Customer Reviews Osprey Porter 46

The absolute best backpack ever owned. Would have liked one more accessible zipper for access to more items passing through airport security, and it appears the newer version of the backpack has addressed it. Have been traveling hard with this bag since purchasing it. Have used it for both visiting and living in different cities in different countries around the world. The sturdy construction, simple compartment that maximizes capacity, the straps that take off just enough to make the longer trips easier, the straps on the outside to compress the bag, the ability to fold it all up to fit into tighter spaces, are all reasons that set this bag far apart from any other. If this bag ever breaks I will most likely replace it with the same model.

The best backpack you can own! Love the waist belt to liberate weight on your back. I bought this backpack after reading a lot of reviews on the internet and I said go for it, but people were right, best backpack ever. Took it on an 18 day European trip and absolutely loved it. Received a lot of complements because of the color as well.

I did a ton of research online and at my local sporting goods stores before settling on a backpack to suit my adventurous and somewhat minimalist lifestyle. This pack has absolutely everything that I was looking for and many attributes that I didn't even know I wanted. The various compartments (included the padded laptop section!), the ability to tuck and store the straps when needed and the use of the outer straps to compress it when not fully packed make this my go-to bag for trips of any length. My first adventure with this bag was a winter backpacking trip around Europe. It easily held 2 weeks worth of clothing (I did laundry once) and toiletries and even allowed space for things I picked up along the way. . . including trinkets from various Christmas markets and TWO bottles of wine that I rolled in between sweaters. It was easy to hop on and off planes, trains and buses with this bag. It was comfortable when I had to carry it for an entire day and not too bulky to carry into a cafe or restaurant. I've taken it on week-long trips to Florida and on several long weekend jaunts to Las Vegas, Utah and New Orleans. The only time I ever take any other bag is if I'm backpacking and need to carry camping gear. This pack truly enhances each and every trip by making it easy to stay organized while on the go.

My wife and I both have this bag and absolutely love it. We bought them for a two week trip across Europe. They worked out so well that they have just about supplanted our regular luggage. The bag is not great if you have to travel with suit jackets, etc. It really is not for that kind of travel so I would not hold that against it. On our trip we would stay in one place for 2-3 days then move with trains, buses, boats, you name it. Once we go where we were going, I switched over to a 15L packable daypack. On our "moving days" I might be wearing the pack for 6-8 hours. The pack is perfectly comfortable for that kind of duration. I am not a "backpacker" in the sense that I am walking everywhere and this bag is on me at all times. If that were the case, it might get a little uncomfortable. I don't think you would want to hike the AT with the bag. However, more experienced souls than I may disagree. Again, I think that is the point of the design. The straps and suspension are great for getting from point A to point B and get out of the way when they need to. I LOVE this bag. The quality is fantastic. The functionality is extremely well thought out. And, of course, it's an Osprey. Anyone that has had to evoke the Almighty Guarantee in the past knows that Osprey stands behind their products and is dedicated to a happy customer. That is why they are always my first choice. Great products + Great service = Loyal customer.

I use this backpack for school and small trips. Let me tell you, it fits EVERYTHING. I have fit my laptop, iPad, chargers, calculator, pens, 4 days worth of clothes, and a few other odds and ends in that thing at once. For school, it is a little big, but honestly that comes in handy when you want to fit your binders, books, lunch, and laptop (which yes, all fit). It is very durable, sits on my hips well (my waist is 28", so that's pretty impressive it's inches down that much), and has big carry handles that make it easy to carry by hand if I'm feeling like I want to do farmer carries (the handles also make it really easy to slide off when the pack is being worn as a backpack). The only downsides are the lack of a water bottle holder and it can be a little bulky in university seating. Otherwise, I couldn't have found a better pack, or a better brand. Can't wait to use this pack's carry-on capabilities!

It's amazing how much I can pack into this bag and how comfortable it makes transporting a heavy load. I want to buy one for all my loved ones. Perfect for navigating airport travel, transporting groceries, camping, and for student needs.

This bag was perfect for one month of wandering around southern India. It carried everything I need, is lightweight, easily converts from/to backpack/tote.

