Why is the Osprey Hornet a hot backpack in the lightweight backpacking scene? There are several reasons:First, the Hornet series represents a radical change in the Osprey Design Philosophy away from their overbuilt backpacks to a more customizable design with removable features and lighter weight fabrics.Second, this pack clearly signals Osprey Pack’s entry into the lightweight backpacking market, where consumers are interested in the improved comfort provided by ultralight gear.Lastly, there’s the jaw-dropping fact that the Hornet 46 liter pack (2760 cubic inch) only weighs 25 oz fully configured or 19 oz without the Hornet’s optional 3.2 oz frame sheet and 2.8 oz floating pocket. That’s a coup for Osprey and puts them in an enviable market position for bringing lightweight backpacking to a mainstream audience.Numerical Ratings follow a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 5 = excellent)Out of the box, the Hornet 46 has an internal foam frame sheet that weighs just 3.2 oz. In addition, lightweight plastic rods run down the inside side corners of the pack, providing excellent load transfer to the hip belt.

The frame sheet provides the pack with a stiffer feel, particularly when the pack is not stuffed full, but can be removed to save weight.The Hornet 46 has a thin 5/8 inch webbing hip belt with un-padded oblong side fins that wrap around the back of the hips. For people who have never used an ultralight backpack, the lack of a padded hip belt may feel a bit strange, however given the lighter loads that you will carry, having a thick hip belt is unnecessary and only adds more weight to a pack.Still, the Hornet hip belt has some deficiencies. First, the hip belt pockets are set too far back on the wings of the hip belt, making them very difficult to access while wearing the pack. A better solution would have been to leave the pockets off completely or sell them as an accessory add-on. On the flip side, the hip belt adjustment system is easy to use and provides a very secure fit.Finally, the Hornet is outfitted with perforated shoulder straps lined with mesh fabric for enhanced ventilation like many of Osprey’s other packs.

While comfortable with lighter loads, they are considerably less padded than on Osprey’s other packs and can lead to shoulder soreness on higher mileage days when carrying heavier loads.The Hornet 46L is rated for 20-30 lbs loads and comes in two sizes:Although, I have an 18.5″ torso, I got the M/L size from Osprey because I’d heard that the S/M size feels small on people with a shorter torso. That was the right call and the larger size fits me quite well. The only caveat to this is that the pack’s load lifters are too far behind the top of my shoulders, but the pack fits me well enough that they are unnecessary.However, I did some measuring of the pack and it is rather short, with only 19″ of length from the base of the back panel to the top curve of the shoulder straps. I realize that this is an anecdotal measurement and not causal, but it got me wondering how the M/L could fit people with longer torsos. I called Osprey Customer Support about this and they recommended that I try an Osprey Exos instead, which has a separate large sized model.

They have been getting calls from customers with torsos longer than 19″ that have been complaining about the shortness of the Hornet M/L size.Finally there is the issue of hip belt fit for shorter people who have wide hips and a little extra girth in their middle. One of my pet peeves with Osprey is that many of their packs don’t fit people who have torsos shorter than 19″ but hips that are wider than 32″ (short and chubby.) dadgear backpack canadaI wish Osprey would start providing replaceable hip belts to address this issue, and the Hornet is no exception. kete backpack for saleOther backpack manufacturers, both large and small, do this and Osprey should step up to the plate too.samsonite liebe backpack

The Hornet 46 has some really great external and storage features, starting with full length side mesh pockets. If you’ve ever owned a backpack with these, you’ll never buy a backpack without them again. They are incredibly useful and convenient for stowing gear that you plan on using during the day.However full length mesh pockets can pose a problem if you want to provide compression straps on a pack. ibira backpackOsprey has done something quite clever on the Hornet, providing very thin side compression straps that be laced outside the mesh pockets or inside them, depending on your needs. zyzz backpackThey can even be tucked away if you decide to rig your own shock cord system to secure bulkier gear to the side of the pack, as the compression straps provided are rather short. apta backpack safety

Even then, you can still carry water bottles in the side pockets, and get at them through a gap in the mesh fabric while wearing the pack, a nice convenience.The Hornet provides more storage at the top of the pack in the form of a 2.8 oz floating lid, which like the pack’s frame sheet, can be removed to save weight. The floating pocket has an top zippered pocket which is quite large, and there’s also an internal zippered mesh pocket underneath.If you decide to remove the top pocket to save weight, you can still attach gear to the top of the pack using a top compression strap that loops under the floating pocket. Unfortunately, doing this creates a loose strap (see photo above) that normally secures the floating lid to the bottom front of the pack. It must be secured somehow, since cutting it off is not an option if you ever plan on using the floating lid again.The Hornet has numerous attachment loops on the front of the pack and on top of the floating pocket. Simply rig up some shock cord and you can attach bulky gear to the pack this way.

The possibilities are endless and Osprey deserves Kudos for including so many external attachments points on the Hornet, as it really enhances the pack’s versatility.Alternatively, you can scrunch a sleeping pad or tent horizontally under the pack’s floating lid pocket. This works best if the main compartment is packed full, otherwise the floating pocket tends to slump down over the pack body.The Hornet provides still more storage and attachment points, including:If you’re already a lightweight backpacker and you have fairly compact gear, the Hornet provides you with plenty of room and sufficient support to carry a 20lb-30lb load.  The main compartment is also big enough to fit a bear canister (ex. Backpackers Cache) as long as you stuff your soft gear around it and lash larger items to the outside of the pack.However, while the Hornet 46 is rated up to 30 lbs of gear, the pack’s sweet spot is really closer to the 20-25 lb range, making this more of a weekend pack and not a serious thru-hiker pack, although Osprey is marketing it as such.