This is a cool post. All that being said, with a few adjustments to the hip belt, shoulder straps, and most importantly, the straps which attach the top of the pack to the shoulder straps, we were able to redistribute the weight in a way that felt more comfortable. Editors note: the latest version of the Farpoint offers two new colors- Jasper Red and Volcanic Grey. The fact that the daypack zips on and off is a godsend. They also calculate out to 40 litres, exactly. It comes in two sizes: S/M (60H X 33W X 30D) and M/L (63H X 33W X 30D). Our testers with longer torsos found the Fairview to sit a little too high on their hips. I love how the Farpoint 55 distributes the packing weight along your back. I recommend buying directly from the manufacturer so you can view all the options/colors and learn about Ospreys All Mighty Guarantee. It is unfortunately too large to use as a carry-on, but if you are allowed a carry-on and a personal item you may be able to get away with using the day pack as your personal item and stowing away the main pack in the overhead bin although this tactic is far from foolproof. Viator Enhance your trip experience by booking from thousands of tours across the globe. After trying out a few, I decided upon the Farpoint 55; its nice to know that youre so happy with it! I am 57 and have a pretty normal size torso, REI said I was 16, so I didnt expect it to fit the way it does. You help support OutdoorGearLab's product testing and reviews by purchasing from our retail partners. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. You dont see too many people coming back and updating as they go. We did notice beads of water rolling off the pack, but it wasn't long until small puddles began to penetrate it, so we highly recommend a rainfly if you are planning to travel anywhere that is particularly wet. 2. This doesnt have to be a dealbreaker of course, but expect that the daypack is mostly for carrying smaller travel items, a water bottle, etc. Ill guess youll be fine with the 55. Zipper pulls on the main compartment are lockable to secure your gear. The excellent suspension system is what makes Osprey Farpoint 55 a convenient backpack to wear. (Also included as a bonus to Handbag Packing Masterclass.). The daypack part has two mesh pockets on the outside where you can keep a small water bottle. The compression straps on the outside of the bag helps us cinch everything down but they don't tuck away neatly. This pack easily zips on and off of the main body and allows the user to venture out of their home away from home, without having to empty out their belongings and then carry an overly large bag with them just to bring some snacks and a towel to the beach. Hey Marek, would you recommend this bag for central-south america? If you anticipate any heavy rain, consider packing the Osprey Ultralight Raincover. In all the other trips Id taken before South America, Id travelled with a top loading pack. The space in the main compartment is not huge, but its big! They are lightweight, durable, and pleasant with a simple design! For the last 20 years, they gained popularity all over the world due to their reasonable tariffs and high punctuality in flight execution. I should say that Ive been using this differently in practice from how I initially imagined. Moreover, they are easily adjustable to your taste. If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The main bag has a mesh compartment for storing loose items, and internal compression straps let you bunch up and tighten anything inside. Its HUGE. This comes so handy! With its removable daypack, the Fairview is a great travel backpack for the adventure seeker! The daypack acts as the laptop sleeve and small trinket organizer, while the main compartment is more of a bucket-style catch-all compartment for your clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc. And I decided to give it a go. We aren't a huge fan of the way the bag naturally distributes weight, but again, after adjusting and readjusting, we were able to find the sweet spot. I recommend getting some packing cubes (like these ones from Osprey) or a travel organiser tomake the main backpack a bit more versatile and tidy. Many reviewers wrongly claim that it is, which kind of reduces my confidence in anything else they say. A minor but useful feature: you can lock both zips with a single padlock. Ive used daypacks before that look so over the top and this one is a great change. Looking for essential travel items that also double as a carry-on? Moreover, I realized that the top-opening backpack is so annoying on such trips as I had to unpack and repack every time I wanted to find something. The color and style of the pack itself is really unobtrusive, which I really value. Lets face it who needs travel agents and agencies when you can do all of this on your own and even save up some money. Read More How Budget Airlines WorkContinue, Looking for handy travel accessories for men? GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Yes you can! No ads. I do miss the front loading systems of my previous packs but I had zip fail on me with a front loader, been top-load draw string ever since. Ive done it a bunch of times now and it was fine, though Ive also heard that ultra-budget airlines like RyanAir do make a problem of this. The daypack itself