I've used this product for multiple overnight and weekend backpacking trips and found that it is a great pack! Very comfortable and easy to fit all my gear. The side load zippers are a huge help when the pack is full and I need to access the bottom. The only difficulty I found was that the sleeping bag compartment on the bottom of the pack is small and can be difficult to load.

NPS Firefighter

Zion National Park

I'm a woman, and I downsized to the Kestrel 48L from a 50 +10L backpack (nobody needs to carry 60L of stuff on a 6 month backpacking trip - trust me!), and so far I've used it on a 2 month trip through South America and while there are a couple of things that my old bag had that I wish this one did (a small, removable day pack and full frontal access), overall I really love it! I have a very long upper body so none of the women's bags worked for my height, so the only problem I have is that the wasit adjustment doesn't go quite small enough for my waist, but the length adjustment is worth it, and it's still manageable and far more comfortable than the shorter women's bags. I highly recommend this bag for any other women out there that have this problem. I do find the side access a bit annoying as I don't find it super accessible. I read a previous comment that stated you can't remove the bottom compartment flap, but this is false; you can unhook it from the inside, near the back. I prefer the bag without the bottom compartment as I find there is more space this way. The side pockets are a bit tricky to reach when carrying the bag, but I use it for my main backpack and carry a separate daybag for my water, so that's not a concern for me, and I like how strechy yet secure the pockets are. Also, the statement about not being able to use the front pocket when the bag is full is also false; as long as you fill the front pocket first you should notice that the space is fully utilized. In fact, when I took the time to pack properly (as opposed to quickly throwing everything in for a quick hostel change), I found this bag to be a little bit TOO big! It says that you can sinch it up and use it for a day hike, but even then the top pocket buldges and the bag just doesn't sit quite right when it it fully sinched. That being said, I may just invest in the 38L for my next trip and ditch the extra 10L. I love this bag!

Happy Wanderlust

Canada

I own 2 ospreys, 2004 60 aether (still in excellent condition even after a 650 mile thru hike) and the 48 kestrel. I reduced gear, so I required a smaller pack. I purchased the kestrel in march 2016. Since then the kestrel has been used in utah as a day pack for varies trails and it has been to isle royale michigan for 6 days and 5 nights loaded up to 32lbs. I easily could have loaded it for 7 days. At 32 Ilbs and avg 10 miles a day, the pack was always comfortable. Even during breaks I kept the bag on. Its easily the most comfortable pack i have used. The aether back panel is flat to my back and causes sweating. The kestrel airflow back panel really helps keep my back cool, you still will sweat from hiking but not from overheating. The pockets help with keeping gear organized . The main body of the bag is very durable and still looks new. Also the daisy chains are very handy for hang wet clothes or attaching things too. The hipbelt pockets are a decent size able to hold my sawyer mini, purell or 2 cliff bars. The negatives, the mesh water bottle pouch has some fraying, do to over growth on the trails rubbing it, and I question it's long term durability. The water bottle stretch pockets are the biggest negative, I can't reach or put the bottles back without taking the pack off, the mesh is too high. I think they should add more fabric here to make them pockets, as is the mesh stretches but won't fit all water bottles. Side note the 04 aether mesh pockets are much better designed and stronger. The hipbelt pockets have a flap over the zippers( I believe it's to keep water out) but they are annoying, it's a hassle to do while hiking. Ula hipbelt pockets are much better. Lastly the sleeping bag compartment spacer can't be removed I don't use it, it's not a big deal though you just have to move it out of the away. Overall it's a solid bag, its a day pack to thruhike pack. The excellent fit/comfort far overshadows the negatives. Will use on my 2017 AT thru hike

Derek

Cheboygan, Mi

Not 48 L in size. If the main section is full, the outside side zippered pocket is not useable thus its not a true 48 L bag. It should be classified as a 40 L bag. Also for hiking all day a stronger frame would be ideal.

JR

Canada

I bought this pack in Denver more than 10 years ago, after going through 4 big outdoors shops looking for the right bag. Not so big that I want to carry too much, and not so small that I cant carry enough. Since then it has traveled all over the US, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Bulgaria and Turkey. On the big trips it carried an average of 35 pounds. Some of these were backpacking trips, and some just travel with a backpack, but it does either job well and is very comfortable once I get it strapped in place.

Rod

Cotacachi, Ecuador visiting today in NC

I think this newer version looks better than the previous version of the backpack Very good pack, i love this pack ....

Baday

Jakarta, indonesia