GEAR REVIEW: Osprey Levity 45 Backpack

By Will Rietveld

Lightweight Internal frame backpacks are getting lighter and better. Nowadays if you are looking for a lightweight internal frame backpack, you have several to choose from in the two pound range.

The Osprey Levity 45 and Levity 60 (and women’s Lumina 45 and 60) look to be excellent choices, based on initial impressions and their specifications. But initial impressions often lead to disappointment in the world of outdoor gear. So, how does the Levity perform in the backcountry?

The internal frame Osprey Levity 45, arriving spring 2018, is full-featured, size Large weighs just 1.927 pounds, and is capable of carrying a sizeable load. I opted to test the Levity 45 because it has sufficient room for my small gear kit, plus extra room for the food and water I need to carry on longer trips. Its brother, the Levity 60, has 60 liters of volume and weighs only a smidgeon more.  (Osprey Packs photos.)

 Specifications and Features

Manufacturer	Osprey (www.osprey.com)
Product	Levity 45 (Levity 60, and Lumina 45 and 60 are also available)
Volume	Size Large tested, 48 liters.
Frame	Arched 3.5 mm Lightwire 6065 aluminum alloy loop
Suspension	SUL Airspeed tensioned backpanel with side ventilation, Exoform hipbelt and harness
Materials	Main fabric is 30D Cordura silnylon ripstop, abrasion areas are NanoFly 200D nylon x 200D Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWE)
Weight	Manufacturer specification 1.927 pounds (30.7 ounces), measured weight 30 ounces
Features	Fixed top lid with zippered pocket, key clip, and attachment points; bellowed front fabric pocket; dual access fabric side pockets; sternum strap with whistle; Exoform hipbelt with ErgoPull closure; hydration sleeve with center hose port, load lifter straps; 2 daisy chains on front for additional attachment, drawcord side compression straps.
MSRP	$250

Description

As you can see in the table above and photos, the Levity is full-featured. The only thing it does not have is hipbelt pockets, which I missed. Add-on pockets are available from various sources, like the one shown in the photos.

The design of the Levity and Lumina packs is similar to the Osprey Exos packs, only lighter. Although the Levity is light weight, it is constructed of durable fabrics. All of the pockets are made of 210 denier UHMWP described above.

Front and backpanel views. The Levity is characterized by a large kango pocket on the frontpanel (left) that holds a lot of stuff. The large side pockets begin at the daisy chains, and are accessible from the top and side. A traditional top pocket provides even more easy access to frequently needed items on the trail. All of the pockets are made of durable fabric instead of mesh. The trampoline backpanel (right) is another distinguishing feature. It's supported by a peripheral arched tubular aluminum frame that tensions the mesh backpanel away from the frame and pack body, providing excellent ventilation and form fit.

Side view. The tensioned backpanel and arched shape of the pack are more apparent in this view. Fabric side pockets are large, extenting from the blue daisy chain to the backpanel seam. I like to carry my hydration system in a side pocket for easier access. I counterbalance it with a tent in the opposite side pocket. Each side has a zig-zag drawcord compression system that works very well to firm the pack when its loaded, and compress the pack to a smaller volume to carry smaller loads.

Bottom view. Yes, the pack's white fabric gets dirty, especially on the bottom. It cleans up well however. The fabric covering the frame around the bottom is a high wear area, but there were no signs of wear from my testing. Durable fabrics and corner reinforcements help a lot, but it's entirely possible to wear holes in the pack's bottom edges from rough use. Note that the hipbelt pockets are my additions; the pack does not include any pockets on the hipbelt.

Field Testing

I tested the Levity 45 backpack on a February 9-day trip in the Grand Canyon following the “Butte Fault Route”, which is a rugged 80 mile mostly off-trail route crossing about 12 canyons. I also tested the Levity on several local backpacking trips in Southwest Colorado.

 Before my Grand Canyon trip I trained with the pack loaded with 30 pounds. It carried the weight well, and effectively transferred weight to my hips. However, with this amount of weight I noticed the hipbelt tends to slip down when I put it directly on my hips; it was necessary to tighten the hipbelt very tight to keep it in place. I found it carried a heavier load much better with the hipbelt on top of my hips, and adjusting the shoulder straps and load lifter straps to pull the pack’s top against my back.

