I have managed to narrow it down to four models :

Osprey Stratos 24
Osprey Talon 22
Osprey Manta 20
and Esacpist 20

anyone had a chance to try any of them?

I’ve got an osprey raptor 14 and its very comfy, plenty of room and robust. New models have a better layout too.

Not tried the bigger models mind – what in earth do you carry?

Well One waterproof Jacket
One fleece
Two spare tubes
On pump
One multitool
Set of tyre levers
Knee pads (shin and knee)
Usually 3L of water.
Food for the day (sandwich and some bars).
Just looking for something to replace my Salomon XA20

Don’t forget about the Evoc ones! They are awesome if you don’t mind the extra weight, and you get an in-built back protector.

Extra weight is a no no for me

I’m not surprised with all that stuff you’re carrying.

Fair enough, more bulk certainly than I take with me so I doubt you’d get it in a pack of similar size to mine.

cheers everyone, I shall add that I sweep for several Enduro races through the year, so I must be able to carry 2-3 kg worth of signs.

Had my Osprey Escapist 20 for over a year now. More than happy with it, light, doesn’t feel bulky, sits tight against back and does pack everything even for long rides (+6 hours). Used a Vaude Hyper Air 14+3 before this, liked it too but it was too small for longer rides. Had an old (2007) Camelbak HAWG before that Vaude, it was bulky and did not sit tight.

Since the Osprey Escapist 20 pack is that light, I use it for even shorter rides since it’s not too bulky:

Bloody hell, people carry some shit about with them.

well nick some of us actually venture far from the car…

@ Nick1962

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I have a Raptor 14 and I think it strikes a good balance between weight and amount of crap you can carry. The only problem I’ve had with it is that it’s not that water resistant

The other random options would be the mule nv from Camelback find mine spacious and comfy. With the exception of the fleece it seems like a reasonable amount of kit for a proper day out. I carry a lot less for my hour blast but about the same for mountain biking in the mountains.

Juan – Did you buy one?

I’m looking at the Syncro 20 or Escapist 20, and to be honest cant see the differences between them!

Also daft question, I assume they both take a 3 ltr bladder?

hey sorry Funkydunc only saw your answer right now, no I haven’t bought one yet
to be fair and tarty I was waiting to know the new colour of my frame 😉