Osprey Ariel 65 - Backpack feedback please

[Goonky]

I am a new hiker and looking to buy a new pack. I live in Maine and work right near LL Bean's. They fitted me for this pack last week in a small. They put 25 pounds of weight in it (granted it was beans, not gear) but it felt pretty good.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/45568...-ariel-65-pack

Wondering if anyone has used it and could give me some feedback on it.

Thanks for any backpack advice. I'd prefer to purchase from Beans because of their guarantee and the fact that I'm close and try it on, however there is also a Cabelas near me.

[Nutbrown]

I have the Osprey Aura 50, and love it. There are lighter packs for more money, but I think it is super comfortable. The mesh on the back that keeps the pack off your back is nice. Mine seems a bit small sometimes, so the 65 would be perfect for longer trips. I usually only go for 5 days, so the 50 works. I wish it had a bottom entry, not sure if the 65 does, but I usually use everything I pack in anyway, so all the stuff gets taken out.

[bigcranky]

My wife spent a couple of years trying on and using various packs, and ended up buying an Ariel 55. She's been using it for five years now, and every time I try to get her to try on a lighter pack, she just says no. Loves the fit and the support of the Ariel.

Any reason you want the 65 over the 55?

[Namaste]

I LOVE this pack. I've had it since 2008 and backpacked about 600 miles in it without any issues. At first I wasn't crazy about those deep water bottle pockets on the sides but got over that very quickly. I always have plenty of space inside even when winter camping and carrying more stuff. It's a great pack.

[Goonky]

My wife spent a couple of years trying on and using various packs, and ended up buying an Ariel 55. She's been using it for five years now, and every time I try to get her to try on a lighter pack, she just says no. Loves the fit and the support of the Ariel.

Any reason you want the 65 over the 55?

I was thinking a bigger pack for longer distance hikes.

[Goonky]

I've read some reviews that said the hip belts caused some discomfort. Could anyone speak to that?

This forum is so helpful, I appreciate the replies.

[Namaste]

The hip belt for me is very comfortable. My pack is a small and one of the reasons I chose this pack over some others (a Gregory, Deuter, Arcteryx (sp?)) was because of the comfort of the belt. The sales person offered to heat the belt in some device provided by Osprey but I allowed the belt to conform to my hips naturally and this was not a problem. There's plenty of cushion without adding a lot of weight.

[Goonky]

The hip belt for me is very comfortable. My pack is a small and one of the reasons I chose this pack over some others (a Gregory, Deuter, Arcteryx (sp?)) was because of the comfort of the belt. The sales person offered to heat the belt in some device provided by Osprey but I allowed the belt to conform to my hips naturally and this was not a problem. There's plenty of cushion without adding a lot of weight.

Thank you!

[sbhikes]

I have an Osprey Aura 65. I liked it a lot. It carries weight very well. Skinny girls may have trouble with the waist belt (I remember a gal on the PCT who taped pieces of her foam pad all over the straps and waist belt) but I took a look at the picture you linked to and it appears they are making the one you have selected with a more cushioned belt.

One thing I really liked was how you could get into the lid while hiking without stopping to take off the pack.

I found that for summer hiking the 65 is actually too big. The distance of a hike has little to do with the size of your pack. It matters more how much gear or water you'll be carrying. In summer I don't need as much gear as colder months, and where water is plentiful I don't have to carry much. So it turns out that I hardly ever use this pack anymore even though it's a great pack.

[ldyhyker]

I have this pack and love it. Sometimes I feel like the pack is a little short for me but this one was the closest I could find to my dimensions. (5'3" with longer torso go figure) The hip belts are comfortable, though they are almost too big for me as I have to sinch them all the way in. I love the mesh on the back. What a difference hiking with this vs my day pack that doesn't have it. After a long day of hiking it is nice to finish with a dry back. I think there is plenty of room but I have never had any issue with filling it. Perhaps I need to rethink my equipment

[4dogHiker]

I recently got the Ariel 65 and love it! Tons of room and the hip belt is very comfortable. There are a lot of places to lose some weight as far as some straps and buckles, (overwhelming at first but lots of places to buckle camp shoes, wet clothes) but I used it carrying 26 pounds of gear and then carrying 10 pounds, and the straps are worth it to make it as big or as little as you need.

[Goonky]

I ended up buying this backpack - got a great deal on it at LL Bean's. Thanks for the advice! I also bought this sleeping bag:

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/63719?feat=2-SR0

I'd love some advice on how best to pack this bag into the backpack to best distribute the weight.

[sbhikes]

Didn't it come with a little brochure? Mine did and in the brochure were tips on how to pack it. You'll probably have a compartment to put the sleeping bag in. I would put mine in there without the stuff sack. If I was worried about it getting wet, I'd stick a trash bag in the compartment and then stuff my sleeping bag in. Wasn't easy to do, though. Then my water went in the water compartment, my clothing at the bottom of the inside, my food at the top, and my odds and ends in the outer pockets. Anything I wanted easy access to while hiking went in the lid. I didn't use the waist pockets because the zippers kept getting stuck.

[carpediemkath]

One thing to note: if you're using a 65 liter pack, it's gonna weigh a lot more than 25 pounds once you fill it up. It'll be closer to 40, or more depending on your preferences. There's a big difference between 25 pounds and 40 pounds, so make sure you try the pack out with the gear you plan to use on your hike.