Recently, I听looked through the photos of my Great Western Loop trip in 2007. My, my鈥擨 had such a small and light pack. But the trend has been moving in the wrong direction ever since, and for about a year I鈥檝e been using the ,听a pack that has more volume and weighs more than anything I鈥檝e worn since 2002.
I鈥檝e used the Aether Pro听for about 50 days, including on most of my guided trips for the past year, to an elk hunt听in the Colorado Rockies in November, and on weighted training hikes in Boulder鈥檚 foothills.听
For women, Osprey offers the , which听has identical features and materials听but a wo尘别苍鈥檚-specific fit. Nearly all of my comments about the Aether are applicable to the Ariel as well.
Long-Term Review: Osprey Aether Pro 70 and Ariel Pro 65
The Aether/Ariel Pro will appeal most to backpackers who听carry large or heavy loads that exceed the volume or load-carrying capacity of lightweight packs. These hikers want to be able to do this听with a pack that weighs three to four pounds, rather than the normal five to seven. When I鈥檓 leading clients, hauling out elk quarters, or carrying most of the food and gear on a group trip, the Aether Pro has become my go-to backpack. I think Osprey also imagined it being used for mountaineering expeditions and adventurous long-distance hikes (think:听thru-hiking Alaska鈥檚 Brooks Range), and I鈥檇 agree with that thinking. 听
My sole criticism of the Aether/Ariel Pro is its external storage. Instead of having the removable compartments located in the wedge听between the hipbelt and main compartment,听I鈥檇 rather have conventional side and hipbelt pockets, plus a shoulder-strap pocket. But I鈥檝e overlooked this shortcoming because of its performance otherwise.
Key Specs
- Volume: 70 liters听in size medium for the Aether, 65 liters for the Ariel
- Strong and durable fabrics throughout
- Stiff aluminum peripheral frame and a single aluminum center stay
- Mesh-covered aerated foam back panel
- Heat-moldable foam hipbelt
- Two front compression or attachment straps
- Attachment points for trekking poles, two ice tools, a hydration reservoir, and a sleeping pad
- $375 MSRP
- More information (, )
The spec weight of the Aether Pro听is听3听pounds听15 ounces.听Mine weighs 4 pounds 1.9 ounces. Its weight can be further reduced by removing features, such as:
- The floating top lid (5.1 ounces)
- Two side compression straps (0.5 ounces each, or 1.0 ounce听total)
- A zippered side pocket (2.7 ounces)
- A cinchable side pocket (2.6 ounces)
The total weight of these removable items is 11.4 ounces, which would reduce the spec pack weight to听3 pounds 3.6 ounces,听but at the cost of some functionality.
Comparisons
To help you decide if the Aether/Ariel Pro is right for you, comparing it to other packs is probably useful.
The Aether Pro Versus听the Aether AG
The Aether/Ariel Pro was new for spring 2018听and听is essentially a stripped-down version of the (Anti-Gravity).
Compared to the AG, the Pro:
- Uses more premium fabrics
- Has a simpler harness system that鈥檚 lighter and probably carries better听but is less ventilated
- Weighs 1.3 pounds less, with an opportunity to shed extra weight by removing features
- Costs $65 more听($375 versus听$310 for the 70-liter version听of the AG)
Overall, I think the Pro is the better value. The only feature of the AG鈥檚 that I wish it had are听the external pockets.
The Aether Pro Versus听鈥淪weet Spot鈥 Packs
My pack recommendation for most backpackers is a 2.5-pound framed pack that is nicely featured, made of durable materials, and costs $200 to $300, like听the , , and . Such models are ideal for standard thru-hikes and high routes听and for backcountry trips of up to ten听days.
If your plans are more exceptional and require a pack with more volume or greater load-carrying capabilities, plus some additional durability, the Aether/Ariel is worth a look.
The Aether Pro Versus听Deuter, Gregory, and Mystery Ranch
Other packs match (and may exceed) the volume and load-carrying capacity of the Aether Pro, including the听, , and . But none of them rival its sub-four-pound weight. In size medium, the Denali weighs six听pounds three听ounces; the Aircontact, five听pounds six听ounces; the Glacier, five听pounds ten听ounces.