I got the porter from my Thailand trip. I was always looking for a back pack that I can either use it for daily work, and for travel some where outside the country for a short trip, it is not easy to find one in the market, for the general backpack if it is not loaded with things inside it will run out of shape, if the backpack is too small I could not use it for travel. For the Porter 46 it just perfect for me, when I use it for going to work daily (which I don't have lot of things curry inside) it still stay at the stunning cool shape, really admire by the STRAIGHTJACKET COMPRESSION design, love it !

I took this pack to Costa Rica for three weeks in the summer of 2016. We went to both remote locations and San Jose over a three week period. I pack very light, especially in a hot humid environment so fully packed my bag was under 16 lbs. total. In Costa Rica we changed rooms (locations) every 3-4 days so I can attest that the bag packs and repacks with great ease. I will travel in France, Germany and Italy this summer and expect to carry about the same weight except I may add an extra pair of long pants. I had room to spare when packed light. The suspension worked fine on this pack when I was walking a quarter mile or so. I cannot comment on how it would work for a longer hike. Pay attention to all the packs Osprey offers and you will see the Porter 46 is designed and built for a trip such as the one I described. I have backpacked a lot and always used an external frame for heavy loads and I'm sure the Porter isn't intended for that use. If you are really traveling from city to city or jungle to city you will love this bag. It is a travel bag. It is built like a tank, functions beautifully and gets an A+ from me. If you have questions and call Osprey you will find them both patient and helpful. They want you to get the right product and be totally satisfied. Kudos to all at Osprey!

I'll add my praise to the many others before me. Just got back from two weeks in Europe trying out the minimalist approach. The pack worked great in all aspects! Highest congratulations to the design team, manufacturing team, and quality control team! I'm incredibly impressed (and that's not easy to do)! After many planes, trains, buses, and general knocking around, the pack (black) still looks brand new! Thanks so much!

I just returned from three weeks in Costa Rica and lived out of the Porter 46 the entire time. The amazing thing is I came back thinking I could have taken more clothing if I needed to. I did pack quite light, used some compression bags and the 46 was easy to carry distances of perhaps half a mile and most importantly it fit easily into the overhead bin of a 737/800. I did considerable research on this bag and field tested it and I heartily recommend it. It has heavy duty zippers, and very strong material overall. Check it out before you buy, I think you will be impressed.

This is a GREAT travel pack. Easy to load and if you are a minimalist like me perfect for trips anywhere throughout the world. I also have a Osprey Farpoint 70 (S/M) which I use for long trips - for me that would be 5-6 weeks. But anything less than that I use the Porter 46L. Additionally, I have a Osprey DayLite which I can attach to the Porter 46L as well which gets me to about 58L total between the 2 packs. To me I feel like I can get a ton of things in the 46L - using compression cubes is key and I think if you are looking to travel "lighter" this would be a great way to get there!

I LOVE this bag. I have had it now for over a year. I originally bought this for a 3 week long European backpacking trip. Let me tell you I searched and searched for a bag that I could take that would hit all the check marks on my list for travel. It hit every single one. I was very nervous about losing my belongings during transfers but because of this bags compact body style I was able to wear it on the subways, put it on my lap on buses, and put it under my feet on the plane. It fits perfectly in overhead bins as well. We spent on average one or two nights at each stop and took every type of transportation that Europe has to offer including the trains. I was always able to take out what I needed quickly and efficiently without making a mess of my belongings. I was never careful with my bag I definitely put it through the ringer during my trip and you would never even know it still looks the same as the day I received it. I have since taken it on a cross country trip, where it was stowed under my seat which made for less leg room but still I was surprised that it fit. I have taken this bag camping numerous times. It has worked for overnight trips and weekend trips as well. The material is amazing. It wipes clean very easily. The front load style is my absolute favorite thing about this bag. I couldn't imagine my trip to Europe with a top load bag it would have made for an awful trip. This bag makes traveling easy. I was able to fit a full quart size bag for my 311 liquids in the top zipper and pull it out with easy whenever I was going through security. The bag also has options for locks on the zippers which I also loved while staying in hostels, or having my bag plane side checked on smaller planes. The only thing I wish the bag had was a water bottle side pocket. I imagine you could get a clip and store one on the top corners of the bag but a designated pocket would rock! I loved mine so much that I have gotten them for my family as gifts.

