Osprey Eja 58 - Cloud Grey M/L

At just over 1.2kg this is one of the lightest backpacks of this size available. So I was happy to see it on sale and I used a discount code to get another 10% off.I am still testing it out but it seems very comfy. The pouches on the strap seem quite far back so a little hard to zip and unzip, but maybe that is because I have a pair of hips! A more svelte person might not have this issue! It takes a bit of thought how to pack as there is only one compartment, so with distributing weight and being mindful of what one might need more frequently takes a bit of planning. I like the stretchy pockets on the front and sides, much better than non stretchy ones usually found as it makes getting things in and out easier. The mesh works well to stop sweaty backs and I found ... MoreAt just over 1.2kg this is one of the lightest backpacks of this size available. So I was happy to see it on sale and I used a discount code to get another 10% off.I am still testing it out but it seems very comfy. The pouches on the strap seem quite far back so a little hard to zip and unzip, but maybe that is because I have a pair of hips! A more svelte person might not have this issue! It takes a bit of thought how to pack as there is only one compartment, so with distributing weight and being mindful of what one might need more frequently takes a bit of planning. I like the stretchy pockets on the front and sides, much better than non stretchy ones usually found as it makes getting things in and out easier. The mesh works well to stop sweaty backs and I found is very comfortable to use as a pillow!

Fits so well, it's like getting a hug

It's a bit of a gamble to order a backpack online instead of going to the store, trying one on with weights inside, walking around, etc, but when Osprey came out with a new, redesigned version of the Eja in 2022, I did a lot of research, crossed my fingers, and ordered one in size XS/S. Short version: I'm in love. Here are some specific thoughts.Use so far: I took this pack on a one-night, 8-mile overnight to test it, carrying between 20-25 lbs, climbing pretty rugged mountainous terrain. I'm a lightweight hiker, but not a super ultralight hiker — my base weight is around 15-16 lbs — and I think this pack hits that sweet spot well. I'm looking forward to taking it on multi-day trips.Fit: I am a small person (5'3", 120 lbs), I've been backpacking for 10+ years, ... MoreIt's a bit of a gamble to order a backpack online instead of going to the store, trying one on with weights inside, walking around, etc, but when Osprey came out with a new, redesigned version of the Eja in 2022, I did a lot of research, crossed my fingers, and ordered one in size XS/S. Short version: I'm in love. Here are some specific thoughts.Use so far: I took this pack on a one-night, 8-mile overnight to test it, carrying between 20-25 lbs, climbing pretty rugged mountainous terrain. I'm a lightweight hiker, but not a super ultralight hiker — my base weight is around 15-16 lbs — and I think this pack hits that sweet spot well. I'm looking forward to taking it on multi-day trips.Fit: I am a small person (5'3", 120 lbs), I've been backpacking for 10+ years, and I have never had a pack that fit me this well. The adjustable shoulder straps allow you to dial in a very precise fit for your torso. The back panel is comfy — Osprey eliminated the low-back seam on earlier models that pressed into my hips when I tried an Eja a few years ago — and the airflow is excellent. The hip belt fit well, and had plenty of room to be both tighter and looser. No weird pressure points or chafing on shoulders, armpits, or hips, which has been an issue for me with other packs. I felt like a total superhero, so much that I almost decided to extend my hike by 5 miles because I was feeling so good.Pockets and straps: Love the loops for holding hiking poles. The pockets all worked nicely for me. The side compression straps are tricky to figure out at first because they have a semi-fixed point in the middle that allows you to adjust the top and bottom separately. Once I got the hang of it, it worked well. The pad straps on the bottom are long and dangly if you don't have a closed-cell foam pad or tent to strap there— I added a seat pad to my gear just to give those straps something to do, but I might remove them altogether in future. I took along a hydration system just to test that feature out, and I found the port to be awkward to wrangle the drinking tube through. I'll take bottles instead of a hydration bladder next time.Color: I got the teal green and was pleased that it ended up being a darker, more forest-y green, and less blue-teal than the pictures.Guarantee: Osprey's lifetime guarantee was definitely a factor in me buying this pack. I have friends who have used the guarantee and Osprey was great about replacing or fixing their packs. If I'm going to use this piece of gear for years and years (and I hope I do!), it will be nice to have the guarantee to rely on if and when I need it.

