Osprey Packs Eclipse 36

Review Date
September 7, 2003

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: The_Big_K(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Bellingham, WA

Price Paid:  $159.00 at REI

Summary:
I purchased the Eclipse 36 on the recommendation of an REI staff member at the main Seattle store. It wasn't my first pick but it had a nice set of features.

After about 2 months of regular use, 3-4 afternoon hikes of 8-10 miles a week with 20lbs of gear, the pack was starting to give up. The first thing to go was the foam they used to give the pack shape, it buckled where the lid straps attach. The waist belt was next, the material was about half worn through and the foam was darn near totally gone. The waist belt was starting to curl up in a ball, it was sort of fun to play with though.

Another note the clip for holding your hydration hose is WAY too flimsy, I broke it off the first day I had the pack. I e-mailed osprey and they sent me a bag with a handful in it, although they never e-mailed me back, didn't know they had read it until the package came in the mail.

I ended up returning the pack and getting an Arc'Teryx Bora 40 WAY, WAY, WAY better pack.

Customer Service:
Check the review.

Similar Products Used:
The North Face, REI, Arc'Teryx

Review Date
September 30, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: Skyislander(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Tucson, AZ

Price Paid:  $169.00 at Summit Hut

Summary:
Bought this pack specifically to do single-night, 2 day hikes in Arizona with light-weight, low-volume gear (and no tent). I took the pack to West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, AZ and wore it wading through waist deep water, over rugged terrain with lots of deadfall and boulders. The pack was comfortable. It looks more like the "crescent" style of packs but it lacks the side "struts" on those ones. But it does have a full-length single stay, and it has a thick waist belt that features Osprey's specialized pull system where the the straps pull toward you. The result is that with the waist belt pulled taught, the pack transfers weight to the hips very effectively and reduces the pressure on the shoulders and upper back.

The pack has a several features that I found nice. First of all, the hip belt and the shoulder harness are removable, and the store I bought it from actually swapped out the shoulder harness with a larger one so that the pack could be customized for my fit. Secondly, inside the pack the interior is a shiny gray which makes it easier to find stuff. Thirdly, the compression system that Osprey uses makes it easy not only to really settle and stabilize the load, but you can also squish stuff to the back of the outside, like, in my case, a fishing pole and a somewhat bulky Mountain Hardwear sleeping pad. Finally, there are lash hooks

On the downside, the "overfill" feature was amusing. I needed to stash my hiking boots on the top, and there really wasn't much of an overfill capability, but the boots squashed enough and the lid kept them in the pack.

The pack also has a lot of "goodies" for people who like to rockclimb or play in th snow, like a shovel pocket, daisy-chain strap-links, and side straps for skis plus a way to put the skis through (underneath) the mesh side pockets.

Lastly, the pack looks pretty solidly built/designed/stitched together. Osprey supposedly recently farmed out manufacturing some of its line Overseas. This particular pack looked OK. Time will tell how it holds up to its "big brother--" a Colorado-made Crescent 75. In any event, it does offer a lot of features for the price, in my book.

Customer Service:
customer service through dealer was excellent (bought in person)

Similar Products Used:
gregory reality, Crescent 75