Osprey Packs: Women's Ariel 65 Backpack

2 Reviews

Our Price: $238.95

Shipping: FREE SHIPPING is available on this item.

$7.00 Oversize/Handling Charge

Description of Osprey Packs: Women's Ariel 65 Backpack

If you're a woman looking for a versatile backpack for multi-day mountaineering, backpacking, and ski touring trips, the redesigned, lightweight Osprey Ariel 65 comes highly recommended. The 2006 Backpacker magazine Gear Guide rated the Ariel 65 a Best Buy. Surely this was an easy to arrive at conclusion as the pack features a super-comfortable AirScape suspension and customizable harness components that when working together efficiently carry loads of 40 to 50 lbs. The Osprey Ariel 65 backpack also offers a nice set of features that every backcountry traveler will actually put to use, not assorted bells and whistles that sound nice in a description but otherwise get in the way....

Read More...Multi-day alpine traverses and grand backpacking loop trips define the uses of the redesigned, lightweight Osprey Ariel 65 women's backpack. State-of-the-art durable materials, custom fit options designed for a women's specific fit, and innovative, practical features combine to create the superior fit and function of this surprisingly affordable pack. In fact, Backpacker magazine's 2006 Gear Guide edition recommends it as a Best Buy. The deep front pocket, made of tough two-way stretch woven nylon with Lycra®, is a great example of the innovative use of advanced materials found on this pack. The pocket serves as a versatile catchall for carrying anything from a climbing rope to a pair of snowshoes, or any other straggling piece of camping gear you forgot to load when breaking camp. But most importantly, the load carrying comfort of the Osprey Ariel 65 women's backpack is far superior than one would expect given the affordable price. The IsoForm hipbelt is custom moldable, using heat to warm the belt in preparation for achieving an exact fit. These hipbelts come in four women's specific sizes. Furthermore, the Isoform shoulder harness is available in four sizes, also contoured to fit women best. The pack to body surface of both the hipbelt and shoulder harness are entirely seamless, reducing the chance of pressure points developing. A fabulous harness system is useless, however, unless a quality suspension can transfer the load to these weight-bearing surfaces. Enter the AirScape suspension, a carefully assembled sandwich consisting of an internal framesheet with single aluminum stay, ventilated rubber foam backpanel, and peripheral 7075 AL rods. And like the front pocket described earlier, the Osprey Ariel 65 backpack features two dual access stretch woven side pockets, deep for cramming all sorts of necessities within easy reach, and perfect for one liter bottles. Other great features include a zippered sleeping bag compartment, option to convert the top pocket and hipbelt into a fanny pack, and an internal backpanel hydration pocket with twin tube exit ports. For a smaller, very similar version be sure to check out the Osprey Ariel 55 backpack.

Key fabrics: 210-denier double ripstop, 210-denier Oxford, 420-denier Oxford, 500-denier Kodra, 840-denier stretch power mesh
Rated a Best Buy in the 2006 Backpacker magazine Gear Guide
AirScape suspension consisting of peripheral 7075 AL rods, internal HDPE framesheet with single aluminum stay and a covering of ventilated nubbed foam and mesh grip
Women's IsoForm shoulder harness with dual density foam and Spacer Mesh surface
Women's IsoForm custom moldable hipbelt
Two-way Stretch Woven nylon with Lycra® front pocket and side pockets
Zippered sleeping bag compartment allows for access to main compartment too
Removable sleeping pad straps
Side compression straps - perfect for carrying trekking poles
Internal compression strap (red for easy visibility) to secure load
Dual ice axe loops
Detachable zippered top pocket mates with hipbelt to create a lumbar pack
Internal backpanel hydration pocket with twin exit ports
Osprey Excessory compatible
Capacity: 3,800 cu. in. (62 l) in small, 4,000 (65 l) in medium
Weight: 4 lbs. 5 oz. (1.96 kgs.) in small, 4 lbs. 8 oz. (2.04 kgs.) in medium

Customer Reviews (2)

Osprey Packs: Women's Ariel 65 Backpack - 2 Reviews

Deborah Edgerton - 2006-09-11
This pack not only fit great--it performed. Even with a bad back, this pack performed and road on my hips and back without any pain. Loved it and hope the design only improves.

Was this Osprey Packs Ariel 65 Backpack Review Helpful? - Yes - No ( 3 of 3 liked this review.)

lauren from boston - 2007-07-20
great fit, carries loads well! after 10 years with an old REI pack whose retirement time, i spent about 9 months reading reviews and trying on different packs, even hauling my personal gear around to various boston shops to be sure the pack would hold *exactly* what i wanted to carry... this pack carries a load evenly and comfortably whether you've just picked up your food drop or you're only out for a day trip -- load distribution is a huge deal for me and this pack performs well, largely helped by the compression straps when carrying smaller loads... i haven't had a chance to try it with a full winter load and skis yet, but i have high hopes it will hold up well... my only beefs are the lack of internal pocket within the 'brain' of the bag and a small zipper pocket on the waistbelt for a map would be nice as well... so would gear loops on the waist belt... you won't find one pack to do *everything* but this one comes as close as i've found.

Is this Handy? - Yes - No ( 7 of 7 found this review helpful.)