Tropos 32-Liter Backpack

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I enjoy the comfort and back lining of this pack. It is light, ergonomic with good zippers. My old osprey had more compartments , more pockets and less stretchy outer material . I’m not a fan of the outer stretchy fabric because it wears out easily . I also like the even bigger teeth of the older zipper. For me a backpack’s biggest benefit is comfort and ease of opening and closing zippers that last.

The good. The inclusion of the kick-stand to help the pack stay upright is welcome when using it as the day to day pack with shopping, laptop etc. The deeper external water bottle pockets are welcome, having previously lost water bottles in transit on the old Tropos. Overall the build quality looks as good, which is good news as the previous pack had stood up to years of daily use as a commute and outdoor / travel pack. The not-so-good. Having the front vertical zip pocket was useful for stowing shower jacket and shopping bag folded flat. That pocket is now a stuff pocket so things bulge more, and can get wet if the pocket top peeks out from under the covering flap. I miss the multiple interior locations in the front top zipped pocket. There are fewer of these now and all at the top of the pocket, so less useful for small tools and sundries. The carry-handle is no longer padded so feels more flimsy even if it is as strong; it’s certainly less comfortable to carry when the pack is heavy. Moving the small top pocket forward is a bit more awkward. It’s now the front-most pocket, it used to be between the first and second full depth top pockets. I’m still getting used to the new zip placements with 6 zips for the three full depth pockets all in a small space. Also that small top pocket now has more small loose stuff in it that used to be in the useful little storage places in the previous front full depth pocket - that’s an irritation as occasionally needed stuff is now in among frequently needed items. Conclusion. Still worth having as the Osprey choice was either an outdoor-grade harness system for full loads with an all in one big pocket pack (Talon) or a commuter pack with a harness that wasn’t suitable for a day or more in the hills with a full pack (Nebula). The alternative would have been to start again with a different manufacturer, but I’m happy with the Osprey build quality so I’ll stick with the Tropos.

The rucksack is spacious and has enough compartments to organise it. I use ot for daily commuting and I carry food, water and some tools daily. I weighed it out of curiosity with everything I take to work in the morning and it was 9kg. Happy with it except for one part. Why do the parts that touch the floor not have some sort of better protection? I sometimes need to pit the ricksack down on concrete or asphalt so even 4 little rubberised strips would have been amazing. The rucksack is too nice and expensive for me to not keep it for many years. We are 2 people in the house and have 6 Ospreys and we love them.