What works
- Outstanding hip belt transfer under 15 kg
- Custom heat-mouldable belt and harness
- Detachable lid becomes a summit-day daypack
- Osprey's lifetime repair policy is real
What does not
- 2.2 kg empty is heavy by current standards
- More organisation than most trekkers use
- Overkill if you are hiring a porter
Carry
The Aether's strength is load transfer. At 14 kilograms it moves weight onto the hips convincingly enough that shoulder fatigue never became an issue over eleven consecutive walking days.
Sizing
Sixty-five litres is more than a teahouse trek needs — there is no tent, no stove and no more than three days of food. Fifty litres is enough for most people. Buy 65 only if you also camp.
About the author
Tom Eriksen
Gear editor & photographer
Tom tests trekking equipment the only way that produces honest answers: by carrying it for weeks at a time above 4,000 metres. He shoots most of the photography on this site and writes the gear reviews, comparison tables and packing lists.
Writes about: Trekking gear · Photography · Packing and weight