Osprey Exos 38 Litre Rucksack

Osprey's Exos packs are designed to be lightweight backpacking rucksacks. This modern classic has recently had a revamp but still offers a huge feature-set with a moderate weight profile. The Exos packs have a highly effective venting back system and are extremely comfortable.

Osprey says:

Exos 38 represent the latest in a significant heritage of ventilated and lightweight backpacking packs. Combining optimum comfort and stability with durable, superlight materials, Exos 38 is the ideal pack for moving fast on multi-day adventures.

The Exos 38 offers all the benefits of a lightweight pack but without the normal compromises, helping you to move fast and light. Our revolutionary ExoForm™ harness and hipbelt uses a dual mesh construction to deliver a comfortable and stable fit that puts a traditional harness design to shame. The ventilated AirSpeed™ backpanel will keep you cool when the weather turns hot, but still delivers a stable load-carrying platform.

If you want to really hit minimal weight, remove the lid to expose the integrated FlapJacket™, which provides additional protection to the top of the pack. Keeping your contents tight and under control is even easier with the adjustable multi-point compression system on each pack sides.

Every element of the Exos 38 has been laboured over to keep weight low, yet retain the best performance possible. All these features and benefits at only a shade over 1 kg… We should be accused of witchcraft.

Osprey's 2018 Exos 38 retains many of the features that made it such a great pack in the first place. It still offers a fully ventilated back panel, the type where the pack sits off the back allowing air to circulate thus reducing sweat build up with an improved mesh that is more open and provides more spring for comfort. The frame itself is much thinner but as yet has not proved to be any less durable or strong.

The hipbelt has been improved to give a more encompassing fit and hug your hips to create a closer fit. It is padded but not overly so however, this version sees the zipped pockets on each side of the hipbelt and two further tiny pockets on the shoulder straps removed which is a shame as they were handy features.

The top loader straps work effectively as they pull directly on the frame. On the outside of the pack there are three large mesh pockets which have been updated with material that should prove to be much more durable and these are pretty essential on a backpacking rucksack. The side pockets have dual access which limits their usefulness but makes them easy to access whilst on the move.

The removable lid, which gives you the option of a lighter pack or a couple of extra organiser pockets, has been improved as there are not solid and effective clips keeping it in place instead of the fiddly attachment system of the previous model. If you do decide to leave the lid at home there's a secondary flap that comes into use to protect the contents from rain.

Overall, the new and improved Exos is still a winner.

- Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

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• Maximum Dimensions (cm): 79 (l) x 40 (w) x 30 (d)
• Main Fabric: 100D High Tenacity Nylon

Small

• Weight: 1096 (without lid), 978g (with the lid)
• Torso length: 40-48cm
• Volume: 35L

Medium

• Weight: 1136g (without lid), 1014g (with the lid)
• Torso length: 46-54cm
• Volume: 38L

Large

• Weight: g (without lid), g (with the lid)
• Torso length: 54-80cm
• Volume: 41L