The Tahoe Rim Trail is a high altitude, rugged 168 miles, broken by eight trailheads at the passes that head into the Tahoe basin. The trail sections range from 13 to 31 miles with one to three thousand foot climbs and drops. The trail is as beautiful as it is challenging, offering stunning views of the Carson Valley and glimpses of Lake Tahoe along the forested trail.
Whether you’re tackling the Tahoe Rim Trail, or trekking through the Denali, the Aether series of packs (Ariel for women) from Osprey is a perfectly designed and sized option for backpacking, mountaineering and general outdoor adventuring.
Whatever your expedition or adventure, the journey naturally demands versatility from a pack as well as solid durability. The Aether 70 from Osprey strikes a near perfect balance between lightweight design and load-bearing performance. A multi-day pack that lets you dial in the fit you need, the Aether 70 has a streamlined design that remains uncluttered without sacrificing the storage space or useful features you need for a successful journey.
To keep Aether 70 light, the Osprey design team shaved off weight without sacrificing toughness with a 210-denier double-ripstop nylon and 420-denier nylon packcloth body and 500-denier plain-weave oxford nylon bottom. This pack is as tough as the granite slabs you’ll be scampering across.
Compression straps, a stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment, exterior pockets and even ice-axe loops on the front of the pack provide countless options for carrying your gear. A front pocket utilizes welded stretch woven Nylon fabric to serve as a convenient storage spot for layers of clothing or other gear. Osprey’s J-zipper also provides easy access to the main compartment without opening the top panel.
With an astounding range of fit and practical, clean features this top-loading 70-liter expedition pack lets you carry a lot of gear – up to 4,4000 cu in. comfortably without leaving you feeling like you’re bearing the weight of the world.
Of course, if you need more space for longer treks, Osprey’s attachable AddOns (sold separately) make the Aether 70 even more versatile for extensive expeditions. Speaking of versatility, did we mention that even the top pocket can be removed and converted into a lumbar pack when you want to break away from basecamp and conquer new wilderness?
Features Make the Fit…
While a pack’s capacity is a key consideration when pack shopping, few things are more important than choosing a pack according to your torso length. No matter how little or how much gear you’re carrying, you want the pack to fit your frame comfortably. To ensure proper fit, the Osprey IsoForm harness is available in multiple sizes and gender specific cuts features spacer mesh surface with no sewn seams for superb comfort and fit.
Of course, at the end of the day, feature and design are all for not if the pack isn’t comfortable. Towards those ends, Osprey continues their iconic fit and support in this pack series with an innovative AirScape Suspension.
The AirScape Suspension utilizes dual peripheral aluminum rods to help stabilize the load of your outdoor gear and transfer the weight close to your body. The ridge foam backpanel with grip mesh covering provides superior breathability and ultra-comfortable pack to body contact so whether you’re out for a day or weeks, you’ll be packing in luxury.
Adding to the exceptional comfort is the IsoForm CM hip-belt which can be heat-molded to fit your body exactly with CM-specific ovens at an Osprey dealer. Despite all the classic Osprey touches, one or our testers favorite features is the ergoPull hip-belt. A belt that you tighten by pulling inwards – which is not only a more intuitive motion but one that works flawlessly on the trail.
And because you’ll be packing light and fast, you’ll work up a thirst on the trail which means that the Aether’s hydration-compatible design will come in handy. Featuring reservoir sleeve and dual drink tube exit ports for on-the-go hydration the Aether 70 ensures
Bottom Line…
Want a one-pack quiver? Our gear guru’s loved this versatile, lightweight pack on everything from fast-and-light weekends to overloaded weeks. With an astounding range of fit and practical, clean features, the Aether series of packs is a tremendous choice in the realm of lightweight gender specific packs.
Manufactured by Osprey, the The Aether 70 is available in your choice of color options and retails for $279 and is available in the following styles: LG Dusk, LG Magma, LG Tundra, MD Dusk, MD Magma, MD Tundra, SM Dusk, SM Magma, SM Tundra. For more information visit Ospreypacks.com