Osprey Exos Professional 55 Backpack Assessment

The Osprey Exos Professional 55 Backpack is a ventilated and adjustable-length ultralight backpack that weighs 33.2 oz. It’s mainly an ultralight redo of the heavier Osprey Exos 58 Backpack, that’s 11.8 ounceslighter-weight utilizing recycled materials with a couple of minor modifications to the design. Regardless of the burden discount, the Exos Professional 55 stays a fairly energetic and dynamic backpack that’s responsive and enjoyable to hold. Nevertheless, using thinner materials implies that this pack goes to be considerably much less abrasion resistant than the heavier Exos 58, which is one thing to contemplate for those who’re tough on backpacks.

Specs at a Look

• Weight: 33.2 oz (dimension S/M)
• Stripable high lid weight: 2.6 oz
• Quantity: 55L
• Closure: High lid
• Adjustable Torso Size: Sure
• Ventilated: Sure
• Hydration appropriate: Sure
• Pockets: 6, plus the principle compartment
• Body: Inner aluminum perimeter body
• Torso: S/M: 17″ – 20″ (L/XL 21″-23″ additionally obtainable)
• Hip Belt: S/M: 28″ – 50″ (L/XL 30″-50″ additionally obtainable)
• Bear canister compatibility: BV500 or Garcia Backpacker’s Cache match horizontally or vertically in the principle compartment. They will also be held in place beneath the floating high lid pocket.
• Supplies: 100D Nylon x 200D UHMWPE ripstop w/DWR remedies made with out PFAS
• Most really useful load: 30 lbs

Who’s the Exos Professional 55 For?

For those who already personal the heavier Osprey Exos 58, switching to the Exos Professional 55 is a simple technique to shave near 11.8 ouncesof pack weight whereas retaining the backpack really feel and a lot of the options you’ve grown used to. The Exos Professional 55 can be a superb possibility for individuals who desire a lighter-weight ventilated backpack however don’t need to hand over the comfort of a high lid pocket or the exterior attachment options discovered on extra typical multi-day backpacks. Whilst you can swap to a extra minimalist roll-top backpack just like the ventilated Zpacks Arc Haul Extremely 60, doing so can require a fairly large change in the way you pack and work together along with your backpack throughout the day. Whichever manner you select to go, Osprey and Zpacks are nonetheless the one pack producers to supply ultralight, ventilated, and adjustable-length backpacks.

How is the Exos Professional 55 totally different than the Exos 58?

The Exos Professional 55:

1. Is 11.8 ounceslighter weight than the Exos 58 (might differ relying on sizing).
2. Doesn’t have a second pocket beneath the highest lid.
3. Doesn’t have separate sleeping pad straps on the entrance of the pack.
4. The entrance stretch pocket has cloth loops alongside the edges that can be utilized to hold gear.
5. The entrance stretch pocket has much less mesh and extra strong cloth for higher sturdiness.
6. The left-hand hip belt pocket is open and never zippered.
7. The adjustable torso size is secured utilizing small dowels as an alternative of bigger plastic discs.
8. There’s a silicone print on the base of the suspended mesh to forestall slippage.
9. The sternum strap solely has three positions as an alternative of a sliding rail adjustment.
10. The shoulder straps are much less padded.
11. The shoulder straps solely have 1 hydration hose keeper, not two.
12. There’s no stow-on-the-go trekking pole holder.
13. Makes use of thinner (200d) cloth in high-wear areas.

Backpack Group and Storage

The Osprey Exos Professional 55 may be very totally different from most ultralight backpacks as a result of it’s configured with a floating high lid as an alternative of a dry-bag fashion roll high. With a single massive high zippered pocket (with key fob), the floating lid enables you to sandwich additional gear between the lid and the highest of the pack’s essential compartment so you possibly can carry additional technical tools or provides that received’t match inside your pack. High lids are an awesome function, particularly when it’s essential to carry cumbersome gear like bear canisters, rope coils, foam pads, or tent our bodies that received’t match into the principle compartment of your pack. The highest pocket additionally offers helpful entry to hats, gloves, snacks, and navigation gear and is indispensable for cold-weather use.

For those who don’t want the highest lid on the Exos Professional 55, you possibly can take away it to avoid wasting gear weight. This reduces the burden of a small/medium Exos Professional 55 by 2.6 ounces bringing it all the way down to a decent 30.6 oz (1 lb 14.6 oz).

There’s a nylon flap beneath the highest lid that’s completely hooked up to the pack, what Osprey calls a FlapJacket, that covers the drawstring opening of the principle compartment. If you take away the highest lid, the FlapJacket is used to guard the principle compartment from the rain in its stead. The rear of the FlapJacket clips into the identical rear straps and buckles utilized by the highest lid so that you’re not left with any additional straps or buckles to get in the way in which. When it’s not wanted you possibly can stuff it into the principle compartment or into the interior hydration pocket.