Great on the back, well balanced, well designed

I took the Osprey Women's Eja 58 pack on an 8-day backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon where I carried around 35lbs of weight. Because of the lumbar length adjustment, the backpack fit my petite (5'2") frame perfectly and distributed the weight so that I never felt any pain or fatigue in my shoulders or back. The mesh back kept me from getting too hot and sweaty on my back. I loved the two pockets on the waist straps, and I figured out how to squeeze in my switchback sleeping pad. The large pocket in the back and the two on the sides were handy for carrying water and various things. I wish the pack came with instructions on all of the ways the various components could be used, as I know the top can be removed but I don't know if it could serve as a day pack. The ... MoreI took the Osprey Women's Eja 58 pack on an 8-day backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon where I carried around 35lbs of weight. Because of the lumbar length adjustment, the backpack fit my petite (5'2") frame perfectly and distributed the weight so that I never felt any pain or fatigue in my shoulders or back. The mesh back kept me from getting too hot and sweaty on my back. I loved the two pockets on the waist straps, and I figured out how to squeeze in my switchback sleeping pad. The large pocket in the back and the two on the sides were handy for carrying water and various things. I wish the pack came with instructions on all of the ways the various components could be used, as I know the top can be removed but I don't know if it could serve as a day pack. The size was perfect for what I needed, the ergonomic fitting made it possible for me to carry the weight over precarious footing with ease. The only negative is that one of the rubber fasteners shredded without being used that much, but compared to how wonderful the pack is, this is a minor issue.

Great pack for a few days out.

Overall a great lightweight pack. First trip with it was 3 days on AT. Super comfortable, great adjustments, plenty of room (I packed 22 pounds), fit perfectly on my 5'3" self (XS/S size). I'm shortwaisted as well. Two issues. The hip pouches on each side are too far back to easily get snacks out...once you open the zipper hip pouches it's hard to get the zipper to pull closed again. The other issue was the reach to get my Smartwater out of the side pockets. The angular pocket openings are too "high up" to reach back and grab the bottle but I managed to reach back and push it up further with my right hand and reach around and grab it out with my left hand. I could not put the bottle back in the side pocket as I could not do it with my right hand as the pull loop to ... MoreOverall a great lightweight pack. First trip with it was 3 days on AT. Super comfortable, great adjustments, plenty of room (I packed 22 pounds), fit perfectly on my 5'3" self (XS/S size). I'm shortwaisted as well. Two issues. The hip pouches on each side are too far back to easily get snacks out...once you open the zipper hip pouches it's hard to get the zipper to pull closed again. The other issue was the reach to get my Smartwater out of the side pockets. The angular pocket openings are too "high up" to reach back and grab the bottle but I managed to reach back and push it up further with my right hand and reach around and grab it out with my left hand. I could not put the bottle back in the side pocket as I could not do it with my right hand as the pull loop to open up the pocket larger is not easily reachable...I kept trying but it's just not as user friendly to try and get the bottle back in. Luckily I hike with friends and they helped. : D

Great pack for lightweight backpacking

I decided to replace my Oprey Ariel 65 with a lighter and smaller backpack, and purchased the Eja 58. I wanted a much ligher backpack with a similar volume and the comfort of an Osprey pack because I have reduced the weight and volume of my gear.I selected the M/L size because, while short, I have a longer torso on the edge of the S/M and M/L. On my first backpacking trip this summer, I easily adjusted the torso length 2 times at rest stops until it was satisfactory. Having been through a slough of different types of adjustments this pack was by far the easiest. Some reviewers have been impacted by the hard plastic on the back, but I did not find it noticeable. The back is finished with a large weave "netting" that makes the pack very breathable. The hip belt was ... MoreI decided to replace my Oprey Ariel 65 with a lighter and smaller backpack, and purchased the Eja 58. I wanted a much ligher backpack with a similar volume and the comfort of an Osprey pack because I have reduced the weight and volume of my gear.I selected the M/L size because, while short, I have a longer torso on the edge of the S/M and M/L. On my first backpacking trip this summer, I easily adjusted the torso length 2 times at rest stops until it was satisfactory. Having been through a slough of different types of adjustments this pack was by far the easiest. Some reviewers have been impacted by the hard plastic on the back, but I did not find it noticeable. The back is finished with a large weave "netting" that makes the pack very breathable. The hip belt was comfortable and easy to adjust, and the tensioning at the top of the pack allowed me to adjust the weight. I did not experience any fatigue due to my pack in any way. I had no shoulder or hip bruises. Overall, I felt this eased my experience rather than added to it. Very happy with the large side pockets, which can fit both bottles and other things as necessary. The front pocket fits more than I expected. I was surprised at the adjustablitiy built into the side compression straps, which brought the pack down to a nice dayhiking size especially when I removed the lid. That said Osprey women's packs have fit me well for a long time, and I think that it is very important for each person to find their comfortable pack. I will definitely be packing with this backpack for a long time.

