Osprey Packs

Mutant 38L Backpack

Nothing carries weight more comfortably

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Nothing carries weight more comfortably than the Mutant. And it has everything else you’d want for almost any endeavor

Everything I had hoped for

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Everything I had hoped for and more! I have been a P/T rock and ice climbing guide for the past thirty years and was the fortunate owner of a Mutant 28 zip-top pack for 10+ years (used summer and winter). Unfortunately, this pack was stolen from the back of my car this past August, with my entire rock rack contained within it (grrr!). Given all the positive experiences I had over time with that pack, I decided to replace it with the updated and larger 38L current version. Though I have only used it twice during the past week, it far exceeded my expectations. It is light, sleek, simple, versatile, well-designed, and carries heavy & bulky loads with ease and comfort. It has everything I want and nothing more - just what anyone would want in a backpack!!

I bought this pack specially

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I bought this pack specially for winter Search and Rescue where I need to be light and fast but also have the ability to add or subtract elements easily depending on the situation. For example, I like the straps that can be taken off entirely or that could be used to strap on a pair of snowshoes or closed cell foam pad. I took it out for a 15 mile overnight to test it, carrying about 20 pounds with full food and water. I really liked the narrow profile and it rode very well. Adjustability was good, and I like the fairly robust buckles; they will be helpful this winter in gloves. I miss having any option for a water bottle sleeve built in on the outside, but for this pack's intended purposes, it makes sense not to have it. I'd also note that I tested a couple Osprey accessories with it including a waterproof phone case, and that attached conveniently to the shoulder strap. Overall a well designed climbing and versatile pack that will meet my Search and Rescue needs. It also appears to be a nice balance between good durability and lighter weight. Not the pack the average backpacker wants, but great for climbing, or other activities that may require some flexibility of use, it's a great pack.

Excellent, well-designed multi-pitch pack

I recently purchased a Mutant 38 and love it. It is built with durable, yet light material, with reinforcements at key points. While it's not "ultralight" in its stock form, dropping the brain and rigid backplate brings it to a very respectable 26oz, which is pretty darn light! The fit is excellent for climbing (the hip belt rides above a harness) and there is a ton of flexibility for attachments. Most importantly to me, the pack compresses down on itself very well, so it doubles as a larger capacity haul-in pack, but then cinches up small on your back for multi-pitch climbs with light gear.

Almost perfect

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Height:

5' 7"

Weight:

155

This is my first quality pack (was a gift from my GF for my birthday), and I choosed this model because I do rock climbing and I'm planning to do some light mountaineering soon, so it looked like this was the best option for me, but I should probably had to choose a different model. This is why; I've had my 38L for 3 months now and I use it every weekend to carry my climbing equipment to the crag and it is great for that, it is a very nice pack, the material looks like is going to last forever but there are a couple things I don't love about it. 1. SIDE STRAPS. it has a strap to hold your rope on each side, I'd love to have those placed a few inches lower, they are located very high on top and the hanging loops of the rope move all around when you are walking or approaching, getting stuck on trees etc, It has a couple of compresion straps below, and I use those to secure the rope but those dont have clips and is very difficult to put the rope inside them. 2. SIDE POCKETS. You can carry watter on your internal reseirvoir and that's ok, but if you are carrying coffee or something else in another bottle the only place you can put that is inside of the pack, not very convenient if you want to drink that on a quick break during your walk to the crag, you need to put the bag in the gound, open it, take out your stuff to get your coffee out, then put everthing inside again to continue walking. Every weekend I have to choose if I carry my coffee in my hand or go thru all that. 3. BREATHABILITY. If you are walking in warm days you will probably end with a sweaty back, there is not a lot of breathability in that area of the pack. As I said, probably another osprey model would be better for what I need, but that is my experience so far.

More Please!

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Awesome Pack! This pack is nice and lightweight! It's the perfect pack for those long(or short) approaches to the crag, summiting peaks or just going for a casual hike. The frame and waist moves well with your body as you're climbing up and over obstacles. It felt comfortable on my back even as I hiked 16 grueling miles completely packed down. I always wanted to see more from Osprey geared towards climbing and here is what I was looking for! Oh, and the helmet carrier on top is a really nice feature! Keeps you from having to strap it onto you pack and hearing it smack around. Very happy with the Pack! Keep 'em coming Osprey!

Everything you Need for Technical Routes

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

M/L

Weight:

185

I fret over packs. I routinely destroy packs through use. This thing is the closest to perfection I've seen after 10 years of climbing. I previously shied away from Osprey packs because they've always seemed over-engineered and a little too ultralight (i.e. delicate) to me. But I'm really glad I went with the Mutant 38. I got it to replace my Cold Cold World Valdez, which is bomber but doesn't carry heavy loads very comfortably. I wanted something small enough to climb with, but big enough to fit everything for 2-4 day routes (with judicious packing). After a summer of abuse in the Cascades (including two nights on Stuart's North Ridge and a day of using it as a haul bag on Liberty Crack), I'm as convinced as the reviewers at OutdoorGearLab, who fawned over it. Volume: It may advertise as 38 liters, but this thing is a bottomless pit. It took sleep kit, food for 3 days, 2.5 liters of water, a single rack, extra clothes, etc. without batting an eye, and it was still comfortable for a long approach. Climbing: Just as important, it climbs really well, even with the frame in, so you can keep that internal structure for a long approach without it being uncomfortable when things get vertical. I really liked the extra hood feature that covers up the top of the pack when you stuff the brain inside -- it keeps moisture out and gives the big cinch straps a place to go instead of just dangling. Cons: The cons are pretty minor here. I agree with Connor that the attachments are a little fiddly when using more technical/aggressive tools. Also, the cinch straps for the brain run directly over the handle attachments for your tools, which ends up being pretty annoying (and is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars). Finally, there is absolutely no internal organization to this pack, except for a hydration sleeve. I actually prefer this, but it's something to keep in mind if that matters to you.

Really Nice Backpack For a Great Price

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

M/L

Height:

6' 5"

Weight:

170

This backpack is really awesome for ice climbing. Very very comfortable, pretty light, and the axe attachment points work pretty well and the price is amazing. My only gripe is that it can be a bit hard to load properly if you are putting rigid or awkwardly shaped items in it. Also, the tool attachments are a bit fiddly when used with a very curved and handled ice tool (Cassin X-Dream for example). The head attachment works great but the tools require some fiddling to line up well with the handle loops. This would not be an issue with an ice axe or a straighter ice tool.