Whereas the Exos Professional 55 additionally has good open storage within the type of facet and entrance pockets, the principle compartment is the place the majority of this pack’s capability is. With over 3350 cubic inches of room, you possibly can put a ton of drugs and meals inside. Being a mainstream backpack producer, Osprey computes the amount of their packs utilizing business norms and solely counts coated and zippered storage once they calculate backpack quantity. If you’re evaluating the amount of the Exos Professional 55 with a pack from a cottage backpack maker, bear in mind that they typically add in open and closed pocket volumes so the Exos Professional 55 will really feel fairly a bit bigger and maintain significantly extra gear.

Whereas the principle compartment curves inward to accommodate the form of the ventilated body close to its base, the principle compartment is so massive that the pack remains to be simple to pack. Nonetheless, as a result of it’s ventilated, you’ll need to place the heaviest objects as near your again and hips as attainable. Excluding a hydration pocket, hold loop, and high compression strap, there’s nothing contained in the Exos Professional 55 essential compartment like a sleeping bag compartment to interrupt up the seemingly cavernous area. Nonetheless, it’s simple to see inside the principle compartment as a result of calmly coloured cloth panels assist channel mild to the pack’s inside. I’d nonetheless advocate packing the Exos Professional 55 with a pack liner for moisture/rain safety (See 5 Ultralight Pack Liners In contrast.)

Osprey included hipbelt pockets on the Exos Professional 55 however they’re barely totally different than these on the present Exos 58. The left-hand pocket is now open on high and doesn’t have a zipper. I believed I’d hate that, nevertheless it’s really fairly helpful for stuffing trash into. The best-hand pocket remains to be zippered and enormous sufficient to suit an iPhone X into together with some snack bars.

However the pockets are sewn onto the hipbelt in such a manner that the again of the pocket has to have the ability to curve when it wraps round your hips…which is an efficient technique to break a SmartPhone display screen. I’d advise towards placing something equally outsized and rigid into them.

That is the results of the truth that Osprey retains the hipbelt wings on the Exos Professional 55 and Exos 58 brief, so that they wrap across the again and sides of your iliac crest (hipbone) however don’t prolong extra ahead to the entrance like different backpacks. They nonetheless present efficient load-to-hip weight switch, however I personally favor longer hipbelts as a result of it means the hipbelt pockets are positioned in entrance of my torso and never alongside the edges or again of my hips. You do get used to the shorter hipbelt rapidly on the Exos Professional 55 and Exos 58, however it’s a totally different strategy to hipbelt size and pocket placement than on backpacks from different producers.

Along with the principle compartment, the Exos Professional 55 has two stretch-side mesh pockets that can be utilized to retailer water bottles. The mesh just isn’t robust sufficient for off-trail journey and I might advocate you keep on trails with this pack as a way to preserve the pockets from tearing. Every pocket is strengthened with strong cloth on the underside for higher sturdiness and has a holster-style opening minimize in entrance, which helps you to place bottles sideways so you possibly can pull them out and change them when on the transfer.

You too can pack a tall bottle and screwed-on filter within the facet pockets, however they aren’t reachable when sporting the pack and tall bottles fall out of the holster pockets for those who attempt to relaxation them there.

There may be additionally a big stretch stuff-it pocket on the entrance of the pack which is beneficial for carrying objects that you really want easy accessibility to, with out requiring that you simply cease and open your backpack. I can’t dwell and not using a stretch pocket like this and use it to stuff mild layers or snacks that I need simply accessible throughout the day. It’s additionally a superb place to stash a moist rainfly, so you possibly can simply pull it out to dry whenever you cease to admire a view.

Backpack Body and Suspension

The Osprey Exos Professional 55 is a ventilated suspended mesh-style backpack. Breathable mesh is suspended in entrance of the again panel making a ventilated area behind your again that’s designed to evaporate sweat earlier than it will probably soak your shirt. The mesh is tightly stretched throughout the 360-degree aluminum body which additionally serves to anchor the hip belt and cargo lifters. The aluminum body on the Exos Professional 55 is the key sauce that “makes” this pack. It’s tremendous light-weight and stiff, offering nice load switch to the hips, so you possibly can load up this pack and nonetheless get a really comfy carry. The carry is definitely fairly wonderful, even with a full load.

This new Exos Professional 55 additionally has an adjustable torso size with 4″ of adjustability that may be very light-weight and easy to make use of. It is a big profit for brand spanking new backpackers who’ve much less expertise sizing and becoming a brand new backpack. You lengthen or shorten the torso size, the space between your hip bones and your C7 vertebra, by shifting the shoulder strap harness up or down for the reason that place of the hip belt is mounted. That is completed utilizing a easy dowel and ladder system which slides up and down alongside the observe on the again of the backpack.

The shoulder straps and hipbelt are each coated with a stretchy mesh cloth that’s tender and helps wick moisture to forestall rubbing and chafing. The shoulder straps are calmly padded and have one elastic hydration hose keeper strap on the entrance. Nevertheless, whereas the shoulder straps are comfy, you’ll be considerably challenged to connect accent pockets to them, one thing that’s more and more in style with backpackers and day hikers alike. The identical could be mentioned for the calmly padded hip belt.

