Osprey Talon 22 Men's Hiking Backpack

This review is for the 2017 Spring Green model of the Talon 22. The Spring Green color is extremely bright. It actually appears like a neon green/neon yellow color that I would definitely consider "hi-viz". The Talon 22 has always been a comfortable daypack made versatile because of its volume (not too big, not too small), hydration pack compatibility, and the ability to adjust the torso length. I'm 165lbs and 6ft tall and and it fits me perfectly. And there's still plenty of adjustement left to make it fit taller and shorter people. This is absolutely my backpack of choice for day hikes and mountain biking.This is a newer (2017) and slightly updated design to the Talon daypack. I use to use the older 2015 version of this daypack and some of the differences I've noticed include....1. The large stretchy external pouch seems to be made of a sturdier (slightly less stretchy) fabric in the 2017 version. This is an improvement for me. The drawback is that this pocket is smaller than it was on the 2015 version.2. The stretchy straps that secure the hydration hose to the arm straps are now basically thick rubber bands in the 2017 version. They function well and I'm hoping they're just as durable as the stretchy fabric straps that were used in the 2015 version.3. The cord that functions with the "lidlock" now comes to an end inside the daypack. If I ever want to tighten down the lidlock, I have to unzip the bag and tighten the cord from the inside.4. The waist belt pockets now have a stretchy material on the top portion of the pocket and the bottom half is nylon. In my 2015 version, the bottom half was stretchy and the top half was nylon.5. The back panel uses a different pattern of foam.Overall, I feel as though this is a sturdier update to the Talon 22. My older Talon would snag easily on tree branches and the external stretch pouch had plenty of little snags in the fabric to prove it. I feel like this new stretchy material Osprey has used will hold up a little better.

This is the perfect all around bag. I am using it as a diaper/disneyland bag, a day hiking bag, and also as a traveling bag.Why I like this bag...1. It's simplicity. I like a bag that has many features, but looks simple and not overcomplicated with a so many compartments. This bag has one big main compartment for everything. Inside the main compartment is a small zippered mesh pouch for loose items. Back outside, there's a small zippered compartment at the top. This one is much bigger and it's lined with a soft material. I can fit an iPad mini 4 in there with ease. On the sides of the pack are two mesh pockets and two zipper pouches on the hip belt. What I really like is the front of the bag has a large mesh pocket. I can squeeze a jacket in there or baby wipes for ease of access. Along the back is a padded panel for a water pack. It easily fits my 13" MacBook Pro, but I don't carry my laptop around anymore.2. It's weight. This bag is really light. I think it's a little bit over a pound.If you're like me and can't decide on the color and sizes. Here's my perspectives.Size - Instead of worrying about torso size, just go with M/L if you want a 22L bag or S/M if you want a 20L bag.Color - I couldn't decide and purchased both Martian Red and Black. I ended up keeping the Martian Red. The red is really bright. It doesn't look dull like in the picture. I think the Ultramarine Blue and Spring Green will be just a bright as well. The bag looks uniformed with red all around. The black is instead more grey than black. Think of the Raiders color. The black looks two tone. The bottom and side going up is dark black, while the mesh side pockets and front pocket is grey. The rest is a honeycomb fabric that is light black and changes depending on the light. The supporting gel structure on the back is an orange brown.

I'm 6'1", and the medium large fits me on the largest setting, settling the middle of the hip belt right at the tip of my hip bones, where it should be. Love this pack. It's great for everyday use, or a long day hike with extra gear on cold days.It's made of light weight materials, but very durable. The hip belt pockets are great for lightweight gloves or a phone. I love having an outside mesh front panel pocket for stowing a wet jacket on the outside, rather than getting everything inside wet! The side pockets easily hold a 32 oz. water bottle on each side. And the pockets are easy to reach without taking the pack off. Great design!

Love this bag!!!After a year doing long hiking, trails, I decided to go lighter, but was hesitating on the correct size to go to, taking into account shelter, water and 2-3 day food.I have a 40L Teton 3400 (4.5lbs weight) and I really like the bag, and you can haul everything there but I always ended with a 30+lbs weight, which really becomes an issue on distance hiking.So with some gear changes I was able to accommodate everything needed for long trekking on this 22L bag. Bag is super light (1.8lbs). External frame and shoulder & hip straps are super comfortable.Additionally this bag can be used for bikepacking or mountain biking too, as it has a water bladder pocket, very good design to distribute weight when seated and even a helmet strap, hence reducing the need for pannier bags on the bike.with a smaller bag you will be forced to get smarter gear. Result is that I can do the same, BUT I carry 16lbs now. ( An improvement of 50%)Get it!