Osprey mens Talon 44 Hiking Backpack (pack of 1)

Not cheap but Osprey products are high quality. Arrived very promptly, well packaged and with no damages.Has room for an aquafier that can be away from the main pocket of the rucksack. Many pockets for your gear .. the top pocket can be removed should you wish.This backpack is light enough to go in a large suitcase when travelling abroad (the main reason I bought the Talon 44).RECOMMENDED.

It’s perfect

I've had the good fortune to try out a wide range of Osprey packs, from this Talon 44, to the smaller Talon 36, and the much larger Aether 65 and 85. The Talon range is specifically designed for lighter weight and moderate carrying capacity while retaining a high degree of comfort and accessibility compared to ultra-lightweight packs.The Talon 44, unlike its smaller sibling the Talon 36, has a flip-open top cap pouch and underlying cinch closure. This allows for more main compartment capacity and a larger top pouch as well, similar to their larger packs in the Aether line. I prefer the flip top and cinch, as it offers a bit more flexibility for those slightly longer hikes, or when you want to bring some extra food or 'luxury' gear. The 44 also has a bottom zipper access to the main compartment for getting to your sleeping gear separately.I tested this pack out on a 3 day, 2 night trip up to San Gorgonio (11,513', the tallest peak in Southern California). I intentionally loaded the pack as full as possible (it was a training hike), getting to about 32 lbs. The longest day was summit day, about 11 miles and 2500' ascent/descent. The pack was quite comfortable for the entire trip.The difference in weight between this pack and some of the more ultra-lightweight options is in the amenities, namely the externally accessible pouches, zippers and load securing straps. Whereas an ultra-lightweight pack may just have a fold-and-clip top closure, this pack has all sorts of goodies. I personally prefer accessibility and stability, and am willing to carry a few extra ounces for them.As for my setup, I stored my sleeping gear and clothing in the bottom partitioned section of the main compartment. Since my tent has longer poles, it was stowed, along with my chair and cook kit/fuel, in the upper compartment. I also used a 3L hydration bladder, inserted into the dedicated slot between the shoulder harness and main pack. It should be noted that the volume of the bladder is actually located in the main compartment, separated by a thin pleated fabric wall, so it uses some of that 44L of available space and will bow out the back panel a little if you cinch the load securing straps too tight. That's a personal comfort choice. This setup pretty much maxxed out the space in the main compartment, though I probably could have stuffed some more stuff in the cinch gaiter area if I had wanted to. You can fit a 7-day bear canister upright in the main compartment, but it takes up quite a bit of the upper 2/3 of the space.I use the outside back pocket for my mid layer (a wool vest or pullover) that I'm constantly grabbing for when I take the pack off for lunch. Since I don't use a water bottle, I use one of the side mesh pockets for my trekking poles and the other for my rain gear, which I ended up needing fairly often this summer.I did try out the 'stow on the go' trekking pole loops, and they do work fine. The cinch tab on the left shoulder strap holds the handles securely in place, while the fixed loop on the side of the pack is easy to reach and keeps the tips facing behind you. Poles do stick out a few feet, as I found out rather quickly, if you're using non-telescoping poles.The hip pouches are generous in size, though not as large as those on the Aether line. They're big enough to allow snacks in one, and my compass/knife/sunscreen/lip balm in the other - my preferred setup. Though I usually keep my phone in my pants pocket, it does fit into the mesh pouch on the shoulder strap (it's a 6" Pixel 4A for reference).There are a fewer adjustment points than on the Aether line, primarily to reduce weight. The hip belt is fixed, with no extending pads like the Aethers, but here's one of the things I prefer on the Talon 44 versus the 36: the hip belt webbing is twice as wide for a much more comfortable fit.The shoulder harness adjusts via a simple hook/loop (Velcro) system. You stick your hand in between the straps and the back plate to detach the velcro, then slide it into the location you need. It's secure enough to handle any load I've put in it without slippage, and an innovative lightweight solution that provides good flexibility. There aren't extendable padding strips like on the Aether, and the shoulder straps are about half as thick, but they don't rub as long as the sternum strap is adjusted correctly. They are perforated for breathability and light weight.The "Airscape" back panel is much thinner on the Talon than the Aether, with thinner padding to minimize weight, but it's comfortable for all that, providing a good amount of ventilation. It was comfortable for all-day hiking, even for a sweaty person like me.One thing I like about the Talon versus a true ultra-lightweight pack is the load stabilization system. Osprey has always done a great job on this, and the Talon is no exception. The 44L has two straps on either side that compress the pack towards the back plate and really eliminate shifting of weight well. There are only two bits of advice I have: first, don't overtighten the bottom ones or the hip belt won't fit right (it pulls outward and leaves a gap at the sides of the back, causing the pack to slip around); second, if you feel like your hydration bladder is bulging into your back, loosen the top strips a little.Once everything is adjusted correctly, this pack sits quite snugly on the back and hips. At over 30 lbs, it settles in on the hips and requires the hip belt to be fairly tight if you have a paunch like I do, but it's not uncomfortable, and keeping the load lifter straps as snug as possible minimizes any settling if you like your pack to sit high on your hips (I do).I did notice one tiny little thing that seems to be common to all the Osprey packs I've used, and that is that little holes keep appearing in the mesh cover of the back plate. The same thing happened on my larger Aether pack. It's probably caused by a stick or something snagging the mesh, and the holes don't seem to be getting any larger and do not compromise any comfort or function, but I was a little surprised to see them on the second day of use.In summary, the Talon 44 hits the sweet spot for me between versatility, capacity and weight for a 1-3, even up to a 5 day backpacking outing; I think the ideal weight for my frame would be around 25lbs, though it can carry much more than that. I see a lot of these out on the trails, so it seems that others share my opinion. The price is reasonable for the level of quality you get as well.I hope you find this review helpful - if so please let me know!Happy trails!

