Osprey Sirrus 24 Review

The Osprey Sirrus 24 is made with 210D nylon with 420D nylon on the bottom and as a trim. It comes in one size only, but has an adjustable back. It comes loaded with many great features, including a stowable rain cover and open mesh back design.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

This pack received a high score for comfort. There's ample padding on the shoulder straps, though not quite as much on the hip belt. The suspended mesh back design was comfortable and kept the air circulating. No more soaking wet shirt! The hipbelt didn't fit us very well though, and that did affect our comfort a bit. We'd tighten it down around our hips, but as soon as we started moving it would ride up to our waist. This just goes to show that it's not enough to try a pack on in the store to see if the torso length fits — you should always load it up and walk around a few minutes to see if everything else works for you as well.

Features

The Sirrus is loaded with features. There's a rain cover with its own pouch at the bottom of the pack, side compression straps and top buckle compression straps (for attaching a rope around the top of the bag), an ice axe holder loop with bungee cord, and several different smaller organizational pockets. It also has Osprey's "stow on the go" trekking pole attachment, which lets you stow them quickly under your arm and up into a shoulder strap. This is great for quick stowage when you want to scramble up a boulder or other hands free needs, but not so great for longer term stowage. All in all though, the features are great and well-thought out.

Weight

At 41 ounces, this was the one of the heaviest packs in our review. The open mesh back requires a frame, and that and the more durable material adds to the overall weight of the pack. If you don't need or want the extra airflow, carry minimal stuff in your pack, and want all of your gear to be as light as possible, check out the Mammut Lithia Speed 15. Osprey also has a new lightweight series that we liked called the Hikelite 18.

Adjustability

We had mixed feelings about the adjustability of this pack. It comes in only one size, but it has an adjustable torso length that takes the back from 15 to 19 inches. In that sense, it was the most adjustable pack in our review group, as it was the only one that could do this. However, we were disappointed by the adjustability of the hip belt. It barely covered our testers' hip bones, and they are a size 2 and 4, so if your hips are any larger you might not get great coverage with the hip belt.

Durability

The Sirrus impressed us the most for durability, and we gave it top marks for this category. It's made with a heavier 210D nylon in the body (other packs in this review use only 100D nylon, which won't hold up as well to spiky plants and sharp rocks) and there is a 420D panel on the bottom for extra durability in that high-wear spot. Osprey also stands by their products and will repair or replace defects or structural damage (but not cosmetic wear and tear).

Best Applications

This pack is a great option for a variety of uses. If you live in a wet climate, the rain cover has you "covered." If you hike a lot in the summer or live in a warmer part of the country, the open mesh back will help keep you cooler. It can hold a good amount of gear as well, so if you tend to take a lot on your day hikes or are heading out with young kids and need to carry their extra layers and food for them, this pack is a great choice.

Value

At $130, this is one of the more expensive packs in this review. Considering all of the features that you get along with the durability, we think it's worth the price, but if you're on a budget or looking to save a few dollars, check out our Best Buy winner, the REI Co-op Trail 25, which retails for $70.

Conclusion

There's a lot to like about the Osprey Sirrus 24. It's a comfortable daypack with a great back design that improves airflow without sacrificing comfort or support. We weren't a big fan of the hip belt, which kept riding up onto our waist and was sized rather small, but there's a lot of variability in women's hips, and it might just fit you better than us.