Talon 22 or Stratos 24?

Talon if you value weight and movement — the wrap-style harness and ridged AirScape panel stay tight to your center of gravity, which scramblers and peak-baggers prefer. Stratos if you run hot: its suspended mesh back is dramatically cooler, and it includes a raincover the Talon skips.

Does it work as an airline travel bag?

Very well — at 22 liters it slides under seats as a personal item and doubles as the destination day-hiking bag, which is exactly how many owners use it. The stretch front pocket and hipbelt pockets handle boarding-pass-and-snacks duty without digging.

How much weight is comfortable in it?

The webbing-and-mesh hipbelt is fine at 15 lbs but noticeably thin toward the top of its 10-30 lb load range. For consistently heavy day loads — winter kit, rope, camera gear — the framed Stratos carries better.

What about rain protection?

No raincover is included, unlike the Stratos and Hikelite. The 100D recycled nylon shrugs off passing showers, but pack a cover or a dry bag for anything sustained.

Is a daypack with an adjustable torso worth it?

It is rare at this size and makes online buying genuinely safe — the harness adjusts across 16-20 inches, so the fit gamble that plagues one-size daypacks mostly disappears. Combined with the lifetime All Mighty Guarantee, it is why the Talon stays a default daypack recommendation.

Daypack

~$175

Osprey

Osprey Talon 22

Name: Osprey Talon 22
Brand: Osprey
Price: 175 USD
Availability: InStock

★4.6(59 reviews)

The Talon 22 is the best-selling hiking daypack of its generation — a do-everything 22-liter with an adjustable torso, wrap-around harness, and enough attachment points for trekking poles, helmets, and ice axes. The women's version is the Tempest 22.

Approx. price

~$175

Capacity

22 L

Weight

2.38 lbs

Best For

Day hikers who want one pack for trails, travel, and everything between

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Specifications

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Type

Daypack

Frame Type

Internal Frame

Capacity

22 L

Weight

2.38 lbs

Max Recommended Load

30 lbs (10-30 lb load range)

Torso Fit

Adjustable 16-20 in

Material

100D 100% recycled nylon with dobby check ripstop

Back Panel

Injection-moulded AirScape framesheet

Warranty

Osprey All Mighty Guarantee (lifetime)

Raincover Included

Fits BV500 Bear Canister

Sizes Available

Capacity	Price	Weight
11 L	—	—
22 Lthis pack	$175	2.38 lbs
26 L	$185	2.36 lbs
33 L	$205	2.78 lbs
44 L	$240	3.18 lbs

Features

Adjustable TorsoHipbelt PocketsHydration Sleeve

Pros

✓The default daypack recommendation across hikers — the wrap-style harness moves with your body in a way boxier packs don't.
✓The AirScape ridged back panel carries better when scrambling than trampoline designs, staying tight to your center of gravity.
✓An adjustable torso on a daypack is rare and makes online buying safe.
✓The stretch front pocket swallows a shed layer without stopping — the feature owners use most.
✓Dual zippered hipbelt pockets fit phones and snacks, uncommon at this size.
✓The LidLock helmet clip and Stow-on-the-Go pole attachment genuinely work, making it a favorite of peak-baggers.
✓At 2.4 lbs it stays light on short trips yet handles 20+ lb summit loads.
✓Osprey's lifetime warranty on a $175 pack seals the value argument.

Cons

✗The foam back panel runs warm — sweaty backs are the top complaint versus the trampoline-mesh Stratos.
✗No raincover included, unlike the Stratos and Hikelite.
✗The main compartment is one big tube; organizers wish for more internal structure.
✗Bottle pockets are tight to reach with the pack on for broad-shouldered users.
✗The hipbelt is webbing-plus-mesh, not padded — fine at 15 lbs, thin toward the top of its 30 lb range.
✗The 22L size fills fast in winter; layer-heavy hikers should size up to the 33.
✗Popular colorways sell out every spring.
✗Price has crept up over the years, narrowing its edge over house-brand rivals.

Common Questions

Compare the Osprey Talon 22

vs Osprey Sportlite 25 vs Osprey Stratos 24 vs Osprey Tempest 22

Related backpacks

Osprey Tempest 22

4.7(66)

The Tempest is the women's-fit Talon and Osprey's technical daypack. The 2025 redesign moved the line to an AirScape ridged-foam backpanel that sits against the back rather than a suspended mesh, which keeps the load close and stable for scrambling at the cost of some airflow. It runs from 11 to 44 L.

22 LWomen's FitHipbelt PocketsVentilated back

Weight

2.27 lbs

Capacity

22 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 11 L / 26 L / 33 L / 44 L

Best for: Women on technical day hikes, scrambles and fast summit pushes

View details Check price

~$200

Daypack

Osprey

Osprey Stratos 24

4.6(109)

The Stratos 24 is the Talon's ventilated sibling — a full suspended-mesh AirSpeed back panel, a real perimeter frame, and an included raincover in a 24-liter day hiker. The women's version is the Sirrus 24.

24 LSuspended Mesh BackRaincover IncludedVentilated back

Weight

2.95 lbs

Capacity

24 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 34 L / 36 L / 44 L

Best for: Sweaty-backed day hikers who want maximum airflow and don't mind ounces

View details Check price

~$200

Daypack

Osprey

Osprey Sirrus 24

4.5(11)

The Sirrus is the women's-fit Stratos and the ventilated counterpart to the Tempest: a suspended AirSpeed mesh panel rather than contact foam, plus an included rain cover and a heavier 100D x 210D honeycomb shell over a 420D base. It is the day pack in Osprey's women's line for hot weather and long days.

24 LSuspended Mesh BackRaincover IncludedVentilated back

Weight

2.86 lbs

Capacity

24 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 34 L / 36 L / 44 L

Best for: Women on long, hot day hikes where back ventilation matters most

View details Check price

~$210

Daypack

Osprey

Osprey Manta 24

4.4(10)

The Manta is Osprey's hydration-specific hiking pack and ships with a 2.5 L Hydraulics LT reservoir, a magnetic bite-valve attachment on the sternum strap and a dedicated reservoir sleeve. It uses the same AirSpeed suspended mesh as the Stratos, so the price covers both the suspension and the bladder.

24 L2.5 L Reservoir IncludedSuspended Mesh BackVentilated back

Weight

3.4 lbs

Capacity

24 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 34 L

Best for: Day hikers who want a reservoir-first pack with full ventilation

View details Check price

~$210

Daypack

Osprey

Osprey Mira 24

The women's-fit Manta, with the same 2.5 L Hydraulics LT reservoir, magnetic bite-valve attachment and AirSpeed suspended mesh in a women's-specific harness. At 3.28 lb it is marginally lighter than the men's Manta 24 and carries the same price.

24 LWomen's Fit2.5 L Reservoir IncludedVentilated back

Weight

3.28 lbs

Capacity

24 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 34 L

Best for: Women who want a ventilated hydration pack with the bladder included

View details Check price

~$135

Daypack

Osprey

Osprey Hikelite 26

4.7(10)

The Hikelite 26 is Osprey's value ventilation play — a suspended-mesh trampoline back and included raincover at $135, undercutting its own Stratos 24 by $65 and more than a pound. It's the budget answer for sweaty-back day hikers.

26 LTrampoline Back at $135Raincover IncludedVentilated back

Weight

1.8 lbs

Capacity

26 L

Frame

Internal Frame

Also in 18 L / 28 L

Best for: Hot-weather day hikers who want Stratos airflow without Stratos weight

View details Check price

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