Osprey EXOS 58??

Try before you buy. Pretty amazing pack, but it didn't fit me at all. My skinny buddy loves it.

I had the 46- basically same pack (smaller obviously :)) and used it pretty hard for two years, it had some very (very) minor wear on the back panel-nothing that effected performance

it is a very feature rich pack, I really like the stow & go setup fro your trekking poles

I had no complaints about mine at all, but decided to shave a little weight and went w/ a ULA Ohm

First off I'm 5' 9" tall and weigh 158 lbs with a small 30" waist. I hear this pack fits thin people better, which I am. I used my EXOS 58 for 924 miles this summer along the PCT…for 35 straight days. I have to say it still looks great. I had a mouse chew thru my belt pouch to get at a candy bar, but other than that it's in great shape. In southern Oregon I ran into a thru-hiker named Sparrow wearing a large pirate hat. He'd been wearing his EXOS pack since Mexico, so lets say he had 3 months and 1,750 miles on his pack. He told me he has having some misc. issues, but they were not bad.

My buddy went through two of these packs thru hiking the AT this year. If the trail would have been any longer he would have been into his third exos.

I have all three models with the 46 getting the most use, well over your 20 days asked for. I have seen no undue wear on the bottoms and don't really understand why it should as I don't scoot down the trail. ;-)

I did get a hole in one of the side pockets, that is it so far.

I think they are excellent packs but they do need to fit you right as there is no torso adjustment.

I have used the exos 46 for a while now and it is my favorite pack because of all the features and suspension system it offers at such a low weight. I also doubted the durability at first but it has held up great so far. The one thing I would reccomend would be to keep a spare buckle in your repair kit because the hipbelt buckle is a bit flimsy.

I am 6'1", 195 lbs, not skinny, and I really like the fit of the Exos 58; I've had it almost a year and used it >20 days without any visible wear. Highly recommend it.

I have the exos 46 and I absolutely love it. Its seen about 20 days of use and no sign of damage. I was a little skeptical of durability due to the lightweight material but after spending a day climbing through buck brush taller than myself I was amazed this pack wasn't torn to shreds. My only complaint is the hipbelt. I'm 6 ft 180 lbs and have a size large. The hipbelt is adjusted as small as it will go so after a few days on the trail it doesn't seem to fit as well as the first day. In contrast the belt is nearly large enough to wrap around my refrigerator. This pack can be a little noisy but doesn't bother me as much as other reviewers. I highly recommend this pack assuming a proper fit.

I have an Exos 58 large and it has about 40 days, all in the Sierras. I am six feet, 180 pounds; pack carries well, as well as my Mariposa Plus. No abnormal wear signs so far. I purchased an Exos 58 because internal frame packs seem to work better for me. In addition, I wanted space for a bear canister from time to time; however, with a Wild Ideas Weekender bear canister, there is excess space. I “trimmed” the pack and removed the lid; weight is now close to three pounds. In hindsight, I should have purchased and “trimmed” an Exos 46.

CORRECTION: My trimmed Exos 58 large without lid is 35 oz. (two pounds three ounces), not "close to three pounds." Not the lightest pack; but, in my opinion, a reasonable weight for a frame pack with ventilation.

I've also had the 46 for a while. I love it. But I did have issues with some of the small plastic buckles, and the hip-belt buckle. They cracked easily. I simply removed them and tie quick-release knots instead.

The only other thing I wish was different is the size of the hydration tube hole. It's too small to fit a Frontier Pro through, and, I suspect, any kind of regular bite-valve.

Other than these minor flaws, which aren't really all that inconvenient, this pack is amazingly versatile and I will continue to use it.

Tim.

If you break the waist buckle on an Exos, it can be replaced without sewing; it doesn't look like it at first glance, but it will unthread. A small carabiner makes for a good field replacement waist buckle on any pack that has a vee style strap– I like the look :)

If the bottom corners freak you out, you could add some split vinyl tubing to act as bumpers, or coat them with silicone or Shoo Goo or the like.

FYI, Osprey has the best customer service I have seen– smart, fast and friendly.

A buddy of mine has had one for two years and used it for summer trips only. Maybe a total of 30 days in the backcountry and it is showing a lot of wear, especially around where the frame attaches to the main body. YMMV.

Thanks guys, for the input.

It looks like the EXOS needs to be treated somewhat gently and Dale's suggestion of some Shoo Goo at wear points like the bottom frame corners is a good idea. I did that on my Dana Terraplane. I treat my gear well so there shouldn't be a problem unless some ham-handed airline cargo handler bends the frame.

I was fitted at REI for Osprey backpacks. I told the fitter I would likely take a Large but he thought a Medium until he measured me and found that I do take an Osprey pack in a size Large.

Still thinking it over. Waiting for that Unobtainium frame. :o)