The Osprey Sportlite 25 Pack is a unisex and functional frameless and very light day pack built from a strong but thin fabric, suitable for hiking and travel.
Key features & benefits
- Unisex day pack.
- Two sizes.
- Frameless.
- Strong high tenacity nylon fabric.
- Two compartments.
- Separate hydration compartment.
What is in the name
This Osprey Sportlite 25 Pack is from their series of four minimalist day packs. This is a unisex and frameless pack in the class of their much more famous Daylite packs.
The two largest packs in this series are built in two sub-sizes, S/M and M/L, you will see the numbers in the specifications below. This only means the two torso ranges, the volume is the same.
As you realize from the pictures, this is a panel-loading type pack with a zippered access on the top. The design includes two separate compartments plus an external hydration compartment behind the back panel.
The suspension
As mentioned, there is no frame here, you have a flexible back panel and their usual Airscape design. This includes a ridged foam framesheat covered with a breathable mesh. The picture below shows how this looks.
In the video below you will hear them speaking about ‘maximum ventilation’, but he reality is that this is a design with the pack close to the body so you should not expect much ventilation.
The shoulder straps are with a vented EVA foam padding and a smooth spacer mesh contact surface. It includes an adjustable sternum strap with safety whistle. There is a couple of load lifter straps as well, see the picture below.
The hip belt is wide and with a bit of padding, definitely more than enough for the pack of this size. See below how it looks:
Pockets
- You have two stretch side water bottle pockets.
- One front top zippered pocket with a key clip inside.
- The mentioned zippered middle compartment has several organizer pockets inside.
- On the hip belt you have one zippered pocket and one stretch mesh pocket.
- One large front stretch pocket is also available.
Straps & attachment elements
- You have trekking pole loops on the bottom that can be combined with the upper compression straps.
- On the front there is a light attachment loop.
- On the sides you have lover V-shaped compression straps, plus upper compressions straps.
Materials
I already mentioned a bit about the EVA foam padding. But the best part is the fabric which is a high tenacity 100D nylon. So this is a very thin and very strong material. It contains materials that meet the bluesign criteria.
Please see more in this short video:
Who is it for
Regarding the best use in view of its 25 liters volume and a few attachment options, plus its padded hip belt, this is a perfect size for a day hiking tour without too much equipment.
But you can use this pack also for commuting and for travel.
Regarding the weight, the pack is very light (see the numbers below) but I would not describe it as ultralight. The volume to weight ratio is 33 liters per kilogram.
You can compare it with the REI Co-op Flash 22 Pack which is much lighter and its volume to weight ratio is 55 l/kg. But see also Mystery Ranch Coulee 25 Pack with its 19 l/kg, or the Deuter AC Lite 22 SL Pack with 16 l/kg but this pack has a great frame.
Regarding the price, it is a bit high, but you have a top brand here and the pack comes with their lifetime warranty.
Specifications
- Type: unisex.
- Volume: 1526 in³ (25 l).
- Weight:
– S/M: 1 lb 10.5 oz (751 g).
– M/L: 1 lb 11.9 oz (791 g). - Dimensions:
– S/M: 19.29 x 11.81 x 9.45 in (49 x 30 x 24 cm).
– M/L: 20.87 x 11.81 x 9.45 in (53 x 30 x 24 cm). - Torso fit:
– S/M: 14-18 in (36-46 cm).
– M/L: 18-22 in (46-56 cm). - Warranty: Osprey’s All Mighty:
Final thoughts & rating
In summary, this Osprey Sportlite 25 Pack is simple by the design but it still has quite a number of useful details. Several separate compartments and a number of pockets makes it easy to stay organized.
The hydration bladder compartment is separate and this may be useful, but when the bladder is full you may feel it behind the back panel. I have seen somebody complaining about this.
Below you can see how I rate it against my usual rating criteria so that you can easily compare it with other items of this type:
Osprey Sportlite 25 Hiking Backpack
Pros
- Great fabric.
- Great warranty.
- Useful pockets.
- Separate compartments.
Cons
- No rain cover.
- Expensive.
- No torso adjustment.
BEST PLACEs TO BUY
Obviously, this is a product of Osprey so there are many sellers willing to offer this pack, some are listed below:
For more options, please check under the category Day Packs, you will see the packs mentioned above and many more. Check in particular this Arc’teryx Aerios 30 Pack for Men and Women with its unique features.
Bookmark this site and come again, this will keep you informed because I add texts here regularly. Let me know if you have questions or comments, there is a comment box below. Have a nice day.
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