Review: Osprey Aether 60 Backpack (and Osprey Ariel 55)

Leaving for a year of travel, in vastly different regions and climates, forced us to rethink our equipment and change our favorite backpacks (the Millet Aerial 32 and the Osprey Sirrus 36), whose capacity would not have been sufficient.

The Osprey Aether 60 and Osprey Ariel 55 seemed to be the perfect replacements. How do they hold up after 6 months of travel?

These 2 bags are virtually identical, with the Aether designed for men and the Ariel tailored to the female physique. Therefore, I will only perform a single review for both bags, as each point is applicable to both models being tested.

Contrary to what I imagined, handling the Osprey Aether 60 and Ariel 55 was not as straightforward as with all our other backpacks.

First, the bad news: the empty bag is quite heavy at 5.5 lbs. This weight primarily comes from the frame and hip belt.

The good news, however, is that this frame is very effective!

This is where the adjustment took time; the height adjustment of the straps occurred throughout the first 2 weeks of travel, with the bag loaded and used under real conditions. Since then, it has been a pure joy to carry.

Currently, if there's one point that still bothers me, it's the choice of a detachable top. The top of the bag can theoretically convert into a sort of waist pack. This changes the overall fit of the bag, making it look unbalanced when not fully packed, which I deem a gimmick (I would never use this part of the bag that way).

Another regret about the bag's structure: no document pocket in the main compartment. In the worst case, one will have to make do with the front elastic pocket, if documents are not wary of being folded or wrinkled.

Also, the Airscape system is present to prevent your back from getting soaked during exertion, along with a rain cover.

It's been 6 months since we've been traveling with these 2 bags. Verdict?

We are thrilled!

We had to come to terms with taking this size of bag (over 40 liters), which we had sworn never to bring again, due to our itinerary. Indeed, you don't travel with the same clothes on the Peruvian coast, as on a Patagonian glacier or in a lush Guatemalan jungle!

Given the variety of countries and climates encountered, we packed technical clothing for all scenarios, which, when added to our impressive tech gear, simply could not fit into a bag smaller than 40 L (see the article A year of travel? In the bags of a backpacker >>).

What surprised me most (because this wasn't the primary goal) was discovering that the Osprey Aether 60 could fit my LowePro FastPack 250 (and packed to the brim too!). I can travel with just one large bag on my back for walking, pure bliss!

Even now, I notice there are quite a few attachments whose purpose I still don't understand; this bag is very technical and will suit both road travelers and mountain lovers.

A bag that requires some adjustment time, but once mastered, is a real delight.

UPDATE 2018: in a lighter version and 45 L, we tested the ultra-light backpack Osprey Levity 45

Tested products: Osprey Aether 60 and Osprey Ariel 65

for all uses

well-designed frame

the Airscape system

No document pocket

The fake waist pack