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Home / Gear / Backpacks

ABOUT ME
Hey, what's up? Canberk here. A former General Electric Aviation Design Engineer. Academically involved in cold weather outdoor gear, particularly wearable heating systems using conductive polyester and polyamide yarns. Read more about me. 

Osprey Xenith vs Aether

Last updated: June 7, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

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    • https://www.rei.com/h/deals

Aether AG 70. Along with Xenith 88, it's my overall top pick. 

If we want to be able to compare Xenith vs Aether, then we should first address to their positioning in Osprey's entire backpacking backpack product line briefly.

It's crucial to make a healthy comparison. 

Osprey packs are also far from being cheap. I'd strongly recommend you to read this short post entirely, but if you really want a short answer, here you go:

My top pick would be Aether AG 70. If you think you need more volume, get Xenith 88. If you'll mostly be backpacking for, say, longer than a week; and sometimes even with kids, pets or during the winter; ONLY THEN you might really need a beast like Xenith 105. 

Design intentions of Xenith & Aether 

If you're a regular read of my site, then you probably know that I recommend Osprey's Atmos/Aura Series a lot.

  • #A sidenote here: REI's backpack capacity chart is GOLD. Highly recommend you to check it out before you read any further. 
It's placed right at the center of Osprey's entire backpacking backpack product line. Owing to its extremely high versatility, it's above average (or actually even great) in doing many different activities. It's focused on being an all-round, versatile backpack. 

Aether/Ariel AG, on the other hand, toys with this equilibrium.

It's geared towards extended (4-5+ nights) trips more than anything else. This is why it's a more niche backpack and hence appeals to a more specific type of audience: Heavy hauling and/or extended backpacking. 

So it offers larger volume options, is more feature rich and comes with a bulkier suspension for heavy hauling. 

What's more, Xenith/Xena takes this aggressive stance of Aether/Ariel AG EVEN FURTHER and targets extended trips & heavy hauling even more so than Aether/Ariel AG. You can sense this in my popular chart below, as well as my Best Osprey Hiking Backpacks post: 

  • Related Data Set: Osprey's All Backpacking Backpacks
  • Bold are my top picks for each group (based on trip length).
  • If you tend to pack more or less than the average person, then shift the trip length values accordingly.
  • If you're planning to get either one of them, I'd also highly recommend you to check out Osprey's own PackFinder tool as well.

To see the full table and my top picks, visit my post Best Osprey Hiking Backpacks. 

Rotate your phone sideways for a better table display.

 

Comfort

Features & Organization

Weight (M Size)


Trip Length: 7+ nights [>90 L]

Xenith 105 (Men's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

10/10

10/10

5.78 lbs

Cell

Trip Length: 5-7 nights [75 - 90 L]

Xenith 88 (Men's)

Xena 85 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

10/10

10/10

5.61 lbs

Aether AG 85 (Men's)

Ariel AG 75 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

8/10

9/10

5.37 lbs

Cell

Trip Length: 2-5 nights [55 - 75 L]

Sweet spot. Versatile picks.

Atmos AG 65 (Men's)

Aura AG 65 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

10/10

8/10

4.56 lbs

Xenith 75 (Men's)

Xena 70 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

9/10

10/10

5.56 lbs

Volt 75 (Men's)

Viva 65 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

8/10

6/10

4.3 lbs

Aether PRO 70 (Men's)

Ariel PRO 65 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

10/10

4/10

3.94 lbs

Aether AG 70 (Men's)

Ariel AG 65 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

9/10

9/10

5.21 lbs

Aether AG 60 (Men's)

Ariel AG 55 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

9/10

9/10

5.15 lbs

Volt 60 (Men's)

[PDF Manual]

8/10

6/10

4.3 lbs

Rook 65 (Men's)

Renn 65 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

6/10

5/10

3.52 lbs

Levity 60 (Men's)

Lumina 60 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

8/10

4/10

1.95 lbs

Exos 58 (Men's)

Eja 58 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

7/10

4/10

2.58 lbs

Cell

Trip Length: 1-3 nights [45 - 55 L]

