The more room you have, the more you pack, right?
That was what I found when I took the Osprey Metron 35 to Zambia with me.
This commuter backpack is, indeed, rather large. And as such, I managed to fill it so full that it was almost as heavy as my Briggs & Riley carry-on bag. (I exaggerate. But because many of my electronics were in here, it was on the heavy side.)
The Osprey Metron 35 is a commuter backpack. Meant for the biking crowd, this comes with an integrated rain cover, a retractable key clip, lots of easy to get-to pockets and 2 helmet attachments. All good for the biker who wants to access things quickly and who may need that rain cover if, let’s say, you live in Seattle.
But I found that this can be a good travel bag, too.
The Metron 35 has plenty of space for everything you’d need in-flight (flying to Zambia takes a a long time, remember). I was easily able to carry my MacBook Pro, Bose headphones, Lumix Camera (with 2 lenses) and Kindle. That’s in addition to my usual items – toiletries, snacks and a journal.
I love all the pockets, both inside and out. And as long as I can remember where I put everything, I’m OK.
This features a flip-top lid, something that bikers will appreciate as it prevents water and dirt from seeping into the main compartment. But it is just a tad cumbersome to get into and out of frequently. When I’m not sleeping on a flight, I’m generally fidgety and constantly in and out of my bag. Still – I can’t complain because this wasn’t necessarily meant for the fidgety traveler.
The Metron also comes in a 25 liter version. I have a friend with this smaller pack and it, too, is good, but missing a couple of the outer pockets that are on the 35.
For a weekend getaway, I could pack enough clothes in the 35 but couldn’t do it with the 25. So, yeah, I appreciate this bigger bag (but it may not be for every traveler).
Comes in Earth (brown) and Black. Available on Amazon for under $140.
Travel Well,
Beth
Related links:
Mountainsmith Swift FX Camera Bag
Lipault Wheeled Carry-on Duffel Bag
Hi Beth,
I am using this Metron 35 too. It’s a good backpack with lots of room and I’ve been using it for business travelling. It fit well in the aircraft compartment. I notice that after 2 years of usage, the black cover fabric where it the cord sit and lock the bag start to disintegrate. It seems like there’s layer of wax started to peel of from the fabric.
Do you encounter that? How do you protect and maintain your back pack?
Thanks