Osprey Packs Women's Ariel 65 Backpack

Osprey Packs Women's Ariel 65 Backpack

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.

• Special Note: IsoForm hipbelt and shoulder straps are available in multiple sizes; please call customer service at 800-369-3949 and talk to a pack expert to request the best size for you
• 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

Buy the Osprey Packs Ariel 65 Backpack for Women from Altrec.com. Orders over $45 qualify for free shipping.

Reviews - Osprey Packs Women's Ariel 65 Backpack

Anonymous - 2008-08-23

Near perfect pack
This pack is ideal for weekend trips, or longer if you pack light! Fits great, comfortable for long treks. Only gripes: wish it had pockets on the waistbelt.

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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.

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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.

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Sizing Chart

All Osprey packs, save the transit bags, are available in multiple sizes to fit a range of torso lengths. To find your torso length, have a friend measure your back along the spine from the level of your iliac crest (the top of your hipbones) to your C7 (the knobby bone at the base of your neck).

To determine your hipbelt size measure around your hips, not your waist. A properly fitted hipbelt rides centered over the hipbones and needs to be very snug; after all it will be carrying the bulk of the pack's weight. The padded portion should wrap well around your hips, leaving a gap of 3 to 6 inches between the tips of the pads when securely tightened.

Nearly all Osprey hipbelts use an exclusive ErgoPull design. It creates mechanical advantage to provide extra leverage in cinching down the hipbelt. The ErgoPull design also draws tension along the top and bottom of the belt, not through the center, so it distributes pressure more evenly over the padding and relieves direct pressure on the hipbones.

Step 3 - Harness

Osprey Crescent & Luna, Aether & Ariel and Waypoint packs offer interchangeable shoulder harnesses. Harness sizing usually corresponds to pack size, but your best bet is to try one on. A properly fit harness should terminate 2 to 3" beneath the armpit. Webbing should not touch the body. By breaking the hook and loop connection and sliding the harness up and down the backpanel the torso length can be adjusted up to 3". (see illustration).

Once you have the correct size pack, harness and hipbelt, and the torso length set properly, it's time to put some weight in the pack (20 to 30 pounds of well distributed weight will do) and dial in the fit. First, snug down the hipbelt and harness. Connect the sternum strap (A) - position it about 2 inches below your collarbones and snug it down lightly. Finally, tighten the load lifter straps to draw the load solidly against your back. The lift straps (B) should come off your shoulders at a 45 to 60 degree angle in Osprey's ReCurve and Ethereal Suspension packs. In other models these straps serve more as compression straps and ride flatter; they may even angle downwards.

In a good fit, there should be no pressure points and no gaps between your body and the pack. With Osprey's ReCurve packs, final tweaking may involve custom fitting the aluminum stays to your back.