Osprey Aura AG 65 Review Paddy November 30, 2023 All, Gear, Reviews Soph needed a new pack for challenging multi-day hikes, and the Osprey Aura AG 65 turned out to be everything she needed. Check out her review of the classic Osprey hiking pack during an overnighter at Mount Buffalo. As an avid hiker, I’ve started tackling more challenging multiday hikes, so it was time to upgrade my pack to something better suited to these adventures. After trying on the popular Osprey Aura AG 65, I was confident that this women-specific pack would be ideal for my 17km overnight hike through Mount Buffalo National Park, staying at Mount McLeod. Fit & Comfort of the Osprey Aura AG When undertaking an overnight trip, you want to ensure that your pack is going to provide the necessary support and is capable of balancing the extra weight you’re carrying. The Osprey Aura AG 65 gives you meticulous control when adjusting for the perfect fit (via straps and velcro). This makes the pack comfortable and accommodating for a variety of body types. After packing some weight, altering the torso length and fine-tuning some of the straps at the beginning, I didn’t have to make any further adjustments to the pack for the remainder of the hike. The Aura’s Anti Gravity Suspension system is what I have to thank for the supportive and comfortable fit. It consists of a single piece of mesh stretching from the top of the harness down to the middle of the hip belt. This does a fantastic job of providing ventilation when worn, as it separates your back from the pack. The pack dispersed the weight of my contents well, and after hiking for a few hours on a warm day, I was very thankful for the ventilated mesh back panel. The increased padding on the shoulder straps and hip belt provided pleasant cushioning while still remaining breathable due to its almost porous structure. The hugging nature of the hip belt did make for a bit more of a challenge when putting the pack on. However, this is something I quickly got the hang of and was a worthwhile trade-off for the added support when hiking long distances. When I reached the campsite and unclipped the hip belt, I had forgotten how heavy my pack was and really appreciated how much weight my hips were taking off my shoulders. You’ll quickly understand why the Anti Gravity Suspension earns its name. Osprey Aura AG Features For those who love organisation (like me), the various roomy pockets make it easy to categorically store your contents. The pockets are conveniently placed and use oversized zipper loops, which came in handy when wearing gloves in the frosty morning. The Aura AG doesn’t have a large front panel access to the main compartment (unlike the Ariel 65). If I were planning to use this pack more for backpacking/travel, this would play a more significant consideration in my pack choice. However, besides the top access via the drawstring, there is also access to the main compartment through two curved side zips on the front of the pack. With careful planning, I could easily pull out the smaller contents when we were at camp. Of all the pockets on this pack, my favourite would have to be the two large pockets on the hip belt. They are slightly rounded in nature, which provided some added flexibility in what I could stash. This made it convenient to access my trail mix, apple and Victorinox multitool while on the move. The Aura AG 65 is compatible with a hydration reservoir of up to 3L, which I regret not bringing along for this trip. That said, the pack does offer two dual-access water bottle holders that allow for on-the-trail access. However, if you carry a larger bottle (like my Grayl Geopress), you may have difficulty accessing it without taking off your pack. My pack had a built-in vibrant green rain cover stashed at the bottom, but I was fortunate not to need it. Separately, for those who use hiking poles, there is an easy-to-use Stow-On-The-Go hiking pole attachment located on the left shoulder strap. Hiking poles will definitely be the next thing on my list, especially for hikes with steeper gradients. Final Thoughts Overall, I am very pleased with the performance of the Osprey Aura AG 65 pack. The breathability, comfort and adjustability are the biggest takeaways that I noticed while using the pack for my overnight hike. Despite this pack having a few drawbacks regarding versatility, it comes with a long list of features that I found incredibly useful. I honestly recommend you include this pack in your selection process when searching for your next pack. I know I’ll be using it for many hikes to come. This is a review of the Osprey Aura AG 65, written by Soph Witt. If you think this could be your new hiking pack, shop the Aura AG 65 here. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.