Osprey Stratos 24L Men's Hiking Backpack, Cetacean Blue

I purchased this hiking backpack for my hiking adventures in Wales, Europe. We spent 3 weeks hiking in Wales and I knew I needed a good hiking backpack for day trips. This was the perfect size for me. I had plenty of space for a full change of clothes, a thin down jacket, snacks, a hat and gloves. This bag has straps for walking poles. I absolutely love the ventilation system. This system kept my back dry during long hikes. I also love how the pack is adjustable. I could adjust the pack for my height and while doing so the pack did not feel uneven. The straps on the top of the bag are great because they allow the pack to fit closer to your body. This pack has so many adjustments it’s really perfect. I ended up using the rain cover during one of our hikes when we got caught in the rain. The rain cover was also nice when we went walking under a waterfall. I also like this pack because it can be used as a carry on. I used this pack as a carry on while flying from Atlanta to London. I will not that due to the airspeed ventilation system you wont be able to just cram the pack in any old space. The height is really the height. The zippers were great throughout my trip. They are quality zippers with small straps on them to help pull the zippers in either direction. Osprey packs can tend to be expensive but you can catch them on deals from time to time. They are well worth the money for the functionality you get with their packs.Right out the box you could tell how durable the pack was. Osprey makes some quality products.

This is the best of hiking backpacks. I was worried 34L was too big but it is only 0.4 pounds (120 g) more weight than the 24L. It has an expandable 10L section to the inside bottom of it that can be collapsed and not use or expanded and filled with more gear. So the same size as a 24L not used. I am 6’3” and I needed an extra inch or two in the frame to fit perfectly according to website. The 34L accommodated a longer vertical frame setting if needed but still offered all the same frame settings as the 24L. So more space if needed or don’t use extra space and same size as 24L. Ventilated back is essential and this frame has great ventilation and strength.

Perfect volume for extended day walks. Used this for the first time walking Hadrian’s Wall in September and I could easily fit my weather gear, packed lunch, first aid kit, camera, and other bits and pieces. It was very comfortable and provided plenty of adjustments to fit my contours. The included rain cover was very convenient and could be pulled out in a hurry as needed in the rather variable English weather - everything stayed completely dry. Very happy with this superior quality day bag.

I was surprised how well this packed fit. With the multiple adjustments, I was able to carry a full heavy load with great comfort. It was easy to adjust in a manner that put 50 to 60% of the load to my belt area. I would highly recommend this pack. The pockets are well placed in very usable. The zippers are heavy duty and covered to protect from the weather.

I have herniated discs in my neck (C6/7, C5/6) and a bad lower back but love to hike. I went to reddit for advice and Osprey was the only consensus answer I saw. I tried several ones on before a big trip to Europe where we averaged about 25k steps per day hiking and walking everywhere. It's by a long shot the best backpack I've ever worn, the adjustability of everything makes it a no brainer for anyone. I'm going to need neck surgery but you never would have known it after wearing this with ~30lbs in it every day for a week on those long days.This is the type of item that you get excited about during the day and you can't remember why. It makes me want to hike when I'm at work. I feel like a little kid who got an action figure he can't wait to go home to play with. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

first off, as of 03-04-2024, this listing says "Stratos 24" but the pictures are of the women's version "Sirrus 24." What I received was the correct item as listed (Men's Gray Stratos 24).I had the older version of this pack. It got very little use. It mostly hung in my closet for 7 years or so. I pulled it out last weekend to find that the interior was shedding. I guess it's the waterproofing backing and this is referred to as "delamination." If it happens under warranty, Osprey will replace it. Unfortunately I had 3 other smaller packs from several brands that were also falling apart inside. These hiking packs are made with a cheap, lightweight material that is NOT intended to last.If you are going to USE this pack as intended, then it's probably the best hiking pack in this size you will find. The reason I hadn't used it for so long is that I was willing to compromise and just take my every day pack on day hikes, rather than keep two fully stocked packs, or move all my relevant gear between two packs. And this Stratos 24 is NOT a good EDC pack. The non-removable massive hip strap makes it useless as an EDC pack but great as a hiking specific pack.The few changes that were made since the previous version are mostly all for the better. The only question for me is the outside of the pack feels more plastic compared to the old pack that was more fabric feeling. The new pack is definitely more crinkly and not only because it's not broken in yet. It's probably a recycled material but feels cheaper. The other small changes like larger front pocket and updated simple yoke adjustments, make it better though. The only other major change is the size of the frame is larger. It's much taller, and possibly wider. I guess the pack is not as deep compared to the old pack (I'm not sure, but if it's still 24 liters then it must be). I don't love the larger size frame since it was already a very large pack for day hikes. I suppose it's more of an overnight pack, so most people would probably see the larger frame as a positive. I had a Talon I had bought for day hikes, but it's also delaminating and I wasn't going to replace them both.If you buy this pack expecting it to last 5-7 years then it's amazing. If you expect it to last the rest of your life, then keep looking for a more durable long term material (500d Cordura, etc), or research how to store backpacks to prevent delamination. Probably a humidity thing if I had to guess.