I'm impressed with the Osprey Stratos 36; it's the first I had heard of the pack, as my oldest son wanted a new pack for his birthday and this was on his list of likely candidates. I've had some experience with several other brands (I learned the "get what you pay for" lesson long ago) and I was intrigued with the Osprey as I read about it. We don't have a lot of shops to find packs in around my area - usually look at backpacking equipment when we do a trip to the zoo, etc. The build quality on this pack is VERY good. I was thoroughly impressed with the lightness of the pack as well, and the arched webbing that keeps the pack off the back is a great feature - no more soaking wet shirts on a cold hike! We figure that he could easily do a two or three day hike with the pack, going mostly minimal on other things; just a ground sheet and a plastic sheet for cover, for instance, but with the ability to carry enough of everything else. I like that it also has a cover sheet, which is extremely useful in the rain, at the Olympics, that's almost a guarantee! Zippers are good quality and the warranty on the pack, if to be believed, makes it good for a lifetime of hiking use. Now the only problem is how to get it off his back so that I can use it.

If I was sent off to a desert island and given my choice of one brand of backpack I would choose Osprey hands down. In my opinion they're the best. Super quality and a great marriage of light weight and function. I had the Stratos 36 for quite a few years but had a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. The love came from the functionality. The hate came from an intermittent but persistent 'squeak' from the frame. I tried lubricants but nothing worked for long. If I packed it just right I would be okay but as one who is very sensitive to noise, particularly on the trail, it would drive me nuts. One thing Osprey does offer is a lifetime warranty on their products. I had to order parts a couple of times and they got to me quickly with no questions asked. That said, the material on my Stratos started fraying around the bottom of the frame. This wasn't from standing the pack on end because you can't do that with this design. Thankfully, the retailer I purchased it from allowed an exchange three years after the purchase. I went with the Osprey Kestrel 38. More than anything it was because of the mesh back panel which is supposed to keep you cool. Personally, I didn't like it because I prefer to feel the load against my back. Some people really like the separation of the load to their body so it's a personal choice. Overall I'd say that Stratos 36 is a good choice for the day hiker who wants the capacity to carry extra gear. I especially loved it for the winter snow hikes in the San Gabriel mountains outside of L.A. Light overnights are a possibility too although the Stratos does not come with pad straps. But again, you won't go wrong with an Osprey.