Review: OSPREY VARIANT 37 A masterpiece of the unknown "Jobs of the Pack World"

Easy for beginners and satisfying for experts. Just as amazing as the rumors say

Because backpacks are durable enough to last a year or so, a single choice can mean a significant price to pay. The last backpack I bought was from a trusted manufacturer, but it was on sale. My gamble ended in failure. Still, I grew attached to it, and after three years of use, it was starting to feel like it was about to die, so I finally made a trip to a mountain gear store. After carrying dozens of backpacks, I intuitively know when something isn't quite right. But I still can't quite find the perfect backpack. However, I fell in love with the Osprey Variant 37 at first sight, and I've never made a decision like this before. So, in this review, I'll be reviewing a backpack that lives up to the rumor, hitting the sweet spot in terms of fit, specs, detailed features, and price

Introduction: Mike Pfotenhauer, the Steve Jobs of the Puck World

OSPREY is a pack manufacturer founded in California in 1974. Founder Mike Pfotenhauer, who "didn't want to work for anyone else," began making custom backpacks using his art school education and the sewing skills he learned from his mother at a young age. The company quickly gained a reputation, and in the nearly 40 years since, it has grown to become a globally popular brand

Mike in his younger days, starting full-scale pack production in Dolores, Colorado

Image credit: Eastern Mountain Sports

Thorough commitment to products

The more you learn about this manufacturer, the more you realize the extraordinary craftsmanship and passion for manufacturing that founder Mike, who is still active today, has. For example, when he expanded his business and moved his company to Colorado to begin producing and selling ready-made products instead of custom-made products, he hired 100 artisans, all of whom were Navajo, renowned for their dexterity in folk crafts. Through trial and error, Mike worked with them to mass-produce high-quality packs. Furthermore, when he switched production to a factory in Vietnam amid global competition, he moved his family to Ho Chi Minh City and, despite the Vietnamese being unfamiliar with camping, worked with local engineers to pursue uncompromising craftsmanship. He truly resembles the Steve Jobs of the pack world, and one cannot help but sense something of Soichiro Honda. Manufacturing is not just a Japanese specialty. In an interview with a web magazine, he hesitantly explained his philosophy:

Be involved in the making of the product.

My philosophy is to be involved in creating things (not just coming up with ideas or ideals)

Source: Core77.com

His professional spirit, which continues to focus on how to turn ideas into reality, from product prototypes to the manufacturing process, may not have changed since 40 years ago when he was handing out custom-made packs to each individual. In any case, it's clear that this relentless focus on output is the driving force behind Osprey's industry-leading unique evolution. There are many more interesting things to discover when you dig deeper into this, but that's a story for another time

Mike (center front) at the factory in Ho Chi Minh City

Image credit: Eastern Mountain Sports

Detailed review

Item name (price)

OSPREY VARIANT 37 (Reference price: 19,440 yen)

Main Specifications and ratings

This is amazing!

The Variant is a backpack designed primarily for climbers who want to use it all year round, but it can also be used for regular mountain hiking, river climbing, and even backcountry and alpine climbing. My an exquisitely balanced and convenient backpack that delivers high performance in any situation . Even if it doesn't match up to backpacks specialized in a particular category, its high basic quality , is probably why it continues to be loved by so many climbers and mountain guides.

its comfortable carrying feel , which is an advantage compared to other companies' backpacks . After consulting with the store staff, I compared it with rivals such as the THE NORTH FACE Profit 40 and the GREGORY Alpinist 35, and found that while not as thick as backpacks designed for long-distance hiking, this backpack was the only one with shoulder and hip belts that were luxuriously cushioned for a climbing-oriented backpack (this was the OSPREY Mutant ). The MAMMUT Trion Pro 35+7L was also comfortable to carry, but it was relatively expensive, so I had to think carefully about my choice.

Next, I'd like to mention the balance between simplicity and functionality, and ease of use . Climbing backpacks tend to strip down functionality to the bare minimum, and you can't attach gear to the outside, so you basically have to compromise on usability, but the Variant has a good balance of features that are quite satisfying. Including that good balance, here are some of the small features I like:

High-capacity ice tool holster and durable front panel pocket for crampons, shovels, etc

Side belts and pockets designed for carrying not only tent poles and stocks but also skis and snowshoes

Although it's not the lightest, it's incredibly light (1.5kg) for a long-distance hike. By removing the detachable top pocket, hip belt, and back panel, it can be easily adapted to an ultralight model

The large and easy-to-use head (top pocket) and other features make it possible to store 50L, even though the official capacity is 37L

A convenient three-point loop for pulling up your backpack (for full-on mountain climbing)

There are many other great features that have been thought out down to the smallest detail, but please refer to the product page

This is not good

I'll list some of the negative aspects, including some that can't be helped

• Concerns about durability due to the thin and lightweight fabric used

Although the final conclusion has not been reached, there are still some concerns as to whether the product is completely suitable for activities such as climbing and gorge climbing, which involve a lot of friction with rocks

• Some people might say it's half-baked

It depends a lot on each individual's purpose for using it, but the nature of such an all-purpose item is that it could be said to have too many unnecessary functions for pure climbers, and if you are a complete beginner and will only use it for long-term mountain climbing, you could also say that the cushioning and support are not enough for long-term mountain climbing.

• The only way to access the contents is from the top

It may seem strange to say this considering how well-balanced it is, but if there was a zipper on the side to make it easier to take things in and out, I would have been perfect. I was willing to put up with the extra weight...!

Summary: What kind of activities do you recommend?

This backpack is ideal for undisciplined, wide-ranging outdoor enthusiasts like me—those who want to use it for traverses, streams, backcountry, and even a bit of a stretch on variation routes. As for size, it has a high storage capacity, so 37L is enough for mountain hut stays, and it's just about doable for tent camping, but 52L is a good choice for winter. On the other hand, it may not be suitable for those who only need it for alpine climbing, those who don't need it at all in winter, or complete beginners who prioritize ease of use, including packing, over simplicity. That said, it's certainly a backpack that suits everyone, so why not give this culmination of the dedication of America's stalwart craftsmen a try?

Variant 37

OSPREY

21,600 yen

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