Gear Review:
Disclaimer: I am not an Osprey affiliate and am not getting paid by them for this post (although I wish I was!) This is just my personal opinion and what works best for me.
To quote from the companies website: “Osprey Farpoint 40 was named Best Overall Travel Backpack for 2020 by US News & World Report. Osprey’s Farpoint® 40 is perfect for a weekend getaway in the city or the wilderness. The LightWire frame suspension transfers the load from harness to hipbelt. A mesh backpanel improves ventilation and the mesh on the harness and hipbelt reduces chafing under load. The entire suspension stows away under a zippered panel creating a sleek silhouette for transport.”
Can’t put it much better than that so, let’s dive into the details a bit.
General
After a lot of trial and error, this is the backpack I finally landed on. Here’s a picture of me before going on a 2-week-long trip to Mexico and Peru! I’ll explain why I chose this pack below.
Background
I’ve been a fan of Osprey for quite some time. My love for the brand really took hold back in 2008 when I was a professional backpacking guide. That’s a story for another time…
One of my favorite things about the brand and the reason I can recommend any of their products without hesitation is the warranty/guarantee. Their slogan for their All Mighty Guarantee is this: “Any Reason, Any Product, Any Era” That’s quite impressive for a company of that size. They really do stand behind their products and I think that’s very rare these days. I’ve had several of their larger packs that I’ve been using for multi-day and week backpacking trips since 2006 and have not had any issues with them, like at all! They are still going strong. Here’s a link to the website, if you want to check out their “stories” tab. Osprey-Stories
Here is a link to a few of my posts that I brought this pack on.
Key Features
- My favorite: The backpack straps/harness stow away into a zippered compartment which will keep it safe during travels but is easily accessible when needed
- Comfortable with adjustable hip-belt and padded shoulder straps
- Durable material and manufacturing
- Epic warranty
- Let’s you be fast and light, no more trying to roll that carry-on over rugged terrain.
Men’s Specs
Women’s Specs (Almost Identical)
Pricing and Availability
- Men’s Version ~ $140
- Can often be found on sale
- Almost never sold out as it is a very popular option
- Multiple places to buy are available, see below
- Women’s Version ~ $120
- Same as above
Where to Buy
- Men’s – Amazon
- Women’s (Farview) – Amazon
- REI
- Backcountry
- Osprey
Summary
As you can see, it’s not just my opinion that this is the best travel backpack out there. Many other people agree as well. Of course, I have to tie in minimalism to my posts because I think it’s important. One of my favorite things is when I get to a new place or am traveling through customs and they look at my backpack and ask “where is the rest of your luggage?” Brings a smile to my face every time and often to theirs. Travel light, stay safe, and Happy Travels!