Osprey Orb day pack

Review by Arnie P

The Orb day pack was provided by Osprey for the purpose of this review.

Osprey Orb

The Orb is part of a family of packs being offered by Osprey in 2010, called the 24/7 series. These packs can be used in the office and for playing after work. I will be sharing all the things I’m discovering about this attractive new pack.

This is a 12 L pack with almost all the adjustments and features you might find in a full sized backpack. The Orb features a semi rigid frame. The approximate measurements of the pack are are 12 in by 18 in. The shoulder straps are padded and have reflective material on them. These straps also have a breast strap that is adjustable horizontally as well as vertically. The waist belt is detachable and is about 3/4 inch wide.

The padding on the parts that touch my body are covered with a mesh cloth, it appears that may work well for ventilation. The pack has a double tabbed main zipper located at the top of the pack. A second single tabbed zipper opens a smaller pouch at the top of the pack. The zippers have a large loop attached to each tab making it easy to adjust the zippers while wearing gloves. This pouch contains a plastic snap hook for attaching a key ring, 2 small mesh pockets and a place to store pens or similar devices. The larger zippered area contains 2 sleeve pockets. The larger one can accommodate a 3 L Platypus hydration system with a dual port to the outside of the pack. This sleeve appears to be waterproof in case there is leakage from the bladder. This could help to keep the rest of the pack dry. I put my 13 in laptop in this sleeve when I was not carrying water there. The other sleeve is shorter and not as wide and is probably best for a pad of paper or something thin. There is a small mesh pocket at the top of the bag in which a cell phone or iPod could easily fit. There is another-zippered mesh pocket inside the main compartment. This pouch is tapered and is about 9 inches at the top and tapers down to about 5.5 inches at the bottom. The depth is about 5.5 inches. For a small bag it has ample compartments for good organization

Loops

Near the bottom of the pack are two loops for attaching items. The larger loop is about 2 inches in diameter and the smaller loop is about an inch in diameter. On the shoulder straps there are 2 horizontal loops for hanging light objects. The interesting thing is that these loops have reflective bands and the reflective part on the left bands is wider than that on the right side

Hydration

Most of the time I use a bladder type hydration system. I found I could pass the tubing from my bladder through the top loop on the shoulder strap, bend the tube and run it up through the bottom loop. This keeps the mouth piece of the tube in a very convenient place for me to drink. But when it gets below 20 F, the tube on the hydration systems tend to freeze if it is not insulated. This pack has 2 outside pockets that will each accommodate a water bottle up to about 3 inches in diameter. I found that one liter bottles easily fit in the pockets. Water bottles will take the cold better than the uninsulated tubes on a bladder system.

Using the pack

My primary use for the pack will be for day hikes not requiring a lot of extra clothing. I have been carrying about 10-12 lbs for most of my day hikes and this looks like it will do nicely. I also do volunteer work in Lowell where I can use the pack to carry my 13 inch laptop and have room for 2 one liter bottles of water. There will also be space for a cell phone, camera,pens,paper and other small items. I could also use this pack for going to the gym. I will probably think of more things as I start using the Osprey Orb more often. I will be writing more about this pack in about a month

Orb back view

Orb key holder

Orb zipper loops

Orb loop at bottom of pack

Orb adjustable breast strap

Orb external padding

Osprey Orb update

4-28-2010

I have been using the Orb to carry my laptop to my tutoring class and it has been doing a great job at that. My laptop is safe and protected and it is comfortable to carry. My new laptop finally arrived and the first thing I did was to put the new laptop in the sleeve in the Orb. It did fit, but there was very little extra space. The new laptop was as comfortable to carry as the old and smaller laptop. The screen size on this laptop is 16.4 in and the the dimensions of the laptop are 15 ¼ in by 10 ¼ in. The new laptop weights about 6.9 lbs and this is almost twice the weight of old laptop. The pack does not feel very different with the new heavier laptop than it did with the lighter old laptop. I will continue using the Orb to carry my new laptop. I am pleased with various pockets that I can organize what I am carrying to class or on a hike. On a hike I use a hydration sleeve and at class I use plastic bottles. The zippers work well and are conveniently placed. The ventilation has been keeping my back drier and more comfortable.

On the trail

I have been going on weekly hikes with my wife and she has been using the Orb as I need a larger pack to train for backpacking in the near future. She finds the Orb comfortable and stable. The waist strap still allows her to carry her belt pack and the breast strap prevents the shoulder straps from slipping off her shoulders. The compartments permit easy organization of emergency gear leaving the main compartment available to stash warmer clothing when it is not required for wearing. Check back in about a month for an update on this report.

Breakheart Reservation

Horn Pond north side

Heading toward Horn Pond

Horn Pond Conservation

Osprey Orb a last look

6-10-2010



During this period,we used the Orb for a week of day hikes. in the Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire Three days prior to our arrival, the area had received 13 inches of snow which was quickly disappearing due to warmer day temperatures. There was still a few inches of snow on the trail on the first day of hiking, but with temperatures above 70 F, the snow was melting fast. If it were not for near freezing temperatures during the night, the snow would have been gone a lot quicker. The spring is the time of year before the bugs and leaves appear. Views are unobstructed, but the trail has fallen trees and branches to hinder the path. Under these often difficult maneuvers the Orb performed well, staying stable and taking the trail abuse very well.

My wife uses the pack


My wife packed a laptop and a portable DVD player into the Orb for travel. There was space for accessories, pads of paper, and a pencil case. She has also used the pack for a library trip, packed with laptop, books on CD to return, material for her book club, and her water.

Since we had had a mishap with the waist buckles on another pack, my wife has started to store each side of the waist strap along the corresponding shoulder strap and to slip the buckle through the lower loop on the shoulder strap. Because the loops are elastic, it is easy to slip the buckle under it and also to remove it. With the waist strap stored in this manner and the breast strap buckled , all buckles are safe from getting stepped on accidentally.

buckle secured to breast strap



For hikes that we do together, my wife continued to use the Orb. During this time she has hiked 4 times in the Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire, 3 times on the Horn Pond Reservation, once on the Fresh Pond reservoir, and once in the Town Forest in Wilmington.

The Orb has proven to be reliable, light weight, comfortable and well ventilated Very nice for those shorter hikes. The compartments are easy to open and close and with an ample number of compartments to be well organized. I wish to thank Osprey and 4alloutdoors.org for the opportunity to test this pack.