Osprey Talon 33 Review - Not Just for Backpacking

The Osprey Talon 33 is a versatile, convenient day pack that is just as useful in the back country as it is for every day life in the city.

The Talon 33 is lightweight, coming in at just 2 pounds while sporting a solid 33 liters of storage capacity. In addition to the interior space, Osprey has included 10 different pouches on the outside of the pack for additional storage. If you want to make sure you're maximizing the space and pockets on this pack, make sure you're loading your pack correctly. If you've never looked at how to optimize your backpack setup, check out this guide on how to pack your backpack.

The shoulder straps are really comfortable and easily adjustable.  The velcro adjustment on the back cushion area is nice for swapping packs between people or for fine tuning the sizing to get that juuust right comfortable fit.

Osprey Talon 33 Review Summary

Pros

  • Really easy to adjust; fits people from 5'6" up to 6'6" easily.
  • Very lightweight and compact design.
  • Osprey quality and lifetime warranty.

Cons

  • Water bottle pockets are at a weird angle.
  • Not many loops for attaching stuff to outside of pack.
  • Included stuff sack doesn't compress very much.

Borrowing one of the best features of other larger Osprey backpacks, the Talon 33 takes the adjustable back panel to the next level with their velcro system that allows you to quickly and easily adjust this backpack to fit any body size.


Weighing just 2 lbs and packing a 33 liter internal storage space, the Osprey Talon 33 is a great daypack and carries on the great Osprey reputation for high quality backpacks that they stand behind with a lifetime warranty.

Pockets Galore

If you decide to go with a day pack or anything in the 30-35 L storage capacity, you're sacrificing a lot of internal storage compared to a traditional backpack that might be 55-65 liters.

Osprey knows this and planned for it by adding a ton of pockets to the Talon 33.  This backpack has 10 pockets on the outside of it which makes it easy to store your gear in convenient spots that you can quickly access while hiking.

No more digging through your backpack and shoving around all of your gear just to find your lighter.  Being able to quickly locate your gear and pull it out of the backpack without even needing to stop is a game changer and something you can't truly appreciate until you've experienced it.

Talon 33 Ventilated Suspension System

One of the most annoying things about cheap backpacks is the lack of ventilation in your back area.

When you're hauling 30+ pounds of gear up a mountain you're guaranteed to get sweaty and having a comfortable pack that keeps your back cool can be the difference between an awesome hike and a grueling climb.

Osprey covers the back padding with a mesh netting and a perforated suspention system to make sure you'll get plenty of air flow on your back.

You can also see that the hip belt uses the same mesh netting to help you stay cool.

How to Adjust the Torso Length on the Talon 33

Osprey's higher end backpacks have used adjustable velcro torsos in the past to many rave reviews.

This is another thing that's hard to appreciate until you've gone without it.  Trying to get a backpack to fit your body can be a nightmare if it isn't designed right.

The velcro system on the Osprey Talon 33 is easy to use and dead simple to get right.

Just peel the velcro back support away from the backpack and slide it up or down to match your height.  After you've adjusted it, push the velcro pieces back together and try the pack on.  Rinse and repeat until you get a nice solid fit that feels right.

Talon 33 Hydration Pack Compatability

On a lot of backpacks (including other Osprey packs!) being able to use a hydration pack can be incredibly difficult.  From inconvenient interior storage to just leaving out any way to connect a hydration pack, many manufacturers don't put in enough time and effort to make sure hydration packs will work easily with your backpack.

Osprey clearly learned their lesson here and did a great job of making hydration packs easier to use by including a dedicated pouch on the outside of the pack that can fit a 2-3L hydration pack with ease.

In addition to the dedicated pouch, there are several tie down straps that let you really tighten up this pack and make sure everything is secure so you won't lose anything on the trail.

Technical Specifications

If you want the tech specs for side by side comparisons with other packs, we've got you covered.  Here's a full breakdown of every detail on the Osprey Talon 33.

Osprey Talon 33 Specifications

Internal Capacity

33 Liters

Weight

2 pounds

Maximum Weight

20-25 pounds

Torso Sizing

19-23 inches

Waist Sizing

28-50 inches

Outer Dimensions

24" x 12" x 11"

Materials

Main pack 70D x 100D

Accent area 420 HD

Bottom 420 HD

Exterior Pockets

10

Warranty

Osprey Lifetime Repair

Torso Fit

19-23 inches

Hip Belt

Yes, ventilated mesh

Hip Belt Pockets

Yes, 2

Hydration Compatible

Yes

Gender

Unisex

User Ratings

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Talon 33 Review Summary

The Osprey Talon 33 is a capable little backpack that does a fantastic job of letting you haul gear for an overnighter.  It can also double as an every day backpack for carrying stuff to school or work without looking too much like a real 'backpacking backpack'.

Osprey made some great design decisions with the Talon 33 by making it easy to adjust, having a dedicated hydration pocket, and creating a very well ventilated mesh support in the back area.

Coming in at a very affordable price point and with the lifetime Osprey warranty that offers up free repairs for life, it's pretty tough to pass up this backpack.

If you're looking for something for 3+ day hikes you'll want to look into something bigger like the Osprey Aether or Atmos in a 55 liter size or larger.  For anyone looking for a backpack that can get them through a 1-2 night hike and also double as an every day carry, the Osprey Talon 33 does an outstanding job and is highly recommended by everyone who has tried it.