In case you did not know, there is a new Osprey Exos & Eja Pro Backpacks series on the market. So what makes it so exciting? Keep reading.
Osprey has had Exos packs for men on the market for years, and then a few years ago they added Eja version for women. These ultralight packs have been updated recently, and they are better than ever.
However, as you realize from the title, there is now also Osprey Exos & Eja Pro series. With the weight below 1 kilogram, and with some truly remarkable features, these packs can be described as super ultralight. They are around 300 grams lighter than standard ultralight Exos & Eja packs.
What exactly is Osprey Exos & Eja Pro series?
Well, this is about two packs only with the nominal names Osprey Exos Pro 55 and Osprey Eja Pro 55, one for men and one for women. So these are again Osprey’s gender specific packs.
However, both of them have two sub-sizes. So you have Exos Pro 55 and Pro 58 liters, and Eja Pro comes in options of 52 and 55 liters.
What makes them Pro?
My guess is that Osprey added the word Pro in the official name because these packs come with fewer features than standard Osprey Exos and Eja packs. I have seen this practice also in the case of Deuter Pro packs.
Now imagine what the consequence can be when you remove some features in the packs that are already ultralight.
So indeed, these Osprey Exos & Eja Pro packs are more than ultralight. The volume to weight ration of these packs is around 59 liters/kg.
But if this is confusing to you, here is what you have – the Osprey Exos Pro 55 liters pack weighs only 2.077 pounds (0.94 kg). Its 58 liters cousin, the standard Exos pack of the same volume, weighs 2.82 pounds (1.28 kg).
But this is not just about the weight. You can take a plastic bag and it will be lighter. These packs have great features, and below you here the most important of them listed.
Great features & weight combination of Osprey Exos & Eja Pro packs
See what these packs offer and then you will be able to appreciate their incredible weight even more.
- The lid is removable, and with this you can further shed the weight. For how much? Well, the lid weighs 74 g (2.6 oz).
- But the pack comes with an integrated FlapJacket equipped with buckles so it can still be completely closed.
- Adjustable torso length. You have a ladder type system, this design Osprey has been introducing in almost all of their latest series. The adjustability range is around 4 inches (10.2 cm).
- You have excellent ventilation here. This is because of a tensioned trampoline style mesh. So as usual with such designs, the pack is completely separated from the body, only the mesh is in contact with your back. This is what they call the Airspeed system.
- There is a silicone print on lumbar area that enhances hip belt grip.
- The shoulder harness is fully padded, and this is die cut EVA foam.
- The sternum strap is adjustable, and this is a very good ladder type design.
- The tension in the mesh and overall support is due to a peripheral LightWire metal frame.
- There are 6 pockets; on the hip belt, on the sides, on the front, and on the lid.
- There are many attachment lash points on the front, plus four of them on the lid.
- The pack has upper and lower sides straps, the latter are removable so you can reduce the weight even more.
- Those lower straps are designed so that you can attach a sleeping pad on the bottom of the pack.
Please see more in this video:
Is anything missing?
For many people, most likely nothing is missing really. But…
- It is fair to say that these Pro packs have only the top access under the lid, and this is so also with the standard Osprey Exos & Eja packs.
- There is no rain cover here; the same is with the standard packs.
- Pity they do not make these packs in a variety of volumes. Perhaps they will.
Well, in my view this is all worth mentioning here.
How does the Osprey Exos & Eja Pro backpacks’ suspension compares to the standard Osprey Exos & Eja backpacks?
The design is very similar, you have a ladder type attachment system for the shoulder harness with several slots where you can attach it.
On the other hand, the peripheral LightWire frame is slightly thinner, 3.5 mm as compared to 4 mm in the standard series.
Both groups of packs have a very similar tensioned trampoline style mesh, so this is a perfectly ventilated design. Note that I have a separate text about ventilated packs, so these belong to the same group.
Are the Osprey Exos & Eja Pro backpacks the perfect choice for ultralight backpacking?
The answer is easy here, it is yes of course. As you realize, these Osprey Exos & Eja Pro backpacks are more than just ultralight. They are loaded with useful trail worthy features. You can even make them lighter by removing the lid and two lower compression straps.
So as a summary, the answer to the question raised in the main title would be – this is about extraordinary weight combined with very useful features. The Pro packs weigh around 0.66 pounds (300 g) less than the corresponding standard Exos and Eja packs. You will find them at REI and at Osprey site.
You might want to check also my text about some criteria worth considering before buying a backpack.
Let me know what you think, there is a comment box below. Bookmark this site and keep as a references. Have a nice day.
Hi, I am Jovo, the founder of this OutdoorsFAQs site and several other outdoor sites. I have been mountaineering for almost 40 years already, and I have created this site to use as a reference for various questions that I receive in my sites. Being a theoretical physicist by profession, I tend to base my answers on facts and on my own personal experience.