Atmos AG 50 (Men's)

Aura AG 50 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

9/10

7/10

4.21 lbs

Kestrel 48 (Men's)

Kyte 46 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

[Read my review]

8/10

8/10

3.59 lbs

Stratos 50 (Men's)

Sirrus 50 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

8/10

8/10

3.68 lbs

Levity 45 (Men's)

Lumina 45 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

8/10

4/10

1.85 lbs

Exos 48 (Men's)

Eja 48 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

7/10

4/10

2.57 lbs

Rook 50 (Men's)

Renn 50 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

6/10

6/10

3.49 lbs

Viva 50 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

8/10

6/10

4.02 lbs

Cell

Trip Length: 0-1 nights [<45 L]

Kestrel 38 (Men's)

Kyte 36 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

[Read my review]

8/10

8/10

3.40 lbs

Stratos 36 (Men's)

Sirrus 36 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

8/10

8/10

3.30 lbs

Talon 44 (Men's)

Tempest 40 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

8/10

6/10

2.44 lbs

Talon 33 (Men's)

Tempest 30 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

9/10

5/10

2.02 lbs

Exos 38 (Men's)

Eja 38 (Women's)

[PDF Manual]

[Read my review]

8/10

4/10

2.48 lbs

If you're interested in getting a travel backpack, check out my Osprey's top travel backpacks post. 

So it offers EVEN LARGER (Xenith 105 XL Size equals to 113 liters of volume - see Manual here [PDF]) size options, a whooping FOUR accesses to the main compartment, tons of external gear attachment capability and a rock-solid frame & suspension that hauls heavy loads over long distances without a hitch. 

Pushing 6 lbs, it's quite a bit heavy in return. 

As you see, these packs are impractical for those who won't be going on extended (4-5+ nights) backpacking trips and/or hauling heavy loads for long distances. 

This is why I think Aether AG 60 is sort of "misplaced". 

Aether AG 60

Aether AG 60 on the AT. 

60 liters of pack volume is considered average.

Extra accesses to the main compartment would probably be overkill (or even useless) at this level. 

Also, because of limited volume, you most likely won't pack it much heavier than usual either. 

In case you haven't noticed yet, the two most important extra advantages of Aether/Ariel (and also Xenith/Xena for that matter) aren't being exploited with 60 liters. 

Hence not only the extra money but also the extra weight spent on them turn to a waste. 

Xenith 105.

So, this might sound a little bit aggressive, but when trying to choose between Xenith and Aether, I'd start by eliminating Aether AG 60.

And, if you've been considering Aether AG 60 seriously, I'd now recommend you to consider Atmos AG 65 as well. You can read more about these in my Osprey Atmos vs Aether post. 

Now this leaves us with 5 options: Aether AG 70, 85, Xenith 75, 88, and 105. 

Xenith 105

Generally speaking, for any trip that takes longer than a week, a 90+ L backpack is considered optimal. This leaves you with one option only: Xenith 105. 

This is why the frame of Xenith 105 is 0.5 mm thicker than those of 75 and 88 (4 mm vs 3.5 mm). It's designed to carry the heaviest of backpacking loads: up to 80 lbs (36 kg)!

Osprey Xenith 105
Osprey Xenith 105
  • 105 liter backpack built for carrying 50-80 lbs....
  • Floating, removable top lid with top-and under-lid...
  • External hydration reservoir sleeve is easy to...
  • Dual side zips provide easy access to gear stored...
  • Zippered hipbelt pockets keep snacks and smaller...
Buy on Amazon
 

Aether AG 70

Aether AG 70. My overall top pick. 

If, on the other hand, you aren't going to be backpacking for that long most of the time, then my recommendation would be Aether AG 70. 

It's my favorite along the entire Aether/Ariel line. In my opinion, Aether/Ariel line design intention (pockets, accesses, size of suspension system and harness) responds and works the best with 70 liters. 

As long as you won't be backpacking with kids or pets, during winter, or for longer than 7 nights; I see no point in getting a pack larger than 60 - 70 liters either. 

