Talon 22

Great backpack with more space than you would think on the first view. Just 1 thing, I had to replace the webbing straps and buckles of the hip belt, the original straps were a bit too short for me. Maybe Osprey could take into consideration that not all hikers are tiny and skinny?

I'm happy with this product but very disappointed that it doesn't come with a waterproof cover. That is a major omission. I bought a separate cover and used it for the 2nd time only when I climbed Snowdon at midnight last Friday but unfortunately lost it on the way up as it blew off and there was no way of securing it to the ba

This is my favourite bag, it is just the right size, love the front stretch pocket, the hip belt zipped pockets and the side water bottle pockets. An inbuilt raincover would be nice. And I really wish it was available in some brighter colours - I have the red which is great but how about yellow, orange, bright green please?!

Ciao, ho aspettato un anno prima di scrivere la recensione. Lo zaino è fatto molto bene, i materiali e l'ergonomicità sono eccellenti. la regolazione dello schienale andrebbe forse migliorata, ma già cosi va bene. Pratico ed essenziale. Consigliato a chi deve andare in montagna leggero con il bagaglio di un giorno. Complimenti ai tecnici Osprey , avete fato un lavoro eccellente. Grazie

I was looking for a slightly bigger backpack but after reading the reviews I decided to go with the Talon 22, a decision that I have not regretted. Thanks to the external real pocket, you can actually carry more stuff than you thought possible e.g., a jacket or a sweater, even if the main compartment is full of other things such as a laptop and two big cameras. The backpack is also very comfortable and I could wear it all day without any problems. The only thing that annoyed me slightly is that the hip belt strap could be wider - not because it is necessary to keep the backpack in place but because it would not twist as easily and be easier to fasten, especially when wearing mittens. The inside-outside compression straps is a great idea but I discovered how they work only by searching the internet. It would be good if a short manual ,that explained all the features of the backpack, was included with the backpack because some of the features are so smart that are not obvious unless you know where to look, such as the whistle (I could not find it first) and the said compression straps. And yes, it would be nice with an integrated rain cover, well worth a few added grams of weight.

Excellent lightweight pack, used in conjunction with hydraulics reservoir. Particularly like, the back ventilation system which has proved very effective for hiking in hot climates, the adjustable back length for a custom fit, the positioning of loops for carrying poles, and the hip belt with integral pockets for storing nibbles for on the go.

Excellent bag for day trips out, very comfortable to wear. Lots of handy features make it easy to access certain high use items quickly and easily.

I have used few weeks and I am very happy. This works well in nature and is very nice to carry. I am 176 cm tall and L size suits me well. Reppu toimii hienosti ja on lähes huomaamaton kantaa. Hyvin mahtuu päivittäisiä elintarvikkeita kyytiin kauppareissuilta , noin 5-6 kg, ja tosi mukava kantaa kotiin ( 4 km) - ei tarvitse autoa klauppareissuilla. Istuvuus ja mukavuus on aivan loistava.

I bought the Talon 22 around four months ago to replace the very disappointing Montane Ultra Tour 22. I spent a bit of time reading the reviews on the Talon 22, and also, trying out various makes of backpacks in the various outdoor shops at Keswick and Ambleside.

I have one of the large Hydra Flask bottles (1 litre) and I struggled to find some of these sized backpacks, that had a side pocket that was deep enough to hold this bottle (a lot of the side pockets on the other backpacks were too shallow and if I leaned over to the side the bottle was virtually falling out, which is not what you want).

After trying the rest of this sized packs, I began looking more closely at the Talon 22. It was perfect for my uses. My uses for the Talon 22 are, 3-4 hours day walks, and also I wanted to travel with it. I plan on taking the Talon 22 to London with me on the train (to hold items needed while on the train), and plan on using it to carry my bridge camera, jacket, and drinks, and any little bits and bobs I purchase that day.

So with the Talon 22, you get two generously sized side pockets, which as I’ve mentioned are generously deep and can easily hold a 1 litre bottle, without fear of it falling out (if needs be you can pull tight the insideout compression straps (more on these later in the review). A very large front stash pocket, which is ideal for wet clothing, or a very large bottle or other large item you want quick access to. The front stash pocket, also has an adjustment strap, where you can tighten the pocket down to hold something more securely. On the front is also a LidLock helmet attachment. This is a nice included feature for if you are using the Talon 22 for communing or travelling on a bike, or rock climbing.

At the very top of the bag is a zipped compartment, which has a soft none scratch interior, ideal for delicate items that are easily scratched (phone, glasses, sunglasses for example) this compartment is also ideal if you want to keep something close at hand without needing to go deep inside the pack, or you simply may want to keep items separate from the main compartment.

In the main compartment is a little mesh zipped pocket. This is ideal for placing small items in, and I regularly use it to keep cash, bank cards, and other small items in.

The main compartment is accessed by a double zip, that gives a large opening and in turn an easy access area for easy loading of the items you want to keep in there. The main area is quite large (but obviously not massive as the Talon 22 is 22 litres in size) and is easily large enough to hold a waterproof jacket, and food for the day, with a little room to spare. Just be aware that items placed in the very top outer pocket, will reduce the amount of room available in the main compartment.

