{"id":8794,"date":"2024-12-19T10:04:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T10:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/?p=8794"},"modified":"2024-12-19T10:05:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T10:05:05","slug":"osprey-packs-talon-33-rucsac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/?p=8794","title":{"rendered":"Osprey Packs Talon 33 rucsac review"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve had an early version of this very popular pack for well over ten years now and it’s my go to rucsac for mountain walking days in all seasons bar full winter. The thing most immediately noticeable is its light weight of just over a kilo \u2013 remarkable given the array of features it sports.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Talon 33 is a traditionally designed pack in that it top loads \u2013 most other sizes in the Talon series utilise zips for access. For me, a zip is potentially just another thing to fail \u2013 a strapped top lid is foolproof and durable. Many modern technical packs these days don’t feature traditional side pockets to keep them compact in shape and the Talon 33 reflects that but has a large stretch stash pocket on the front of the pack and smaller mesh ones on each side. The first is great for stuffing a shed clothing layer into for easy access when you cool off and I’ve used the side ones for my Kahtoola Microspikes and to keep poles in place although they will need covers on the spikes.<\/p>\n

I generally use a hydration system \u2013 choice for the last ten years has been Source’s excellent 2 litre Widepac unit although Osprey themselves offer their own brand items. Storage in the rucsac for such systems is unique in that they reside essentially outside of the main body of the pack and access to clean and fill is easier than any other rucsac I’ve ever used.<\/p>\n

\"\"The harness is micro adustable for every back size although you do need to initially pick from either a Small\/Medium or Large\/Extra Large. Fine tuning after that is achieved with a very clever floating shoulder system which velcros into the position of your choice and then stays silent and immovable. There’s just one compartment in the main body of the pack \u2013 I use an Exped pack liner to guarantee that my contents are kept waterproof. However, on the lid, there are two zipped pockets \u2013 one on top and one hidden underneath. These are superb for essentials such as snack bars, a head torch, midge repellent, first aid kit, hat and gloves etc \u2013 ie, the things you might need to get at quickly. Once again, I use a smaller Exped liner to protect the the top lid pocket. You can buy ‘waterproof’ rucsac covers but I’m not a huge fan as rain can still find its way in around the area next to your back and they can flap badly in the wind.<\/p>\n

The pack now comes with a clever walking pole carrying system to allow you to deploy them without stopping to remove the pack \u2013 my version is older so came without this. Even so, carrying poles conventionally and an ice axe if required is catered for with twin loops at the bottom of the pack and shockcord securing devices at the top. In reality, I use the side compression straps and one of the stretch side pockets to secure a pair of poles \u2013 cover the sharp tips of the poles with a small sleeve of inner tube rubber and that’s a great carrying system.<\/p>\n

The comfort level of the pack is very high with anatomically excellent shoulder straps and hip belt \u2013 weight is distributed well between them. However, being so lightweight and devoid of a frame it’s very dependent on you packing well as any lumps in contact with your back will be felt \u2013 particularly if you don’t have the buffer of a hydration pack. When sized properly and packed sensibly, I can honestly say that I’ve never had a more comfortable pack and have carried it for long distances with fairly heavy loads on occasion. Perspiration where contact is made with the back of the pack is handled decently by a breathable foam without the need for an air gap type frame.<\/p>\n

The trade off for the pack’s light weight is that the outer material isn’t quite as durable as those rucsacs of twenty to thirty years ago that some folk will still be using. If you treat your pack super hard then a heavier, more basic model might suit you better. But I’ve walked, run and climbed with mine and despite looking a bit scruffy now, it’s coped very well.<\/p>\n

There are many other clever features to the pack \u2013 I’ve included a link to Osprey’s website so you can check them out in more detail. The capacity works well for long days on the mountain when extra safety kit and clothing might be carried \u2013 I often pack a 30 metre thin rope and 2 man survival shelter for more technical terrain and the pack swallows them with ease along with the usual mix of hiking kit. Some might think the price is high for a day pack \u2013 I personally think that for the technicality and function offered it’s very reasonable and treated fairly should last many years.
\nI own a couple of other Osprey packs which are specific models for ski touring and multiday back packing. The quality is second to none and provided you can navigate the fairly complex array of different models and sizing advice on their website, you should find a fit that’s secure, comfortable and distributes load effectively.<\/p>\n

My faithful Talon 33 is looking a bit second hand these days after many years of abuse. But if I do replace it, it’s likely to be with another one \u2013 a testament to a cleverly designed and well built piece of kit…<\/p>\n

Click here for more information.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve had an early version of this very popular pack for well over ten years now and it’s my go to rucsac for mountain walking days in all seasons bar full winter. The thing most immediately noticeable is its light weight of just over a kilo \u2013 remarkable given the array of features it sports. … Continue reading “Osprey Packs Talon 33 rucsac review”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8796,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-equipment","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8794","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8794"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8794\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8798,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8794\/revisions\/8798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainfeet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}