Customer Reviews Osprey Hikelite 18

Love the ventilation, same as my 34 Stratos.

Take note of the name, emphasis on "Hike", not on "Day". This pack, and others like it with the same rigid framed trampoline back panel are not "everyday" packs. The inner frame will: Wear/pill your clothing with extended use Focus wear on its own corners/edges Bow into the bag space. Push the load further away from your body. And somewhat restrict body movement due to it being rigid. However, this design is absolutely fantastic for legitimate hiking and urban sightseeing in the heat. Its far and away cooler than any other pack design I have for summer use, simple as that. I'll repeat... This pack is not designed to be worn or treated like an everyday beater backpack; tossed around, drug around, worn on your favorite shirt 30 times. If you need an all purpose or cool climate bag head over to the Daylite series.

I bought this pack to add a small and light daypack to my hiking & backpacking collection. I'm a 5'-11", 155 lb. male with a slim build and the pack fits perfectly, however I can see how it could potentially be uncomfortable for some. The tabs where the shoulder straps connect to the bottom of the bag are a very snug fit for me. I'm used to much larger packs so it took a little time for me to get used to the feel of this one. The bag is pretty narrow and sits much higher than I'm used to, so high that the waist belt is practically useless for me. It can easily be removed which is nice because the sternum strap along with the snug fit keeps this bag from moving around too much. The vented back panel works great and it easily fits my 3L Platypus bladder. Plenty of storage for snacks, an extra layer or two, first aid or whatever you would need for a long day out. The two side pockets are huge and the integrated rain cover is a nice extra. Highly recommended - but fill it up with some weight and walk around to ensure the fit is good.

I'm a novice hiker, just started hiking more this year so this is my first hiking backpack. I love it because it's comfortable, stable, and fits all that I need for a day hike without it being heavy. The first time I used it I was climbing up a lot of verticle boulders so I had to use my hands and legs and the backpack felt very secure. I have a small frame so it fits perfect but Im not sure if you had a bigger build, but there's a lot of adjusting you can do so I'm sure it would be fine.

Novice hiker here -- and when I say novice, I've been on two 4-5 hour hikes so far. Other hikes consisted of waterfall trails that were only about 30min to 1 hour. My first hike to Pinnacle Mountain, I borrowed a small inexpensive daypack that was being used for my toddler's daycare bag. It worked for that day, but killed my shoulders. I kept adjusting the straps, but it didn't much good. Halfway up the trail, I was miserable and ready to toss the pack! After doing some research and deciding on a budget, I wanted to buy an Osprey pack (specifically the Hikelite 18). I only plan to do day hikes, no through-hiking or multi-day hiking. Some of the features that caught my eye were the semi-rigid frame, the rain cover, and the option to put a bladder inside. I already had a bladder that I picked up from a bargain bin a few months back and it fit perfectly! On my second hike, up Table Rock, I had the new pack with the same amount of stuff in it. What a world of difference! The only time my shoulders felt anything was on the way down, because I was hunching over more than when I was going up. By the end of of the day, my neck and shoulders weren't sore at all. The experience was much more enjoyable and I came away feeling that I definitely made a good decision in purchasing the pack. Only time will tell how well it holds up, but it seems to be made really well so that shouldn't be an issue. As for everything else besides comfort: The zippers work great The little scratch resistant pocket was nice to hold my phone. The straps worked great The mesh back and ventilation worked okay (my clothes were soaked from heat & humidity, so not sure what difference it would have made in a different climate. Haven't used the rain cover yet. The bottom of my bag got wet from the bladder condensation. I will say I half-filled the bladder, froze it overnight, then filled it the rest of the way the morning of so that part is on me. So far, it's a great bag for a reasonable price!

Love this pack. I usually hike 40 miles a week. This pack is easy to carry and sits well on my lower back. The water bladder is a snug fit but fits my 2L bladder easily. Tube hole took a little getting use to but is great now.

This pack is extremely comfortable and light weight. I would definitely recommend

I've used this pack extensively for nearly a year now and couldn't be happier with it! It handles heavy loads surprisingly well. I carry 134oz of water + other necessities and it is still super comfortable. I do not notice the discomfort another reviewer experienced. For reference, I am 5'10" and 165lbs and it fits me perfectly. It might be a small thing to some, but I love the removable waist straps! I never knew how much I would enjoy that and will now require that feature for any future day pack I buy. In case it would be helpful, I can't fit 40 oz Hydro Flasks in the side pockets without risk of falling out, but 32 oz works perfectly. The hydration sleeve works great with my 70oz reservoir and insulated pouch. I average 2 day hikes/week and in the 9 months I've had the pack the only wear I can see is one of the stretch side pockets has the beginning of a tiny tear (it still works). Totally understandable though considering how much I have put it through, desert hiking is rough on gear!

