Access to the main compartment, in addition to the side zip, is via a top opening with drawcord fastening. Inside it is a pouch for hydration bladder, with webbing hanger. Drink tube exit is to the right shoulder. The great thing about the Archeon is that it features dual ice axe loops, which let you stow this handy piece of equipment when you’re not using it. These are at the bottom of the front panel, so you will be able to access the items inside the main compartment even when the axes are stowed. Trekking Pole Loops An ice axe is a must-have equipment for those nasty winter climbs, but it’s a nightmare to have to carry it around everywhere. And it can be pretty sharp, so you can’t exactly store it inside your main compartment – it will go Freddy Krueger all over your stuff.

Other features include a sleeve for a hydration bag (Osprey's own Hydraulics Reservoir obviously fits well) and a whistle on the sternum strap. It benefits from a simple design with a roomy main area, while the front zip opening was very useful for digging out items without having to undo the lid and main drawcord. Sustainability” is an oft-spoken buzzword in the outdoor industry these days, and I’m wary of undeserving platitudes. But the Archeon 45 isn’t a poser.The Archeon is a hybrid top-loader. It’s easy to load and compress gear through the top opening, which is especially effective for trad climbing gear. The sternum strapon the Archeon doubles as a safety whistle; a convenient feature to have in case of an emergency. The hipbelt has short, ventilated fins and a centre section of webbing. Length adjustment is from the outside inwards. That is, as long as you take your time to adjust all those straps to your body and make use of the hipbelt. Sternum Strap And Hipbelt

Side sleeves can often be flimsy or undersized, but the Archeon's are great, with plenty of depth to securely hold a big water bottle, and a useful combination of a stretchy top section for easier access and a nylon bottom part for toughness (think trekking pole tips and the like). The base of the duffel has another zip opening giving access to a separated compartment that is useful for a pair of shoes or similar. This keeps them apart from the contents of the main area, though it does share the space. The fabric of the Craghoppers Duffel is robust feeling polyester with a polyurethane coating. It contains recycled materials – the brand says about 14 plastic bottles were reused in its manufacture. Although the high rigidity of the frame sheet and generously wide hip belt efficiently transferred load, they limited twisting and side bending, something that could be an issue on aggressive approaches. The length of the harness can be adjusted, just like the shoulder straps and the width of the hipbelt. Additionally, once you get that perfect harness length for your body, you can secure it in place so that it doesn’t accidentally move.

Archeon 45 Backpack: Who It’s For

It has a good sized main compartment and a floating lid that can be raised a little to allow extra gear to be accommodated if necessary. Hydration Compatibility: Internal hydration sleeve compatible with Osprey Hydraulics reservoirs (not included) There’s another external compression strapthat attaches the front panel to the top lid. So, even if the zipper of the main compartment comes undone accidentally, the compression strap will keep the panel in place and ensure that your stuff doesn’t just spill out on the trails. In this section, you will be able to see all the external attachment points the Archeon is equipped with. Dual Ice Axe Loops The main compartment is uncluttered and contains just the pouch for a hydration reservoir with a hook-and-loop strip hanger. The drink tube exit is central, allowing the tube to be routed down either the left or right harness strap.

All spring 2020 products are PFC-free. Carryover items are switching from C8 to less hazardous C6 DWRs. Osprey hopes to eventually make all its offerings PFC-free.

Those metal clips are very easy to use, even when wearing gloves. And there are hooks to carry ice axes and walking poles along with a carry handle on the top of the sac so you can hook it up to store or to carry it around by your side.