features two mesh water bottle pockets and an easy access zipper pocket on the outside. Thanks, Ive been looking for something good for weekend trips. The Farpoint line has long been one of the most popular backpacks around. Having used top-loading backpacks before, this is truly a revelation. Here I aim to inspire others to travel more by sharing honest travel guides from around the world. Overall, the front-loading Fairview 55 does a good job of creating separate spaces for belongings, but it could use another small pocket or two. The daypack has a padded laptop compartment which I use to store my 13.3 Macbook Air. However, if you are still not comfortable walking around like this, you can detach the daypack and attach it to the front, so your valuables are in the vicinity, and no one can grab it suddenly. We used this area for undergarments, swimwear, and socks. The main 40L backpack slightly exceeds the common airline carry-on size limits. With the chest and waist straps properly closed, I often hardly notice its there. GearLab is reader-supported. Two times I had to pay the check-in fee with Easyjet when they noticed the 40L part is bigger than the allowed max dimensions. The Farpoint 55 is actually a 15L daypack and a 40L main backpack combined, which you can zip together or use separately. I am Baia, a girl with a red fedora blogging all things travel. Cheers dude. There are not many downsides; the only one I could think of is the inside space of the main backpack. The main large zippered compartment of the daypack features a padded laptop sleeve and a smaller zipper pocket for additional organization. I dont have to take another purse and a camera bag with me when I wander the streets of the city I am exploring. Thanks and have a nice evening , Hey Stefano! This means no awkward digging around for stuff at the bottom! There are many compression straps scattered around the outside of the bag, which do a wonderful job of minimizing the overall volume; however, this pack pushed the limits as far as a carry-on goes. I know that would not be using it quite as intended, but it would have been nice to have. But six months in Asia, moving accommodations every few days, I began to loathe being forced to unpack and repack my entire bag every time I wanted to get at something towards the bottom. Its noticeable how much I enjoyed my Osprey Farpoint 55 on my recent trip to Croatia. There are also small gear loops scattered around the exterior of the bag, but considering how dangly it is already, we didn't feel like we wanted to add to that, so they went unused. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. Osprey backpacks come in different sizes, shapes, and colors to satisfy almost every kind of traveler. The easy access pocket, which sits on the face of the small pack furthest from your body, is great for things you'll need on the go like a wallet, but only if you are in a place which you feel secure, as the pocket is an easy spot for thieves to get into without you noticing. Ok, lets dive into a more detailed review of why I fell in love with this backpack. Im heading to Cuba in January for a few weeks and wanted to get a new travel backpack. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. The fact that you can separate the overall bag into two bags gives you tons of versatility in regards to what you can carry and how you can manage your gear once you arrive at your final destination. Some links may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn commission from products or services I recommend. As far as organization goes, we could have used a few more small pockets for travel knick-knacks. When Im carrying both of them around and need to have both hands available, it takes just a few seconds to clip the daypack to the main backpacks shoulder straps, so this is generally my preferred way of using the system. The bag itself weighs about a kilo when empty, which is really good if I want to use the main pack for a weekend away, too. I have waist and back problems, so one of the most important aspects of choosing a bag is its suspension system. Good luck on your year-long trip! About the Author: Follow along with Floras adventures on Facebook, Twitter, and Flora the Explorer. So instead, me and other travel blogger compiled a list of best travel books to spark your love for travel or, Read More 14 Awesome Travel Books to Trigger Your WanderlustContinue, Your email address will not be published. Help! Even my husband, Oto, who was skeptical about me getting this backpack, said that he would put his packing cubes of the essentials in my backpack next time we travel together. fairview osprey There is no secure place for on-the-go items like passports or wallets. It helps to keep this site running thank you! While the Osprey Fairview 55 definitely has room for improvement in its weight distribution, properly functioning features, and organization, we are still very pleased with the pack as a whole. When I was traveling to South East Asia, I had a hiking backpack with me. One more thing does those backpacks have side pockets for water bottles to take on hikes. The water bottle pockets are a little shallow which caused our 40oz bottle to sag a bit and eventually fall out when the pack was not sitting upright. