Osprey Aura AG LT 50 Backpack Review

Fast Verdict

The Osprey Aura AG LT 50 is a snug and versatile girls’s backpacking pack. Its Anti-Gravity suspension system and considerate design make it a wonderful alternative for minimalists and weekenders who prioritize consolation over shaving each doable ounce.

Backside line

Should you worth consolation over absolute weight financial savings, the Osprey Aura AG LT 50 is a superb pack that provides loads of help and options at a aggressive value.

I not too long ago examined the Osprey Aura AG LT 50 backpack,  a light-weight girls’s backpacking pack that can be utilized for a spread of actions from day hikes to thru-hikes. Nevertheless, the meant objective is for girls who journey gentle and are searching for a supportive pack for multi-day backpacking journeys. It’s designed for shorter, narrower, curved physique sorts.

MSRP: $300Capacity: 50LWeight: 3.793-3.969 lbs.Max Carry Capability: 35 poundsMaterials: bluesign authorised recycled 210D and 500D nylon honey comb distinction and excessive tenacity nylon and PFAS-free DWR

Circumstances of Overview

I’ve had this pack for about six weeks now and have used it on all my backpacking and most of my mountaineering adventures throughout that point. I dwell in Northern California, so it has been utilized in each cold and warm climates, as our spring and summer time climate this 12 months has been all around the map.

Thus far, I’ve about 100 miles on the pack and have carried as much as about 25 kilos in it for in all probability half of these 100 miles, which is just about my customary weight for many backpacking journeys, together with meals and water.

Selecting Your Specs

This backpack is designed particularly for girls. Osprey does make an identical mannequin particularly for males, the Atmos AG LT 50.

I’m a 5’5” feminine and weigh about 125 kilos. I selected the XS/S dimension (I do have a shorter torso and longer legs compared to most girls my top) and the black coloration possibility. The backpack additionally is available in a M/L dimension and is available in two different colours: a darkish reddish purple and a grey-green. Osprey additionally presents the identical pack in a 65L possibility.

The Aura AG LT 50 is lighter and cheaper the common Aura AG 50.

Match / Preliminary Ideas

I used to be greater than excited to check out my new pack when it arrived within the mail. Since I’m extra of a learn-as-you-go kind particular person, I threw all my gear and a day’s value of meals in it instantly and drove out to do a enjoyable overnighter with out even bothering to take a look at all of the enjoyable options or see if it match. Typical hiker trash.

Having rocked an Osprey Exos on my first thru-hike 9 years in the past, I used to be fairly accustomed to the Osprey setup and was in a position to modify my pack to my physique inside a couple of minutes on the trailhead. The Aura does provide many straps and methods to regulate it, so for a newbie backpacker or somebody unfamiliar with this kind of pack, plan to spend a extra appreciable period of time adjusting the pack and determining the best way to make the most of all its options.

My recommendation for this pack (or actually any backpacking backpack) is to tighten and cinch till the pack is generally resting in your hips as an alternative of your shoulders.

I felt I might cinch all of the straps very tightly to make sure a snug journey with a little bit little bit of enjoyable bouncing with out feeling prefer it was shifting round an excessive amount of. It didn’t really feel like I used to be suffocating my physique both.

Nevertheless, I used to be not initially a fan of the very agency hip straps. Whereas they offered good help, they felt so stiff that the pack appeared to dig into my hips and decrease again. Over time my physique did modify to the hip straps, however I felt like the primary mile or so daily felt much less snug than I wished.

Tip for beginner backpackers: Don’t overlook about cinching the highest shoulder straps too so that there’s much less backward pull.

Packing

The Aura AG LT 50 was a hit on my first overnighter. I felt it carried every part effectively, and my gear simply match inside. The 50L pack is smaller than all my earlier backpacks and a little bit smaller than most conventional backpacking packs, which usually sit round 65L.

I might immediately inform upon packing that this backpack appeared smaller than my different backpacks and I might solely advocate this backpack to extra minimalist thru-hikers or for one or two night time backpacking journeys.

I stack all of my gear horizontally with my sleeping bag on the backside, then my tent (which doesn’t use poles, simply stakes), then some random garments, then my meals bag, and eventually my sleeping pad and puffy jammed on high.

My two 1L Good Water bottles simply match into every of the facet pockets and appeared to vanish into the pocket. Their roominess offered a pleasant sense of safety that my bottles wouldn’t by chance fall out and likewise supplied extra room to shove different issues in in addition to simply the bottles.

However, the pocket quantity did make grabbing the bottles with out taking the pack off near not possible.

Osprey Aura AG LT 50 Options

Anti-Gravity Suspension System: Seamless suspended mesh disperses and balances the load whereas a Match-on-the-Fly Hipbelt delivers a exact match for a spread of sizes. The intuitive ladder adjustment system makes backpanel torso adjustment much more personalised.