The Aether Pro Versus听Seek 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Divide and Unaweep
The most direct comparisons to the Osprey Aether/Ariel Pro may come from the backpack-hunting industry, which is presented with similar volume and load demands. I鈥檓 specifically thinking of the and from . Both packs weigh in the low to mid three听pounds and approach $400.听
Suspension and听Harness
The standout feature of the Aether/Ariel is its suspension. Simply put, this pack is designed to haul weight. It鈥檚 light-years better than the Exos听and even in a different league than the Flex Capacitor, which is considered to carry weight better than most听sub-three-pound packs.
The peripheral frame, made of 7075 tubular aluminum, is extremely stiff, so it efficiently transfers weight. As I鈥檝e come to expect of Osprey, the harness system is masterfully fitted, and the weight is distributed well across the hipbelt, shoulder straps, and back panel, which have generous yet听firm cushioning.
On overnight trips, I regularly have carried loads in the 40-pound range, and on recent training hikes I鈥檝e carried exactly 50 pounds. I will never say that carrying 50 pounds is comfortable, but some packs do it more gracefully than others, and the Aether/Ariel is among them.
To achieve this load-carrying performance in a sub-four-pound pack, Osprey gave the Aether Pro a more conventional back panel, abandoning the ventilated trampoline that you鈥檒l find on the Aether AG and Exos. The mesh-covered aerated foam (branded as AirScape) provides relatively little ventilation in reality, so you should expect perspiration to build up on warm days and during hard efforts.
Fabrics
The Aether Pro is is made听with four types of fabric:
- The main body is 210-denier nylon and听200-denier ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)
- The bottom is听200-denier UHMWPE
- The accent is听315hd听oxford
- The trim听isn鈥檛 specified听but appears to be a 200-denier-ish nylon
UHMWPE听is the source material for Dyneema and Spectra fibers. Osprey chose nonbranded UHMWPE fabrics presumably as a cost-savings measure. Sierra Designs made the same decision with the Flex Capacitor.
While writing this review, I inspected my pack for wear听and found no abrasions or tears. The Aether/Ariel seems like it鈥檚 built for a lifetime of use. If this proves not to be the case, it鈥檚 covered under Osprey鈥檚 .
![The four fabrics: 210脳200 [[is this dimension referring to inches?]] gridstop body, 200-denier Chineema bottom, 315-denier oxford accent, and an unspecified 200-denier-ish trim.](https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/31/osprey-aether-fabrics_h.jpg?width=800)
Storage
The main compartment is tall and narrow, even before the extension collar is utilized. I believe this shape leads to better load stability, but it鈥檚 disappointing that a full-size听bear canister听cannot be stored horizontally in the Aether. Shelters and hammocks without intentionally short pole sets will have to be placed vertically, too.
External Storage
The floating top lid is nicely sized听and is convenient for items that you occasionally need during the day, such as toiletries, snacks, extra water, and even a wind shirt or minimalist rainjacket. If you don鈥檛 need its volume or wish to pare five ounces from the pack, the lid can be easily removed.
As听I mentioned above, the hipbelt and side pockets are underwhelming, and I consider them to be the Aether鈥檚 most notable imperfection. I believe it鈥檚 essential to have quick access to oft-needed items like water, a camera or phone, maps,听lip balm, sunscreen, insect repellent, a head net, water purification, and other items. The design of hipbelt pockets and side pockets is vitally important鈥攖hey must be accessible, secure, and generous.
To their credit, the hipbelt and side pockets are easily accessible, and one can be zippered shut. But their total volume is marginally acceptable, and the cinchable pocket is only deep enough for a one-liter Nalgene. Using a one-liter Smartwater bottle (which weighs 2.4 ounces听less) is impractical鈥攊t immediately slips out if you lean forward to pick up a trekking pole or step under a downed tree.
I appreciate that Osprey tried something different here, but personally, I would have preferred the Aether AG design, which includes two permanent side pockets and two permanent hipbelt pockets.
Compression and Utility
The Aether/Ariel Pro has two sets of compression straps:
- Two horizontal straps across the front
- One Z-style removable strap on each side
In addition to stabilizing the load, these straps are useful for securing trekking poles, an umbrella, ice tools, and long tent poles. Skis could be attached, too, but I鈥檇 want to protect the pack fabric from the metal edges first.
The side compression straps photograph well, but the webbing does not slide easily through the rectangular sliders. O-rings would have been a better choice.
