Owner Review: Osprey Ceres 50 Backpack

April 29, 2005

Biographical Information

Name:        Michael Slater

Age:           35

Gender:      Male

Height:        5'8" (173 cm)

Weight       160 (73 kg)

Location:    Salem, Oregon

E-Mail:       mslater@igc.org

Backpacking Background: I've been hiking and climbing regularly in the Cascade Range for the past two years. I primarily use my equipment for one or two-day technical climbs, often requiring an approach hike and overnight base camp. I try to use quality gear that balances light weight and durability with affordability.

Product Information

Company:               Osprey Packs, Inc.

Product Name:       Osprey Ceres 50

URL:                      http://www.ospreypacks.com/

Reported Weight:   4 pounds 1 ounce (1.84 Kg)

Received Weight:

Model Year:           2004

Volume:                  3000 inches (50L)

Size:                       Medium

Available Colors:    Orange and Black

Price:                      $179.00

Selection and Delivery

I was looking for a pack for one- or two-day mountaineering trips. My criteria were:

§         The durability to withstand a rocky environment

§         The ability to tightly compress the load in order to prevent shifting while scrambling and climbing

§         Comfort carrying heavy gear

§         External attachment points

§         Volume sufficient for short, but gear-intensive trips

§         As light as possible given the other factors

I initially selected a competitor’s lightweight pacck because it was the right volume and weight, but I returned it after just a few trips when the bottom seams and fabric began to tear quickly in an alpine environment (thank you, REI). After reading a short review of the Osprey 50 in Outside Buyer's Guide 2004, I decided to give it a try. I purchased my Ceres 50 from Backcountry Gear in Eugene, OR, where I had an opportunity to make sure I selected the correct size and that the pack measured up to the impression I got from the manufacturer's website. After loading up a size medium with a bunch of heavy gear and marching around the cramped aisles for a few minutes, I took a deep breath to make the investment.

Product Description

The Ceres 50 is an internal frame pack with a 3,000 cubic inch volume (50 L) that weighs in at 4 pounds. Its bright orange color has made it easy find on several occasions when I’ve dropped it before that final summit bid. The pack has:

§         A long, narrow, undivided, top-loading main compartment

§         A floating lid with a roomy zippered compartment and a useful fastener for a key chain

§         Two side wand pockets with straps to help secure the pockets' contents

§         A central tool tube with buckle

§         Two ice-axe loops

§         A deep shovel pouch

§         Removable Velcro loops to secure skis or tools

§         2 gear loops on the hip belt

§         Bottom sleeping pad loops

§         A whistle built in to the chest strap buckle

§         A three-point haul loop

§         The ability to attach a line of small Osprey bags, such as a day pack or crampon bag

§         A removable frame sheet and metal stay

A major selling point with the Ceres 50 is that it is designed to compress well. It has two thin fabric wings, one on either side of the shovel pouch, with compression straps. The straps on the right-hand side mate with either the buckles on the left fabric wing if the pack is very full or can be stretched to the far left side of the pack when the pack is less full. The straps can then be cinched tight. Outside refers to this as Osprey's "tortilla style" compression system. Inside the pack, there is a strap at the top that connects the front of the pack to the internal frame and pulls the pack closer into my back.

Initial Impressions

When I purchased the Ceres 50, I had a few initial impressions that reassured me about my choice. My first that struck me was that the fabric was heavy and seemed quite durable, especially on the bottom, which was a contrast to the previous lightweight pack I had purchased. The pack had a wealth of attachment points. In my living room practice session, I was able to attach ice axes, snow pickets, water bottles, and a climbing helmet. The shovel pocket was a great place to stuff a warm jacket and extra gloves where they were easy to get to. The lid compartment fit snacks, headlamp, first aid kit, and map and compass. And the pack is much lighter than it looks like it should weigh. Finally, the hip belt has a very nice tightening mechanism that Osprey calls an “Ergo-pull” hip belt. The hip belt webbing runs from the pack, through the buckle, and then back towards the pack. This design allows me to pull back on the straps simultaneously without my hands crossing and creates additional leverage to cinch the belt tightly.

Field Results

In the nine months I’ve owned the Ceres 50, I’ve used it on several daylong climbs in Oregon and Washington, a couple weekend trips to Smith Rock, several fully loaded training hikes, and an overnight trip loaded down with gear and too much camping equipment. The weather has ranged from sunny and clear to rain and snow. I’ve also glissaded and rappelled wearing the pack and about 20 to 25 pounds (9-11 kg) of gear.

Things I like about the pack:

§         Just enough organization. The pack has a lid pocket, a generous shovel pocket and two wand pockets in addition to the main compartment.

§         The pack proved to be quite durable. I’ve glissaded in it, bushwhacked in it and dropped it onto rocks, but the fabric shows very little wear. There are no indications that seams are stressed or the fabric is fraying.

§         The pack’s design does a good job of preventing the contents from shifting, once all the straps are fastened and tightened. This is very helpful when boulder-hopping or traversing a narrow ridgeline.

§         The weight is carried on the hips. The pack’s frame does a good job of transferring the weight of loads under about 30 pounds onto the hips.

§         The straps that tighten the hip belt are cleverly designed and work quite well.

§         The pack gives good clearance to my head and my arms. I can lean forward and still look up, even with a helmet on, and there’s no interference my arms when I reach up for a hold.

§         The frame sheet and aluminum stay (as well as the top lid) can be removed to save weight, still leaving a thin, horseshoe-shaped, aluminum tube in place to transfer weight. 

Things I don’t like about the pack.

§         The downside of stability is a lot of straps—a total of seven, which must be fastened in the correct order.

§         The straps at the bottom, which I take to be sleeping pad straps, are far too small to use for a sleeping pad or two-person tent. This can be quite frustrating when trying to fit in both climbing gear and camping gear.

§         While the pack does a good job of stabilizing its contents, I haven’t yet figured out how to best customize the fit to eliminate completely the space between the pack and my lower back. This means that there’s a bit of side-to-side pack movement when I move abruptly. I’m not yet sure whether it’s the pack or me.

Summary

The Osprey Ceres 50 is a well-designed and well-constructed climbing pack that represents a good value for a high-end pack. It’s surprisingly lightweight for its bomber construction. The pack is streamlined, but still offers enough organization to ensure that mountaineering gear (pickets, wands, probes, shovels and multiple changes of gloves) is accessible. There are a lot of straps that I find annoying and time-consuming, even though I recognize they’re useful for stabilizing the load. Osprey could significantly improve the pack by replacing the existing bottom straps with longer quick-release straps for a sleeping pad or tent, which they offer on other models. While I would purchase this again, I would spend more time in the store selecting the size and adjusting the frame length to ensure a tight fit along my back.