is Osprey Porter 65 backpack review covers all of the features that you need to know about before making a purchase. We will also cover any advantages and disadvantages to the backpack, as well as alternatives that you might be interested in.
The Osprey Porter 65 backpack is on the larger side of backpacks. In fact, when it is worn, it extends above the shoulders. But it also allows for the storage of 7 days’ worth of clothing, plus extra room for other items. You can store your laptop and your tablet and have enough room for all of these items.
Osprey Porter 65 Specs
The Porter 65 is a lightweight backpack made of nylon, yet it has a very high-quality feel. You can tell that this backpack is durable when you try to stuff it full of items and realize that this thing is not going to break.
Who Uses the Porter 65
The Porter 65 is made for travelers who will be staying out for a while and need plenty of space to store their gear. Although this is not specially made for hiking, customers use it for that purpose. It does not have the side pockets needed to hold a water bottle, so this is not a full hiking backpack. But you can throw it in the back of a taxi after getting off the plane, and lug this around for several days worth of clothing.
Osprey Porter 65 Features
Weight: 3.79 pounds
Dimensions: 26 x 19 x 15 inches
Material: Nylon
Colors: Black, Nitro Green, Hoodoo Red
Main compartment:
The main compartment that makes up the bag is lockable and zippered. Inside the main compartment are two internal pockets; 1 mesh zippered pocket, and a fabric zippered pocket.
The main compartment can be opened by a zipper along three sides, so the contents of the compartment are fully exposed upon opening. This helps when stuffing the backpack full of goodies, and trying to find them later.
Top zippered pocket:
The Osprey Porter 65 has a top accessory pocket for your frequently accessed items. You can store liquids, phones, or other items that you will need to access on a constant basis. This top pocket is unique to the Porter 65, as other models such as the Porter 46 do not have this.
Lower zippered compartment:
For easy accessibility of your frequently used items, or to store dirty clothing
Hip belt:
Out of the sides of the backpack is a stow-away hip belt. This helps to keep the backpack stable as you are walking or shifting positions.
Foam padded side walls:
The Osprey Porter 65 uses Osprey’s StraightJacket compression system for the sidewalls of the backpack. The side walls are dual foam padded, and they protect the contents of your backpack and provide stability for your loads.
Pros
- The materials of the backpack are water-resistant
- The bag is large enough to hold a week’s worth of apparel
- There is a quality feel to the backpack
- The front-loading panel makes it far easier to stuff with items than a top-loading one
Cons
- This backpack has not been designed to be a carry-on. When is full, it is too large to be taken on a plane. However, you would be able to take it on a plane if it is half full.
Where to Buy
- Large U-zip luggage-style access to main compartment - 65L total volume
The Verdict
The Porter 65 was made with enough room for 7 days’ worth of content. Like some of the other backpacks made by Osprey, this one is made for city travel and not so much for hiking. Customers have used this backpack in order to go traveling for days at a time without bringing any other luggage.
Is Osprey Porter 65 carry-on size?
As mentioned above, the Osprey Porter is not designed to be a carry-on backpack. Its size is way large compared to the allowed size for carry-on backpacks.
If you are not planning on being out for several days, and need a smaller backpack that does not carry as many items, there is another option. The Porter 46 is considerably smaller than the Porter 65 and is made for the same purpose.
You can carry it around as they pack in the city, and take it back to your hotel at night to renew its contents. Much like the Porter 65, it has front-level access to all of its contents so that you can view everything at one glance. Furthermore, it can be used as a carry-on!
If you have a hotel or an apartment to go home to at night, the Stratos 24 backpack is also a good option.
The Stratos 24 is smaller than the other two and is extremely light. Although you will not be comfortable carrying this along for days without replacing the contents at night, it has everything you need as a day pack. One of the great things about the Stratos 24 is that it has an integrated rain cover. For those days of rain or snow, open the bottom exterior pocket to pull over the rain cover to protect the backpack completely against the wet.
While the above list of backpacks is not exhaustive from the Osprey line, they closely match the Porter 65 in design and usability. They are both meant to carry around in the city, but not for hiking.
One thing we have noted about the Porter 65 is that it does not have side pockets for a water bottle. The Stratos 24 has side pockets, so if replenishing yourself throughout the day is important to you, perhaps the Stratos 24 would be of interest.
Whichever backpack you choose, it is important to understand its strengths and limitations. Take a look at any of the reviews linked to above for more information on each of these similar designs.