In short, it's a great bag: Lots of pockets, great organization, great hydration bladder, excellent materials all around and quality construction. If you were to stop reading now and buy it you would not be disappointed.
Rather than a really thorough review (you can just read several of the others out there, there are many good ones), I thought I would list a few things that I learned about the bag after I have used it for several weeks. Nuances, if you will.
A couple of notes about me, I am a male, about 6' 1" tall, and 230 lbs. Most of my extra weight is on my stomach resulting in a small "beer belly". I purchased the M/L size and it works great.
1: The waist strap that secures the load of the pack sits below my waist, which works really well. It adjusts easily from either side, and loosens quickly for removal. I have tried other packs where the belt sits on top of my stomach and looks ridiculous.
2: One reviewer complained that the internal frame ends in two small spots that sit on your lower back. Perhaps I was paranoid about this after I received the pack, but I was able to feel it when the pack was loaded. Depending on which shirt I am wearing I can feel it rubbing while I was walking. This would be a problem and I was beginning to worry about it on the second day of my two week trip. However, I cinched the belt up around my waist to hold the load still on my back, and it worked great. No more problems after that. I would recommend visiting a store to try it on before you purchase though. Be sure that you bring something to load it down with, you won't feel it when the pack is empty. You dont feel it while you stand, just when you walk and the pack shifts on your back as you move your shoulders and hips.
3: There are differences (other than capacity) between the manta 25 and manta 30. The manta 30 has a large "stuff" pocket on the outside that worked perfect for my ipad or rain jacket, something you would need to get out in a hurry, it has compression straps on this stuff pocket so you can cinch it down and nothing falls out. The manta 25 doesn't have this pocket at all. Also the 30 has zippered pockets on the sides instead of elastic ones like the 25. Finally, the 25 has two small zippered pockets in the back of the pack, one is larger than the other, the 30 has one large pocket with a mesh pocket sewn on the inside of the pack. It's really hard to tell this in the pictures on the website, this is what I noticed in the store.
My recommendation on the different sizes: Go with the largest Manta 30. The compressions straps work great to hold the extra fabric in when it's not loaded with much. The bow on the internal frame takes up quite a bit of space so you aren't able to put as much as you would think in it. The larger one gives you the flexibility to add more later if needed, or cinch it up if you don't need the extra room.
4: The pockets on the waist are large enough for a GPS unit, or a cell phone, but they are a little hard to get in and out of very quickly, the zippers don't pull closed unless you have the belt cinched very tight, or are holding the pocket with one hand while zipping with the other.
5: The mesh back and curve on the frame work great. I live in south Texas and it gets quite hot here in the summer. This pack was a breeze to carry, literally. My back didn't sweat, a very nice change indeed.
Overall a great pack, on the expensive side. But I think it's worth it. Hope my notes helped.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 18.9 x 11 x 7.2 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 3.15 Pounds |
| Item Weight | 2.5 Pounds |
| Brand Name | Osprey |
| Model Name | Daypack Backpacks |
| Color | Storm Gray |
| Material | Nylon |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Manufacturer | Osprey |
| Part Number | 218261 |
| Style | Daypack Backpacks |
| Size | Small/Medium |
| Sport Type | Hiking |
| Age Range Description | Adult |
| Capacity Total | 27 Liters |
