A great half-day pack
photo courtesy Osprey
Osprey Talon 11
- Cons: Two sizes don’t fit all; Hip belt is virtually worthless; It’s not for long day hikes
- Bottom line: A great light-weight half-day pack well worth the price, but it won’t fit everyone.
- MSRP: $79
When a hydration pack isn’t quite enough and a full day pack is a skosh too big, the Osprey Talon 11 is jumping up and down yelling, “Pick me! Pick me!”
It’s hard not to fall in love with the little acid green pack that has reflective flames on the front. After all, it’s light-weight, flashy and reasonably priced.
From hiking Emerald Pools and Angels Landing in Zion National Park, to snowshoeing by Cedar Breaks National Monument, tromping around Bryce Canyon National Park and biking in Moab, the Talon has done it all and never failed.
It’s essentially a glorified hydration pack with enough storage for a short adventure.
The shoulder straps consist of slotted foam covered in mesh making it breathable for hot days.
Even the hip belt – which I found worthless – is made of mesh for the same reason, and the AirScape back panel is designed to keep you cool – though it didn’t keep me cool and dry because it still rested against my back.
According to Osprey, the pack is designed for “active light pursuits” such as hiking, trail running and biking – hence the skimpy 1.5-pound pack weight.
And my personal favorite: The hydration compartment.
My 100-ounce bladder easily slipped in, and there’s a hook to keep the top of the bladder up so as you drink, it doesn’t bunch at the bottom.
However, some of the brownie points have to be subtracted because, for some reason, Osprey decided to only make two sizes – small/medium and medium/large.
My wife, whose torso length was between sizes, has to cinch down the straps on the larger size to keep the pack in place whereas I have to loosen them quite a bit.
The hip belt doesn’t fit me either. If I put it where it should be, the shoulder straps aren’t in the right place, so I’m forced to dangle the hip belt behind me or be uncomfortable.
And the bottom corners of the pack dug into my wife’s hips when she wore a thin layer on top, but it didn’t bother her when she wore it snowshoeing with a thicker top layer.
The negatives, though, were easily forgotten the more I packed the Talon and brought it with me.
And while it unfortunately won’t fit every body type, it’s a great pack to add to your arsenal if you have a small to average frame.
This story first appeared in The Spectrum & Daily News
