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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2018
I am a 5'3" woman who travels a lot and likes to travel light. I was looking for a carry-on sized backpack that was comfortable to carry, easy to pack/unpack, and small enough to fit easily in overhead bins. After a lot of research, I decided that Osprey was the way to go. I tried the following Osprey bags:
1) Osprey Packs Porter 46 Travel Backpack, Mineral Teal, One Size
2) Osprey Packs Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack, Volcanic Grey, Small/Medium
3) Osprey Packs Fairview 40 Travel Backpack, Rainforest Green, Small/Medium
I initially bought the Porter and the Farpoint to do a side-by-side comparison, because they were priced comparably on Amazon (~$135 for each). To test, I loaded each one with a "full load" of mixed items, books, clothing, etc. I then donned the backpacks, adjusted the straps, and proceeded to walk around my bedroom a few turns.
I was able to eliminate the Porter as a contender pretty quickly by doing this test. I found that the Porter did not have the internal support for significant weight. When fully loaded, the plastic backboard "buckled" and pressed against my lower back in an uncomfortable way. So I returned in the Porter. One note is that I did like the internal design of the Porter better, but I just couldn't justify keeping it when it was so uncomfortable to carry.
Around this time, the Fairview went on sale, and I was able to snag it for a mere $120 (~$40 cheaper than it is currently listed on Amazon). I purchased the Fairview and proceeded to perform the same load test to compare it to the Farpoint. This was a more difficult decision, as the Fairview and Farpoint are almost identical. But I found the Fairview adjusted a little easier to my small frame and the hip belt sat a little more comfortably. This mirrored what I had read in reviews, so eventually I decided to return the Farpoint and keep the Fairview.
1) Osprey Packs Porter 46 Travel Backpack, Mineral Teal, One Size
2) Osprey Packs Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack, Volcanic Grey, Small/Medium
3) Osprey Packs Fairview 40 Travel Backpack, Rainforest Green, Small/Medium
I initially bought the Porter and the Farpoint to do a side-by-side comparison, because they were priced comparably on Amazon (~$135 for each). To test, I loaded each one with a "full load" of mixed items, books, clothing, etc. I then donned the backpacks, adjusted the straps, and proceeded to walk around my bedroom a few turns.
I was able to eliminate the Porter as a contender pretty quickly by doing this test. I found that the Porter did not have the internal support for significant weight. When fully loaded, the plastic backboard "buckled" and pressed against my lower back in an uncomfortable way. So I returned in the Porter. One note is that I did like the internal design of the Porter better, but I just couldn't justify keeping it when it was so uncomfortable to carry.
Around this time, the Fairview went on sale, and I was able to snag it for a mere $120 (~$40 cheaper than it is currently listed on Amazon). I purchased the Fairview and proceeded to perform the same load test to compare it to the Farpoint. This was a more difficult decision, as the Fairview and Farpoint are almost identical. But I found the Fairview adjusted a little easier to my small frame and the hip belt sat a little more comfortably. This mirrored what I had read in reviews, so eventually I decided to return the Farpoint and keep the Fairview.
