Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

Osprey Escapist 32

8
£90.00

VERDICT:

8
10
A great pack, able to lug heavy loads with ease
Weight: 
1,000g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Osprey Escapist 32 is light, well made, stable and stylish, and performs well at what it's designed for: multi-purpose load-lugging.

The first thing that struck me when I picked up the pack was how light it was for such a large volume model (32 litres in M/L back length, as tested). It's mainly aimed at the commuting and mountain biking crowd, but also riders looking to undertake multi-day epics. It's a slick looking pack, with subtle reflective markings on ripstop nylon and stretchable nylon mesh, all attached to a semi-rigid back panel.

Find your nearest dealer here

Buy this online here

Comprising three separate zippered compartments plus one large and two smaller external mesh pockets, it also sports two zippered pockets on the waist belt and a pocket for sunglasses/GPS/very small phone on one shoulder strap.

Osprey Escapist 32 Back Pack - waist strap pocket

Of those three compartments, the large one at the front of the pack contains two elasticated mesh pockets plus a loop to hold a pump. A slightly larger compartment – big enough to swallow a 17in laptop, with room left over for smaller items – sits behind that, and contains a useful partition that can be zipped in place, splitting the compartment in two (Osprey suggests it's useful for separating dirty gear). Finally, there's a smaller compartment at the top of the pack. All three are accessed by top zips, and the largest one can also be accessed from a zip at the bottom, so you don't have to rifle through from the top.

Osprey Escapist 32 Back Pack - main compartment

The shoulder straps, hip belt and back panel are all well padded and comfortable, and I found the pack very stable when heavily loaded and commuting by road; it was only when I was riding over particularly technical off-road routes that it wobbled somewhat. On my 20-minute commute, it comfortably lugged a heavy laptop and other gear. It also faired brilliantly as the main bag during a two-week unsupported off-road epic in the High Atlas in Morocco, reinforcing Osprey's claims that it's a solid all-rounder.

The pack can be compressed easily using a set of two straps on each side, and the hip belt and shoulder straps allow ample adjustment too, as does the chest strap. The chest strap even comes with an integral whistle for mountain emergencies.

Osprey Escapist 32 Back Pack - side strap 2

There's an additional pocket for a 3 litre bladder, sitting between the back panel and the three main pockets, and the slippery material lining the pocket is a nice touch, making it easier to slide a full bladder into an already loaded pack than is normally the case. It runs the length of the back panel.

Speaking of which... the back length is adjustable by about 10-15cm. The shoulder straps meet in a fabric 'yoke' Velcro'd onto the top of the back panel. To adjust, you unstick it, then reattach it higher/lower to the top of the back-panel. There's a video here.

>> Check out our guide to the best cycling rucksacks here

The horizontal, slightly curved channels between the padding of the back panel don't seem to operate quite as well as some packs I've used with vertical channels, but it's still pretty good, even after many hours in the saddle riding hard. A mesh section sitting free from the padding and channels helps, so although there is some sweat it's perfectly manageable when wearing quick-wicking clothes.

Osprey Escapist 32 Back Pack - straps

An elasticated clasp ('LidLock') holds a helmet securely in place, and there's a loop to attach a small rear light, plus a bright yellow raincover housed in its own zippered pocket. The raincover is attached to the pack and held in place with a drawcord, though it's a less successful method than packs I've used which have hooks. Occasionally the raincover slipped off, even when the drawstring was pulled tight – not something I've experienced with raincovers attached with hooks. (I don't generally rely on raincovers anyway, preferring to keep everything in roll-top drybags.)

Osprey Escapist 32 Back Pack - rain cover toggle

Without the cover, water beads pretty well on the ripstop nylon, and I didn't notice any working its way through the material itself, but heavy rain did sometimes get in through the zips, which aren't the waterproof type. It's a light pack, though, and adding waterproof zips would add weight, so it's a compromise I guess.

Osprey Escapist 32 Back Pack - worn side on

While £90 isn't cheap for a pack, I would wholeheartedly recommend this one. It comes with an Osprey warranty for the 'reasonable lifetime' of the product, and if any damage is down to normal wear and tear or Osprey deems the pack to be beyond its reasonable lifetime, then it says it'll offer to repair the pack for a 'reasonable price'). Personally, I don't mind paying extra for such peace of mind. And these packs can currently be picked up online for around £67.

