Osprey Packs

Syncro 5L Backpack

Great Minimalist Offering for Cycling

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Three things I love. First: the body of the pack is separated from the mesh back panel. This allows for plenty of room for airflow. Second: the internal storage compartment has a place for everything you need on longer trips for flat repairs, food, and small item storage (separate sunglass or phone pocket is a nice touch). Third: the mesh shovel pocket on the outside is great for storing wet items or a rain/wind jacket/vest. Two things I'm not so fond of, but do not deter from giving this a five star review. First: the shoulder and waist straps are excessively long. I have a waist of ~31" and I can move the waist buckle all the way to one side and still fasten it. Cut them to the desired length and problem is fixed. Finally: no side mesh pockets. The Synchro 12 has them, which I've found nice for quicker reach items like food, but the 5 lacks this feature. Overall, this is a great product and I would recommend it to anyone that needs a pack for long outings, like those >2 hours in length. This would be a great pack for a 100-200 mile gravel race, for example.

Perfect hot weather daily pack

Perfect hydration pack for daily rides. The frame on the pack helps with airflow especially for central Texas heat. Contrary to a lot of reviews I read, the pack does not seem small to me at all. Fits first aid, bandana, sunscreen, multitool, knife, phone, keys, and wallet. Still has room for gloves and kneepads on the outside pocket as well as holds my helmet with the bungee latch. All with 2L of water as well. I thought the rain cover was redundant but I used that on my first ride and its great for keeping your pack clean on muddy trails. Detaches easily for cleaning as well. Everything on this pack seems perfectly purpose built and I would highly recommend it!

This pack is the most comfortable right sized biking pack

Over the past few years I have used this pack to carry all of the essentials during MTB bike park rides, on day long cycle trail rides and on multi-day bike packing adventures. In all I've covered more than 10,000 miles with this beauty on my back. It's thoughtful organizing layout makes it difficult to leave anything important behind and it's always quick to find that essential item of the moment. It is just big enough to complement the bags attached to my bike but not so large that it ever becomes a burden. It is nice to be able to head straight to the cafe or grocery store knowing I have all I need on my back. This pack is so comfortable. I am pleased to see it now has an integrated rain cover for when visibility or keeping the contents dry is important. The only improvement I would appreciate is having side gussets for storing extra water bottles when riding through a parched landscape on those long bike packing trips.

The bees knees

I mainly use this for Music festivals and day hikes. My favorite feature is the vented back. It makes a world of difference. Thus vented back is far superior to other designs I've seen. It's great if you just want to carry a few small items.

Good, but...

I bought this backpack to replace a small Camelback 1.5 liters, to have a little more water reserve. But this Syncro 5 is too big from what I expected. I choose this model because where I live (Puerto Rico) is always hot weather and wanted the cooler air suspension system for my back. But unfortunately Osprey doesn't offer that system in the smaller models like the Katary. Hope to see one on the future...

Great Little Pack

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

This little hydration pack does everything as advertised. It is very small, and really cannot hold much except for a few tools and some Snacks. Unfortunately, my hydration bladder had a leak in it so I sent back for a refund. If I was to get another, I would have to go to Syncro 12, as the 5 is just not functional for my use. You would be hard pressed to get a lock into the 5.

Perfect replacement for my Syncro 3. Love it!

Pros: -Organization -comfortable -pump holder -built in drainage -new shoulder strap design -raincover (see pic) -lightweight -awesome leakproof 2.5L bladder -4 drainage rivets (backpanel, front shove, raincover pocket, raincover) -better fit and design than last version -sternum magnet for tube -Osprey warranty Minor Con: -helmet lid lock tension strap difficult to get to in zip pocket (see pic) I have the previous Syncro 3 and 15, so I was thrilled to see this perfect size come out. The 3 was too small and the 15 is great for long and/or cold rides. This 5 is my go to now, perfect for most of my mtn bike rides, and short hikes. (Not made for trail running, I've tried). The zip pocket goes all the way down and can fit more than just fits in the little mesh pockets inside. It has awesome features, fits really well and is way lighter than it looks. I forgot it's in when riding. This new refresh looks way cooler too. Highly recommended. Great purchase!!