Osprey Packs Manta AG 36 Hydration Pack

Best day hiking bag I have ever bought! Super comfortable up to about 50lbs, use this bag for just about everything, including overnight hikes. I found it Backpacker magazine, it was one of the editors choices. I had also went to REI and tried on a few others before purchasing this one, and after trying on many different ones I have found this one to be one of the more comfortable ones that I tried on, and had the carrying capacity that I needed. Extremely happy with my purchase!!

The Osprey Maya AG 36 was one of many packs I tried, on 8-9 mile day hikes, as I searched for the perfect 35-40L backpack . The goal was to find the right pack to carry 3+ liters of water, layers, food, etc., for tougher hikes of at least 12 miles. Some hikes to non technical peaks of 8,000-10,000 ft would be on the agenda, and the occasional overnight.I used the local trails as proving grounds for the test packs before committing one to more strenuous demands. With the aforementioned load, the Manta got the job done, but was not a stellar performer. One of the main issues was that the AG system didn't quite seem up to the task. The belt, which is half as wide as most, had to be over tightened to keep it from slipping too low. The back trampoline also lost most of its spacing from the back panel and frequently bottomed out against my back. IMO, the Manta AG wasn't optimized for being loaded to the upper end of the 30 lb limit.I could almost live with keeping the Manta for lighter loads of it didn't have one fatal flaw. Yes, it is true, the Manta squeaks like a tree swaying in the wind. I didn't want to believe the reviews that listed this issue and thought it must be exaggeration. It's not. Every step I took induced the Manta to squeak. This phenomena pulled me away from my immersion in the hike. As I walked, I tried tightening and loosening the load lifters and shoulder straps, until I finally realized it was a lost cause.What the Manta does well is organization. If you carry a lot of small items, the Manta has plenty of pockets. The panel loading layout is not unlike a book bag. I would have preferred the hydration sleeve was just a pouch in the main chamber to improve space instead of a separate zippered section. It might be nice for a laptop though. Overall I prefer a top loading layout to panel loading, but I liked the look of this design enough to try it. However, the water bottle pockets are quite fun with the front facing port. This is great for accessibility but could be an issue if you use the water bottle pockets for small items.The Manta also had the forward facing trekking pole attachments. I tried it with Leki corklite poles and determined that it would only be convenient if I was frequently stowing the poles and then taking them out again. Otherwise I prefer the poles being stowed on the back and out of my way. I can't fault Osprey for attempts at innovation though.Overall the Manta is a very well constructed bag with high quality materials. It needs some work to better carry heavier loads, but I suspect it would work well if one was just carrying a light layer, some food, and a smaller hydration pack. I truly hope Osprey can fix the squeaking problem as well so I would be inclined to try their other packs in different sizes.

I have so far used this on two day hikes and riding to/from work on my bicycle everyday for the past couple weeks and I have to say: I love it. I previously had been using my bicycle pack for hiking which resulted in pains on my shoulders from carrying fairly large loads (I tend to over pack for day hikes especially when with friends). With this pack, after 14+ miles on the trail for a day, I felt 0 pain on my shoulders, or anywhere for that matter. I do agree with some reviewers that it can be a pain to get the water bladder in if you have a full pack, but it's really not a serious complaint. There's plenty of tightening straps, including around the water bottle holsters. Something that I think is implied somewhere on the description is that the hip straps are removable, they're definitely not, but I also found that folding them in (similar to how it is shipped) isn't a big hindrance if I don't feel like wearing them.I cannot express how awesome the Anti-Gravity behavior of the pack is, but I assure you, not having a sweaty back and not noticing the weight of a full pack as previous backpacks is a testament to an amazing design.For reference, I did order the small/medium version as a 5' 8" ~150lb Male, and it might still be a little on the tall side for me, but it's overall very adjustable and have no complaints since using it.In regards to some of the negative reviews:- There is indeed creaking from one of the shoulders (it does appear to be the right one), but I believe this will dissipate over the usage of the backpack, not really an issue either way- Complaints about the taste of the water from the bladder on first usage should be expected if you're drinking from anything plastic based... Regardless, there is explicit instructions in the manual online on how to help eliminate the taste (freezing + lemon juice). With that note READ THE MANUAL, it explains how to properly wear the backpack optimally and other useful things. It seems stupid to say "Read the manual on a backpack", but seriously, it's worth a once over, also reading on the sizing is important.Two things I still intend to test this bag for that might adjust it's rating (I'll update when this happens):- A one day camping tripUpdate 2018/03/02- Used as a carry-on bag *NOTE here: I believe the small is going to be the only size that technically abides to the rules of a carry-on bag, based on the dimensions I measured: I did end up using it as a carry on without issue. I will say it's a little annoying to try and get the hip wings to fold in when storing it in the overhead storage and I have been able to push it under the seat in some situations. However, if the pack is completely full (the back pouch is filled), stashing it under the seat is nearly impossible. Not really an issue though as it's not my largest use case for the backpack.

I've used this pack on a few camping trips so far and it's held up great. I'm a pretty big minimalist when I go camping, and this bag met nearly all of my needs. I went camping for 2 days and was able to take my tent, sleeping roll, sleeping bag, food, clothes, and all my other camping needs.Pros:- Tons of straps for adjusting it to fit you perfectly- Waist and shoulder straps are made of comfortable material- Great airflow, never had a sweaty back- Super light- Construction seems durable, haven't noticed any signs of tearing yet.Cons:- I wish there could've been two attachment points added to the bottom to hold sleeping bags/other bulky items. It wouldn't cost much or taken up room, but would've had a variety of uses.- Two more small pockets on either side of the pack for miscellaneous items would've been convenientOverall:This is a great, light, pack for short camping trips. Super comfortable too. I took it on a hike and barely noticed it. I was able to strap light, bulky, items on the various straps on the pack. I don't think they were meant for that, but it worked!