That is, as long as you take your time to adjust all those straps to your body and make use of the hipbelt. Sternum Strap And Hipbelt If you’re not putting your bag up to the ultimate tests, you may not need the extra protections offered by Osprey and can focus on something more stylish.

Those metal clips are very easy to use, even when wearing gloves. And there are hooks to carry ice axes and walking poles along with a carry handle on the top of the sac so you can hook it up to store or to carry it around by your side. There is no hipbelt or sternum strap, so all the weight is borne on the shoulders and the straps can slide if you’re moving over anything like technical terrain. There are two movable foam pads on the straps to provide some comfort, but carrying a full load over any long distance without the support of a hipbelt caused some discomfort. The sternum strapon the Archeon doubles as a safety whistle; a convenient feature to have in case of an emergency. The base of the duffel has another zip opening giving access to a separated compartment that is useful for a pair of shoes or similar. This keeps them apart from the contents of the main area, though it does share the space.The manufacturing process follows responsible chemical management strictly audited for compliance and adheres to the Bluesign Restricted Compliance List. Additionally, Osprey updated its Factory Code of Conduct following standards set by the Ethical Trading Initiative and audits factories to enforce compliance with Worldwide Ethics Alliance guidelines. The Archeon is a hybrid top-loader. It’s easy to load and compress gear through the top opening, which is especially effective for trad climbing gear. The length of the harness can be adjusted, just like the shoulder straps and the width of the hipbelt. Additionally, once you get that perfect harness length for your body, you can secure it in place so that it doesn’t accidentally move.

It benefits from a simple design with a roomy main area, while the front zip opening was very useful for digging out items without having to undo the lid and main drawcord. The main compartment is uncluttered and contains just the pouch for a hydration reservoir with a hook-and-loop strip hanger. The drink tube exit is central, allowing the tube to be routed down either the left or right harness strap.All spring 2020 products are PFC-free. Carryover items are switching from C8 to less hazardous C6 DWRs. Osprey hopes to eventually make all its offerings PFC-free. For men there’s the choice of the Archeon 25, Archeon 30, Archeon 45 and Archeon 70. While for women there’s an Archeon 25, Archeon 30, Archeon 45 and an Archeon 65. It has a good sized main compartment and a floating lid that can be raised a little to allow extra gear to be accommodated if necessary.

Other features include a sleeve for a hydration bag (Osprey's own Hydraulics Reservoir obviously fits well) and a whistle on the sternum strap. The hipbelt is broad and has padded foam. Adjustment is from the outside inwards. The padded section can be slid out, leaving just the webbing, if required, to save more weight.

Archeon Sustainability Story

This season marks the latest milestone in our sustainability journey. For Archeon 45 have moved towards C0, PFC free DWR coating. The updated chemistry provides a sustainable yet high-performance approach to the hardiness of this series. The fabrics used throughout the Archeon 45 are 100% recycled and durable enough stand the test of time. Tough metal componentry completes the durable design ensuring longevity on the trail. A short sleeve with drawcord and a top strap (which could also hold a rope or helmet) and a non-adjustable lid cinched the load vertically. Four side compression straps stabilized and compressed the load horizontally. Accessing gear proved easier and faster via the dual-zippered front access panel. Although the high rigidity of the frame sheet and generously wide hip belt efficiently transferred load, they limited twisting and side bending, something that could be an issue on aggressive approaches. There’s good capacity which, with the addition of the lower compartment, easily accommodated my gear for extended walks. It coped with carrying a substantial load on a wild camping expedition, with good weight bearing and just enough capacity for such an outing. Comfort was good, even though there isn’t a huge amount of foam padding on the harness and hipbelt.