Recently I was out hiking and a friend asked me how much I thought a good daypack would be. I told him that my dream pack was the Osprey Manta, but I didn't own it yet. When I went online to send him a link, I discovered that they had updated the series for 2013! It's slightly more expensive than the previous model, but I went ahead and bought it anyways. Here are some thoughts.If you go to Osprey's website, You'll notice that this pack is listed as having lots of improvements over the previous years model. But what are they? There is no major feature that has been listed as having changed. All the pockets are in the same place. It's certainly possible that they adjusted the fit some, but since I didn't own the first pack I couldn't comment. As I looked at the specs, however, it became apparent that there are two huge differences.
The first difference is the size of the bag. The previous model is listed with the M/L size as 30L. In this model the M/L size is 36L. That's 1800 cu. in. for the previous model versus 2197 in the new. The smaller size went from 26L to 34L, a major increase. Though I only checked out the old versions in store, I can say that the main compartment and the electronics pocket both seem quite a bit larger.
The second major difference is the weight of the bag. Even though quite a bit of storage space was gained, the weight of the bag actually went down! The M/L bag in the previous model weight 3 lbs 2 oz, which is quite heavy for a day pack. The 2013 model comes in at 2 lbs 6 oz. More space for less weight? Yes please! I do not know if the weight of the bag is including the hydration system or not. Either way, it's gone down in weight.
The One feature I was the most excited about was the airscape back panel. From the looks of it (and the way it carries empty), you'd think that the actual bag never touches your back. This is not true. The more weight you carry and (more importantly), the more water you put in the 3 liter bladder, the more the bag sits on your back. The hydration system is designed to not fill into the actual space inside your pack (though it does some), but rather into the space in the mesh. Just don't expect that there's a full breeze through there all the time. However, the suspension is exceptionally cool! Even though parts of it do touch your back when full, there are still other parts that don't. Plus, the texture of the panel underneath the mesh has ridges on it, so air flows through very well. It's the coolest pack I've ever used.
The Hydration system is excellent. I've been hiking primarily with the platypus system of various sizes for the last 10 years. Osprey's hydration system is absolutely excellent in comparison (though the platypus is still excellent). I never detected any taste from the plastic. The bite valve has a very strong flow to it and is easy to depress with your teeth. The handle, cap, and molded back to the bladder are all excellent. One cool feature is that there is a track for the hose to run up on the panel so it stays in place. I love that there is a separate pocket for the hydration pack. The only thing to note is that the hose just comes directly out of the zipper, which once opened up some as I hiked. It's really not a problem though. I also love the way it twists back on itself to shut off.
The best feature about the system is the way the hose sits on your body. Three things contribute to this. 1. The hose is the perfect length. No extra hanging about. 2. There are straps for the hose to run through on the shoulder straps. The hose isn't detachable like on my platypus, but it's quite easy to thread in and out. 3. the magnetic sternum strap/bite valve is ingenious!
Pack size. I mostly do day hikes. I own a osprey aether 60 that's about 10 years old, but I'm a pretty light hiker so I'm capable of using a pack like this even for overnights. A few years ago I used a 30L black diamond sidewinder for a 5 day trip. I did it, but it was ready to burst! I filled this pack up with a similar load to see what it felt like. I was able to do it, but it takes a bit more planning. The carrying capacity of this pack is spread out over it's many pockets. As a day pack it's huge and works exactly as planned. If you're going to need to carry large capacity loads for any reason, be aware that you'll need to spread it out to make it fit. Also, when the pack is fully loaded I attempted to slide the water bladder in. It needed a little help, but I got it in with only minor effort.
Other features: This pack has it all. So many things to talk about. My favorite feature (and the most useful IMHO) is one that isn't as flashy. I love the dual side compression straps. My last day pack only had single straps. This feature makes it so nice to tighten down a smaller load and keep the pack balanced and flat.
The hip belt isn't a real load bearing hipbelt that lifts all of the weight off your shoulders, but it is better than many. It might lift a bit more weight but I'm unable to tighten it that much. I'm 6'1 185lbs. I didn't expect it to carry like a overnight pack though. I find it incredibly secure. The hipbelt pockets are nice but they sit back pretty far. I carry snacks for me and chapstick in one of them, and in the other I carry snacks for my dog.
I love that there is a rainfly built in to the bag. It's easy to deploy and has it's own pocket. It's sewn on so it can't be lost (UPDATE: it's actually got velcro if you want to take if off). There a number of other nice outside pockets, including the shove it pocket (which is really just the space between the two main compartments), the front stretch pocket (a good size), and the side stretch pockets. The side stretch pockets are nice but the lower side compression straps do cover them a bit.
Finally, the stow as you go pole straps are a really cool idea. What impressed me so much about them is where the poles end up sitting on your body when stowed. I can walk normally and the poles stay tucked to the inside of my body, away from my arms. It's a neat idea.
It's a dream pack. I love it. If you have any questions post them below and I'll give you an update.
UPDATE May 16, 2013: I've hiked a good number of miles now with this pack. I've also used it as a carry on bag. It's doing great! I wanted to mention that yesterday I managed to not put the cap on the water bladder properly, which caused some leakage. It actually happened twice! It was my error, but learn from my mistake and just make sure that you do indeed check to make sure it isn't leaking BEFORE you put it in your pack.
Buy Osprey Men's Manta 36 Hydration Pack Now
I love this pack. But my thing is... I don't like clutter and I don't like constantly switching packs--so I wanted a pack I could hike with, commute around town, and hit up campus with (laptop and all). Needless to say, I had to return this pack because of the suspended back. It makes it nearly impossible to tote around my laptop with confidence. The suspended back makes the backpack fall forward when my laptop is in it. The straps at the top, on the sides, make loading more difficult than necessary as well.While I loved all the features, I am not willing to drop a considerable amount of money when the backpack does not meet all my needs.
Read Best Reviews of Osprey Men's Manta 36 Hydration Pack Here
As an amateur photographer I use this pack a lot for day hikes with my camera. Moved up from a smaller osprey for that reason. This pack is large enough to put a good sized foam camera insert with plenty of room for clothes food, etc. The magnet on the bite valve is a simple but great idea to keep it handy. Ospreys have a combination of quality construction and light weight that is just what I needed. Would recommend their products.
No comments:
Post a Comment