OSPREY Farpoint 55

SPECIFICATIONS

Main backpack volume is 2440 cu in / 40 liters 

Daypack is 900 cu in / 15 Liters

Farpoint Day dimensions are 19x11.5x7 inches / 49x29x17 cm.

At only 55 litres + 10 for the daypack, this is not a big pack by any means, but still more than enough for my purposes. The first thing that you notice when looking at the pack is its detachable daypack strapped to the front. Again this was a major factor in my decision to buy it as the last thing I want to do in a hot country is to have to drag a large ruck with me everywhere I go. This way I can at least keep some essentials stored in the daypack and leave the main pack at the hotel when I don’t need it. The daypack simply zips to the front of the main pack and has two compression straps that go around it also. Tucked in behind the back pad on the daypack are its own set of straps complete with small chest and hip straps if you want them. Also, for some reason, there is a whistle built into the clip of the chest strap; it doesn’t seem to work very well. As mentioned above, the daypack can hold 10 litres which doesn’t sound a lot but it’s surprisingly spacious. Inside the daypack is a mesh pocket and against the back pad is a pouch for a laptop which can be strapped in nicely. How big of a laptop can you fit in there you ask? Well, it’s obviously designed for smaller offerings such as a netbook or similar but I can just about manage to fit in my 15″ T61p ThinkPad. It’s snug, but possible and it’s how I’m intending to stash my laptop when I go away. On the front of the daypack is another small zip pocket which I guess is good for quick access to small items. However this pocket doesn’t appear to be lockable, so I wouldn’t put anything valuable in there that you care about. Also on the front are some mesh pockets for drinks bottles/snacks.

Okay, onto the main pack. A pretty thoughtful idea, if I end up having to check my rucksack in at the airport at least now I can zip the straps up and save them getting caught in a conveyor belt and ripped to shreds. Once you unzip the cover it rolls up neatly at the bottom of the pack where it gives some more padding there. 

The straps are sturdy and comfortable, although the hip belt seems to be designed for someone with a lighter build than I as it only just fits at its most extended. The shoulder straps are comfy and light as is the padding on your back which thankfully curves away from the small of your back letting air flow freely there. With all the straps on, it spreads the weight nice and evenly across your body. Carry handles at the top and side are a nice addition also. Moving to the front is the detachable daypack and compression straps. The main pack is front opening which gives you total access to the whole of the inside. No more blindly fumbling around the bottom of the pack for a runaway battery. On the inside of the flap are several large mesh pockets which will stop small items getting loose and the floor of the bag has three internal compression straps.

Overall I’m impressed with the quality of the bag so far and the little thoughtful additions such as the headphone hole on the daysack and being able to tuck away all the straps make it even better. There are a couple of questionable design choices included such as the clip whistles and being able to wear the daypack on the front which I see little use for, but it’s nice to have them anyway. So far it looks up to the job and all that remains is to take it out and see how it performs.