I've been reading reviews of this pack to see what others have said and one complaint I noticed was that this pack didn't seem durable to the reviewer.So let me tell you my experience. I bought my first Osprey pack about sixteen years ago. It was a simple computer bag that cost about $100 at the time. I only bought it because I needed a new backpack, I was the only customer in the store, and the only employee, a young saleswoman, raved about it and I felt bad about leaving without buying anything.I thought it was probably a dog based on the limp fabric and lack of apparent durability, but boy was I mistaken. I've never misjudged a product more. That backpack accompanied me daily around town and around the country for nearly ten years, always stuffed, always heavy. One of the shoulder straps started ripping at about the eight year mark, but Osprey repaired it for free (not a good looking repair, but effective). I passed that pack on to my son when I got an Osprey bike backpack with a laptop sleeve about seven years ago and it's still going strong.Ospreys last and last. We just received a solid forty liter Thule backpack built from much higher denier fabric than Osprey uses. My wife and I are kind of laughing saying to each other that we hope this built-like-a-tank Thule backpack lasts as well as our thin-fabric Ospreys have.My wife has a forty liter Osprey that has been on multiple week-long trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, plus a number of month-long trips overseas, and it looks almost as new today as it did when it was purchased eight years ago.No manufacturer does backpacks better.This is a great backpack. It comes with Osprey's Airscape system which provides ventilation to your back. It has a lightweight and flexible, yet supportive, frame--Osprey calls it LiveWire—to transfer weight to the hip belt. The back panel to which the shoulder straps attach is adjustable for varying torso lengths. An ice axe bungee and hiking pole straps are integrated. There's an external pocket for a water bladder in the rear. The pack can adjust to carry more with a floating lid and removable sleeping bag straps at the bottom. Pockets include an easy-access zippered pocket on the lid of the pack, one on each side of the hip belt, a pocket on the left shoulder strap that could hold glasses or a cellular phone, a big mesh carry-almost-anything pocket on the front of the pack and two water bottle pockets (one on each side).This is a great technical pack, but it can be used for just about any purpose. It's a little big for carry-on luggage officially, but my wife has carried her forty liter Osprey onto flights lots of times, and even has used it as her one handbag--though not fully loaded.

This is an excellent bag if you're going backpacking for multiple days. It has plenty of storage in the stuff sack and a large front pocket and top compartment for quick access, spacious pockets on the waist straps, and a space for a reservoir in the back. There is access to the stuff sack from the bottom or the top. It's very durable, and I'm thinking it will last several years. This is a tall bag...I haven't tried it at the airport yet, but It might be too tall if they actually measure your bag.I really like how light this bag is...even when stuffed, it fits comfortably and doesn't feel very heavy. The support is very good, and there are plenty of cinch straps to compress the bag if you don't have too much in it. If it weren't for the height, I would say this pack would work for short day hikes too, but it's probably too large for that. It's good for multi-day trips, or even a backpacking road trip somewhere.