Osprey Farpoint 40 Review: Small Travel Backpacks
In the small travel backpack category, the Osprey FarPoint 40 was a logical choice for a review and field test, being the lightest member of Osprey’s popular FarPoint series travel packs. This review comes to you right after a weekly long trip to Colombia, where I put the FarPoint 40 to the test. To prime you here, this is a fantastic travel pack that served me well, one you’ll no doubt want. On to the review.
Carry and Configuration
One of the biggest features of Osprey’s FarPoint series packs is how they transform from duffel bag to backpack, making them among the best travel packs out there in my opinion. Padded shoulder straps and a hip belt, perfect for long treks, can get zipped up can completely concealed by a back panel. I loved that this feature was retained in a pack this size, meaning you can really load it up the full 40 pound weight limit if you needed to, and it wouldn’t be uncomfortable to carry. I once spent a month trekking around Europe with a pack this size that didn’t have a weight belt, and I regretted it. Not the case here.
Two padded handles, one on the top, and the other on the side of the bag, make it easier to handle and store while boarding a plane. Because of it’s size the FarPoint 40 has an additional sling strap that the larger bags don’t have. I found it really convenient used it quite a bit.
Unlike the larger FarPoint bags, the FarPoint 40 doesn’t have a detachable day pack. But then the idea with this pack is to travel light to begin with.
Capacity
Is the Osprey FarPoint 40 good for long trips? As a small carry-on sized travel pack, I was initially concerned with how much capacity 40 liters would provide for a week long international trip. The FarPoint 40 however surprised me when I was able to load a week’s worth of clothing, toiletries, an additional set of shoes, a full sized laptop, and still have extra room for small purchases I picked up during my trip. Because the FarPoint 40 works for one week trips, it works for multi-week trips too, as long as you’re willing do laundry once a week. This makes it a light-packer’s dream.
Pockets and Storage
The main compartment of the FarPoint 40 (shown above) is front-loading, meaning you can lay the pack down and unzip the top flap like a suitcase. This makes it super easy to access your stuff and is a defining feature of travel packs. Two internal compression straps help squeeze bulky items like clothes down, allowing you to get more in the pack and help stabilize your load.
The secondary compartment features a padded laptop sleeve, zipper secured document compartment, and gusseted bottom that makes it easy to store handheld items. The only feature I like that’s missing here is a tethered key ring clip that you see in the larger Osprey models.