I don’t love it

Definitely loses functionality vs the Aura. And Osprey seems to have fixed some issues it has with the new Eja Pro.The water bladder hanger is lower than the outlet port which makes the tube kink since you need to route it behind. The Eja Pro doesn’t have this problem. Neither does the Aura.The side pockets are not deep at all. In the Aura you could tension the compressor straps and have a bottle underneath and stuff on top like two separate side compartments. The Eja Pro pockets are also deeper than this pack’s.The zig zag compression side straps are nearly ornamental. They need a lot of manipulation to have tension. Neither Aura nor Eja pro have these issues as they both have separate straps.The frame is overall differently fitted than the Aura, being ... MoreDefinitely loses functionality vs the Aura. And Osprey seems to have fixed some issues it has with the new Eja Pro.The water bladder hanger is lower than the outlet port which makes the tube kink since you need to route it behind. The Eja Pro doesn’t have this problem. Neither does the Aura.The side pockets are not deep at all. In the Aura you could tension the compressor straps and have a bottle underneath and stuff on top like two separate side compartments. The Eja Pro pockets are also deeper than this pack’s.The zig zag compression side straps are nearly ornamental. They need a lot of manipulation to have tension. Neither Aura nor Eja pro have these issues as they both have separate straps.The frame is overall differently fitted than the Aura, being slightly shorter so the load lifters do not angle ideally. The Eja Pro seems to have fixed this.On the store model the edging of the shoulder strap irritated my inner arm. But this was only on one side so maybe a one off.The pack overall feels like a sloshy carry. The Aura and Eja Pro both are a lot more responsive and tighter.Overall it is basically a worse Aura with the main benefit being weight savings and price.

If it fits your needs it's great!

I bought the Eja a few years ago (so double check my discussion of the specs - some might be outdated) as my first backpacking pack, and it's been well used since then. I use it to trek my climbing gear to the crag, as a traditional pack for multi-day hikes, as my bag for any camping trip, and have used it on month long backpackign trips around Europe and South America. I'm not exactly careful with it, but it has never ripped and had held up well to my rougher use! I'm 5'4" and about 140 pounds and bought the XS/S. It fits my waist well and the support straps have been wonderful for me because I have an old spine injury and many hiking packs give me severe back pain. I also had an REI associate help me adjust the bag to my body perfectly, which was wonderful (thank ... MoreI bought the Eja a few years ago (so double check my discussion of the specs - some might be outdated) as my first backpacking pack, and it's been well used since then. I use it to trek my climbing gear to the crag, as a traditional pack for multi-day hikes, as my bag for any camping trip, and have used it on month long backpackign trips around Europe and South America. I'm not exactly careful with it, but it has never ripped and had held up well to my rougher use! I'm 5'4" and about 140 pounds and bought the XS/S. It fits my waist well and the support straps have been wonderful for me because I have an old spine injury and many hiking packs give me severe back pain. I also had an REI associate help me adjust the bag to my body perfectly, which was wonderful (thank you REI!) So overall, I love the support structure of the bag.I also really like some of the bag specs of this pack. The top pouch is not removable as a summit pack but is great for carrying some smaller items for easy access or to keep them away from your smelly socks. The reservoir holder is also quite large and easy to access, even with a full pack, for refilling your water bladder mid-trip. It has cinch straps that help cinch down any extra fabric and hold everything steady, no matter the terrain. This has been a bonus feature whenever I have to take it on a plane. The side pockets have top and side access that make retrieving a water bottle on the go easy and allow you to stuff other things (i.e. trail garbage) into them as well.With that being said, I do wish there were more useful specs on the bag. It doesn't have rated straps to connect a tent or bear can to, although I modified mine to carry a tent fairly easily. It also does not have a bottom access zipper, so in order to get to your sleeping pad or anything packed at the bottom of the bag you will likely need to pull almost everything out from the top. Also, the XS/S is actually only 52L, not 58. Maybe that was on me for not reading the fine print before buying, but the 6L capacity difference between the XS/S and the M/L is fairly significant in my opinion.Overall, I like this pack as a smaller woman. I particularly appreciate how comfortable and supportive the structure is. It lets me carry a heavier load than I would be able to otherwise. But I'll probably go for a pack with a larger capacity and some rated straps built in for my next pack.

