Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Osprey Aether 85 vs. REI XT 85

Anyone have any input on these two packs? Advantages/disadvantages of one over the other? I have done a seach and found some info on them, but am curious as to what you all think.

I am looking for a pack to keep me out for a week at a time that won't break the bank ($300 and under) and both of these seem to fit the bill.

I have not used the Osprey, but have and highly recomend the XT85. It is a great pack and especially if you get them on sale.

Thanks! I've got a buddy that has one and he likes it. Only negative reviews I've seen on them is weak stitching. I missed the sale when they had them for $219 and there weren't any at the used gear sale this past weekend.

I have used the Osprey Aether 85 (2010 model) extensively all last summer which included a 130 mile hiking/packraft trip into the AK backcountry.

The Aether is a great pack up to around 70 pounds or so. However IMO the frame is a bit too flexible to be considered a true backcountry week+ long hunting pack where you will be carrying out meat and camp in the same load. What I have started doing in looking for a sturdy backcountry backpack is applying force to the top of the backpack's frame to see how easily it buckles over. I have found the harder it is to bend the frame from the top the less it will buckle under some serious weight (100 pounds).

Granted not a fool proof way to go about it and LOTS of caveats to deal with most importantly is pack fit but it helps give me an idea of what might work and what might not. For example the frame of the Badlands Sacrifice buckles much easier than the REI Flash 65 and have found that hte REI flash (only 3 pounds) carries weight better than the 4+ pound Badlands pack as well for less money too, so now the Sacrifice pack is down the road and the REI flash pack is my new day hunt pack.

The REI XT 85 takes a lot more force to make the frame bend at all and that alone told me that it may be a great canidate if it fits for a hunting pack. For a 5 pound pack I'd say if the XT 85 fits ya it'd carry the 100# loads better than the Osprey Aether 85 and possibly even the Osprey's beefier Argon 110.


There is no fool proof way to find a good pack via the internet. Sure you can glean useful information info on which pack works for what for some people, but in the end it comes down to what fits ya. If shopping at REI buy them both use them both, find what fits ya better with heavy loads and return the other one.

Hope that helps.

Here is a pic of me 35 miles from the nearest road or ATV trail last summer with the Osprey Aether 85 with about 50-55 pounds in it (again great pack for backpacking, just not my top choice given the price as a hunting pack)

The Xt85 carries 55-lb loads in comfort and I am sure if the user is up to a 100-lbs is not out of line. I had around 50+ lbs in mine on my last outing. My 10-year old made me his mule.

I sold my other big packs in favor of the XT85 (Kifaru LongHunter, Siwash, Badlands 4500). My stitching is fine, but I read that on the reviews as well. REI will give me a new one if issues arrise.

Thanks for the great info! Unfortunately (or fortunately if you ask my wife) the closest REI is 400 miles away so I'm stuck doing everything online. There is an Osprey dealer 60 miles away and I plan on trying the Aether out before I make my decision. Thanks again.

You guys have to keep in mind that these packs aren't designed for hauling real heavy loads, especially meat. If you use them for what they are designed for then they work well. I've got an Aether 70 and I wouldn't put more than 50lbs of meat in it and I knew that when I bought it. If your going to haul heavy meat loads then you should get a frame designed for it or plan on making several trips.

Have you looked at the Argon 110?

I bought a used Osprey Crescent 90 last year and used it on a Muley hunt. Compared to the older style external frame packs I had use before, it was night and day difference.

This year, I was at REI during their sale and saw the XT85, which my brother had told me about. It is lighter and very comfortable, so I bought it. Can't comment on how it's going to work in the field yet, though.

The 110 is a little more pack than what I am wanting.

My hunting partner has an external frame pack that he uses and I can haul out a light load if need be until I get to the truck to get my frame pack for the second load.

Sounds like you've already got a plan lined up, the Aether 85 should work like a champ then.

Have you considered buying a Dana Design Alpine or Terraplane? Both are from the ArcFlex series, and they are designed to carry very heavy loads. I don't want to put a specific number on it, but I've read of 100+LBs not altering the suspension system. Reviews say they handle that kind of load and are well within their design limits. $300 gives you a lot of play. The Dana externals have dropped considerably since the beginning of the season, and they too can handle those kind of loads.

Modern-day backpacking packs aren't designed to carry big weight. With the ultralight movement, most gear is much lighter than even ten years ago. The new packs are designed with that in mind. The weight of meat hasn't changed, so older non-hunting packs are going to be more and more valuable to hunters in the future. In the 90s, 70-90LBs for long hikes and winter hiking wasn't uncommon. Those packs were made in accordance. Hunting-specific backpacks are priced ludicrously high. It would cause me to seek other options.

I used my Aether 85 for 2 weeks last year and it worked great. Very comfortable with 50# and my bow strapped niclely to it.

I did not get to pack meat with it though. I planned on using it for the first load and then had a frame pack in the truck for the rest. I did read an article where a guy hauled out a deer in his at 115#, but I can't vouch for that.

Good luck!
BP