Osprey Aether/Ariel 60/55 vs 70/65 vs 85/75 [or PRO?]

What you'll learn from this post: Whether you should get an Osprey Aether 60, 70, 85 or PRO 70; or an Ariel 55, 65, 75 or PRO 65 (the women's counterparts). 

As you know, besides Arc'teryx jackets, I review a lot of Osprey backpacks (full list at the bottom), so I'm often asked a lot of questions about them. 

Osprey backpacks, especially the Aether AG (men's) and Ariel AG (women's) line, are far from cheap, so I'd encourage you to read this short post in its entirety.

But if you really want a quick answer:

I recommend the Aether Plus 70 (or Ariel AG 65) over the 55/60/75/85 to most of you. The PRO versions are overkill unless you intend to wear it for thru-hikes or alpine expeditions.

We'll get to the optimal volume you should pick, but in order to be able to compare them, I think you really need to understand their stance first in Osprey's entire product line, which hints at their design intentions.

This will boost your chances of choosing the right volume for your own needs and desires.

But, if you don't want to hear this part out (although I think you should), navigate to "What is the perfect volume" heading from here:

Do you really need an Aether/Ariel?

As you can also (maybe) see in this chart I've put together:

Aether/Ariel AG Line isn't designed to perform very well in every backpacking activity (although it still does much better than average), but to excel in one thing: Extended trips and/or hauling heavy loads.

...which is why Osprey advertises them as mountaineering backpacks as well, in addition to as backpacking backpacks. They make an incredible job in both.

So, generally speaking, there are some specific conditions where an Aether/Ariel pack would pay off the most. These include but are not limited to:

1. Thru-hikes,
2. Alpine expeditions,
3. Backpacking in winter, 
4. 4-5+ day backpacking trips,
5. Backpacking with kids/pets.

Typically, the first two items are better dealt with Aether/Ariel PRO 70/65, whereas the remaining three are handled by Aether 65/70/85 and Ariel 55/65/70.

So what makes Aether/Ariel line a perfect match for these activities? 

• Bulkier suspension that makes heavy hauling noticeably more comfortable,
• Convertible top lid daypack
• A central access (through a side panel zip for 55/60 and a front J-zip for 65/70/75/85) to main compartment (Not available in PRO configurations).

As you can see in almost all my other posts, I'm a HUGE fan of Atmos/Aura 65 and I recommend it to anyone who's looking for the best backpacking backpack for basically everything.

However, these 3 features Aether/Ariel AG Line offers (which, by the way, Atmos/Aura AG Line doesn't) are crucial for extended trips and/or hauling heavy loads, as you can also see in my Osprey Atmos vs Aether and Osprey Aura vs Ariel comparisons.

They'll save tons of time and frustration.

Now if you've read up to this point, you should know whether an Aether/Ariel AG would be a good option for your own needs and desires. 

And if you think you do, now it's time for you to make a decision for the volume.

So what is the perfect volume?

Some say the more space you have, the more you'll pack, but I don't think this is necessarily true for most of us.

Remember, not needing the extra volume but having it is always better than wishing some extra volume but not having it.

This is why I always recommend going for 10-15 L more than what you think you'll need. You never know what comes up.

As a rule of thumb, this corresponds to:

• Aether Plus 70 or Ariel 65 for up to 5-day backpacking trips,
• Aether Plus 85 or Ariel Plus 70 for more than 5 days of backpacking trips. It's HUGE.

Yes, I didn't list the Aether 55 or the Ariel 55 here because I think they're somehow misplaced in Osprey's entire backpacking backpack line.

Aether 55 and Ariel 55 are still fantastic packs, and the reason I don't recommend them stems from the superiority of the alternative option - the Atmos/Aura line.

Because, when you think about it, if you think you'd be able to get away with relatively small volume, then you probably wouldn't benefit aforementioned 3 unique features of Aether/Ariel AG that much anyway.

In that case, you'd probably be better getting an Osprey Atmos/Aura AG 65.

The only scenario I can think of where it'd make sense getting an Aether 55 or Ariel 55 over the Atmos/Aura AG 65 would probably be carrying lots of heavy items {more than, say, 50 lbs (23 kg) at total} and/or desperately needing a convertible daypack & central access to the main compartment.

In that heavy hauling case, relatively weak suspension of Atmos/Aura AG 65 might not cut it. So you might see a noticeable extra benefit with Aether 55 or Ariel 55.

What about PRO?

Like I said, you must have a solid reason to get a PRO.

Which is either thru-hikes, alpine expeditions, or falling love with its design. Otherwise it's most likely overkill.