On the Grand Canyon trip I started out with 27 pounds, and carried over 30 pounds at times when I needed to carry extra water. While the weight doesn’t sound that heavy, it was for me since I am normally an ultralight backpacker, plus the terrain was very challenging with many steep climbs and descents, dry wash boulder hopping, and class 3-4 scrambling. My opinion is 30 pounds is a reasonable upper limit for the Levity, and 20 to 25 pounds is the comfort range, on target for lightweight backpacking.

The trip was enough to shred a backpack, especially one with mesh pockets, but the Levity came out virtually unscathed. Its white color got a bit dirty, but I could only find a couple of minor scratches on the front pocket. That says a lot about the durability of this pack.

Since my gear kit is small and compact, I was able to get all of my gear plus 9 days of food into the pack, and carry for a full day. Granted, the pack was full, but it all fit. For a larger gear kit, the Levity 60 is a good choice, and weighs just a smidgeon more.

The Levity’s side compression system is excellent. It effectively reduces pack volume for smaller loads so one pack can be used for different trip lengths and load sizes. Here I am using the Levity as a day pack on a day hike from camp.

 There is a large hydration sleeve inside the main compartment, which is wide and nearly the full height of the pack. It’s big enough for a large hydration bladder or for storing gear like a flattened shelter or sleeping pad.

One consequence of the pack’s arched trampoline backpanel is it creates an hourglass shaped main compartment, meaning it’s narrower in the center. However, that’s only a minor inconvenience that’s overcome by fully releasing the side compression cords before filling the pack.

My only other dislike is the lack of hipbelt pockets. I missed them so much I added one for my pack testing. I really rely on hipbelt pockets to hold my compact camera, trail snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, and other small items I want with easy reach.

Summary of Product Pros and Cons

Things I especially like about the Levity are:

• Its amazing light weight for an internal frame backpack
• Trampoline backpanel is well ventilated
• Fabric side pockets and front pocket, instead of mesh, are very durable
• Front kango pocket holds a lot of gear and keeps it handy
• It’s full-featured (but no hipbelt pockets)
• Its available in men’s and women’s versions, two volumes, and three sizes, even a women’s size Extra Small
• It fits very well and feels like I’m wearing it
• It comfortably carries a substantial load, well within the range of lightweight backpacking
• Large hydration sleeve will carry three liters or more, or can be used to carry a flattened shelter or sleeping pad
• Easy ErgoPull hipbelt tightening
• The side compression drawcords really work to effectively adjust pack volume, allowing one pack to suffice for different trip lengths and load sizes

Things I dislike about the Levity are:

• No hipbelt pockets (I can add them on, but would rather have the pack come with them, big ones please)
• Constriction in the center of the main compartment (but the form-fitting ventilated trampoline backpanel is worth it)

Assessment

There are a growing number of internal frame backpacks in the two-pound range nowadays, but the Osprey Levity/Lumina packs stand out for several reasons. First, they are true internal frame backpacks, meaning the frame is built-into the pack, allowing the pack to fit, transfer weight, and carry comfortably. Some of the other packs in this category have a removable frame that does not do the job as well.

Second, Osprey gets everything right – design, materials, features, and fit. The Levity’s success comes from Osprey’s mastery of pack design, a super lightweight frame and backpanel, putting the right fabrics in the right places, and incorporating essential features (except hipbelt pockets). The 210 denier UHMWE nylon fabric used in high wear areas is sometimes called “ballistic nylon” or “military grade nylon” and is super strong and abrasion resistant, which I verified.  The Levity and Lumina packs have a total of 12 combinations of gender, volume, and pack size. The Lumina even has an Extra Small size.

And third, the packs’ side drawcord compression system is simple, very lightweight, and really works. I had no trouble using the Levity 45 for a 9-day extended trip, an overnight trip, or as a day pack. The compression works that well. The Levity (and Lumina) is one of the few packs I have reviewed (and I have reviewed many) that I can say one pack does it all. In this case I actually recommend getting the 60 liter version, if you will actually need 60 liters sometimes. It weighs only a fraction more than the 45 liter size, and the compression system will adjust it to nearly every need. I chose the 45 liter size because that’s as big as I will ever need.

The feeling I have after testing the Levity is “why would anyone want to carry a heavier pack with the same volume”? Heavier packs carry a heavy load more comfortably, but why carry a heavy load at all? The Levity is a good way to save 2-3 pounds and not miss anything. And it’s a good incentive to reduce the weight of everything else in your pack, which is easy to do with judicious choices from today’s wide array of lightweight gear.