Osprey Stratos 34 Daypack

I've had this backpack for over a year now and I cannot say enough good things about it.First, it is solidly built. I've taken it to work in the lab loaded with a laptop and lunch and supplies. I've taken it to classes loaded down with books. I've taken it onto a speed boat loaded with dry clothes and tools which were all kept dry by the waterproof cover.. I've taken it into the field loaded with just about everything from a hatchet to bug spray to extra clothing. I've strapped a machete to it, multi-tools, a flashlight, probe, hammer, etc. Bottom line; not a single issue. It's handled everything like a champ and then some. Even after using this bag literally every single day, I haven't noticed any tears or wearing issues (it even cleans off pretty well after taking lake cores and covering everything in a nice dark, wet clay).In terms of comfort, it fits really well due to the adjustable straps. The shoulder straps are pretty easy on the shoulders as well. Most importantly, the bag redistributes weight onto the hips so you don't feel fatigued after wearing it for a few hours. I also really like the mesh which separates the wearer's back from the bag. It's substantially cooler than a bag which rests against your back. It also has the added benefit of not bruising your spine when you bend over while wearing the bag. Some metal frame bags tend to hurt when you bend over.Finally, I think the orange is just about perfect. Orange is my favorite color, but it has to be within a certain range. This is not too bright, but not so red that it isn't orange anymore. Very stylish and I'm happy to take it just about anywhere I go.I give this pack my highest recommendation. I've had a stellar experience with it.

I had ordered a Teton Sports Canyon 2100 pack a short while ago for my first pack. After looking it over and feeling the fit I decided a little more research and a little more money spent would be a better way to go. I returned the Teton (Amazon's customer service is ridiculously amazing..seriously) and settled on the Osprey Stratos 34. Withing minutes of receiving it I had it strapped on my back. Wow! What a difference. I paid a little more for this but it was still very reasonable. The fit is amazing and it literally becomes part of you. The waist straps and overall fit is incredibly comfortable and balanced. I love the panel loading design and access from many different areas of the pack, including the pockets on the waist straps. This daypack is loaded with well thought out touches inside and out. It will make a perfect carry-on for flights. Heading to Arizona hiking in the Grand Canyon, Sedona Red Rock country and in the Tucson area shortly and will definitely do a follow up after a couple of weeks of use in AZ.

Great bag for the price. Looks good and fits well. This is not a bag for long stays, i.e. more than 1 or 2 nights camping. It works great for a day hike or summer camping. I would not recommend this as a daily use bag, being that its a bit too long and looks weird, for that i would get the smaller bag. The quality seems good, and I've had no problems with it,

Too large for a short woman but I wanted something with a bit more storage than the small one for women.

I bought this pack because I like Osprey packs, they're thoughtfully designed; I like the suspended mesh backpanel, and I didn't want a pack with a "brain".I was really excited about this at first but Unfortunately it didn't pan out as well as I'd thought and now after using OFTEN (I am a backcountry ranger) all summer and in the spring and fall shoulder seasons I've returned mine to REI.The primary problem was that the wire frame dug into my hips / lovehandles (I'm 5'10" 155lbs so it's not really a fatness issue on my part)... No amount of adjusting the fit or load would really fix that. The design was curved too much I think. Sure my back didn't get too sweaty, but it put the weight too far back and too low in the pack so it ended up torquing the load (via the frame wires) into my hips, to the point I'd often come home from big mile hikes bleeding. It's probably fine for people running lighter loads, but I carry tools and survival supplies for work and so anything over about 12lbs started to be miserable. This pack really ought to be comfortable up to about 25lbs and would be if the load carried better, its padding is more than sufficient for those weights.It was also a bit difficult to load and organize. The outside pocket intruded onto the interior space as you loaded it rather than expanding outward, the top wallet and keys pocket was always in the way when accessing the main compartment and the heavily curved space of the main pocket which was further intruded upon by the outside pocket made it a royal pain in the ass to find anything. Plus it just didn't open very wide.The buckles on the iceaxe holder were also flimsy... way not strong enough to hold larger tools, ie. axe, pick-mattock etc. Nor was it adjustable.Also the pack cover it came with was bright fricking red. I bought the neutral "slate" color for a reason. Though I suppose that cover would be useful in an emergency for signaling or marking an LZ. Maybe Osprey ought to look into two-sided different color rain covers. Black on the outside, bright red or yellow on the inside for signaling.I like Osprey, I have and love 2 other packs from them, including the exos 46 which also has the suspended mesh (and doesn't cause me any trouble)... The Osprey Stratus 34 pack has a lot of really nice features... but still it's a stinker (for me).I'm going to replace this with a Mountain Hardwear "Splitter 38" because I want better gear organization, but I did like the looks of the Gregory Z30 as it has suspended mesh too, it's just a bit small for my needs.Sorry Osprey! Love you guys, but do take note of this stuff!!! Your variant 37 might be a great pack for a pro like me but it doesn't have hip-belt pockets and it's BRIGHT FRICKIN RED!

I am a day hiker in Arizona. The pack is a little oversized for simple day hikes but will be perfect for hiking this summer in Europe. I am tall 6' 4" and the large pack fits perfectly with the waist strap riding just on the top of my hips and conveying the weight of the load off my shoulders and on to the waist. I also bought the Osprey hydration pack which fits nicely inside the pack (as expected). I also appreciate some of the smaller features such as the small zippered pockets on the waist strap which hold a ready chewy bar and my point and shoot camera. The stow and go holder straps for my pole works perfectly as well. In summary, works as advertised and completely comfortable for a good hike (15 miles, 6 to 8 hours).