Osprey Exos 58 Review (Lightweight Backpacking Pack)

Osprey is one of the leading backpack manufacturers the world over and has built its name of providing quality functional backpacks for hiking. Their mission is to “create innovative, high-performance gear that reflects their love of adventure and devotion to the outdoors”, and they do this very well.

In this article, we are going to take a dive into the Osprey Exos 58 backpack. This backpack is famous amongst hikers for years and this is thanks to its ultralight, durable, and functional design. In recent years, the competition has caught up but the Osprey Exos 58 still deserves a place on the podium. Here we take a look at their updated model.

Below, we get into the nitty-gritty and see how the Osprey Exos 58 performs in regards to materials, durability, carrying comfort, accessibility, organization, and more.

Materials & Durability

Living in an ultralight world usually means making things thinner and therefore lighter, to bring the overall weight down. And this is the case with ultralight backpacks.

The Osprey Exos 58 does pretty well at finding the right balance between durability and low weight. The overall build is excellent, and all the pieces have been put together excellently.

Materials

The Osprey Exos 58 is made from a blend of 100D and 210D nylon. The body of the Exos 58 is made with 100D nylon, while the base uses 210D as it takes the brunt of any wear. Other backpacks in the same class use a similar blend, but some do up the bases D count to ensure a bit more durability.

The low D count is a result of weight reduction but stands up well to wear and tear, as long as you’re careful. This does make it a bit less durable than a normal backpack, but if you want something ultralight these are the sacrifices you’ll have to make.

Water-Resistance

Nylon is a water-resistant material and the Osprey Exos 58 will protect your gear from moisture and the odd light shower, but it is not waterproof. If you do end up in adverse weather, you’ll need to add a rain fly or other cover to ensure no water gets inside to your gear. Also, a wet backpack adds a lot of weight, so you’ll want to ensure it doesn’t get soaked.

Frame

The frame is lightweight, made from aluminum, and is very strong. You don’t need to worry about the frame at all, it’ll be with you for life.

Buckles

The buckles are burly and made from plastic. They are quality and will last.

Carrying Comfort

Carrying comfort is one of the most important aspects of a backpack. After all, if it’s not comfortable to wear once you have loaded it up with your gear, the chances of you enjoying it and using it again are pretty minimal.

The Osprey Exos 58 does a pretty good job up to 30lbs but it could be better and here is why.

Fit and Sizing

The first step in having a comfy backpack is making sure that it fits you well. The Exos 58 comes in three sizes to suit your body size. This is a very useful feature and the key to ensuring you love using your backpack.

Once you have the size figured out, the Exos 58 will sit flush against your back and correctly on hips, to ensure you’re comfortable while hiking around.

Ventilation

Ventilation is also important for comfort. We have all had those backpacks that make your back shoulders feel like a furnace, and this gets very uncomfortable on long hikes.

The Exos is excellent in the ventilation department and should be considering that Osprey are one of the best at providing it. The stretch back panel is covered in mesh and gives a nice gap between your back and the bag, to ensure you get a lot of air moving through to keep you cool.

The hip belt and shoulder straps use webbing and the foam padding on both is dotted with holes. This makes them exceptionally breathable too.

Overall, the Exos 58 is amazing at keeping you cool, no matter how hot the day is.

The Frame

The Osprey Exos 58 features a light aluminum frame that is the key to distributing weight evenly across the backpack and therefore your body. This makes for a comfortable experience.

Back Panel

The flexible mesh back panel is snug and once you put it on you’ll notice the immediate comfort it provides. It covers your entire back but there is a lack of padding around your lower back area that could cause chafe if you’re not wearing many layers.

Shoulder & Sternum Straps

The shoulder straps are well padded with quality foam for comfort. They are however not adjustable meaning it’s very important you get the right size backpack for your body. They feel nice when you wear them and are wide enough to stop them from digging in.

The sternum straps are of high quality and provide extra support to remove weight from your shoulders.

Hip Belt

Hip belts are there to ensure you can manage a heavy load comfortably. They take the strain away from your shoulders and redistribute the weight evenly across your body.

The hip belt on the Osprey Exos 58 uses quality foam padding but it is a little thin for a very heavy load. If you start carrying over 30lbs it may get uncomfortable.

Organization & Accessibility

Ultralight backpacks typically ditch a lot of organizational features ass zipper, extra fabric, and buckles all add up to create extra weight. The Exos 58 is pretty good at giving you the accessibility and storage options you need but there isn’t a place for everything.

The only sad thing is that the new model doesn’t include any hip belt pockets which are one of the most convenient places to store items you need on the go.

Main Compartment

The Osprey Exos 58 has a large main compartment for holding the majority of your gear. It’s accessible from the top only, which isn’t ideal if you need to get something out from the bottom.

Inner Pockets

There are two inner pockets, one beneath the lid which is a zippered pocket that’s ideal for storing valuables that need some protection.

The other inner pocket is the hydration well which is in the main compartment. There is a sleeve for the reservoir, clip, and exit port.

External Pockets

The Exos 58 has 4 external pockets dotted around is exterior. The first we’ll discuss is the top lid zipper pocket which is ideal for putting things you’ll need to use often in like a flashlight compass, map, phone, camera, etc.

There is a large stretch mesh pocket on the front that is perfect for holding any wet gear or keeping your rain jacket quickly accessible in case of any downpours.

The remaining two side pockets are the also water bottle holders. They are quite tall and larger enough to hold both water bottles and bigger items like tent poles. These side pockets also feature a lower opening at elbow level so you can get to your water without having to take the backpack off.

Oh, and one other cool detail. There are hip belt pockets on each side, which I find great for things you need on the go – granola bars, gels, extra camera batteries and the like.

External Attachment Points

External attachment points are very useful when you need to carry additional gear that doesn’t fit in your backpack like a tent, axe, sleeping mat, or trekking poles. They are also useful for things you might need to access quickly and don’t want to store in your bag.

The Osprey Exos 58 is pretty good when it comes to external attachment points, the details are below.

Trekking Poles

The Osprey Exos 58 features stow on the go trekking pole attachment points. They sit on both hips so you can switch from using them to storing them in seconds. This means you can make sure your hands free quickly when you need them.

Webbing

The top lid features a web loop attachment point that is ideal for stashing external gear that can be accessed quickly.

Ice Axe

There two ice axe attachment with bungee tie-off on the front of the bag so you can store them safely while still being able to access them easily.

Compression Straps

You’ll find removable compression straps at the base and on both sides. The base straps are perfect for carrying a sleeping pad or tent, while the side straps are great for holding tent poles and your hiking poles if you want to store them for a while.

Value For Money

The Osprey Exos 58 is pretty expensive and retails for around $220. This is a pretty standard price for ultralight backpacks and if you’re in the market for one, then expect to pay around this price.

With this in mind, the Exos 58 is pretty good value for money. You’re getting a quality ultralight backpack with all the features you need for serious hiking.

Rating

With a rating of 80 out of 100, the Osprey Exos 58 has done pretty well in our rating system, especially considering its ultralight and naturally loses points for durability. The only place it really fails is in the comfort department once you reach the 30lb mark. Osprey rates it for a 40lb load, but this is pushing it.

If you need a backpack to carry upwards to 30lbs, you may want to look for one with more support.

Verdict

If you love to hike and are in the market for an ultralight backpack, then the Osprey Exos 58 is a good choice. It gives you all the features you need to get up and down the mountain, just treat it with care and don’t go over the 30lb mark, and you’ll be happy with your purchase.