Osprey Talon 22-Litre Backpack

I received this pack as a gift (from my Amazon wishlist). I own the Talon 44 and use it for overnight backpacking trips. I needed a smaller pack for my bike commute and day hikes. Osprey has a long reputation for making quality packs, and their unconditional lifetime warranty can't be beat.

On to the Talon 22: My first impression after opening the pack was that the build quality feels really solid. The material is lightweight, but has a nice amount of stretch which should prevent most snags. The main interior compartment is very roomy, and I like that the hydration pouch is separate. This will help keep stuff inside dry and free from condensation from your bladder. For commuting I am carrying a macbook air, a notebook, a folder, my lunch and sometimes a change of clothes. There is more than enough room for these items, plus a 2 liter bladder.

Pros:

Helmet holder (also works great for a nalgene bottle)

Nice material

High quality stitching

Lots of adjustment

Airscape back allows for great air flow

Top access zipper compartment for small loose items.

Cons:

A bit expensive for a day pack, but the lifetime warranty and quality make up for it

Would like one or two more small zippered pockets

Overall: I would highly recommend this pack for commuting or day hikes. Outstanding quality, comfortable fit (6'1", 210 lb)

By all rights this should be a five star review. This pack is really well-designed and looks beautiful. I just bought it a week ago so it's hard to say how it will wear but as far as I can tell I'm going to be really happy with it.

EXCEPT.... on the second day of use I pulled the Lidlock clip out a bit and the Lidlock cord just straight up fell out. It basically tore off and just pulled all the way out of the side that was attached to the backpack.

This really bummed me out. Not because I actually even needed the Lidlock (I was just looking at it). But if this cord tore out with a quick pull (and not a hard pull), what other aspects of this pack are defective?

I paid a lot of money for this pack with the expectation that it was high quality. Now I'm not so sure.

I know that the best of products will have a defect from time to time and I know I can get this repaired for free. But to have a defect right off the bat was just kind of a bummer.

I hope to have the opportunity to leave a five star review for an Osprey pack some day as, so far, this pack is otherwise really fantastic.

******* UPDATE (12/13/2011) Five months later and the pack has been put to a LOT of use and has been excellent! No other defects, very well-designed. I am changing from three stars to four stars.

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Nice backpack overall, with a few awkward design points. It is highly adjustable and comfortable overall. I am 5'8" and the M/L is probably just a touch big; but I also tried on the Small, and it was just way too small. But a t my height, I have to really cinch down a lot of straps, so have straps flapping all over the place. Some of the straps loop about, so they end up becoming an irritation on my arm as I walk and hike. These looped straps need to be tucked somewhere, but they always end up popping back out. I have resorted to using chip clips to keep them down. The second issue is the bottom of the pack and the way it droops down if you put something like a book of Kindle in it. The bottom of the pack is loose fabric, so putting anything somewhat heavy at the bottom means that the bottom of the back then protrudes past the waist belt and ends up running on the small of your back below the pack's waist belt. I remedied this by putting soft stuff on the bottom, and things like a book on top of that. Thirdly, the pack has no rigidity at all, so it kind of bends and bows if you do not pack and cinch it right. This means it can bend away from your mid-back area, or it has also has a tendency for me to lean back and bow/fold in the middle, especially since I cannot put heavier items on the bottom per my previous comment. Fourth, it is very difficult to reach the water bottle pocket. I find that I have to remove the pack every time I want to access my water. Finally, the zippered waist pouches on the belt are located a little too far to the side. If you out a small camera or anything else with bulk in there, the pocket tends to rub up against your arms. Still, the pack is well-designed and streamlined overall. I like the features better than some others I looked at when making my decision on a day pack. It's a good choice overall. Zippers are solid; there is a handy mesh pouch at the top of in the main compartment; the top zippered compartment is spacious; and the pouches on the belt are nice but not placed very well. More challenging to cinch this pack down, but it is adequate. I like the bike helmet clasp; and it will hold your hiking pole. Still recommend despite some of the shortcomings.

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I use this for sport climbing to carry my Petzl Elios helmet (using the LidLock), 12-14 quick draws in the top pocket, a 70m 9.4mm rope in the main compartment (with a first aid kit in the Velcro pouch), along with a 3L water reservoir. You can fold back the waist pockets to keep them out of the way and to store a few smaller items such as wallet and cellphone. I hook my shoes and harness along with chalk bag to the top loop. I carry my Kindle with guidebooks in the small pouch on the outside. I don't usually pack much food on my climbing trips, but you could squeeze in a few protein bars or trail mix. It is amazing a pack this small can fit so much. In total, this bag has been able to handle 20-30 lbs of gear comfortably, with a small load it can pack very small. I have an Osprey Atmos 65 for backpacking, and this bag is a perfect compliment to it for single day adventures.

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I'm currently using this backpack as a student bike-commuter. I bike about 20 minutes to campus everyday, and I wanted something that wouldn't have my back drenched in sweat when I get to my destination. I really debated hard between this and other backpacks that claim this "back air space" for this purpose. I am very satisfied with this one! In addition, I think the style is great. I've gotten complements as well.

I would say the size is a bit awkward for a student backpack the volume is great, but its volume is vertical not horizontal, but it does fit my macbook laptop plus a couple books. I also use this bag to do my grocery (Trader Joe runs). I can fit a full basket into it (assuming the sizes are not too awkward). BUT even if all my grocery doesn't fit inside the backpack, it has a clip on the top where I clip my plastic bags I've done it more than 8 times and it hasn't failed yet! Thats where I put vegetables or fruit that didnt fit inside the bag. Keep in mind I just bike to and from the grocery store, so I can't really hold on to anything. So this says a lot about the backpack's capability.

I like the straps (waist and chest), but in the beginning it looked like they were a lot of straps. It takes a little bit of ingenuity to wrap them up and make them look tidy, so as not to look like there are 100 straps (so play around with when you first buy it, but some people actually like the "strappy" look). I like the waist pockets too! I put my wallet there, and its really reliable for quick access. I have not used the hydration packet, but maybe when I do more serious hikes.

So so far I've used this for a month now as a student backpack, and I highly recommend it!

One downside: so sure not everything in life is perfect. Its not as waterproof as I thought,but you can buy the watercover, which is separate. But it doesn't rain much in LA, so it hasn't been an issue for me. But when I go for hikes, perhaps it would be smart to get a water cover.

I am very impressed with Osprey!