Travel Gear Review: Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Backpack

This is a review of our new, versatile travel backpack that works as a carry on, backpack, or duffle bag and comes with a bonus day pack. Introducing the Osprey Farpoint 55 Backpack review.

Osprey Farpoint Review Video

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Last updated: January 2023. Originally published: 2016.

Pros of the Osprey Farpoint 55:

Super versatile and great size
Great design and color/size options (we have the 55L, but there are two larger sizes)
Can be converted to a back pack or hide all the straps for a duffle or large-sized carry-on. Comes with a detachable day-size back pack that can hold most laptops
Interior pockets are well laid out to accommodate a lot of different storage needs
Great value for the design and versatility
Lifetime warranty – increases the value of the bag

Cons of the Osprey Farpoint 55:

No breathable/mesh area where it contacts your back (our other pack has this to prevent back sweat)
You kind of look like a turtle when wearing the full bag

In 2016, Michelle said goodbye to her 10-year-old travel backpack and upgraded to a new Osprey two-in-one bag.

We both loved it so much that I (Jedd) eventually got one for myself in 2017!

We each have different colors of the same backpack, so we got nerdy and swapped the zip-on daypacks so the two-toned bags are easier to identify at the airport.

The perfect backpack all depends on the kind of travel you do.

If you are doing lots of walking and backpacking/camping trips, then you’ll want a specific kind of pack, like the Osprey backpackers bag that I used to have. This was kind of the ubiquitous standard for world travelers.

What Osprey and other travel companies have realized, though, is that another market of travelers are out there looking for versatility – people who are using Airbnbs and taking Uber and not necessarily always trekking on foot to their destinations.

We are also the types of travelers that find backpacks to be extremely convenient in cities where mass transit is available (dealing with big luggage on stairs is a pain) or in developing countries where you need to hop on a moped.

In other words, flexible and adaptable luggage is a huge bonus.

More About the Osprey Backpack

The Osprey Farpoint 55 is a two-in-one bag. There’s a big compartment in the main bag and a smaller backpack that can easily be zipped on or off as needed.

Actually, when we first saw this bag at REI, we had no idea that the smaller day pack even existed. Just looking at the entire pack, you’d never know it was a separate entity, which is a clever design on Opsrey’s part. It’s seamless.

The same could be said for the intentionality behind the way they designed the larger bag’s back pack straps. These can easily be zipped up and hidden so it looks like a duffle bag.

At 55 liters, the Osprey Farpoint is big enough to carry enough gear for month-long trips but small enough to fit as a carry-on if needed.

In my opinion, the best use for the Farpoint backpack is as a check-in bag, with the day pack either attached or detached as your carry on.

(We actually saw some fellow travelers “sharing” the bag – one person was wearing the main pack and the other was wearing the smaller day pack.)

Though Osprey makes a larger size at 70L. If you need the space, that may be a good option for you, though you may find that those larger bags are less comfortable to carry on your back.

They also make a 40L size for those of you that are even more minimalistic in traveling than we are.

>> Click here to browse all Osprey Farpoint backpacks

Is the Osprey Farpoint backpack right for you?

Again, the bag(s) you decide to travel with should best match the type of travel you’re doing.

If you are sticking to one destination, not moving around much, and not encountering a lot of stairs or public transit, then traditional luggage (or a rolling duffel like this, which we took to Peace Corps) is probably a good choice.

If you are hiking from small village to village in another country or going backpacking and camping for several days in a National Park, then you’d probably want a backpackers pack with good suspension.

If you are looking for the storage size of traditional luggage and the convenience of being able to carry that load on your back when needed, then the Osprey Farpoint is the right bag for you.

Read our guide to finding the perfect travel bag here >

FAQs

Where can I get the Farpoint backpack?
We got ours from REI. Click here to shop the Osprey Farpoint 55 online.

Are there different colors of Osprey bags?
Yes. It may change but at the moment the colors are grey, red, blue, and green.

Are there different sizes of Osprey backpacks?
Yes, 40L and 70L (the cost of the bag increases with the size and new versions called Osprey Fairview are also available).

Can the Osprey day pack hold a laptop?
Yes. It has a padded sleeve that will fit most laptops.

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