — I wouldn’t want a pack that weighed 840g or so but only lasted me a year!
GT says it’s a good pack. The sample version doesn’t look flimsy at all.
Keep us posted Stueee.
59L for the weight is still oustanding M.O., I need to get some more of this US stuff. They’re not overly keen to send test samples over here, we did try for the lightweight gear thing in the current Trail.
All hush-hush, but by the end of the year there’s going to be a couple of new packs on the market in the UK that will kill all the US options stone dead…I’ve said too much…I’m away…
Do tell!!
If they can combine the best parts of my Mariposa with the best of OMM et al then I will be very happy.
You’ll see it here first, I promise :o)
That’s why we keep coming back ;-)
Aye, it’s certainley not the eye watering wallpaper :o)
Absolutely – I keep waiting for the yellow ‘hint of Haglof’ to brighten up the black, but to no avail!
Green and purple with Haglofs yellow outline.
That’l make your eyes water !
And why do I have a crappy avatar picture on ere ?
(hey I speaka da lingo now )
I tried purple, it broke the blog. As I’ve often said, I just drive it, I don’t know what makes it work.
Aye, your avatar is pish.
Received a reply on the LFTO forum from Osprey themselves over the weight discrepancy:
“Hi Stueee,
Thanks for the interest in Osprey Packs. You’re right in noticingthe slight discrepancy in the weights of the new Exos 46. The official weight is indeed 1050g for a size M. The reason for the discrepancy was some slight changes made to the pack between final sample production / technical information going to print, and the final production run packs being made. The sholder straps were made a fraction wider for example so as to improve load distribution when the pack is full.
Sorry of rthe confusion on this topic, but we are working hard to ensure our customers are educated as to the correct weights and specs for the new Exos series.
I hope the above info is of some help.
Kind Regards,
Martin @ Osprey”
To my mind this has been a good move (which I told Martin in reply) – I’ve found the pack very comfortable so far, but I think if the straps were any thinner they would risk “cutting-in” a little if the pack was fully loaded and the wearer was only wearing one layer between the pack and their skin. More than an acceptable trade-off in my opinion.
Absolutely, if the lightest weight possible means compromising comfort it’s all gone wrong.
Just over a kilo for a pack with that capacity sounds good to me.
Glad it’s going well, footwear and packs have to be just right.
I’m after this pack,they had it in cotswolds,keswick,a week last sat, ’tis indeed a lovely piece of kit. Wandered over to fishers but they don’t (didn’t)have it . I’m up again this weekend hopefully ,so fingers crossed, i’d hate to to give a spotty oik a £130 of my hard earned in cotswolds :)
Aye, it’s more fun buying from folk that appreciate or understand the purchasing choice you’ve made rather than:
“You want me to put your bag in a bag?”
“It’s a pack or a rucksack…”
“Uhhhh….did you want two bags?”
Still, the Cotswolds in Glasgow is good :o)
Cotswold Outdoor isn’t all bad. I live just down the road from their shop in the Cotswold Water Park and the staff there do use the kit and (generally) know what they are on about. Their range also seems to be expanding to include some intersting bits by Montane et al. It probably also helps that I get 15% off!
Aye,maybe i’m a little hard on them, or have had bad luck there, the staff just seem so, i dunno, disinterested in keswick ? I’ve been to the one Harrogate a couple of times and they seem less comatose and on the ball. If fishers don’t have the pack i’ll go and see if i can rally the troops :) The website still stinks to high heaven though.
Worst outdoor retail website on the planet. No contest!
I used the Exos 34 for a 3 day hike. For the first 2 days i had pain at the place where the lower part of the frame touches the body. The third day i felt much better. I was thinking of buying the Exos 46 but i am worried how the thin shoulder straps will cope with heavier load. With the 34 i had shoulder pain for the next day, and during the 3 day hike i felt a bit uncomfortable. I was thinking that the North Face Alteo might be a good alternative, although much heavier. Have you used it or do you have any other suggestions for a lightweight pack with ventilated back? Thanks!
Haven’t used a lot of vented-back packs. I used a Gregory something, 35L I think, which was vented and was very comfortable.
I find if the shoulder straps are digging in on a backpack it’s the hip belt that’s the trouble, it’s not taking its share of the load. That could be anythimg from design to shape to the size of the backlength of the pack.
Pack comfort is second only to footwear in its ability to spoil your fun.