Osprey Aether 65 Review

The Osprey Aether 65 may be among the heaviest packs in our review, but it knows how to carry a load. With its Fit on the Fly shoulder strap pads, hip belt, and adjustable torso length, the wearer can dial in the fit for maximum comfort while walking down the trail. Osprey has always been a household name in top quality backpacks, and with this addition, they continue to build on what works.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The Aether 65 has a sturdy suspension system that can carry heavy loads while still allowing ventilation. The Airscape back panel features dense foam that supports the back and creates plenty of space for air to pass through. This is all covered by a mesh that keeps your shirt from filling the gaps that would block airflow.

The injection-molded frame sheet is very sturdy and comes down to a fabric-covered lower lumbar pad that creates a comfortable contact point when the load is properly transferred to the hips. When the hip belt is cinched tight, this extra lumbar padding supports the lower back creating a comfortable close-to-the-body feel. The only downside is that the attached hip belt can cause the pack to sway side to side while you walk and flex your hips. This effect is more noticeable the more heavy and bulky the load.

The shoulder straps on this pack use a soft-supportive foam on the upper shoulders that taper down to an adjustable dense foam. This extra cushion at the apex of the shoulders helped keep the pack comfortable during extended use under heavy loads.

Ease of Use

The Aether 65 makes accessing your gear a breeze, whether inside or out. It is an excellent choice if you find it as hard as we do to see that other camp sock in the dark abyss of your pack. Plus, with all of the straps and buckles, we found that our gear was always secure.

The pack has three entry points making it easy to grab precisely what you need from inside. It is quick to load using the top drawstring opening, but once everything is inside, we found it easiest to use the large front zipper to access the main compartment. This large opening makes it quick to grab a rain jacket or mid-layer when the weather turns. The huge zipper panel allows access to everything in the pack above the sleeping bag compartment.

The third opening is the sleeping bag compartment from the bottom, which keeps the bag safe and clean from the rest of the gear. If your sleeping bag is small enough, this space is also perfect for camp clothes. The flap separating the compartments can be opened if you prefer a non-divided pack.

The shove-it front pocket has reinforcement, so there is no worry of the elastic getting holes. While this doesn't allow it to stretch as much as some packs, we still found it very useful for a wet ground sheet or to throw a jacket in after the first climb of the day. Two compression straps go over the shove-it pocket and are great for keeping all of your gear nice and secure. They can also perform double duty by lashing camp shoes or dirty socks to the pack.

The hip belt pockets on this pack can fit several bars or a phone and chapstick. We like how smooth the zipper is to open and close with one hand allowing us to grab a snack without having to stop and either tuck or put our trekking poles down. For those larger quick-access items, we found the top lid, with two zipper pockets, an ideal space for a headlamp, sunscreen, and toilet paper. The top zipper pocket has an included rain cover inside, which takes up most of the room but can be moved to the pack's main body to free up the pocket.

The dual access water bottle pockets keep a bottle very secure with no fear of dropping a bottle when bending over. They are convenient to grab a bottle out of, but any bottle taller than a Nalgene touches your side when leaning forward. If the bottle is left upright, it is still easy to retrieve with one hand but you will need the help of both hands to return the bottle to the pocket.

Weight-to-Volume Ratio

Tipping the scale at a hefty 5 pounds, the Aether 65 is one of the heaviest packs in our review. Due to its beefy suspension and reinforced features, it racks up a few pounds, allowing it to stay solid and comfortable under heavy loads. Osprey has chosen to forgo some weight savings by adding reinforcements to the back and side stretch pockets to increase the product's lifespan.

With such a feature-loaded pack that is so adjustable, it makes sense that the weight adds up. We found that even though it starts at a disadvantage, it can handle the penalty and still carry heavy loads.

Adjustability

The Aether 65 is the only pack in the review that can lengthen the padding on the shoulder straps, extending that cushioning down to get the perfect custom fit. While wearing the pack, you can un-velcro the cushioning and extend or shorten it using Osprey's Fit on the Fly adjustment system. We found this feature to be convenient to adjust and a nice step up to dial in the pack's fit.

The torso length adjuster is a slide lock and webbing that can be tightened or loosened to match your height. We measured its verticle adjustable range at 4 inches.

The pack also uses a Fit on the Fly hip belt that works like the shoulder strap. It is easy to adjust and allows plenty of range for different body types.

Should You Buy the Osprey Aether 65?

A good backpack is an investment that will last for years. The Aether 65 has awesome features to dial in the perfect fit for every user, is made with high-quality materials, and can comfortably carry a ton of weight. If you're planning long backpacking trips with a lot of gear, this backpack is worth considering.

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