Our expertise in designing backpacks that fit every shape, size and gender dates back to 1974, when Osprey was founded on designing custom packs for mountaineers headed to the Sierra.

Walking pole attachments, hydration bladder compatible, sternum strap with whistle, padded straps, detachable rain cover. If you want to add more items to the backpack, the external holder for hiking poles will be beneficial. Extra-tall stretch mesh pockets are versatile and secure contents such as water bottles without having them take up valuable room in the main compartment. I’ve been testing this pack over the last few months on lower level and shorter walks where full winter gear hasn’t been necessary. It has good features for a pack in its class and sits nicely back from your body due to the Airspeed back system.Powered by a holistic approach, bluesign® traces each textile’s path along the manufacturing process, making improvements at every stage from the factory floor to finished product. The outer material of the Osprey Hikelite 26 is made from a mix of 100 D Mini Diamond Shadow Nylon and 500 D Packcloth Nylon and impresses with its water-repellent character. The longest I’ve walked with this pack in one stretch is 8 hours so far and it hasn’t irritated my shoulders or chest yet.

I’ve been using this pack for 8 months now, and in that time I’ve clocked up close to a hundred km, hill walking in the Peak District, Snowdonia and in Scotland and I’ve used it on numerous camping trips too, so I’ve already got a lot of use from this backpack. Patagonia first made a fleece from recycled plastic bottles in 1993, since then more and more brands have been ‘recycling rubbish’ to make the high-performance clothing and equipment that we all love to rely on in the outdoors. The Hikelite 26 has a traditional panel loader design and a zip that leads you to the main compartment, which has plenty of room for lunch, extra layers and other essentials you usually take for a day on the hill.

Hikelite 26 features an AirSpeed™ suspended mesh backpanel, helping to keep you cool and comfortable when you’re out for a hike. A tensioned mesh backpanel keeps the weight off your back, enabling highly ventilated carrying comfort. The aim of the bluesign® system is responsible use of resources, clean processes with controlled air and water emissions, safe processes for the workers and safe products for consumers.

There are two mesh side pockets which are slightly larger and looser than on some similar sized packs which means they are easy to use for water bottles.The removable rain cover fits neatly into a zipped pocket at the bottom and uses an environmentally friendly treatment for its water repellency.