Osprey Manta AG 20 Review – Hydration Pack With Bonuses

In this Osprey Manta AG 20 Review you can read about an excellent daypack loaded with great features and two bonuses, a 2.5 liters reservoir, and a rain cover.

Discontinued!

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Key features & benefits

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Who is it for

This is a great daypack for hikers and mountaineers. It comes with some features for cyclists as well. The external reservoir sleeve can be used for a notebook if you use this pack in daily life. If you are on travel, this is a great piece as hand luggage.

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Description

The Osprey Manta AG 20 Hydration Pack is a panel-loading type, with the zipper which runs on the top and on the sides. The main compartment is simple, with one stretch mesh pocket for organization inside, it is shown below.

The rain cover is included, this is one of the bonuses with this pack shown below. It comes stored in its own pocket on the bottom. Note that this series includes packs of 36 liters, 28 liters, and 20 liters.

The included reservoir

This is one of the bonuses of this pack. So, a 2.5 liters bladder is stored in its separate external sleeve behind the harness. Removing it or putting the reservoir in is easy, there is a quick-release buckle on the top, and you remove it while the hose stays in place.

The reservoir is with a wide mouth closed by a zip-slider, easy to refill, and with a handle which helps you in the process. See it in the picture below.

The Anti-Gravity suspension

Here you have Osprey’s best, the anti-gravity (AG) body contouring system. I have been a bit critical about this system when applied to their large packs, but this system is almost perfect for such small packs. The nicely designed continuous spacer mesh which covers all the back, the hip belt, and shoulder straps, becomes tensioned when you put the backpack on your back.

I think this mesh and the tensioning that takes place after you put it on, is the best part of all the system. So it hugs the body and transfers the load on a large surface while in the same time you have a clearance between the back and the pack, for ventilation of course. There is some extra padding on the back panel behind the mesh.

This tiny pack also has a peripheral aluminum frame which helps to transfer the load to the waist zone and it gives the shape to the pack.

You have what they call ExoForm system on the shoulder harness, so it is a bit stretchy and with mesh and padding going around it to avoid hot spots and to increase comfort. The sternum strap is adjustable and it is with a magnetic buckle, so the bite valve will be kept in place. You can see it below.

There is no torso adjustment here, bear this in mind, but this is a small pack, so this may not be so critical unless you have a full load, which is up to 11 kg.

The hip belt design is the part of the tensioned mesh applied everywhere around. So it wraps comfortably around your hips and it provides an excellent ventilation.

Materials

Materials are lightweight but durable, so you have 210D High Tenacity Nylon main fabric and the bottom section, and 100D Nylon Mini Hex Diamond Ripstop in accents. The frame is lightweight aluminum peripheral wire.

Pockets 

Dual zippered pockets are on the hip belt, with the nicely designed pull loops. One zippered scratch-free pocket is on the top, for glasses and electronics.

On the front, you have a stretch mesh pocket with a buckle, a lot of stuff can be carried here, things that you need while on the go.

Dual usual stretch mesh pockets are on the side. They are with top and side access, a nice feature if you use it for a water bottle, so you can get it in and out easily while on the move. There is a strap that runs across the pocket, to secure the items or to cinch the pack.

One quite large pocket with side zippered entrance (from the left side) is on the front, so it is underneath the mentioned stretch front pocket. Inside of it, you have a key clip plus one mesh pocket for organization.

So all in all, you have no less than 8 pockets here, plus one in the main compartment, plus external bladder sleeve, plus one dedicated pocket on the bottom for the rain cover.

Cycling features

There is a blinker light attachment on the bottom section, and on the top you have a webbing loop for helmet attachment.

Compression straps and attachment points

You have two straps on each side, the upper and the lower (mentioned above). So this is normally for the pack’s compression, but you can also carry things attached here. They are always useful to have.

The cycling attachment points are already mentioned. But you also have Osprey’s famous Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachments system: a bungee loop on the left shoulder strap plus a loop on the left side of the pack, see it in the picture above.

Please see this video by Osprey, about the Manta and the corresponding Mira series (for women):

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Specifications

• Gender: men’s pack.
• Best use: day hiking & mountaineering, cycling, travel, daily use.
• Weight: 2.62 lb (1.19 kg).
• Volume: 1220 in³ (20 L).
• Dimensions (L x W x D): 22 x 13 x 13 in (55 x 30 x 33 cm).
• Weight capacity: 25 lb (11 kg).
• Torso fit: 18 – 22 in (46 – 56 cm).
• Waist fit: 25 – 50 in (63 – 127 cm).
• Materials:
  – Main: 210D High Tenacity Nylon.
  – Accent 100D Nylon Mini Hex Diamond Ripstop.
  – Bottom: 210D High Tenacity Nylon.
  – Frame: Aluminum.
• Guarantee: Osprey’s All Mighty.
• No torso size adjustment.
• External hydration compartment.
• Dual access side stretch mesh pockets.
• Dual zippered hip belt pockets.
• Large zippered front panel pocket with
  internal mesh pocket.
• Front panel stretch mesh pocket.
• Dual upper and lower compression straps.
• Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment.
• Scratch-free zippered slash pocket.
• Helmet attachment loop.
• Blinker light attachment.
• Rain cover.
• Hydraulics LT 2.5L reservoir included.
• Magnetic sternum strap bite valve attachment.
• Colors: 3.

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Summary, rating, pros & cons

The harness is not adjustable, perhaps not a big deal for such a size pack. Note that it is in the range M/L for Osprey’s scale. You have the bonus bladder, plus the rain cover. The reservoir alone is over $30 if you would order it separately. The rain cover you would pay anywhere between $15 – 25. So this brings the pack’s price to a very acceptable number that is not bad at all in view of its extraordinary design and quality.

The quality of this pack is undeniable and reviews in various sites are very positive. See how I rate it:

Thank you for reading. Please let me know if you have any question and comments. I wish you a nice day.