Lightweight. Not too many bells and whistles but enough pockets to keep things organized.

The bag is very good. Excellent design and reasonably priced for what you get. But i agree with the post below that it damages your shirt, whether it is cotton or blend due to a rough area at the back causing shirts to pill. It literally pilled 4 of my shirts so far. I hope Osprey will find a solution to avoid this issue. Other than that, it is a very good pack.

A few solid hikes in with this pack; one being a 14er. I find the pack to be very comfortable and has just enough capacity for a day hike and I personally don't like a ton of pockets so this is great. I love the look but I'm really torn with the back panel. I purposely chose this pack bc I'm so in love with my Osprey Aura 65 that I wanted mesh panel airflow for all my hikes. I have to echo the earlier review, about hikelite causing shirt pilling. It's a 100% issue on cotton and even causing problems with dri-fit tops. Not sure what the best solution is here...duct tape? This is a con that is hard to ignore. I also find that my shirts to "inch up" when I'm on the move which can get a little annoying.

I've hiked 10 miles in Glacier National Park in the rain with the Hikelite 18, deployed the rain cover, and the pack was comfortable over a poncho. Rode 40 miles in 90F with a 2L water bladder in it, sat well and ventilated well on my back. Had it when I went horseback riding, again with the water bladder, performed well. Used it as a gym bag to port gear to the rock climbing gym, with a carabiner clipped on back to rack my climbing shoes. My only minor complaint is that the belt adjustment sometimes shifts. Chest strap is solid. I'm 5'5 170 lbs. The stow pocket for the rain cover is roomy enough to fit a cheap poncho in there, as well.

When I bought this pack I was in LOVE!!! I was so excited to use it that before I could take it out to any hikes, I started using it to walk around the city. I recieved alot of compliments on it and i loved that way it felt. The anti gravity back was helpful for the hot new York city summer but after a few weeks I started that the seam at the bottom of the netting on the back was starting to make my shirts pill. At first I figured it was because i was wearing cotton, but it happened with everything I wore!!! Even started to put some wear into my raincoat.

I read someone else's review of this pack and totally disagree. The only problem I have with this pack is the price, but after using it, I would spend the Money again. This pack is sooo comfortable, and the airspeed means your back will not get hot and sweaty. Besides the price if I could change one thing, I would add a few more pockets for storing small items. Some of my small items tend to fall down into the bottom of the pack. Great product and I take it everywhere with me.

I find the pack ok. the good: suspended back panel is great, comfortable chest and waist straps, appreciate the sunglass pocket the bad, if I put items in the side mesh pockets it is likely to fall out; Ive had keys, chapstick everything go flying out when hopping over wet areas during hikes; would be nice if they cinched tight or had a strap; also I find it difficult to load, its narrow and deep, also next time I would get something that lets me access small items easier; like phone or chapstick; which if I place in the side pockets are at risk for falling out

I had read previous comments about this pack causing shirt pilling on cotton, dry fit and wear on a rain jacket. I thought maybe it was just how the pack fitted the individual so I went ahead and purchased this pack. Pack is well made, the suspension causing it to not lay directly on your back is fabulous and a lot cooler. However, I don't know if I will use this pack again. Which stinks because I love the design and color. But I can't overlook it destroying my clothes. It caused severe pilling on every cotton shirt I wore, and the two days I carried it I was wearing brand new shirts. Very disappointed in this design flaw and wouldn't recommend buying this if you care about your clothing.

I received this backpack as a gift after doing some research on the best daypacks for hiking. Unfortunately, the description and sizing information does not list anywhere that the size of this pack is geared towards a female frame. I am a tall male and fairly slim, but the bottom corners of this pack curve in and stick out, and because of how narrow the bag is, they just dig into my back, making it very uncomfortable. It fits my wife's frame very nicely, but unfortunately she already has a daypacks, and this turned out to be too uncomfortable for me to use on all day hikes. Quality and features of the bag are fantastic, as are all of the other Osprey bags I own, just beware of the slimness of this bag.

This is a near perfect, highly breathable, lightweight, quality daypack.... but the preformed curve at the base of the pack results in two hard points pressing into your back. Even empty it's uncomfortable. Maybe it was sized for toddlers but for adults, the base of the pack desperately needs to be re-design to sit flat against the back.

This bag could be perfect for Disney or day hikes if they can fix some major issues. First the mesh will cause your shirt fabric to pill. This is very frustrating as it damages your clothes. Side pockets are not good a securing anything as there is no way to sinch the top. If you set the bag down everything will fall out. The main storage area could use some additional pockets to help organize smaller items. Last con is I am tall and the waist belt would line up above by belly button with the shoulder straps all the way out. The bag is light and the ventilation works very well. Overall I would not suggest this pack because of the issue with it damaging clothes.