Combine these two facts and you'll see why the 70 liters is the most wide spread used pack of Aether/Ariel Series.

I've talked more about this in my Osprey Aether 60 vs 70 vs 85 vs PRO post.

Osprey Aether AG 70 Men's Backpacking Backpack
356 Reviews
Osprey Aether AG 70 Men's Backpacking Backpack
  • Removable top-lid converts to DayLid daypack
  • Top to bottom suspended mesh wraps shoulders, back...
  • Front stretch mesh pocket and zippered hipbelt...
  • Large front J-zip provides quick access to main...
  • Internal hydration reservoir sleeve accommodates...
Buy on Amazon
 

Xenith 88 vs Aether 85 

Xenith 88. Overall top pick. 

If, on the other hand, you aren't really sure whether 70 L would cut it for you (either because of the reasons mentioned above or any other), then I'd recommend you the Xenith 88. 

Think of Aether 85 as a little inferior alternative of Xenith 88. 

88 liters is considered high. If you pack like most people, I'd expect the total weight of your entire inventory to exceed 55-60 lbs (27.2 kg). 

This is considered quite heavy, to the point where even Aether's robust suspension start coming short. 

This is why getting a pack with an even bulkier suspension at roughly the same volume, Xenith 88, can be a better idea. 

Even if you pack don't pack heavy stuff, one extra side access you get with Xenith 88 will make accessing your items much easier than Aether AG 85. 

Osprey Xenith 88 Men's Backpacking Backpack
Osprey Xenith 88 Men's Backpacking Backpack
  • 88 liter backpack built for carrying 40-70 lbs. of...
  • Floating, removable top lid with top-and under-lid...
  • External hydration reservoir sleeve is easy to...
  • Dual side zips provide easy access to gear stored...
  • Zippered hipbelt pockets keep snacks and smaller...
Buy on Amazon
 

What about Xenith 75? 

Xenith 75.

Xenith 75 is a fantastic pack, but I recommend Aether AG 70 over Xenith 75 for the same reason I recommend Stratos 50 over Atmos AG 50 in this site. 

The reason: It'd most likely be overkill. 

Extremely bulky suspension and robust harness of feature-loaded Xenith start making a practical advantage once you're past, say, 80 liters of volume. 

If you're like most people and you don't always pack extremely heavy stuff...

Then Aether AG 70 would work perfectly fine for anything smaller than 80 liters in my opinion.

Osprey Aether AG 70 Men's Backpacking Backpack
356 Reviews
Osprey Aether AG 70 Men's Backpacking Backpack
  • Removable top-lid converts to DayLid daypack
  • Top to bottom suspended mesh wraps shoulders, back...
  • Front stretch mesh pocket and zippered hipbelt...
  • Large front J-zip provides quick access to main...
  • Internal hydration reservoir sleeve accommodates...
Buy on Amazon
 


Now let's lay out some other facts that led me these picks and conclusions. 

Accesses

Xenith allows dual side zip-accesses to the main compartment, while the Aether allows only one - through a J-zip front access in 70 & 85 L and through a side zip in 60 L. 

Hip-belt

Released after Aether/Ariel's so-called "IsoForm" custom molding design, "BioForm" custom molding design of Xenith/Xena is Osprey's most recent technology in this field. 

  • "What's a custom molding hipbelt?"

Here's how it works: 

  1. You drive to an Osprey Dealer,
  2. Have them take the removable hipbelt of your backpack, 
  3. Heat it inside an oven and, 
  4. Mold it to your unique hip and waist anatomy. 

The result: You're handed over the only hip belt in the WORLD designed for the unique curvatures of your own body. 

This is why superior BioForm hipbelts of Xenith/Xena are going to respond even better to your unique curves during the molding process. 

Durability

It's true that 420 D main fabric of Xenith is twice as much durable compared to Aether's 210 D. 

But since even Aether's 210 D face fabric is extremely durable, I wouldn't consider increasing that durability even further as an important benefit - not to even mention Osprey's killer life-time warranty policy as well. 

