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Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack
The Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is one of the most popular travel bags available. It is durable, functional, opens into a spacious clamshell compartment, and converts to a comfortable backpack. The bag will easily hold enough gear for one bag travel, and the durability of the materials and craftsmanship ensures this bag will last. So after 2 years of ownership, and many miles traveled, we look at the good and the bad the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack.
Looking for similar one bags? Check out our massive comparison post of all the Maximum Size Carryon Bags.
Product Specs
Cost: $160
Capacity: 40 Liters (2441 cu. in.)
Dimensions: 21″ x 14″ x 9″ (M/L)
Style: Top loading clamshell
Weight: 3.17 lbs.
Laptop: 15.4″
Overview of the Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack
Anybody who has done research on one-bag style luggage, has probably come across the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack. It is one of the most popular travel backpacks on the market. There are dozens of video reviews and blogs attesting to this bags marvels. The bag is also widely available to try on at such stores as REI. So it is no wonder it is so well known and popular. I was also enticed by the wiles of this bag. After 2 years of ownership I decided to throw my hat in the ring with an Osprey Farpoint 40 Review. While this is a popular travel bag with some great features, there are many reasons why it might not be the best bag for everyone.
Osprey is a long-standing company with a large line of travel bags. Started in California in 1974, Osprey has built its reputation through relationships with its customers. Anyone who has ever owned an Osprey back has either come away happy, or gotten a full refund with their famous “All mighty Guarantee.” They offer to repair or replace any product, from any era, for free, forever. With such an outstanding company and such a great guarantee, it is no wonder bags such as the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack have become so popular in travel circles.
Materials, colors, and sizes
The Osprey Farpoint comes in several colors and sizes. Available in a 40, 55, 70 and 80 liter versions. For the purposes of this Osprey Farpoint 40 Review, we are going to be looking at the 40 liter pack.
While marketed as a “unisex” pack, Osprey also offers a second version of this bag marketed towards Women. The exact difference between “unisex” and “womens” packs has more to do with the fit of the individual, rather than any real or perceived gender differences. This review will apply to both styles, as the fit might vary, but the features are identical. However, when purchasing, women might want to have a look at the Osprey Fairview 40.
The main material of the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is a 210 Denier (wtf is a denier?) ripstop nylon, with the bottom being a heavier 600 Denier packcloth fabric. While not the thickest fabric on the market, ripstop nylon offers a good tradeoff between strength, and weight.
This bag is offered in 2 colors on the Osprey website (or 4 if you are counting the Fairview series). In a bit of marketing lingo, the darker Farpoint is called “Volcanic Grey”, while the Fairview is labeled as “Misty Grey.” If you head over to Amazon, you can still pick up the Caribbean Blue. However, if you want the blue color, you might want to hurry, I suspect this is a discontinued color that they are selling the backstock on Amazon.
Exterior components of the Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack
While I don’t think they have perfected the packing system of the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backack. However, the zippers, buckles, and backpack straps on this bag are exceptionally high quality.
The zippers on this bag are fantastic. They use large nylon coil style zippers, which are easy to slide, and come with a large easy-grip zipper pull. The main clamshell and laptop compartment also both come with locking zippers. For better or worse, the main compartment has a protective flap running the entire length of the bag. This feature offers some benefits, but has some serious problems. When packed, the flap makes the bag look great, and protects your zippers from unwanted opening. However, when you are opening the bag, the flap often gets in the way of the zippers, and must be folded down to allow easy access.
The conundrum of the water bottle pockets
Can anybody explain to me the purpose of these exterior mesh pockets on the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack? They don’t do a good job keeping a water bottle in place, so maybe you are better off putting something else in there, sandals? In all seriousness, these mesh pockets are a little short to do much good at holding a water bottle. Every time I put one in, it inevitably falls out. Perhaps if they were taller, or offered a bungee or drawstring on the top they would work better.
The fantastic backpack straps
I’ve always thought of Osprey as a backpacking company first, travel company second. Maybe because of their affinity towards forested pursuits, they pay special attention to the backpack strap system of the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack.
Nestled in a cozy flap on the back of the pack, the backpack strap system is one of the most comfortable and useful I’ve ever seen in a travel backpack. The shoulder straps have ample padding for the size of the pack, an adjustable sternum strap, and a whistle! The hip straps are just as comfortable as the shoulder straps, and just as adjustable. Because of the “hiking backpack” style of this bag, the straps do tend to make you look like you are going for a long wilderness hike through the airport.
Interior components and design
The interior of any bag is where the rubber meets the road. Looks and fancy straps aside, the pack needs to work for you. This aspect of the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is where they could make a few design improvements. Particularly the external organizational pocket, and the clam-shell that doesn’t zip completely open.
Not to beat a dead horse (or a dead Osprey), but this bag feels like a hiking backpack, which has been modified for travel. If you position the bag upright, everything works. However when you lie the bag down, the organizational deficits of this bag become more apparent.
The organizational laptop pocket has one main pouch, with 2 zipper compartments. It works great for holding a laptop (or even 2 if you want to get crazy). However there is a definite lack of smaller pockets or increased organization. Most people carry a fair number of smaller items, chargers, cords, headphones, notebooks etc. It’s nice to have a place to put all these things, and get to them easily. The Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack only has these 2 large pouches. I tend to find that my items either get lost in the void, or fall out when I lay the pack down sideways.
Main compartment
The main storage of the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is a large clam-shell style compartment. There is one small qualm I have with the interior clamshell pocket that keeps me from raving about it. It doesn’t zip all the way down. The zipper only goes about 80% the length of the bag, leaving you with an odd area on the bottom that is hard to access.
Other than that, the interior compartment is fairly straightforward and easy to use. One large pouch with 2 cinch straps that you can organize and pack any way you see fit. I tend to use packing cubes, which work very well for this bag. But it works just as well with loose clothes.
In fact, when the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is packed well, you can fit quite a bit of stuff in it. For a long-form packing demo, see the accompanying video. Fully packed, I was able to easily fit 7 days-worth of gear into this bag. Enough to travel the world indefinitely!
Fit, durability, and testing of Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack
The Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is made to move. Their pack system is comfortable and adjustable (Women should have a look at the Fairview 40). I have personally owned this bag for over 2 years and love the fit. We tested it on several differently sized people and it was fit well on Geoff (5’10”) and Amber (5’4”).
Like most other products they make, the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack comes equipped with a metal hoop that offers the frame rigidity and stability. This does add a little bit of weight, but the benefit is the bag keeps it’s shape, even when unpacked.
Overall summary of Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack
Overall the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack is a solid travel bag. It will work best for folks who want a comfortable pack, made out of good quality materials. If you don’t mind that this bag has some organizational foibles, and looks very much like a small hiking backpack. The mid-range price is decent for a bag of this quality, and the Osprey guarantee will ensure this will be your last purchase.
If you are looking for something a little more low-key, or don’t want to look like you are literally backpacking around Europe, this might not be your bag. Travelers who appreciate a more organized pack with more pockets will soon become frustrated with the Osprey Farpoint 40 travel backpack.
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