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hoi Niels. The dual function of the Fairview makes it a very intriguing one, as you are essentially getting a day pack and a travel pack for the price of one. Besides, you can carry them as it is without putting it on your shoulders. This puts multiple zippers between a pickpocket and your goods, which helps offer a little more security. The side pockets have very little give, meaning that anything more than a small water bottle wont really fit. Technically speaking, this bag is a bit too big to be considered as the best carry on backpack due to the size guide of many low budget airlines, but I had no problem taking it on board of Pegasus Airlines, Vueling, or Wizz Air. If youve been on the hunt for a versatile, mid-size, front-loading pack, look no further. I would absolutely recommend the Osprey Farpoint 55 backpack. However, if you dont care about the day pack, you can save some money by getting Osprey Farpoint 40. BUT, the daypack has one inside pocket on a zipper, plus the straps that secure the daypack to the main backpack prevents thieves from opening it up quickly. Overall the comfort of this bag highly depends on how willing the user is to commit to trial and error. Zipping the two together takes more time and so Ive done it only occasionally. Sleeping Pad Straps- Removable sleeping pad straps provide secure extra carry, Large panel zip access to main compartment, Lockable sliders on main compartment zipper, Heat-embossed scratch-free zippered slash pocket, Stowaway backpanel, harness and zipbelt with zippered rear flap for protection, Two internal compression straps hold contents securely. Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. I have an ongoing mental battle with backpacks in general. I keep them together, however, and have another small backpack for my carry-on that holds my electronics and various stuff I want on the plane. Budget airlines, a low cost and discount air carriers, are transport operators aimed at minimum service delivery with flight ticket at a low price. If you are hoping to hop on a plane with no grief from TSA agents, this might not be the pack for you. The back panel is very flat so that it can be easily attached to the main pack, for instance there are definitely dedicated daypacks available with a lot more back padding. The bag sits high on the hips, and small details like putting the laptop sleeve in the removable pack force heavier items to sit further away from the body, making the pack feel a little heavier than it should. It can be a bit annoying. Only used twice so far, 2 weeks in Morocco and 3 in Scotland, but this is going to be the bag I take on my year long adventure next year. Some great points Edward. considering you do not use all the space. The side handle then makes the pack easy to carry, even when the straps are zipped away! Once we became more familiar with this travel pack and its nuances, we found ourselves enjoying it and can see the backpacking enthusiast or minimalistic adventure traveler really falling in love with it too. I too, fell in love with all the great features of this backpack, so decided it was the one for me! M/L 25 x 13 x 12 inches / 64 x 34 x 30 cm, S/M 24 x 13 x 12 inches / 60 x 34 x 30 cm. For my trip to Croatia, I decided to buy the one that would be durable, comfortable, and with a suitcase opening. backcountry osprey fairview Check out this list of some of the best travel accessories to own, Read More 11 Essential Travel Items You Need to OwnContinue. The Farpoint 55L features as listed on the Osprey site: The pack fits really well, with an adjustable padded hip belt and a good frame. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. After fiddling with all the straps we found the pack to be quite comfortable. The Farpoint 40 has a laptop sleeve and many differentpockets. To find out if this might also bethe right backpack for you, check out the pros and cons in this review or view my video review further below. The main compartment is quite large, so we were able to pack a significant amount of stuff in there, and it comes complete with compression straps to ensure everything is kept in place. The bag weighs just over 3.1 pounds, which isn't the lightest in our test suite, but it holds 55 liters! Its a well designed, sturdy pack with a lot of great features for a range of different trips, and has been a really great choice for me. We love the idea of the detachable daypack for long road or backpacking trips, and once we adjusted the straps properly, we found it to be quite comfortable. You are right that the 40 takes all the good points of the 55 main pack + the 55 day pack. Fortunately, most airlines care more about weight than size. Im 1.94m / 64 and so I got the M/L version of the Farpoint 55, but there is also a S/M one. Although its not necessarily designed to be a trekking backpack, I used the Farpoint 55 to hike to Annapurna Basecamp in Nepal, a 7-day trek that involved carrying the bag for hours on end each day. There are straps for a mator sleeping bag; great for festivals or hikes. Check out the Osprey Farpoint 40, which comes without detachable daypack. Womens Backpacks: How are they different? Shoulder straps are soft and well padded, so it barely hurts after a long walk with a full backpack. Even though its a great backpack overall, it does have some specific strengths and weaknesses.