Osprey Exos 48 Backpack Review - the BEST lightweight backpacking bag?

I have an Exos 58 that I’m about to return because it’s the most uncomfortable bag I’ve ever owned. I have three other Osprey bags that are fine but not this one.

I’d say the 48 is the sweet spot in this range 👍🏻

I tried the Exos but it wasn't for me.
I love my Atmos 50 AG for heavy loads but my go to lightweight bag is the Rab Muon 50.
It's so light yet so comfy.

I'm also big Osprey fan, have 2 of them and compared them to 2 Gregory packs and one ultralight and Osprey wins. My absolute favourite now is Atmos 50. Couldn't believe that it was on my haviest loudout compared to trips with Gregory and UL pack and yet felt the most comfortable. Exos 48 model is the one I am looking forward to buy and test.

Exos 48 for 3 season use, Atmos 65 for Winter, can't beat them in my view, had mine for a while now. So comfy, and feature packed. Also got the Talon 33 as my summer day bag and an old model Stratus 36 for Winter. Good review Andy.

Have we got any comparisons with this bag though?

Cracking stuff mate ive got the Kestrel 48 and its been a great unit 👍

Atom Packs maybe a good comparison.

Big fan of this bag

Is it comfier than the decathlon mt 500 air 50+10 back pack,just thinking budget wise as the osprey one is a bit pricey.. thanks.😊

I just bought an Exos 58 since there was a pretty significant discount. Haven't been able to test it yet, but I've only had good experiences with Osprey packs. Apparently it's actually 61 litres (L/XL version) - so should be great for multi-day trekking. However, I am a bit worried about the lack of padding on the hip belt, hopefully it won't be an issue.

I've got Exos 58 hasn't let me down

I have a 60 litre for overnighters and for multi days I have a 85 litre. 🧐🇬🇧

Wish this had come last week as I just bought the Kestrel 48 and it’s way too heavy.

This did me well on the WHW this year. Great pack

I have two ospreys.
Love my ariel pro. Great back system, very comfy belt and it cinches down and can lose the brain if Im carrying a smaller loads.

You’ve got to follow the Osprey guide to what weight the pack is recommended for, they state it on their website. You can’t say the 55 pro is uncomfortable as it’s made for lighter loads compared to the standard exos.

Which one is better comfort, atmos AG LT 50l or Exos 48l ? I think the anti gravity on atmos ag lt is a gimmick. Same effect like airspeed on exos.

I have just hiked the Hexatrek in France , 84 days using the Exos 58 , so it is well tested .I liked the sac however these are my dislikes :
Hip belt is too thin and does not offer the support like a Gregory Rucsac hip belt ,
The hip belt pockets are too small to get anything in , again unlike the Gregory pockets on their sacs
The side compression strap cannot be threaded to compress on the sac contents , the strap compresses the contents in the side pocket aswell, hugely frustrating when trying to get your sandals or something else out of them .
The Exos Pro 55 could be the ultimate backpacking sac if the waist belt was beefed up to support your load and the pockets were bigger to get something in them .

Love that this bag has "eye sacks" storage. I always find I need somewhere to store my eye sacks when I'm out "camping", so this could be the bag for me. Great review!

I recently purchased this pack and tried it out last Friday. It’s a fantastic pack, really comfortable. I went to my local shop to try for size, as my torso size falls bang in the middle for both s/m and L/xl. After trying both, I went with s/m. The shop also allowed me to empty my Atmos 65 of all my camping kit into the exos. My only negative on the pack is, although the brain is removable, it isn’t quick release like on my Atmos 65. . Love this bag

I have the Exos 48 and wanted to love it, but its just uncomfortable on the shoulder straps, above 12kg. You really feel it and find yourself having to try and adjust the loads.
The AG LT 50 is just so much more.comfortable for only a few hundred grams extra

Shocked about no rain cover nice review

Welcome to Backpacking UK the channel all about marketing products, Unsubscribed right now.

The women's version is called the Eja. Women backpack too.

Hi Andy, enjoyed the review but I reckon anyone considering getting an Exos 48 should take a look at the Gregory Focal 48 too. They're pretty similar but I found the Focal 48 much more comfortable with a 12/13kg load. 👍

Please tell me, how big is your water bottle in this video?

I use osprey, great quality, I use a 40 lt for world travel. Still like new , very happy with it, regards from Thailand 🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

not comfy after about 14kg is my experience with the pack.But its an ok pack, nasty straps over the side pockets that wont route under them and that daft flap jacket thing under the brain that covers the pack if you remove the brain. I'd give it 6 out of 10

Spot on review, thanks for your excellent channel.

Just done 6 days with its sister, the Eja 48. Despite being male, at 5’8” the medium/large size of the women’s version fits me just fine. Took 15kg very happily, no issues whatsoever. The back ventilation was excellent too. Osprey’s owner manual recommends a medium size raincover for the Exos & Eja 48l but my small Osprey raincover fitted nicely despite it being well loaded.

Minor improvements would be: 1. The ends of the hip belt are quite rough and scuffed my shorts. Workaround was to tuck the ends into the waist. Other suggestions welcome because I don’t always remember.
2. It would be nice to be able hide the ice axe loop away in summer, the same way the Talon/Tempest do.
3. Osprey’s website & owners manual states “dual ice axe loops”. There is only one loop although it’s big enough for two tools. Probably wouldn’t be my first choice as a winter climbing pack but good to know the options there.

Another good review Andy 👍 A number of your reviews I've found very useful in the past, where I am researching a particular product as to whether or not it would be a good buy. And upon purchasing them I have not been disappointed and have found myself to be in agreement with you. Spot on mate 👌

I’ve got the older 58litre without the belt pockets and I love it. I just completed the WHW last week over seven days and it was perfect.
I always find it difficult to use the pockets anyway so use a chest pack.

Great review. Had this pack for west highland way. 48ltr. Loved it. Had room to spare. I did sell it because of hip pockets. I’m doing the c2c again next year and have downsized on kit. I reckon I could get away with a 38ltr large. All my new kit with food and water including pack for a two week hike comes in under 10kg. My question is would you go for the extra room in the 48 or go for the 38

I’ve recently got a Naturehike rocks 65 it’s a roll top. I’ve had an Exos 48 since 2019 and selling it now. Roll top bags like atompacks are the way forward.

This backpack has a major flaw, its sides and bottom have no openings, such a large capacity bag, it is very inconvenient to carry things.

Nice review! Can you access the backpack from the bottom or the middle? Or do you have to access a sleeping bag laying at the bottom, from the top of the bags brain every time? Isn't that impractical and destroys any organization system you initially packed?

Very interesting and helpful ! Thank you for sharing !