Osprey Talon 11 2023
Reviews / Travel Bags
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At a glance
The Talon 11 is Osprey’s multisport daypack suited for hiking and mountain biking. It has a chest and waist strap system, helmet holder, snack pouch on the hip and comes in a S/M and L/XL sizing. Price: 110 GBP
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The product
Backpacks come in many sizes and shapes, and Osprey has always been on the forefront of pack design. Innovative features and materials can be found throughout their range, and this classic Talon 11 is no exception. It is available in two sizes and 5 different colors (black, blue, red, green and grey).
With a capacity of 11 litres, this pack is big enough for most day adventures in the mountains. It can easily store some spares, mini tools, pump, lunch and a water bladder. With a bit of convincing you even fit an extra layer or two if you’re expecting bad weather. The dimensions of my L/XL version are roughly 45cm long, 25cm wide and 20cm deep.
The pack has a large main compartment, with an integrated mesh compartment with a zip to keep your wallet and documents. The second smaller compartment sits on top of the pack and is ideal to stash your glasses/goggles although it doesn’t have a fleece liner. I usually kept my gloves and a windbreaker gilet in there for easy access.
On both sides you find a stash pocket which are big and deep enough to keep a water bottle or jacket without having the fear of leaving it on the trail. To make sure nothing budges, there are straps to tighten the load too. The bungees on the pack of the pack are ideal to stash a jacket or extra layer under if you’re heating up on a climb, while the designated helmet carry keeps your lid securely in place.
On the waist trap you find two huge hip pockets perfect for stashing snacks, sunscreen or a minitool that you want within reach. To keep you cool, the Osprey Talon has an injection moulded Airscape™ HDPE back panel with EVA foam padding.
Out on the trail
I’m a bit of a backpack nerd and I was excited to head out with the Talon 11. A perfect sizing for those day trips, I had plenty of space for tools, first aid kit, extra layers and lunch. A main issue with packs usually is too many pockets, which results in you having to search through all the zippied nooks and crannies to find the lip balm or those brake pads. Luckily this is not the case with the Talon.
The top loading main compartment works a treat to stash your stuff, but without having access through the back panel, it does mean you sometimes need to dig a bit before you find what you’re after. The important bits however are easily stashed in the smaller compartments and I never had to search long for anything.
My favourite thing on the Talon are the side pockets. Whereas with some brands you can barely store your car keys, Osprey made these big enough to have space for gloves, snacks, sunscreen or anything else you felt you needed to bring.
Breathability is top notch, just as adjustability. The pack itself is fairly long and tall, making it look sleek on your back and sit firmly without wobbling. The only thing to check before buying is to see if the helmet stash system is compatible with your helmet. If your vents are not open or are too small, the hook won’t pass through.
Verdict
The Talon is a well built classic pack that is an ideal partner for those longer day trips. Plenty of storage spread out over not too many compartments and a very breathable backing make this my go-to pack for most of the riding. With a fair price and many colours to choose from, it gets a double thumbs up from the IMB Test Team!
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This review was in Issue 74 of IMB.
For more information visit OspreyRelated
By Jarno Hoogland
Jarno's life has revolved around two wheels ever since he swung a leg over his first BMX at age 4. After a BMX and DH racing career, he moved on to work for bike shops, distributors and brands before ending up in the editors seat at IMB. Based in the ultimate testing ground in the Swiss mountains, he runs his guiding operation and makes sure every IMB issue is filled with top notch content.
