I went to an REI near my brother's house, and they only had the Exos 58. I asked them to get one in the store so that I could test fit it. They did with no problem. I am planning on hiking with the Exos 48. You do have to make some compromises with a light pack. They just seem less durable than a traditional backpack. Top loading vs. front loading (eliminates zippers and reduces malfunction). I want to KISS my pack (keep it simple stupid). I chose the 48 because the dimension were not that much different (mostly depth), and I wanted to re purpose for other hikes. Like Mark said, it will most likely need to be cinched to keep the load tight.
- Hip belt - The hip belt does not wrap all the way around as stated above, but it really just needs to transfer the weight to your hips. This is done primarily on the back and sides of your hips, and not in the front (waist).
- Torso length - The torso length is not adjustable. This is where having someone fit you if you do not know how is helpful. There are some youtube videos on how to fit a pack. Some of my other lightweight packs have a frame sheet etc. to adjust the torso length.
- Shoulder straps - a little space with or without weight seems ok, but not a lot. Could the shoulder straps touch your shoulders when they where cinched down?
- Sternum strap - the sternum strap should be able to be cinched down. It helps to keep the weight against your back.
It is important to be able to adjust the pack while hiking to transition the weight to different parts of your body to give other parts a rest if needed. I usually have my weight belt reasonably tight, so that it transfers most of the weight to my legs and not my back. However, sometimes you might want to give them a break and transfer the weight to your back. I will tighten the shoulder straps (usually front) to transfer the weight to my shoulders, and loosen the hip belt a bit. This back and forth can work wonders over a long day. I also use the shoulder straps (top load lifters) when I ascend or descend. I usually loosen the load lifters when I ascend, so that pack stays a little more vertical as I bend forward at the waist. I usually keep the side stabilizer straps (pack to hip belt) snug. I adjust throughout the day to reduce fatigue. It seems pretty natural after a while.
My Granite Gear Blaze AC 60 is still my favorite pack, but not for the Camino.
Thank you so much,
@linkster, I appreciate the detail, very much. I am aware of what you're talking about, and during my shopping visits, I've gotten better and better about knowing how to put the pack on and how to adjust it. I love how these backpacks allow you to adjust things like the shoulder straps. I might've discounted certain models because they didn't seem to sit on me correctly, but once I cinched the straps in place, it felt more comfortable and more natural. I like the idea of a smaller pack so that it forces me to be conservative in terms of how much gear I bring. I'm kind of a packrat, anyway, and I'm afraid I might be tempted to stuff too much into a larger pack.
Looks like you got yourself a winner with that Osprey Manta 36. That looks like a good pack and I'm sure it will serve you well. Since it fits you so well I'd go with it. The Camino is not rough on gear at all, and hardly technical. A well made pack like that will last you for years. Another good thing is that is comes with a rain cover and it looks like it would easily stow on as carry-on luggage for a flight. Something I always try to do on the way to a Camino. The way back home? Aah, not so much. Ha ha.
Thanks
@Mark Lee, at this point the Camino is the only journey I'm planning to use the backpack on, though of course I might get bitten by the Camino bug and want to do one again. I like the attached raincover, I've seen that now on several backpacks and like that a lot. I'd also prefer to have a backpack that I can carry on, so yeah, that is a priority. My only complaint about the Manta is that it's difficult to open and close the zippers on the hip pockets with the pack on, but I've seen some workarounds online. I LOVE the fact that the little "fins" on the hips hug the body, not sure why, but I do.
Hey
@StepheninDC. I'm an Osprey guy as well. The Manta AG 36 is a great pack. It's like a mini version of the larger Osprey Atmos AG 50 which I love. Super comfy & makes the weight in your pack just disappear. Good choice.
If you're still looking tho... You might want to check out these other packs by Osprey as well...
1)Talon 33...very light with an adjustable torso. Hugs your back closely.
2)Stratos 34...a panel loader with a mesh back panel that lets air flow between your pack & your back. It's heavier than the Talon but it's straps are padded and super comfy. They also make a Stratos 36 which is a top loader if you prefer that style. It also comes with a rain cover like the Manta does.
Anyway...whatever you choose....Bien Camino!
Hi,
@HikeTall, I will look for those models, as well. I have 6 months to go before my trip, so plenty of time to do comparison shopping. I think I did try on a Stratos last night, too, they're starting to run together, haha. The mesh panel is a great feature, since I'll be wearing just a thin shirt and it'll be warm and sunny (fingers crossed), I need good ventilation.
Hi StepheninDC,
Well you're doing the right thing that's for sure - try them on, try them on, try them on! The Osprey has been very popular for sure and I had one for my last camino. BUT what I found with it is that I couldn't get the straps at the tops of the shoulder to pull tightly enough so I had the slight forward lean for my trip. I gave the darned thing away as soon as I got home! I did notice that many other people had the same problem - sometimes without even noticing it. You should not have to lean forward to balance the weight.
I'm going to check out the Aarn backpack from New Zealand if I can find a local distributor (now has distributors in the US and, I think Canada). Those are the ones that carry some of the weight in front of the body. I met two people on the camino who had them and loved them, but as you said, you need to try it on for yourself. Their website is here:
http://www.aarnpacks.com/ and is definitely worth checking out.
And I'd like to add my support to what others have said - get a professional to show you exactly how they should fit (even if it's a video). It makes a HUGE difference if your backpack fits right. My first one was perfect and my back was actually more comfortable with it on than off. But the airline wrecked it, unfortunately.
Hi,
@cecelia. According to their site, Aarn packs are only sold outside the US, although they say they can ship from NZ, but I really need to try one on. For now, I only see them on a well-known auction site.
I know what you're saying about the straps on the top of the shoulders, I think they're called load straps or something. I didn't have an issue with that on the Manta 36, but it was an issue for other packs (couldn't pull them up enough). I have done some reading on here and elsewhere, and it's pretty common, from what I can tell, to adjust the weight on the back depending on whether one is ascending or descending. Maybe I'm just falling for the marketing gimmicks, but I definitely felt very comfortable and very light with the Osprey Manta 36 on me. I wonder just slightly whether it's different having one sack of rice weighing 10# on your back vs a lot of gear of various kinds that has a sum total of 10#. Perhaps not, it may all sink to the bottom and feel the same. But I guess what I'm saying is that if I pack things correctly (bulky things at bottom, heavier in the middle, smaller stuff like a rain jacket on top) it will help distribute the load better. And you are so right about having a professional! I've been to 3 local REI stores and they've all been very patient with me and helped me customize the fit, if you will, by making sure things are symmetrical and tightened up just right.
From what I can glean, I'm going to feel some weight on my back no matter what. I've gotten semi-conflicting advice on the shoulder straps. One salesperson said there should be a small gap between my shoulder and the shoulder strap so it doesn't rub too much. Another said a gap means the pack is pulling away and will cause me to tip backwards. Maybe there's a happy medium in there somewhere. Also, I really like the idea of having zippered pockets in the hip belt, but it seems hard to open/close the zipper when the pack is on and I'm strapped in.
I'm really trying to keep it below 14 lbs max.
