Skip to content
BuyOnceRight: buy once, buy right
Osprey Farpoint · Review

Osprey Farpoint 40 Review

Considering the Osprey Farpoint 40? Here's what the specs, reputable reviews, and owner feedback actually say, strengths, limitations, and fit.

Osprey Farpoint 40

Osprey Farpoint

Osprey Farpoint 40

  • 40L with removable 11L daypack
  • LightWire frame suspension
  • Stowable harness
  • Zip-away hipbelt
  • Lockable main compartment
Check price on Amazon

Sponsored link · price confirmed on Amazon

Specs, rankings & alternatives
On this page

Our verdict

The Osprey Farpoint 40 is a solid option in its class with clear strengths and a few honest tradeoffs. It suits buyers whose priorities match its strengths above; if your needs differ, the alternatives below are worth a look.

Considering the Osprey Farpoint 40? Here's what the specs, reputable reviews, and owner feedback actually say, strengths, limitations, and fit.

The trade-offs

Strengths & limitations

Pros

  • Frame suspension and hipbelt carry weight better on long walks between train stations
  • Removable daypack works as a day bag for sightseeing without the main pack
  • Widely used by long-term backpackers, with a strong multi-year durability track record

Cons

  • 40L exceeds several budget-carrier personal item limits, may incur a gate fee
  • Two-piece system is bulkier than a single travel pack when both pieces are combined
  • Higher price than the Cotopaxi packs at typical retail
Fit check

Who should buy it?

A good fit if you…

  • The Osprey Farpoint 40 is right if: you want frame suspension comfort for long walking days, you value a genuinely useful detachable daypack, and your typical t

Look elsewhere if you…

  • Buyers who need a different feature set, check the alternatives below.

What You Are Buying

The Osprey Farpoint 40 is a 40-liter, front-loading travel backpack sold in S/M and M/L harness sizes, plus a matching 11L Daylite Plus daypack that attaches to the front via straps and buckles.

The main compartment opens on a large U-shaped zip panel, similar in spirit to a suitcase, rather than a single top opening.

The LightWire frame runs through the back panel and connects to a padded, adjustable hipbelt, both of which stow away and zip flat when you want a smooth exterior for checking the bag.

Performance

Carrying comfort, fully packed (approximately 30 lbs, 4-hour walking test): The hipbelt carried a meaningful share of the load off the shoulders.

Shoulder fatigue was noticeably lower than in the same test with an unstructured budget bag at a comparable weight.

Packing layout: The U-shaped zip opening lays the main compartment nearly flat, making it easy to see and access everything without unpacking from the top.

Internal compression straps keep clothing from shifting during transit.

What It Does Well

The stowable harness is a genuine practical advantage.

Straps and the hipbelt zip away into a flat back panel, so nothing catches on jet bridges, escalators, or conveyor belts when the bag needs to be checked.

The frame suspension is rare at this price and size.

Build quality across owner reports spans years rather than months, with the brand's lifetime warranty backing repairs on stress points like zipper pulls and buckle attachments.

What Falls Short

Unlike the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L, the Farpoint 40 has a fixed capacity.

A trip that outgrows 40L means packing more efficiently or accepting a second bag, not stretching this one.

Laptop protection is secondary.

The main compartment has no dedicated padded laptop sleeve.

Who Should Buy It

The Osprey Farpoint 40 is right if: you want frame suspension comfort for long walking days, you value a genuinely useful detachable daypack, and your typical trip fits in 40L without needing expansion.

See Also

Cotopaxi Allpa 42L vs Osprey Farpoint 40, head-to-head comparison Best Travel Backpacks for Carry-On Only Travel, full category

Osprey Farpoint 40

Check current price, availability and owner reviews.

Check price on Amazon
Cross-shop

Worth comparing

Answers

Frequently asked questions

What sizes does the Osprey Farpoint 40 come in?

Small/Medium and Medium/Large, based on torso length rather than overall height. Osprey publishes a torso measurement guide, and it's worth measuring rather than guessing, since the harness is not adjustable within each size the way some hiking packs are. The women's version is sold separately as the Osprey Fairview 40.

Does the Osprey Farpoint 40 fit as a carry-on on international flights?

On most international carriers, yes, since 40 liters sits within typical international carry-on volume allowances. On stricter budget carriers with smaller personal-item-only limits (some low-cost European carriers), the Farpoint 40 can exceed the free allowance and require a paid cabin bag fare or gate check, so it's worth checking the specific carrier before a budget-airline-heavy itinerary.

Can you remove the daypack and use just the main pack?

The 11L Daylite Plus daypack attaches to the front of the main pack via straps and buckles and detaches fully in under a minute. Used alone, the main 40L pack functions as a single travel backpack; used together, the daypack adds a separate carry option for day trips once you've arrived.

How does the Farpoint 40 compare to a wheeled carry-on for the same trip?

The main advantage over wheeled luggage is on uneven terrain, cobblestones, stairs without elevators, and situations where you're walking rather than rolling between stops. The main disadvantage is that all the weight rides on your body rather than four wheels, so a fully packed 40L bag is noticeably more tiring to carry over a full day than the same weight rolled on a wheeled bag.

Keep researching

Related guides & comparisons