First off, you have to understand that I have been a carry on traveler for decades, long before it was on trend. Secondly, You also have to understand that I mostly travel for business and science fiction conventions and things like that. I don't off road a lot. Thirdly, If you want a backpack that weighs twelve ounces that you can carry on a twenty five mile hike uphill both ways in fifty degree ninety percent humidity in the Yucatan, this is not the bag for you. I am not that kind of traveler, this is not that kind of bag. I do planes and cabs and hotels. With all of those caveats in place, this bag is perfect for me. I was looking to replace an eight or nine year old 22" roller board suitcase which is getting a little long in the tooth with something that would be (a) lighter and (b) hands-free. I have an ACL brace, so I need mobility. The main compartment is cavernous. I stood up a paperback book vertically along one wall and still had some breathing space. This is both awesome and terrifying, as I could very easily load this thing up to the point where I won't want to carry it. I use cheapie packing bags I got from a local travel store (they were like $20 for three, they're plain black mesh and not very thick but they work for me), and it holds one large, one medium and one small in the main space with some give. I really wish the waist strap was a little bigger. I'm pretty heavyset, and I couldn't have closed that belt across my hips with an army of shoehorns. And no, the Farpoint's M/L belt isn't any bigger. I looked. Which means it's more of a "waist" belt on me than a "hip" belt.

I've had this bag now for 6 years. I've used it for cross country road trips, camping, backpacking through Europe, and on flights as a carry on. I was reluctant at first to purchasing a travel bag, but this bag has been one of the best purchases I have made. One thing that I should stress is that it is the perfect carry on size for airplanes. If you are planning on going backpacking and need to fly, you will never need to check this bag since it fits in the overhead compartment of the airplane. It also can carry a deceptive amount. I was able to carry enough clothes to last me several weeks before I had to wash anything. I normally don't write reviews but I had to highly suggest this after 6 years of use.

We bought this bag on the way to the airport for a three week trip through Italy, Malta, and Switzerland in December. We also had borrowed the larger version, the Porter 65, from a friend who did China with it as her only bag. I'll try to compare a little between both packs, because having the chance to use both on the same trip was nice. First, the Porter 46: I'm 5'3" and 120lb, and I found the hip belt and shoulder straps comfortable, even when the Porter 46 was overloaded (I packed way too heavy - wish I'd gone with three sweaters and two pants instead of more). I note this because while this bag seems small, it's totally possible to carry TOO MUCH STUFF in this bag (I had five books, way too many clothes, camera gear, and more jammed in there). The Porter 65: This bag was similarly built as the Porter 46, but it had a fantastic shoe pocket in the bottom of the bag, which was super handy. Overall however, we found the bag to be too big, and even though it was possible to "batten down the hatches" and make it almost the approved carry-on size, we found that we were pushing the weight limit for the international carryon size regularly. Both the Porter 46 and the Porter 65: The zippers were smooth. The construction was great. I didn't notice any tendency for the bag to be coming apart at any point. The dark grey color hid dirt, and I loved the fact we could jam the straps into the back for checking the luggage or carrying it into a nicer hotel (we alternated between cheap and fancy on this trip, but got backpacks so we didn't have to lug rolling suitcases through the mud/rain). Both were solid pieces of luggage, and we travel thousands of miles a year for work and have used a wide variety of backpacks and rollaboards, and this is the first review we've written about luggage. It's that good. One other point, once battened down, it was hard to get into either of the bags, so the photograph above with credit cards in there is a joke. That wouldn't work.

I've used this pack for several cross country trips and it carries everything I need. I have never had an issue carrying it on an airplane, even the smaller commuter prop planes. The compression system works great is making sure the pack will fit in even the tightest overhead bin. I took it on an extended trip through China, Vietnam and Cambodia and it was perfect. It carried everything I needed with room to spare. It was easy to handle on buses, tuk tuks, ferries and taxis. Even fully loaded, carrying it as a backpack was comfortable. To me this is the perfect travel pack for those who want a versatile, durable carry on travel pack.

