West coast based sports retailer Sport Chalet is clearing out the exos 46 for a hair under $100 shipped. They have mediums and larges right now

http://tinyurl.com/867apez

Enjoy!

*sorry, no cashback on this one.

Just saw them at a local sportchalet for 25% off the $100 dollar price, so just about $75

What do you guys think of this bag? My first trip is not until may so I was going to wait to buy my bag until I got all my gear together. Its a 3 day hike in the grand canyon.

The bag looks to be at a great price, do you think it's worth jumping the gun a bit? Also whats the difference between Large and Medium bags? If both bags are 46L what makes them different sizes?

Thanks!
Ben

Ben, the difference between a Medium and a Large is measurement of the length of the backpanel, and maybe even the harness/belt. It's just like buying a t-shirt. I wear a size small, while you might wear a size medium. Even though it says Exos "46", this number is an estimate. The volume will change depending on the size you pick. The size small might only be 43L while a size large may be closer to 50L.

You need to get your torso measured to determine what size will fit you. No don't guess. A person who is 6ft tall, might be a size medium, while a person only 5'9" might be a size large. Some people have long torsos for their height, others have short torsos for their height.


For Osprey packs, their sizing is as follows:

The Medium fits 18"-20.5" torsos

The Large fits torsos 20" and above.

Every pack company measures their sizes differently. For example, I'm a size medium in Osprey and Gregory, a size small in Arcteryx, and sometimes a size large in Golite.

Please do not take this the wrong way, but it seems like a lot of this is new for you, so please make sure you do all your research first before committing. I would say, hold off on the pack, until you have all your other equipment sorted out. Yes $100 is a good deal for an exos, but worse case scenario, you might end up paying 20-30 dollars more a couple months from now. It's worth it to make sure you get the right size pack for your body and your gear.

I would recommend you read this article about sizing, or go to your local REI to get measured
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/backpacks+torso+hip+size.html

Edited by Konrad1013 on 12/31/2011 16:46:37 MST.

While I generally agree with the sentiment to buy a pack last and get one to fit your gear, I'm also a deal fiend and I'd say pick up an exos now after you know for sure what size works for your body (local REI should help with that).

My first backpack was a 3 day-2 night solo trip through Aravaipa Canyon a few New Year's Eves ago. Aravaipa is another AZ canyon and this trip saw similar temps to your planned GC trip (80+ during day, my shoes froze solid during the night).

I had a new Osprey Talon 44 and my experience with it is why I suggest you pick up the Exos. The Talon 44 is the perfect size for an intro 3 day backpack to lightweight backpacking. I had a large and cheap woman's sleeping bag from a garage sale, a solo tent, a couple fleece layers for insulation and a pot and pan set. The size of the pack wasn't large enough to carry all the gear I wanted plus my food and water so it forced me to critically analyze what I was bringing and why. I still overstuffed the thing to 40+lbs but it kept me from bringing the whole kitchen sink, as they say.

The pack was also a M/L and despite being just shy of 6' my torso is a very short 18.5" meaning a S/M fits much more comfortably. Just an example of what Konrad was warning.

I froze both nights and woke up shivering and was generally wet and cold when the sun went down (the entire hike is walking through a creek bed for 22 miles). This was with even with a supposedly 10F bag! I've since slept comfortably in freezing temps with just heavy fleece and a bivy, you learn techniques as you go; I could have been far more comfortable but didn't know better. Despite it all I had a huge grin on my face for 48 hrs straight and this year I'm planning on getting out at least 70 nights of the year.

It's good to be as thoroughly prepared as possible but eventually you hit a point where you are prepared enough and just need to take the plunge. It's not going to go pefectly, in fact it'll probably be a huge SNAFU of a trip, but still memorable.

Wow....don't know what the hell that story had to do with finding a screamin deal on a pack. Anyways, google Osprey Exos 45L and you'll find this is a one-of-a-kind find. Mine should be here any day now.

Ben - go to the osprey website and do some homework. They'll tell you how to fit, size and what to look for in a pack. Don't just buy something bcs. people say it's sweet....find out for yourself why it's saaaawweeet.

I have one and loved it. The weight is the only reason I upgraded.
I'm not even selling this, but holding onto it to let friends use, since I'm sure they'll enjoy it, too.