Osprey is eyeing the ultralight market with its 2018 backpack lineup. The European division of the backpack manufacturer was showing off part of its 2018 backpack collection at the recent Friedrichshafen OutDoor trade show, one of the top trade events for the European outdoor community. The Winner of the OutDoor award for the best backpack was the company’s new ultralight Levity backpack.
Dubbed “The Ventilated Pinnacle” of design, the Levity is the lightest pack made by Osprey. The 60-liter version weighs in at 1.8 pounds, a featherweight backpack compared to Osprey’s standard packs like the Aether AG 60 which tip the scales at the five-pound mark. As noted by the panel of judges for the OutDoor trade show, the Levity “definitely lives up to its name,” and “packs of this volume don’t get any lighter.”
The Levity is a combination of innovative materials and design. The backpack is constructed using Osprey’s new lightweight NanoFly fabric and the company’s popular Airspeed suspension. The suspended mesh back system provides cooling airflow and helps to distribute weight evenly across the back and hips.
Light on weight but not on features, the Levity ships with lightly padded straps and a waistbelt that is similar in design to the company’s existing day backpacks. Both the straps and the waist belt are constructed with mesh for ventilation. The backpack has plenty of storage with a large center compartment for clothes and gear, a back panel mesh storage pocket for maps and other easily accessible items, and side storage pockets suitable for large water bottles. Unlike other ultralight backpacks that use a roll-top closure, the Osprey Levity has a roomy top-lid that can be used to store keys, headlamps, and other small items.
Osprey Europe showcased both a 60L version of the Levity that is designed for long, multi-day treks and a smaller 45L version suitable for short overnight hikes. In addition to the Levity, Osprey also unveiled an updated version of its Exos pack and a new female specific version dubbed the Eja. Both the Exos and Eja feature the company’s AirSpeed suspended mesh back system and ExoForm hip belt and harness. Though heavier than the Levity, the new Exos and Eja strike an excellent balance between comfort and lightweight design.
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