Verdict

A great pack, able to lug heavy loads with ease

road.cc test report

Make and model: Osprey Escapist 32

Size tested: 32, Indigo Blue

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

This pack is designed for riders who want to comfortably carry a lot of kit, whether for a multi-day mountain bike trip or their road commute with a laptop. It's a great load-lugger with plenty of great features and lots of adjustment.

Here's what Osprey has to say:

"The AirScape™ backpanel provides you with complete ventilation and support. The Biostretch™ hipbelt and harness keep the pack synched comfortably to your back. The Escapist's twin zippered hipbelt pockets mean you can quickly grab trail essentials on the go and firmly attach your helmet with Lidlock™. Keep your phone and sunglasses to hand with the scratch-free pockets in the harness and main compartment. The best rides inevitably result in dirty gear, store it separately with the Escapist's internal zipped divider. With quick access to the external hydration sleeve you can easily refill your reservoir. InsideOut™ compression and PowerMesh™ stretch pockets allow you to securely transport all your gear. An internal organiser means you can easily sort your tools, spares and pumps. The built in high visibility raincover deploys quickly to protect your pack and all of your gear. Keep yourself visible in low light with reflective graphics and blinker light attachment.

"The Escapist also features adjustable torso length, a chest strap with whistle, a carrying loop, a clip for keys, reflective graphics plus top and base zippered access."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

AirScape™ backpanel with foam ridges for ventilation

Sternum strap with emergency whistle

Stretch mesh side pockets with InsideOut™ compression

Zippered panel access

Zippered scratch-free sunglasses and electronics pocket

Stretch front pocket

Water resistant zips / storm flaps

Built in high visibility rain cover

LidLock™ bike helmet attachment

Reflective graphics

Adjustable torso length

Base zip entry

Zipped pocket on harness

External hydration access

Internal key attachment clip

Internal organiser for bike specific tools and spares

Internal zipped divider

LED bike light attachment point

Mesh hipbelt

Side compression straps

Weight: 1.03 (M/L) kg

Maximum dimensions: (mm) 550 (l) x 250 (w) x 280 (d)

Three zippered compartments

Water resistant fabric

Front pocket fits 12" laptop

Main body section fits 17" laptop

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very good, lightweight materials with a quality finish.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Solid performance on the commute, mountain biking and for multi-day trips. Stable on all but the trickiest of technical mountain biking when fully loaded. Raincover could occasionally slip off, though, and could perhaps be better with clips rather than a drawstring to hold it in place.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Used hard for many weeks, day in day out, and no signs of damage. Warranty covers defects for "reasonable lifetime of product". Osprey's good reputation dates back to its foundation in 1974.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

Feels super-light, a joy to wear in that respect. Lighter than slightly smaller packs of roughly the same spec from Deuter (Trans Alpine 30 litre) and Evoc (Explorer 30 litre) and similar weight to Shimano's Hotaka 32 litre.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Fantastically adjustable, feels comfortable for hours on end, even for taller riders. Perhaps more sweat build-up on the back than with vertical channels on the back panel or a mesh back with a void between pack and back. Slight wobble when very heavily loaded on technical mountain bike routes.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Competitively priced in the middle of the competition such as the Shimano Hotaka 32 litre, Deuter Trans Alpine 30 litre and Evoc Explorer 30 litre.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Great performance. Reliable, multi-functional and now a go-to option for everything from commuting to epic days off-road in the high mountains.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Lightweight, generally stable, good looking pack.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Can wobble slightly when fully loaded on highly technical mountain bike routes with drops and jumps.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, very much.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, absolutely.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, definitely.

Use this box to explain your score

A great all-rounder with a wealth of highly useful features. Lightweight and good value for the performance. Perhaps stabilisation for heavy loads could be slightly improved and the back panel vented more effectively. Otherwise a great pack.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 170cm  Weight: 60kg

I usually ride: Marin Point Reyes 29er  My best bike is: Giant Anthem X1

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, mountain biking, audax

Latest Comments