Last Monday I was back on Dutch soil, home in the Netherlands where I live, after three weeks of adventuring through my beloved Norway. During those three weeks I was able to thoroughly test my new Osprey Hikelite 26 – which I received as a gift from Osprey Europe! I hiked with it in 34 degrees, through real Scandinavian downpours and climbed with it to an altitude of 1300 meters. These are my findings!
Osprey Hikelite 26
Let me start at the beginning. The backpack has a capacity of 26 liters, measures 48x28x28cm and is made of 100D nylon. All practical information, but I also just think the Osprey Hikelite 26 is REALLY pretty. I have the “Tomato Red” version and I simply love the color. Red is my favorite color and the backpack stands out so beautifully against the colors of Norwegian nature! So that just makes me really happy..
Flexible, lightweight and adjustable
The name “Osprey Hikelite” already gives it away a little, but this backpack weighs only 740 grams! So no dead weight you have to haul around on your back. On both sides there are buckles that let you make the backpack as compact or as roomy as suits your hike.
The shoulder straps are extensively adjustable, so the backpack can always be fitted exactly to your body and to how you like to carry your bag. Of course the hip belt and the sternum strap are adjustable too. I personally always like to strap myself in tightly. That way my backpack can’t move anywhere and I keep the weight close to my body. Pretty handy if you ever have to make an awkward move while walking along a mountain ledge.
Suitable for all weather conditions
Thanks to Osprey’s AirSpeed technology – the mesh back panel – the Hikelite 26 sits very comfortably on your back. But this ‘net’ also lets air flow along your back, so you don’t sweat unnecessarily. The shoulder straps have ventilation holes too. When I was hiking up a mountain in 34 degrees last month, I was VERY happy with these features.
There’s a rain cover hidden in the bottom of the backpack. It sits behind a little zipper and is easy to pull out if you’re surprised by a downpour. You can leave it attached to your backpack or take it off, whatever you prefer. I always just leave it attached, so it can’t blow away. Even without the rain cover, the backpack can handle a few splashes of water. I really like that, because I can be a bit stubborn sometimes and wait to see if a shower blows over. So your stuff doesn’t get wet right away. Bonus points for Osprey!
Well-organized compartments and handy gadgets
The Osprey Hikelite 26 has a nice layout with handy features for hikers. First of all, a main compartment with a zipper. Inside this main compartment there’s a hydration reservoir sleeve (I really don’t have a prettier word for it?) with a hanging loop and a hole for the hose. On the shoulder straps there are little elastic loops to secure your drinking hose under. Super handy!
In front of that there’s a small front pocket with a zipper. This pocket is made of a special scratch-free material, so it’s safe to store your sunglasses in. Personally very handy for me, because during a hike I often switch between my regular glasses and my sunglasses.
On the front there’s a “shove-it” pocket for things you want to grab easily, and at the bottom you’ll find two loops for hiking poles. On the sides there are mesh pockets that can be cinched with little buckles. Because the pockets are fairly low, this is one of the few backpacks where I can grab my water bottle without having to take my backpack off. That’s actually really handy, but the downside is that during the vacation my water bottle bounced onto the ground no less than three times because I leaned forward. So something to keep in mind!
Final verdict
I’m never getting rid of this hiking backpack! It looks great, fits like a glove, is exactly the right size for the day hikes I do, is easy to organize, easy to clean and just really pleasant to use. Usually after a long day of hiking my shoulders start bothering me sooner or later, but with this backpack I didn’t have sore shoulders once. So I just need to learn not to bend forward too far when my water bottles are in the side pockets. Or maybe I should switch to a hydration reservoir after all..
Shop your own Osprey Hikelite 26 for only €90 on the website of Osprey Europe!
