UPDATE: Osprey Momentum Backpack

I have had the Osprey for about three months now so I feel that I can make an adequate review focusing on the usage, and not merely the cosmetics.

So far the bag has been tested out as a school bag (law school, loads of books and computer), day commuter (trips to the supermarket, bookstore, drugstore and library and other general errands), short hiker, and a media bag (camera, computer, kindle, ipod and the like).

The Momentum performs very well in all of the above stated uses. As a bag for school it handles the demanding loads of law school with ease, however as it is only the 26 liter model you are limited in the number of books that you can put in it. I can usually fit 2 large case books, computer and charger. As a day  commuter the Momentum has enough space for a light trip to the grocery store, or whole day out of downtown shopping. Perhaps my favorite use for this bag so far has been as a media bag. The main compartment (where you would put books in a knapsack) has two medium sized mesh pockets on the back wall which hold electronic gadgets. The amount of padding in the bag is also a major plus when deciding to stow your media/ electronic gadgets in it; each pocket and compartment of the Momentum have great padding. I have been known to have the occasional slips of hand and so far this bag has saved me from a few of those! My electronics have made it through the drops and bumps thanks to this thing's padding.

The Momentum is billed as a commuter bag for bikers and other commuters and it does a great job as such. No matter how you like to wear a bag, loose or cinched down, you can configure this bag to sit comfortably. I have Scoliosis and it is often difficult to situate a pack on my back, however the Momentum does not have the obtuse over-padding of most bags, it has very dense padding that does not get too hot or put necessary pressure on you back. Very comfortable.

I only have a few issues with the Momentum, nothing that would make me take this bag back. The first: as a school bag, the writing implement pocket on the front is a bit short, you cannot fit a wooden pencil in it, nor a long pen, at most this in frustrating and not a game changer.

Second: the water bottle pockets on the side. The model that I have has zippered pockets with mesh that zips out. When using them you bottle tips out away from you (towards the front of the pack) this makes them very hard to get at and you usually have to take the bag off for a drink. The zippers also unzip under the weight of the bottle. I have found that I can only use them for smaller containers when the bag has stuff in the main compartment. When the main compartment is empty you can fit a large Nalgene in them with ease. Again, a bummer, but not a deal breaker; if nothing else they make great stash pockets for cellphones or the like.

Here is a Pro and Con list of some other small points! All in all this is an awesome bag, if you want a functional, weather resistant commuter bag with some outdoor panache and credit!

Pro:

• Versatility
• Very water resistant even without the attached rain fly! (walked for 45 minutes in a pretty good drenching with no leakage at all, no rain fly)
• Great mesh pockets in the main compartment for organizing
• Comfortable: custom tailor the fit with all of the adjustments.
• Front quick access pouch (adjustable strap allows it to close almost all the way! Bonus secure Pocket!)

Con:

• Small organized front pocket (a pencil will not fit upright in the mesh pockets and must be laid sideways)
• Awkward bottle pockets

I would definitely seek this bag out again, however next time I would opt for the larger unit as 26 liters gets filled up pretty quick!        

Great Bag, look forward to testing another Osprey model out, hopefully soon.

Get a hold of me with any questions,

-J

Osprey Momentum 26 Overview

My bag from Osprey finally arrived! I could not be more excited. For years I have coveted an Osprey pack and finally I have one!

Since I have only just gotten the pack I will not be able to give a full review, however I would like to give an overview of the pack.

First off; This pack is a real looker:

The bag is very visually appealing. I really enjoy the Bamboo color as well as the stylish use of reflective material that is both flattering and functional. Major Plus!

Second: Pockets Galore

The accessory pocket contains mesh dividers to organize your necessaries.

This is the main compartment of the Momentum. As you can see it too contains mesh dividers. I think that I will use this bag for bike trips and short hikes in warm weather, so these will most likely be used to hold camera equipment and the like. I think that this a great idea to have divider pockets in a bag of this size because it provides the ability to protect you camera gear without lugging around a big stiff camera specific bag.

The laptop compartment has ample room for this 15.4 in comp. It is also very padded to protect your investment.

When I initially looked at the bag I was a little bummed by the fact that it appeared to have no side pockets for a water bottle. However, upon further investigation I found that it did in-fact have such pockets, and they were better than expected. Unlike most bags where you have open-top pockets, the Momentum has pockets that zip out when you need them to hold a bottle, and zip up when you need to carry precious cargo in them; DOUBLE SCORE!

What comes next still blows my mind:

Now you see 'em...

Now you don't! The shoulder straps have a compartment that they can be tucked into to make this sweet backpack into a streamlined brief-case! What a cool idea. I can think of so many useful applications for this feature; air travel, functional professionalism for those who ride their bike to work, and even storage. This is a great feature, and the good news is that even when you pack the straps, the interior capacity is not inhibited.

From what I can tell this is going to be a great bag. I cannot wait to put it to the test and check each feature individually.

Thank you Osprey for choosing me!

UPDATE: I HAVE A NEW REVIEW THAT FOCUSES ON THE FEATURES AND NOT THE COSMETICS. CHECK IT OUT: http://randomstreamoc.blogspot.com/2011/04/update-osprey-momentum-backpack.html

oh yeah, thanks for the cool hat too:

Look for updates every once in a while and a review in a month or two, the testing begins today.

This could be the beginning of something special,

-J

Osprey Bag

Wanna Hear something really cool?

Yesterday I got a Face Book Message from someone who said that I had won a Free Osprey Backpack! How cool is that!

I am waiting to hear back from them as to which bag it will be, I am hoping that it is the Momentum in green!

Like this sweet thing, but in the Bamboo color!

When it arrives be ready for a full testing, I am going to put it through the riggers! I have heard for a long time that these are the most comfortable and durable bags on the market, and I am very anxious to get my hands on it!

It was all part of their 10,000 likes promotion on Face Book. You should go ahead and like them on FB, and you could be a lucky winner too!

Thank you Osprey Packs!

-J