Well, rats.

I got my Osprey Ozone Duplex 65 pack but, unfortunately, I will be returning it. I really like a lot about the pack – it looks good, the organization is great, it feels very comfortable, and Osprey makes great gear that holds up. And I like the idea behind the design.

The pack splits into two packs – a “cargo bag” for your clothes and a “daypack”. The pretty clever idea of this bag is to leave the cargo bag in your hotel and use the daypack while you are out and about. The other advantage is when flying you can put the cargo pack in the bin overhead and keep your daypack with you.

The problem? The size of the daypack part of the pack is the biggest problem – literally. I think it is too big as a “personal item” for flights on European budget carriers. I checked some charts about carry-on sizes and it definitely would be an issue on some airlines. It would probably work on domestic U.S. flights because they cave in to the whiners, but the carriers I have been on in Europe can be real strict on bag sizes and will measure anything and everything to check and they don’t give in despite how entitled you think you are. They will charge you more at the gate or you won’t be going.

Along with the pack I got a few other things, and one was a rain cover for the pack. When I opened the box the first thing I saw was this huge nylon stuff sack – that was the rain over. It weighed over a pound! I know that doesn’t seem like much, but in metric terms you are limited on some European airlines to around 12 kilograms of weight for your carry-on. The backpack itself weighs 2.1 kg, the rain cover a half kg. Just bare bones packing that is nearly 3 kg. Add clothes, toiletries, electronics, etc. and it adds up quick. I did see some reviews where people said when loaded up it really can throw the weight pretty far back, affecting your balance and walking. Plus, you WILL be carrying this weight everywhere you go so you want to cut back where possible.

It was disappointing to find these things out, but it’s all good. It didn’t hurt to try a new approach – you just never know. It just means that I will be sticking with my Farpoint 40 and rethinking my packing a little more. I will try using some of the new tips & tricks I learned from the videos and I think that will help make it better. Just packing the new pack with some of these tips really made me see the possibilities and these ideas will make the Farpoint a little easier to use.

It really is a great pack that I really do like for the most part. It weighs 1.47 kg, is rugged, comfortable to wear on a 10-mile day (which we did a few!), and built well despite the couple of organization things I don’t like about it. It does get rave reviews from everyone but most of the people who have reviewed it also disliked the same things I dislike. Even with the issues, it is still probably the #1 rated and recommended travel backpack for price and comfort. I like the looks better than many of the other bags (I prefer the “outdoorsy” look), plus I KNOW it fits within budget airlines restrictions.

So that is the latest update on that subject. Otherwise not much going on – just getting a couple of last minute gifts taken care of. I started a bit earlier this year with all of the shortages going on. I wanted to make sure the shelves weren’t bare before I finished up my shopping and I am getting the last of it delivered on Monday.

Had a couple of cold nights again this past week, but today was actually comfy in short sleeves. Not by much, but it was definitely warm in the sun. Maybe I can get out on another trip soon. I would go next week but with the holiday season starting to ramp up I am not interested in those crowds.

I have been shuffling a few things around in the trailer again and doing some cleaning in the process. I still have too many things in the trailer but it’s getting better. I consolidated some things in the bunk/cabinet above the rear dinette/bed and that really helped quite a bit. I was able to move some other stuff into the extra space.

That’s all for this post. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!