After all, you'd like to pay for things that matter in practice. 

Hydration

Xenith comes with an external and Aether comes with an internal hydration sleeve. 

Guide: Backpacks

Start here:

  • Best Osprey Hiking Backpacks: My Top Picks
  • Best Osprey Travel Backpacks: My Top Picks

Complete list:

Backpacking Backpacks

  • Osprey Atmos AG 50
  • Osprey Atmos AG 65
  • Osprey Aura AG 50
  • Osprey Aura AG 65
  • Osprey Aether AG 60
  • Osprey Aether AG 70
  • Osprey Aether AG 85
  • Osprey Aether PRO 70
  • Osprey Ariel AG 55
  • Osprey Ariel AG 65
  • Osprey Ariel AG 75
  • Osprey Ariel PRO 65
  • Osprey Xenith 75, 88 & 105
  • Gregory Baltoro 65, 75, 85, 95 PRO
  • Osprey Kestrel 38
  • Osprey Kestrel 48
  • Osprey Kyte 36
  • Osprey Kyte 46
  • Kelty Redwing 50
  • Teton Sports Scout 3400

Light Backpacking Backpacks

  • Osprey Talon 22
  • Osprey Talon 33
  • Osprey Talon 44
  • Osprey Exos 48
  • Osprey Exos 58
  • Osprey Stratos 24
  • Osprey Stratos 34
  • Osprey Stratos 36
  • Osprey Stratos 50

Travel Backpacks

  • Osprey Farpoint 40
  • Osprey Farpoint 55
  • Osprey Farpoint 70
  • Osprey Porter 46
  • Osprey Sojourn 45
  • eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible
  • Best Carry-on Backpacks

Hydration Backpacks

  • Osprey Raptor 10
  • Osprey Raptor 14

Filed Under: Backpacks Tagged With: backpacks, osprey, osprey backpacking backpacks

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mark Browning says

    March 24, 2020 at 7:48 pm

    Canberk,

    Thanks for the review of these two packs. I have been looking to upgrade my aging Aether 85 and the Xenith 75 or the Aether 70 are the two I am debating. Some background: I am 53, have some minor knee issues and am looking for a more comfortable pack with some of the benefits in technology over the last 5-6 years. I have a 5-7 day trip in Colorado coming up and will probably be carrying around 40-45 lbs. I fly fish so this adds to the weight that I carry. Most of my other hikes are weekend jaunts and this will be my main pack. I have managed to cut down weight and bulk over the years and 85L is more than I need. My question is do you prefer the Aether to the Xenith due to primarily cost? I do like the external hydration slot as well as the extra pockets and more robust harness/belt of the Aether. For only 3-5 oz that seems like a pretty good trade-off. Is there something else that swayed you to the Aether?

    Thanks,

    Mark

    • Canberk Koksal says

      March 26, 2020 at 11:57 am

      Thank you for your comment Mark.

      If you’re torn between getting a Xenith 75 and Aether AG 70, I’d recommend you the former only if you’re packing really heavy stuff – say, over 50-60 lbs. The main reason I generally recommend the Aether AG 70 over the Xenith 75 is because most people can’t and won’t be able to pack 70 – 75 liters with over 50 – 60 lbs of weight. On top of that, most of bells and whistles come with the Xenith come useful only above, say, 80-85 liters. Aether AG 70 is also really feature rich anyway.

      All these recommendations are regardless of their prices.

      Hope this helps Mark. Have fun in Colorado.

  2. Patrice says

    June 7, 2021 at 6:37 pm

    Hello,
    Thanks for all these good infos.
    Regarding the packs volume, when the pack has removable lid how many volume is in the main bag and how many in the lid ?
    I guess the total volume indicated by Osprey include the lid right ?

    Thank
    Kind regards

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Hey, what's up? Canberk here. A former General Electric Aviation Design Engineer. Academically involved in cold weather outdoor gear, particularly wearable heating systems using conductive polyester and polyamide yarns. Read more about me.

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