Osprey Aether 70 Review |
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Overall avg rating 4.0 of 5 based on 4 reviews. Most recent review: January 17, 2013
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Street Price:
Varies from $181 - $279 | Compare prices at 11 resellers
Pros: Super comfortable, good suspension, good price.
Cons: Some people thought it needed more pockets.
Best Uses: backpacking, mountaineering, trekking, some Alpine climbing
Recommendations: 67% of reviewers (2/3) recommend this product
Manufacturer:
Osprey
| Review by: Ian Nicholson ⋅ Review Editor, OutdoorGearLab ⋅ November 26, 2012 |
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Overview
The Osprey Aether 70 is the big brother to Aether 60 (that we did a full hands on review of). The Aether 60 won our Best Buy award for being such a great value as well as lightweight. The Aether 70 is 5 liters smaller than its two main competitors; The Arcteryx Altra 75 and the Gregory Baltoro 75, with the main difference being about $100 cheaper.
How is the Aether 70 different from the Aether 60?
The Aether 70 is…
To get a better sense of how the Aether 70 stacks up against the competition, we urge you to look at our hands-on review of it's sibling pack the Osprey Aether 60 as well as our Backpacking Backpack Review.
—
Ian Nicholson and Devin Chance
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OutdoorGearLab Member Reviews
Most recent review: January 17, 2013
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RockDoc · Backpacker · Kingston, NY
I own an older model Osprey Aether 70. This review is based mainly on a 5 day solo trip hiking the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, and a 5 day solo off-trail trip in Denali National Park. I purchased the 70 liter size in order to comfortably fit a Garcia bear canister, which was required for both trips. On the Denali trip I carried an extra load, including a two person tent, binoculars, and spare clothes for river crossings. All gear, including the canister and compact sleeping pad, were stowed inside the pack. The pack is extremely comfortable, very stable off-trail, and has good gear access. The awkwardly sized canister fits on top, and the four floating lid straps keep it from shifting. The panel load access zipper on the newer version seems like a nice upgrade. Out of at least 6 multiday backpacking packs I have owned, this one is the best.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.
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Having recently bought the Aether 70, I have used it for a couple of weekend trips. But I already love it!
The fit is perfect for my body, and though I didn't had the belt heat molded, it fits nicely around my hips and takes nearly all the load without being uncomfortable. I usually pack around 40-50 pounds of gear, and the pack could easily take more.
The editorial overview of the pack mentions that it is just a slightly larger version of the Aether 60, but the Aether 70 also has an upgraded suspension system based on aluminum rods (as opposed to plastic ones) enabling a heavier load.
The pack allows you to move quite freely around, even without a hinged/swiveling belt as seen on other packs. I have avoided such a feature, as I deem it unnecessary (I do not miss it on the Aether) and as I have read some complaints in internet reviews of creaking sounds after some use (needs cleaning and lubing once in a while).
Some might need pockets on the Aether, but the ones there are, can be used in a great way. Here I especially think of the double entrance to the side pockets (easier through-the-sides access when having the pack on your back) and the ability to strap-in the contents of the side pockets.
All in all a great product with a lot of options as you are used to with Osprey. In the end it comes down to how it fits you body, but if you've got an Osprey-back this is a great Osprey pack!
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this product to a friend.
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
osprey have fallen behind on ergonomic design,
various other companies are making packs with hip belt designs that allow greater freedom of movement and comfort.
i ditched my aether for another brand for this reason. my preference was for black diamond but berghaus, arcteryx, AArn are other brand examples where they have incorporated greater flexibility in their designs
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this product to a friend.
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 Aether 70 Credit: Osprey website
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