The latest backpack review has us looking at the Osprey Porter 65. After the Eagle Creek Loche was a miserable failure, we jumped on the computer almost instantaneously and searched out something else for David to try.
When looking at the Osprey Porter 65, we took into consideration the things we didn’t like about the Loche, we tried to find things that were different from that bag.
Much like the Loche, the Osprey Porter 65 is attractive to look at. Who doesn’t like a green bag? The main compartment is HUGE on this bag. It is literally a duffle bag with a harness attached to it and made to look like a backpack.
It says that it is a 65-liter bag, but I believe you could put more in there. We couldn’t believe the space when we opened it.
The Osprey Porter 65 also has small mesh pockets to store smaller items inside the bag and one hide-a-way pocket for valuables. Not a lot of options for strapping the bag loads down, but there were 4 exterior hooks for tying shoes, etc too.
Like the other bag, the harness also zipped up on the Osprey Porter 65. When he put the bag on empty he fell in love with it almost immediately. He said the straps are a huge improvement from the Loche. So that was a good start.
So we loaded the Osprey Porter 65 down with some stuff- not necessarily heavy stuff, but filled it up to see how it looked and felt when full. He still liked the way it felt.
He wasn’t nuts about the hip straps as they had no padding, just a nylon strap that buckled around the waist. He didn’t make a big deal about it, but I noted he wasn’t crazy about that part.
After seeing it on him, I wasn’t 100% sure we should stop at the Osprey Porter 65, although a nice bag, it just didn’t seem right to me. Not sure what it was about it, but I decided to order another bag to try and compare to it.
When that other bag came in, we loaded down both bags with actual weight, not just fluff. What a difference this made, he all of a sudden hated the bag. No kidding!
Osprey Porter 65 – Yay or Nay?
His biggest complaint was the hip belt and lack of support for his back in the Osprey Porter 65 backpack. Although we were able to adjust the balance load so it ‘looked’ okay, it was killing his back and the chinsey hip strap did nothing to support his shoulders once the weight was added to the bag.
Crises averted- that was a close one. The Osprey Porter 65 backpack is not the backpack for David.
Would you like to try this bag out for yourself?
Check out the Osprey Porter 65 Travel Duffle here.
More on Travel Gear:
- Best Carry on Backpacks for Travel
- Best Hiking Backpack for your Next Adventure
- Best Travel Daypack: Top 12
Thanks for your postings. Seems Deuter 70 and Osprey 65 are very different packs for different purposes. Hard to compare the two. Deuter 70 seems like the more standard backcountry hiking pack with full hip support while Porter seems more like an urban travel pack in which you would not want to put a great deal of weight. I just got the Porter and plan to use it for my shorter trips which involve a lot of travel in and around cities.
It really comes down to how much you plan to carry, how the different bag setups fit you and where you’re traveling with them. The Deuter 70 is not a good hiking backpack- it is specifically designed for travel and the harness does not have any real support for long walking in it. The hip belt is only there to support the often heavier travel loads. Sounds like the Porter will work great for you! Enjoy your travels. 🙂
Soooo… why not tell us what bag he DID like?
Thanks for the suggestion! Will add to the post. He ended up settling on the Deuter Traveller 70+10. Has since also used the Pacsafe Venturesafe 65L. For hiking and backcountry camping he is currently using the Osprey Atmos 65. Cheers!