Osprey Sirrus 36 vs Kestral 38 or lighter?

[audge]

Hi Wonderful forum people,
I have been having a hard time finding a pack and could use some suggestions. I am a small framed 110 lb woman. I had planned to get an ultra lightweight pack, but after trying several in the store, I ended up coming home with an Osprey Sirrus 36 which is around 3 lbs. I found the comfort made it feel lighter than the lighter weight packs. I have seen a lot of people talk about the Osprey Kestral on this forum and am wondering the difference? (They didn't have my size in the Kestral).

If anyone has experience and knows the difference, pros and cons between the two, I would love to hear it.
Or, long term comfort of lighter weight packs in comparison? Should I keep looking for a lightweight pack that feels more comfortable?

Thanks,
getting excited for a later August Camino, but still don't have my plane ticket until my ankle heals.

 

[Yallah]

Hello!

Selecting a pack is very personal and what works for some will not work for others, so you're doing the right thing trying on a variety of packs at a gear store.

I have personally tried a wide variety of backpacks from the ultralight frameless ones to very sturdy expedition packs. I find I prefer something in the middle, lightweight but not frameless, as the frame really helps transfer the weight to my hips and away from my back and shoulders. If the Sirrus is comfortable for you and doesn't put you over your total pack weight goal, then I say stick with it.

I personally like the Osprey Talon 33, which weighs 1lb 13 oz and I found to be a good happy medium between being lightweight and handling the load comfortably.

 

[capun]

My wife tried the GoLite Jam 35 and did not like the frameless pack, she went back to the Gregory Jade 38.

Depending on what you plan to carry and how tight you pack it, you can probably use the Jade 34 or even the Jade 28

She really liked the pack, lots of pockets, 3 ways to load it, ventilated, load balancing, etc were the features she liked it.