Nice Lightweight Backpack

I searched extensively for a lightweight backpack to replace my old Osprey 65L pack that weighed approx. 5 lbs. Found this pack was very popular with long-distance thru hikers.This pack has all the features I wanted and fits all the gear and food needed for 7 nights on the trail, with weight up to 33 lbs when needed to carry extra water. Plus the brain has a zippered pocket underneath which is great for stowing lightweight items needed at camp but not during the day. The pack is a nice color and the Women's small size of 53L weighs only 2 lbs 7 ounces. The only thing I do not like about the pack is the flap for those who don't want to use the brain as it is not easily removed and gets in the way.I initially did not like this pack but that was because staff at ... MoreI searched extensively for a lightweight backpack to replace my old Osprey 65L pack that weighed approx. 5 lbs. Found this pack was very popular with long-distance thru hikers.This pack has all the features I wanted and fits all the gear and food needed for 7 nights on the trail, with weight up to 33 lbs when needed to carry extra water. Plus the brain has a zippered pocket underneath which is great for stowing lightweight items needed at camp but not during the day. The pack is a nice color and the Women's small size of 53L weighs only 2 lbs 7 ounces. The only thing I do not like about the pack is the flap for those who don't want to use the brain as it is not easily removed and gets in the way.I initially did not like this pack but that was because staff at the local REI did not fit the pack properly! I guessed at the problem during a multiday hike and then watched an Osprey video on how to fit a pack to ensure correct procedure.

Over 1000 miles and still awesome....

I purchased this pack (38L) from a hiking store in France as I was beginning the Camino Frances in the summer of 2022. The lady at the store fitted the pack to my frame, made the proper adjustments and explained about micro-adjustments while hiking. I have carried this now through 3 caminos, well over a thousand miles. It has held up perfectly and still looks practically new. It has never caused brusing around the hips. It fits my body like a glove and with the weight properly distributed inside, I sometimes forget I have it on.It sits high in the back and sometimes bumps the back of my Tilley hat, but that is the only complaint I have about this pack (not really a complaint- just a note).The back ventilation is great. The water bottle pocket design makes it easy ... MoreI purchased this pack (38L) from a hiking store in France as I was beginning the Camino Frances in the summer of 2022. The lady at the store fitted the pack to my frame, made the proper adjustments and explained about micro-adjustments while hiking. I have carried this now through 3 caminos, well over a thousand miles. It has held up perfectly and still looks practically new. It has never caused brusing around the hips. It fits my body like a glove and with the weight properly distributed inside, I sometimes forget I have it on.It sits high in the back and sometimes bumps the back of my Tilley hat, but that is the only complaint I have about this pack (not really a complaint- just a note).The back ventilation is great. The water bottle pocket design makes it easy to grab my water from the pocket while on the go (I have not tried it with a camelbak bladder).The waist belt pockets are a good size.At first I was not delighted with the slender, tall design, but after the first few miles over the Pyrenees, I was loving it.I am 60 years old, 5'8", weigh 120 lbs. My pack is M/L.

don't pack over 20 lb

My pack is 2 years old, and writing this review makes me realize I won't carry it again. I carry 25 lb, and it's too much for the pack. I don't care for the shoulder straps, too narrow, twist. Unable to get a comfortable fit after a few miles on trail. I find myself fiddling with the fit, waistbelt-won't adjust down enough, compensating with shoulder straps and load lifters only make the shoulder situation worse. The side straps are so unhandy, I don't use them to cinch the load. Good things- I'm able to reach my water bottle while wearing pack if it's a 1 L BeFree or a 750 ml Smartwater bottle. The pack allows me to carry a 450 bear canister horizon. I have no problem with the space it provides with use of a waist pack for snacks.