Light-weight and Sustainable Design: Stripped down, simplified feature-set for streamlined use. Thoughtfully designed with bluesign-aproved, GRS (World Recycling Normal)-certified recycled materials and PFAS-free DWR.

Built-in Raincover: The pack comes with a sized raincover with its personal personalised backside pocket to retailer it in to maintain your pack and kit dry in inclement climate.

Floating High Lid: The floating high lid with lash factors provides further carrying capability and easy accessibility to objects one may need available all through the day. The lash factors enable it to be cinched down and the lid is detachable to chop down on weight if desired.

Inside Hydration Reservoir: The interior hydration sleeve permits for further water carrying capability and the middle again exit port permits for straightforward hydration whereas mountaineering.

Detachable Sleeping Pad Strap: Should you don’t plan on strapping your sleeping pad to your bag, the sleeping pad straps are detachable.

Twin Ice Axe Loops: Twin ice axe loops with higher compression strap seize.

Twin Zippered Hipbelt Pockets: Twin Zippered hipbelt pockets to retailer your cellphone, snacks, sunscreen, gloves, and different small objects.

Twin Higher/Decrease Aspect Compression Straps: Each higher and decrease compression straps on all sides of the again to personalize your match and preserve the pack comfortable towards your physique.

Tall Twin-Entry Aspect Water Bottle Pockets: Twin facet water bottle pockets that may every maintain two 1L water bottles, tall sufficient to utterly encase the water bottles.

Material Bolstered Entrance Shove-It Pocket: Entrance exterior pocket to shove bigger objects with easy accessibility so that you simply don’t have to open the pack up.

Osprey Aura AG LT 50 Execs

Versatility

My favourite factor in regards to the Aura is its versatility. It’s sufficiently small to make use of as a daypack with out feeling cumbersome. It’s large enough for me to tackle a thru-hike. I can use it as a travelling backpack and received’t stroll across the airport wanting like a bum.

Sturdiness

I are usually very arduous on my gear. When I’m exhausted on the finish of the day (most days on a thru-hike), my pack is coming off my again and being thrown on the bottom. I have a tendency to finish up bushwhacking fairly typically too and wish a pack that isn’t going to catch a department and rip on me.

The Aura was in a position to stand up to my aggressive nature and the tough situations I put it by means of, and I do know that it’s a pack I can depend on to maintain round for years to come back.

Aspect Water Bottle Pockets

Considered one of my largest considerations whereas thru-hiking is shedding my water bottles. Water is life on the path, and there have been occasions after I needed to do a little bit of spontaneous trail-running mid-hike encountered excessive wind and needed to preserve continuously checking my facet pockets to guarantee that I hadn’t misplaced my bottles. With the peak of the water bottle pockets on this pack, I don’t have to fret about shedding something.

Worth

Priced at $300 MSRP, I really feel this pack is an efficient deal for its worth based mostly off its sturdiness, design, facilities, consolation, and flexibility.

Osprey Aura AG LT 50 Cons

Hipbelt Design

My largest gripe in regards to the Aura is the rigidity of the hipbelt design. Whereas it does present construction and help, I discovered the hipbelt to be pretty uncomfortable to put on each on my hips and decrease again. It additionally made swinging the pack on more durable than most packs as a result of I needed to firmly maintain the hip belt out of the way in which get the backpack on.

The hipbelt straps are additionally VERY lengthy, and being pretty skinny, I needed to cinch them as a lot as they may go to get the pack tight on my hips after which accordion fold the surplus of the straps and discover a place to shove it in in order that the strap tails weren’t hanging between my legs whereas strolling. You could have to trim the straps and soften the ends when you’ve decided how a lot slack you want.

Weight

Coming in at 4 lbs, this backpack was a bit heavy for my liking. As a thru-hiker I attempt to preserve my load as gentle as doable, and this pack added extra weight than I would really like for an prolonged journey.

Entrance Hip Pockets

Whereas the entrance hip pockets appear fairly sturdy, I had hassle getting my cellphone out and in of the pockets simply. Relying on the path I’m on, I’m typically checking my cellphone very often all through the day for navigation, and I like to simply be capable to pull it out and put it away and know that it’s safe in my hip pocket. I felt like I needed to actually shove it in and work to drag it out every time I wanted it.

Closing Ideas

Total I might give this backpack a 4 out of 5 stars. The flexibility, sturdiness, and value make it an incredible backpack for a newbie backpacker who plans to pack minimally and needs a pack that may stand up to time and the weather and use as a travelling backpack too.

For thru-hiking functions, it’s a little too heavy and technical for my liking; I might slightly spend more cash on an comfier ultralight backpack.

Store the Osprey Aura AG LT 50

Comparable Packs

Within the “hike your personal hike” true thru-hiker style, there may be by no means a better of something in any class. It’s at all times good to match and distinction related choices. Listed here are just a few different in style UL backpacks to peruse in your buying pleasure:

The Osprey Aura AG LT 50 was donated for objective of evaluation.