Osprey Rucksack Belt Pocket Zips

[KeyserSoza]

Like a huge number of pilgrims I have an Osprey rucksack (EXOS 38), which is one of the best packs I’ve had over 40 years hiking. However, is it me, or a design fault that re-zipping the belt pockets closed while wearing the pack almost always presents a challenge, vs how easy it is to open. Can anyone enlighten me on the technique required?

 

[C clearly]

The belt pockets on my 10-year-old Osprey Talon are a bit frustrating - small and requiring 2 hands to close them. I am not sure any design could easily avoid this without enlarging the pockets and the hip belt. The more recent versions look like they have larger pockets but I'm haven't tried them.

A designer might decide to remove the pockets to avoid this annoying situation but I'm glad they didn't. It is the challenge to designers - form versus one function, versus another function!

 

[Telelama]

Keyser, I feel your pain! I love the idea of the hip belt pockets, but in actual use, not so much. My wife has the dexterity to use both hands to open or close (one to hold the pocket, the other to manipulate the zipper).

Me? I simply leave them open or mostly open so I can access as needed, but of course that means I have to be cautious of losing something. C'est la vie I guess...

 

[Pilgrim9]

If it is friction that is causing the problem, one might consider spraying the slide fasteners with an aerosol product called Jig-A-Loo [TM]. It is a silicone-like lubricant that IME makes slide fasteners work smoothly without jamming. It also has water-repellant properties.

After a post-pilgrimage hand-washing of my pack and a thorough hang-drying, I spray my entire pack all over with this substance, outdoors of course. The slipperiness of the sprayed surfaces helps keep my pack clean, and rain droplets tend to bead up and fall away. Been doing it for years with no harmful effects. Won't eliminate the need for a pack cover in heavy rain, though.

 

[Dov of the Galilee]

I have three Osprey packs including a new 38 Kestrel and all of them are a nightmare to use that feature for me. I have thought that a larger toothed zipper would resolve this.

 

[benny aumala]

Rub some candle there.

 

[Swift3]

Rub some candle there.

exactly. A little paraffin rubbed on any zipper, metal or plastic, goes a long way toward making is operate much more smoothly. Also helps if applied to the underside of drawers that slide on their wooden rails.

 

[jflorez]

Good tips to try to enhance the usability. I pretty much gave up on placing anything I would need to use throughout the day in them. But, I'll try a lubricant to see if that solves what was a key feature I'd hoped to use with my pack.

 

[Joe Macky]

Rub some candle there.

Pencil lead also works

 

[Richard Smith]

Recently bought an Osprey EXOS 48l for my daughter, it seems to be version 2 of the design and no longer has pockets on the hip belt (plus some cosmetic changes elsewhere). Still a great pack.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

My seven year old Osprey Sirrus has the cutest little belt side pockets, but it takes two hands to open and close them, so I only store unneeded small things in them. Osprey takes the word "robust" to the extreme on those pouches!