In contrast to the Exos 58, the sternum strap on the Exos Professional 55 can solely be positioned at three areas. To regulate it, it’s essential to push the plastic buckles connecting the sternum strap to the shoulder straps via small wire loops to reposition them increased or decrease. It takes a little bit persistence to do that nevertheless it’s not troublesome and makes for a really safe anchor.

Sizing

The Exos Professional 55 is available in two sizes S/M and L/XL when it comes to torso size, whereas the hip belt size is almost equivalent throughout each sizes (28″-50″ vs 30″-50″), as an alternative of radically totally different, making it a lot simpler to get a hipbelt that matches you no matter your torso dimension.

Exterior Attachment Factors and Compression System

The Osprey Exos Professional 55 has two compression straps on either side of the pack. The highest strap is anchored on on the high nook of the entrance stretch pocket and runs to the body just under the entrance load lifter, whereas the underside strap is configured as a Z crisscrossing over the facet water bottle pocket earlier than attaching to the again of the hip belt pocket  I’m not an enormous fan of the Z-style threading sample as a result of I feel it makes it troublesome to strap cumbersome gear like snowshoes or a folding pad to the facet of a pack. I discover two horizontal-side compression straps to be optimum as an alternative.

However one factor that’s lacking from Exos Professional 55, however is offered on the Exos 58, is a pair of sleeping bag straps for attaching a folding foam pad, like a NEMO Switchback or a Thermarest Zlite pad to the underside of the pack under the entrance stretch pocket. That is very troublesome to do with the decrease Z-Type facet compression straps as a result of they’re not lengthy sufficient to simply match over one in all these folding pads. You are able to do it, nevertheless it requires lots of effort and makes it very troublesome to place something into the entrance stretch pocket as a result of the pad is tightly compressed towards the pack. I’d advocate rigging up your individual elastic wire loops for attaching a pad to the gear loops working alongside the entrance stretch pocket as an alternative.

You can also’t thread the facet compression strap via the facet water bottle pocket on the Exos Professional 55 and it will probably solely run on the skin of the mesh pocket. It’s because the hipbelt pocket is the anchor for the underside facet compression strap…which is a screwy technique to design it as a result of that compression strap will pull the hip belt off your hip if it’s essential to tighten it. These capabilities are finest decoupled.

However don’t let the Z-style straps (that are detachable by design) deter you from rigging up two horizontal compression straps as an alternative. One of many nice issues concerning the Exos Professional 55 is the distribution of drugs loops across the perimeter pockets, the pack bag seams, and even the highest lid, making it simple to rig up your individual customized compression system with an additional wire lock and a few guyline or a bit of webbing. If I used the Exos Professional 55 frequently, I’d most likely take away the facet compression straps off and change them with my very own wire and cordlocks.

Likes

• Light-weight and high-capacity (55 L)
• Dynamic body that makes masses really feel lighter
• Giant bear canister suits horizontally
• A light-weight perimeter body offers nice load switch and management
• Flippantly coloured cloth strips enhance essential compartment visibility
• A number of exterior attachment factors throughout the pack

Dislikes

• Tough to connect accent pockets to the shoulder straps or hipbelt pockets.
• Tough to drag tall objects out of facet pockets whereas sporting the pack.
• Z-style facet compression straps are awkward to make use of with cumbersome gear.
• No sleeping pad straps.

Comparable Ventilated (Suspended Mesh) Backpacks

There aren’t many light-weight (sub 3 pound) ventilated backpacks obtainable at the moment, with or with out adjustable torso lengths.

Zpacks additionally has a number of fashions which can be very aggressive with the Exos Professional 55 together with the Zpacks Blast 55 (See our Zpacks Blast 55 Assessment) and the Zpacks Arc Haul Extremely 60 (See our Zpacks Arc Haul Extremely 60 Assessment.) Whereas each of those packs are a lot lighter than the Exos Professional 55, they’re additionally way more costly. Alternatively, in order for you a ventilated backpack with an adjustable torso size that’s arrange like an ultralight roll-top pack, they’re the one sport on the town.

Advice

The Osprey Packs Exos Professional 55 Backpack is a top-loading backpack with an adjustable torso size that’s simple to suit and configure for a lot of totally different sorts of mountain climbing and backpacking journeys. Weighing simply 2 kilos 1.2 ounces, it boasts a strengthened perimeter-style aluminum body and ventilated suspension that gives glorious consolation and management for masses as much as 30 kilos. If you’d like a big however ultralight (55L) hydration-compatible backpack with an actual body and a high lid, the Exos 55 Professional is a superb alternative that’s designed for multi-day backpacking, thru-hiking, and part mountain climbing.

The factor that I like much less about this pack is the way in which it forces you to pack a sure manner in terms of carrying water bottles, including accent pockets, or strapping gear to the skin of the backpack. I favor extra flexibility on this regard, however that’s my private desire. Regardless of that, I may see being completely glad utilizing an Exos Professional 55 for a long-distance or section-hiking backpacking journey, significantly in scorching and humid climate the place a ventilated suspended mesh body is a big win.

Disclosure: The writer owns this backpack.

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