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Most travel bags make you choose. A rolling suitcase is easy in the airport and awkward on cobblestones, while a hiking pack carries well but turns into a black hole when you need your charger. The Osprey Farpoint 40 is built to split the difference: a travel pack that opens like a suitcase and carries like a backpack, sized to go in the overhead bin. Here is what it is, why it has become a default pick for one bag travel and where to buy one.
What it is
The Farpoint 40 is a 40 liter travel pack from Osprey Packs. Osprey describes it as a fully featured travel pack that takes the best of backpacking design, meaning a breathable, adjustable fit and a load lifting frame, and adds conveniences that matter on the road. The headline spec is simple: it is sized to meet domestic carry-on requirements, so for most flights it can come on board with you instead of disappearing into the hold.
Forty liters is a useful number. It is big enough for a week of clothes if you pack with intention, and small enough that you are not tempted to bring everything you own. If you are still working out what capacity suits you, our guide to backpack sizes and liters walks through how volume translates into real trips.
How it carries
This is where the Farpoint stands apart from a duffel with straps. Osprey builds it around a LightWire peripheral frame that transfers the load from the harness to the hipbelt, backed by a framesheet that spreads weight across the whole backpanel. That is the same basic idea as a hiking pack: let your hips carry the weight instead of your shoulders.
- AirScape backpanel. Mesh covered ridged foam gives a cushioned, stable carry close to your body, with ventilation so your back is not soaked after a long walk to the hostel.
- Adjustable torso length. You can tune the fit to your back rather than living with one fixed size.
- Padded spacermesh harness and hipbelt. Both are lightweight and breathable, and the sternum strap includes a safety whistle.
- Stowaway system. The backpanel, harness and hipbelt zip away when you do not need them, which keeps straps from snagging on baggage belts or overhead bins.
When the straps are tucked away you carry it with the padded top and side handles, which is exactly what you want when you are sliding it into a seat row or an overhead locker.
How it packs
A big reason travelers love the Farpoint is that it packs like luggage. A large front panel opens the main compartment fully, so you can see everything at once instead of digging from the top down. Osprey lists several details that make day to day travel easier:
- Lockable sliders on the main compartment zipper.
- Two internal compression straps to hold contents in place.
- A zippered mesh pocket on the inside of the front flap for small items.
- A direct zip toiletry pocket, so your liquids are easy to pull out at security.
- A direct zip sleeve that fits most laptops up to 16 inches.
- Dual strap compression with fabric sidewalls to cinch the load when the bag is not full.
Osprey also notes that the pack is compatible with its Farpoint and Fairview Travel Daypack, so you can build a two bag system for longer trips with a smaller bag for day use.
Why it is cool
The appeal is freedom. With a carry-on sized pack you skip the checked bag line, you never wait at a carousel and you never watch your luggage head to the wrong city. On the ground, a pack that carries properly means you can walk from the train station to your room, take stairs without thinking about it and move through crowded streets with both hands free.
It also comes from a company that knows how to make packs carry. Osprey made its name in backpacking, and the Farpoint borrows directly from that experience. The frame, the ventilated backpanel and the adjustable fit are the parts you cannot see in a product photo, and they are the parts that matter most after a few miles on your back.
Who should buy it
The Farpoint 40 suits travelers who want to go carry-on only for anything from a long weekend to a couple of weeks, backpackers who move between cities often, and anyone who has given up on dragging a rolling bag over rough streets. It is also a good fit for people who work on the road and need a protected laptop sleeve in the same bag as their clothes.
If you mostly take short flights for work and stay in one hotel, a smaller daypack plus a compact roller may still be simpler. And if you want a bag with a more city friendly look, take a look at our picks of the best carry-on travel backpacks for other shapes and styles.
Packing tips
Packing cubes pair well with the clamshell opening because the bag works like a suitcase. Keep heavy items close to your back and near the middle of the pack, which helps the frame do its job. Use the compression straps even when the bag is not full so the load does not shift as you walk. And before a flight, check the size rules for your specific airline, since carry-on limits vary between carriers and especially on smaller international airlines.
Where to buy
The Farpoint 40 is sold directly by Osprey and by outdoor and travel retailers. It comes in more than one fit, so check the size options against your torso length before you order.
Planning a trip? See the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip and the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 for a daypack to go with it. For more, browse our everyday carry picks.
