The Osprey Farpoint 55 Is the Perfect Backpack for Light Travel
The Osprey’s Farpoint 55 Backpack is truly two bags in one. You get a large compartment for clothes and shoes, as well as a detachable backpack that lightens your load after you place the base somewhere. Plus, it’s all small enough to be treated as one carry-on baggage.
It sports tons of storage capacity
I recently went on a 10 day hike in Japan and my Farpoint 55 by Osprey ( $ 170 ) was the best pre-trip purchase I made. It only weighs about four pounds, but can generally hold up to 55 liters, or about 25 kg.
I was able to pack three pairs of pants, six T-shirts, one dress shirt, six pairs of socks and underwear, a zipped hoodie, a blazer, all my toiletries and an extra pair of shoes, basically a 40 liter compartment only. I had enough clothes and only had to wash them once during the trip. There was still plenty of room for gifts and souvenirs. Plus, the main compartment opens like a suitcase so you can zip it up and quickly access whatever you’ve packed.
The front of the backpack – a detachable 15-liter backpack – has plenty of room for all my gadgets and other items like my camera kit, massive Bose headphones, and even a couple of books. There are also special cases for laptops and tablets. The backpack has two elastic mesh water bottle holders to help save space inside the bag. And like the main compartment, I had enough room to add things as needed. Both main compartments also have lockable zippers, so you can protect your belongings from swift thieves with TSA approved locks.
Comfortable straps make you feel like one piece with your bag
The Farpoint 55 has padded shoulder straps, an adjustable chest strap (with integrated whistle) and a padded hip strap. It looks like you are putting on a backpack, but it is so comfortable that you do not notice it, even when you are close to maximum weight. This is because the backpack has a peripheral frame suspension system that you would normally only find in a dedicated travel backpack. It transfers weight from the shoulder straps to the hip strap to keep your back from grief .
The shoulder straps and hip strap also have a thick foam padding that prevents the straps from chafing or digging into your shoulders and waist. And compression straps around the bag stabilize the contents so nothing bounces as you move. When I have this thing on, it seems to me that it is a part of me, and not what I carry with me. I could easily get into a full sprint if I was going to miss the train and didn’t feel too stuck.
Best of all, you can remove the shoulder straps and hip strap if you want the bag to be a little more compact and pinch-free. You simply roll the lid off the bottom of the bag and fasten it with the straps. The backpack also has padded top and side handles so you can treat it like a padded suitcase if you like.
Removable backpack makes your carry easier
My favorite thing about Farpoint 55 is the removable backpack. After checking in at the hotel ( or capsule hotel ), I could unzip my backpack, change some gear, and travel much easier. The back and shoulder straps of the backpack have the same mesh and foam as the main backpack, and an adjustable chest strap provides comfort.
The front of the backpack features the previously mentioned mesh water bottle holders, as well as a deceptively deep mini compartment. I only used one of the mesh water bottle holders for the water bottle, but the other was a great place to store trash when there was no trash can nearby. And while the front mini-compartment looks like it can only hold a pair of sunglasses on the outside, I could carry snacks, change, maps and a phrasebook with me in addition to my glasses.
The backpack can also be removed and worn on the chest to balance things or protect your valuables. All you need to do is unzip the main backpack and attach it to the shoulder straps of the main backpack. I have never felt the need for this, but it is nice to know that it is possible.
Where Farpoint Fails
However, Farpoint 55 has its own quirks. The backpack has only three main compartments, including the backpack, which has two, with several pockets inside each. If you are the type of person who loves to pack things in compartments when you pack things, you have nothing to work with. I was able to get things to work fine with some packing cubes, but I would still like to have all of that space split across a few more bays.
And none of the Farpoint packages offered by Osprey come with a raincoat. This is not an obstacle to the deal, but many other companies are embedding them in their bags or including them in their bag. Osprey raincoats, although highly rated, will set you back at least $ 30 . Farpoint’s heavy-duty nylon will withstand light rain and other abuse well, so in the end it wasn’t a problem for me. In fact, after getting wet and throwing it around train stations, parks and hotels for 10 days, it still looks brand new. Can’t wait to ride with him again.