I love Osprey rucksacks. I have five of them, all different sizes, ranging from the big Aether 70, through an old rugged Ceres 50, a Talon 44 and down to a lightweight Venom 13.
But the one that I use the most, my favourite and constant mountain companion, is a four year old orange Talon 33. It has been with me everywhere. Mountain marathons. Days out training with DofE teams. Scrambling in Snowdonia. Overnight bivvies. Climbing centres. Weekend hotels. Long training runs. Running the length of Wales on the Big Wales Thing.
I reckon I have probably used it enough now to do a review of it!
Description
The Talon 33 is a single compartment mountain pack. It comes in two sizes, M/L (33 litres) and S/M (like mine) (31 litres). It has no frame, but a flexible body-hugging back and wide hipbelt hold it close without swaying when climbing or running. The Airscape back panel is designed to allow sweat to evaporate away (though I can't vouch for how well it works compared to other back panels!)The pack has a generous lid with a large top pocket and a smaller inside mesh pocket. There are stretch pockets on the sides and a very large one on the back. The hip belt has two useful zippered pockets, and the shoulder straps have small elasticated mesh pockets - perfect for a compass.
As well as the hip belt, which is easily adjusted with forward pulling straps, it has a sternum strap, with the usual Osprey whistle built into the buckle. Two more compression straps on the side and one at the top under the lid provide plenty of cope for cinching it down when it isn't full, keeping everything tight and controlled.
The bag has the usual array of odds and ends you'd expect for a mountain pack. Twin ice axe loops, hydration access, cord loops on zips for use with gloved hands, small attachment loops for odds and ends, reflective strips. The new versions have Osprey's walking pole holders, so you can keep your poles handy without having to stop.
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| Osprey's Official Portrait |
How well does it work?
As you may have guessed from the title of this blog, I'd say it works very well indeed! Here are a few of the things I like about it:- Light. It weighs 0.84 kg. I know there are lighter packs, designed for the ultra-lightweight enthusiast, but 0.84kg is still light!
- Tough. Mine has seen a lot of mountain days but is still in near perfect condition. The only casualty has been a single broken clip (more of that below...) The pack shows little sign of wear after over four years of use.
- Stretch Pockets. Osprey stretch pockets are brilliant. The large back pocket disappears when there is nothing in it, but on long trips it has carried three water bottles, maps, waterproof trousers and a jacket. On other days it has taken a climbing helmet. It just seems to swallow whatever I stuff in it. The side pockets are similar, and regularly carry a day's food (or, more often, a large pile of snack bars and chocolate!)
- Fit. As I mentioned earlier, the bag hugs your body when properly adjusted. The compression straps keep the volume low (as well as keeping things secure in the side pockets) and the wide hip belt and chest strap hold it close to reduce swaying and bouncing. I have run hundreds of miles in mine, as well as using it on trad climbs and scrambles, and it always stays firmly in place. The padded shoulder straps are comfortable and the load is well balanced between hips and shoulders.
- Belt pockets. I find these to be a perfect size for a small camera, my phone or a small pair of binoculars, or for stashing food wrappers and odds and ends when on the move.
- Size. As I said at the top I have a range of rucksacks for different challenges, but my Talon 33 is the one that gets used more than all the others. It is big enough for a summer day out as a leader, carrying my own kit plus extras safety gear and spares for trainees. It takes everything required for a winter day out. It is perfect for an overnight microadventure, with warm clothes, sleeping bag, bivvy bag, stove and food. I use it for Mountain Marathons, with lightweight overnight winter gear and a tent, and I carried similar kit in it for a two week solo trip last year through the length of Wales.
- Workmanship. Is excellent! I can't fault it.
- Support. I was prompted to write this post following an excellent experience of Osprey customer service. After four years' use I broke a buckle (on the internal compression strap). I emailed Osprey to see if I could get me a replacement. They immediately put me in touch with their UK office, who, without any fuss, put one in the post for free. This for a four year old bag that has been extensively used. I call that excellent support.
Things that some people don't like
There are a couple of minor issues that I have heard people say about the pack. Neither has caused me an concern, but I thought I'd pass them on:- Lots of straps. There are a lot of straps when compared to some stripped down climbing and running sacks. It is also true that there is a lot of spare length in some of the straps, which can lead to a fair amount left flapping. (Osprey do fit small clips to control the loose ends, but in my experience these do come unattached in the end.) This has never bothered me, but spare ends could easily be cut off and sewn up if it was a problem.
- Belt pocket zips. I did see one reviewer moan that he needed both hands to close a zip on the belt pockets. I tried it and it is true that sometimes you do. But the fact that I had never noticed before shows that this hasn't been a problem for me. Personal preferences I guess.
And one final downside that I guess has to be mentioned!
- Price. Osprey packs aren't cheap packs. The list price for a Talon 33 is £85 (although a quick online search found several retailers selling them at around the £75 mark). You pay for quality I guess. I always try to make the best use of discounts and sales!
Summary
The Talon 33 is an excellent mid sized pack.
Links
Any comments?
I'd welcome your views on the Talon 33. Feel free to comment below.
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