The back system on the Talon 22 is called Airscape. This system basically has foam cut ridges, and on top of this is a suspended mesh material, which has a small gap between it and the foam cut ridges, which Osprey claim gives a lightweight and comfortable contact area, and gives breathability and helps reduce getting a sweaty back. I haven’t had chance to use the Talon 22 in hot weather, but what I can tell you so far, is that the Talon 22 and its back panel make it the most comfortable pack I have ever worn.

The back panel/harness has an adjustment system on it, which you use as follows:
Loosen the load lifter straps at the top of the harness, slide hand between backpanel and harness to release the Velcro attachment and slide harness up or down into position using arrows to guide. Firmly press on backpanel to reengage to Velcro attachment.
This feature allows for a precise adjustment of the back length/harness length, so that it can precisely fit your torso length very accurately. Also behind the backpanel is a slot/sleeve to store an hydration reservoir if desired. Roughly speaking, you want the back panel adjusted, so that the hipbelt fins sit squarely on your hip bones.

Also, the back system on the Talon 22, has enough structural rigidity when the Talon 22 is almost empty, so that the back panel does not (for want of a better word) collapse in/fold in on its self. This rigidity when almost empty is vitally important to me, as there are quite a lot of the time when I do not fill the Talon 22 to anywhere near its maximum capacity.

For example, there are times when all I have in my Talon 22 is my small bridge camera in the main compartment, and just a water bottle in the side pocket and nothing else. Now, when doing this with my previous backpack (Montane Ultra Tour 22) the back panel had no rigidity whatsoever (had all the rigidity of a piece of wet lettuce), unless the pack was filled to capacity, which resulted in the back panel collapsing in on its self, and this made for an uncomfortable feeling on the back.

The chest harness on the Talon 22 has a similar foam cut , mesh covered system that the back panel has for breathability and comfort. Also on the sternum strap is a built in whistle in the buckle, which is a very nice touch indeed. Also while still on the chest harness, there is a little stretch mesh pocket on the left handside harness strap. This I find is ideal and perfectly sized for a small torch, for when I’m out and about in the darker months. You could also use this pocket to store an energy bar or similar. Like the backpanel, the chest harness/harness straps are incredibly comfortable.

On the left chest harness strap is a stow on the go trekking pole attachment, this allows for quick ease at hand storage and quick access to your trekking poles. From Osprey’s instructions on this stow on the go feature:

1: Locate the elasticized loop on the lower left side of pack. While pulling the loop out from the pack, insert the basket end of the trekking poles into the loop.

2: On the left harness strap locate the trekking pole icon. Pull up on the cord to open, place pole handles in the loop and tighten with the cord lock to secure.

3: Reverse these steps to remove the trekking poles.

On the right chest harness is a dual and single ice tool loops.

Around the stretch side pockets, are insideout compression straps. These allows you to compress the pack down when it’s not full if desired. Or fully stabilize or tightly grip items stored in the side pockets.

Last but not least is the hipbelt:

The hip panels again shares the same foam cut design features that the back panel and chest harness straps use. There are two zipped pockets on the hipbelt. These are ideally sized for placing keys, small snack, or any other small item you want to have easily at hand. At the end of the hipbelt is the pull adjusters and buckle closure. I rarely fill the pack with any amount of weight, so I rarely use the hipbelt and instead I bundle them up and shove them in the zipped hipbelt pockets and zip them up, so that they are out of the way.

The only little negative that I have with the Talon 22, is that I wish it had come with a raincover. I needed to purchase one of these separately, and really a raincover should have been included as Osprey packs aren’t exactly cheap. For usefulness to purchasers of the Talon 22 and or a suitable raincover for it. After contacting Osprey and mentioning that I would rarely use the Talon 22 filled to it’s capacity, Osprey advised me that the XS size would be the best option, and that is the one I went with. The link to it is below:

https://www.ospreyeurope.com/shop/gb_en/ultralight-high-vis-raincover-xs

To sum up and bring this review to a close:
I’ve owned countless rucksacks over the years, but the Talon 22 has to be the best of them all for me. It has the required pockets and sized pockets I need. It has all the compartments I need. And on top of that there are the extremely useful and well thought out features that Osprey chose to put on the Talon 22. And lastly the comfort of the Talon 22 is again the best I’ve experienced, partly down to the adjustable back panel/torso length adjustment system, which ensures the pack sits at the correct parts of your body and also the materials used in this system. This pack has everything I can think of and then some. It’s not often we can buy a product, that ticks ALL of the boxes, but with the Talon 22, this is one of those rare products that does indeed tick ALL of the boxes.

Recently purchased one and very much enjoying it. The main compartment has ample room for my needs, both on a daily basis as when out and about in nature. The options for adjusting the pack to my body are excellent and provide plenty of comfort.
Too bad that, after some time in the rain, water will start to slowly creep in and the form-factor doesn't allow for a rain cover very well. Also, I regret the lack of straps along the front, which I always used with other packs (e.g. a Kode 22 I used to own) to tie down things onto my back. One or two extra compartments, for example in the lower half and on the inside could be beneficial as well.
That being said, these are just minor shortcomings, seeing as the overall experience is just fine.