Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterTop pickComfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.Osprey has released new versions of both the Farpoint 55 and Fairview 55 for 2026; we are currently testing them. The old versions remain available for sale at some retailers.The Osprey Fairview 55 and the nearly identical Osprey Farpoint 55 have been one of our picks since the first version of this guide came out in 2016. (The Fairview is for people with 15- to 19-inch torsos, as measured from the top of your hip bone to your C7 vertebra, the one that sticks out when you press your chin to your chest. The Farpoint is for those with torsos from 17 to 22 inches long.)Osprey’s strap-and-clip system makes it easy to attach the daypacks to the main packs, even when both are stuffed full. This is the Farpoint in Gopher Green. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterYou can carry them on the plane. Once you detach the daypacks, the main packs are now carry-on-sized, making them the most versatile travel backpack we’ve tested. Interestingly, the total capacity remains roughly the same as those of our other picks — that is, we were able to stow the same amount of clothing in this bag as we could in the REI Co-op packs (our former runner-up pick) and the Salkan (our former upgrade pick). The daypack, in this case, would count as your personal item — on most airlines, this would mean you couldn’t also bring a large purse or a briefcase.Or check your bag — your choice. The shoulder straps can be secured behind a zippered panel, so if you want to check the bag or put it in a packed luggage compartment on a train or bus, they won’t catch on anything. Doing this essentially turns the main pack temporarily into a duffle bag, complete with sturdy and well-padded handles on the top and side.The padded straps on both the Farpoint and the Fairview are height adjustable, comfortably fitting a wide range of torsos. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThey’re adjustable. Like our other picks, the main pack has height-adjustable shoulder straps. This crucial feature lets you get an all-important personalized fit that makes carrying the pack for any length of time far easier. The straps were padded enough for our testers’ comfort (though not as cushy as the Salkan’s, and slightly less so than the REI Co-op’s).They have comfortable, easy-to-use daypacks. The daypacks are roughly the same size, or a little larger, than those of our other picks, something travelers who plan to cart lots of camera gear or other daily essentials will appreciate. The top of the shoulder straps connect to form a sturdy handle, which is extremely, ahem, handy. Each daypack easily holds a 15-inch MacBook and is comfortable to wear over long treks. There are two large exterior mesh pockets for water bottles. Though the daypack is a little short on organizational slots and pockets, its comfort made it the best overall.The backpacks are tough. The Farpoint and the Fairview are made from 450-denier recycled polyester, which feels thick and sturdy, though more “plasticky” compared to the Salkan. (Denier is a measure of the fiber thickness in a fabric.) I put the Farpoint through six weeks of train, bus, and airplane trips across Europe, and it didn’t show any signs of wear or breaking.The packs include a lifetime warranty. Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee covers repair of any damage or defect for life — or replaces the pack, if repair is impossible. If you just want to return the pack unused, you have 30 days.It’s been a pick in this guide for eight years — and counting. I have put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. After testing the current version of this pack, I liked it so much that I bought one for myself, replacing an Osprey Farpoint that had been my go-to pack for years of travel.Flaws but not dealbreakersThe U-shaped opening of the daypack is surprisingly small. You can’t easily spot things at the bottom or carry bulky items. On the other hand, this does limit what might spill out of the pack if you forget to fully close it, something that has happened to me several times with the old half-clamshell design.The daypack feels less securely attached than it once had. Previous versions of the Farpoint and the Fairview had large zippers that basically fused the daypack to the main pack. With this version, the daypack hangs off the back, secured only by the nylon compression straps. The straps loop through reinforced parts of the daypack, so it seems reasonably secure, and this new design does let you stuff more things in both packs — but as someone who carries a lot of expensive gear in the daypack, I’m less than excited about it.Osprey seems to have prioritized weight and breathability over padding. In warmer climates, though, this could be a good thing.The packs don’t include rain covers. One is available separately, however. Osprey recommends the large size for the 55 L packs.
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