Women’s Opsrey Sopris 40L Backpack Review

I tested the Osprey Sopris 40L Women’s Backpack on an alpine tour in Grand Teton National Park, temperatures were between 0-5 degrees F, with in and out cloud coverage and snow showers. The day involved some technical mountaineering, so I got to utilize almost all of the carry options on the pack. The Sopris boasts a long list of features and storage options, so I’ll start from the top.

Pockets and Storage

There’s a brain, with two separate zipper compartments. I didn’t need the smaller top pocket but the lower is where I kept my harness and rappel kit, and it’s what I used as a wet pocket when transitioning off of my skins. I stored my shovel and probe in the separate outer avalanche tools pocket, and the rest of my gear went inside the main compartment.

I could easily fit a liter Nalgene, two layers, a particularly full snack stuff-sack, extra gloves, goggles, and some headwear. The main pocket is a cinch closure with a flap that you can buckle to keep it flush, and it does help to mitigate whatever snow might try to sneak inside. You can also get inside the 40L pack from the back panel zipper entry, which is a must when it comes to packs—in my opinion.

Ski & Helmet Carry

Inside there’s a pocket for your radio and a matching pocket on the other side where I could see someone storing a thermos or something similar. The helmet carry is detachable and stored above the shovel/probe pocket. I think this is a minor flaw of the pack, having lost a few removable helmet carries myself.

There are a few options when it comes to ski/snowboard carries: A-frame, diagonal ski, and a burly snowboard carry. There’s an outer ice-axe carry though I chose to toss mine inside because I had room. The hip belt has a zipper pocket on one side, and a gear loop on the other which came in handy during my day.

Sizing

I’m on the short side of the coin, and at 5’1” I have a hard time finding backpacks that fit comfortably, that’s where this pack excelled. The pack sits perfectly in the center of my back, and the waist belt cinches down snugly on my torso. Osprey clearly worked to engineer this product for those with a shorter torso and narrower mid-sections, and I think they nailed it.

What Can Be Improved?

The Sopris 40L W’s pack weighs in at just over 3Lbs, which is a drawback for me. My personal pack is almost a full pound lighter, though it doesn’t have nearly the range of features this bag does. That being said, at times I found all of these bits and bobs to be redundant, and frankly over engineered. It gets confusing to have so many pocket options, and the cinch/flap combo was cumbersome. I greatly appreciate a company who aims to satisfy so many preferences, prioritizes smaller/narrower frames, and does so at a very reasonable price point of $220 USD. However, I think there are ways to cut down on the redundancies in this product to make it more of a seamless tool.

Who’s the Pack For?

I think that this pack could be great for someone who is highly organized and specific when it comes to packing a bag for skiing. If you can spend some time sorting out your placements within the Sopris, I think this pack could perform well on most backcountry days. I don’t see a lot of crossover capability for summer sports but it could be worth a try!

Overall Impression

Overall the Osprey Sopris 40L Women’s Backpack ($220.00) was super comfortable for my all day adventure. It’s a spacious pack, and clearly the engineers worked hard to include a ton of features. Osprey worked to make a pack for women, which more companies could strive to do. The Sopris 40L has everything a girl could ask for, but in the end, it may be more than we need.

Related Backpacks We Reviewed

1. Osprey Kresta 30L Women’s Backpack
2. Ortovox TOUR RIDER 30L Backpack
3. Mystery Ranch Saddle Peak 25L Backpack