Osprey Women's Ariel 65 Backpack

I absolutely love this backpack.....So far there is nothing short of brilliance with this pack.....some things I wanted to know when I was making my decision.....it has hip belt pockets which make it super accessible and convenient to grab things without pulling your pack off -snacks, Compass etc. It has top, front and bottom access - which helps with packing and unpacking and getting to items quickly.....there are areas that you can attach extra little packs or even a day pack if needed. Although the day pack is redundant as the top comes off and you can wear it as a hip pack for a day hike away from base camp ( it is spacious to pack a good amount of items). You can also attach your hipbelt to the daypack for added comfort if going out all day. There ARE straps at the bottom for attaching a sleeping pad, another user said there wasn’t- there is...There is a separate area in the bottom of the pack- I like to use for my sleeping bag, my Cats Meow (best sleeping bag ever by the way- if you’re a cold person!😊) fits nicely in there without taking up extra room in my pack, external Hydration reservoir is amazing- I can fill up without unpacking.....I debated getting the 55 or the 65 but after going into REI and talking with the "experts" it's always better to have a little extra room and cinch down than not enough room. REI will also let you bring in the Osprey to have the hip belt molded even if buying off of amazon....which is awesome. Even though Ospery price is the same regardless of purchase I bought this from Amazon because they had the color choice I wanted and REI didn't. (Osprey will repair or replace anything on your pack FOR LIFE (save your receipts) so no issue there either) This pack is also VERY VERY comfortable...I have worn it several times and I can barely feel it on my back (even with it packed down to the max). Other people have to stop and adjust their pack, NOT me! It’s a very well made investment!! Oh, get yourself sized before buying because I was going to purchase a medium and come to find out I needed a small. (I have a long torso) I'm 5'5 and approx 140lbs. Happy backpack hunting...

Great bag. The entire purchase was informative, clear, with loads of options for size and use! I purchased an EX-SMALL but had to return it for a SMALL. I am 5' 125lbs. I also exchanged it for the larger capacity the 75L. I am away on trips for 4+ months. Return policy is great too. I would say that if I had to purchase this backpack again, I would have gone to a dealer to be fitted properly and shown how to use the bag in all its bells and whistles. Oh I forgot to mention: my backpack did not have the water camel included in the purchase, it has the area to place the camel but not the camel itself. Still, the product is very well made and feels modern and well thought out.

Couldn't wait for this pack to arrive.Unfortunately, all the compression belts, straps, and buckles take away from the versatility of the pack.The J-zip for access to the main compartment and the front mesh pocket are both great features to have,however once the pack is buckled in and cinched down, you cannot access either without unbuckling the top two compression straps.While this may not sound like a big deal, this is not "providing quick access to the main compartment" in my opinion.Not a fan of the floating lid becoming a lumbar pack.This feature added more weight from the built-in straps and buckles that tuck up into the lid when not in use as a lumbar pack,and it also took away from having the normal mesh storage pocket I have come to love under the lid.The new IsoForm CM hipbelt is really comfortable and I'm sure even more so when custom molded for precise fit.Not sure how I felt about the external hydration sleeve - because I returned the pack did not get a chance to field test.It seems like a great feature, however with the heavy floating lid slash lumbar pack, it was difficult to access.Please don't get me wrong, the pack is awesome and is loaded with all the features that we have come to expect from Osprey,but this particular pack did not wow me like I hoped it would, and I sadly returned.

Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent product, I just wish there was a little bit more compartmentalization available. I know that zippered pockets and mesh compartments add weight weight to a bag, but somewhere to stash a water-bottle on the exterior of the bag would be phenomenal. Ospery designs bags with I'm sure highly researched packing recommendations in mind, but backpacking is a personal activity for which I'd like to have some options. For example, the bag is designed for you to put your sleeping bag at the bottom and even has a little nylon "sling" built into the bag to promote this feature. My bag was too bulky, so I found myself readjusting the straps so it wouldn't be "in-the-way" and I could use the pack as an empty vessel. I took it backpacking for a two week trip and found the mesh, side pockets to be almost entirely useless for anything. I do enjoy the ventilation feature in the backpack as that kept me much more comfortable during long hikes.

I LOVE this pack! I've used it for countless backpacking and climbing trips, and it has such great versatility. For shorter day trips away from base camp, the lumbar pack comes in handy. I love that I can access stuff in the middle easily, and all the straps make it a "cinch" to compress the pack into the best size for what's in it. I have used it in Switzerland, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, and many other places. I used it on our trip to summit Grand Teton. I love this pack!