Just returned from a week stay in Italy. On the first leg on the trip, I was forced to check the bag at the gate as we were on a small prop plane. While arriving at the next destination and awaiting my luggage to be delivered to me, I witnessed my bag and one other get run over by a baggage handling vehicle. Naturally, I expected the worse. To my surprise, the bag and its contents survived the ordeal and, other than wheel and tarmac dirt (which came off with a light scrubbing) . The other bag was not so fortunate. [Full disclosure: I had another smaller message bag that carried my electronic and other fragile gear. I seriously doubt they would have survived the ordeal.] The bag carried well fully loaded and met all carry-on size restrictions in the U.S. and Europe, despite a very skeptical check-in agent in Rome. The included waist belt made the pack even more comfortable while moving through the airports and the longs walks from our tour bus to the hotels. This bag has given me the confidence that I will never check my bags again. Kudos to Osprey for a job well done.

I bought this bag for a 6 week trip to the Middle East, and it was absolutely perfect. The straps are comfortable and can be easily adjusted, or they can be stowed if you decide to check the bag or put it in storage. I flew with it as a carry-on for my trip over and had no problem stowing it in the overhead compartments even though it was stuffed. On my return flight, the attendant told me it wouldn't fit (but it definitely would have...) and even with my netbook in the front pocket, everything was fine and the bag traveled well. The 46L are a perfect size for those who don't pack much since it didn't weigh more than 15kg (and very well could have weighed less), it was carry-on size, and I could keep it in my lap for bus rides. The zippers are sturdy, easily zipped, and lockable which is a huge relief. The compression straps in the front are great for holding it all together, and also providing more protection with the padded flaps on the side. I love the sturdy construction, flaps on the side, and thicker nylon, though I will say this makes the pack a bit stiff, so it's not as moldable in tight spaces and makes the bag look bigger (hence why I think I was told to check it). But given the ruggedness, the multiple pockets for easy organization, the lockable zippers, and the large central compartment that unzips completely, this was an excellent bag for travel!

This pack is great. It is sturdy and durable. I travel a lot, carrying heavy loads. The fact that this pack is huge enough, makes you carry as much as you need, but not over-pack it to ruin your mood after 5km. It is perfectly easy to load, lots of options to store your stuff, like mesh pockets, and those highly accessible front pockets. When carrying a sleeping bag, i just tuck it vertically between the two front straps. This pack is quiet awesome. I'd definitely recommend it to friends, and actually already did. One thing that I'd like, is to have a place for a water bottle. I know, weird. But still!

I used this bag on my17 day backpacking trip through Europe and I might say it's the best travel bag around. Excellent carry on! Fit right into the overhead airplane compartments fully loaded. Easy access to everything. Loved the tuck away straps it comes with. Very comfortable even when fully loaded. I even had enough space for souvenirs on my way back! I'm most likely buying the Porter 30 for my wife (she's a bit short) so this one will look a little huge on her.

I'll be using this for trips here and there. It's very roomy and organized, and very comfortable.

this is a test

I'm a 5'5 woman and the pack (after adjusting the hip belt, shoulder straps, and load lifters) dug into my lower back. Unfortunately the space left over where the straps are stored bunches up and presses into my torso. This wouldn't be an issue if the straps were not stowable. However, the bag is pretty fantastic as an overall travel bag, but the discomfort was not worth it for me.

I bought this pack for a 5 week Europe trek for my main carry on bag. I had no issues with it not fitting in the overhead bins. The pack offers tons of space and I did not end up using it to its fullest capacity. I think my bag was around 35 pounds and it was comfortable for the most part, just somewhat uncomfortable on the shoulders when walking distances. I have used this pack since this trip on about 3 other adventures and I have never had issues. I let my friend borrow it for her Europe adventure and she loved it so much she ended up buying her own! For the slight discomfort felt, I think it is well worth it to have a sturdy, spacious, and reliable pack.