The Osprey Talon 22 is the pack most UK day hikers end up comparing everything else against, and there is a reason for that. It is the 22-litre do-it-all daypack: big enough for a full day's kit in three seasons, small enough to stay agile on your back when the path turns to scramble, and built around the close-to-the-body AirScape carry that Osprey has refined over more than a decade of Talon design. It sits at the top of the daypack charts, holds Amazon's Choice status with a 4.6-star average across hundreds of ratings, and street prices land around £117. If you asked ten hikers to name one daypack, this is the one most of them would say.
What makes it the benchmark is not any single standout feature but the balance of the whole. The BioStretch continuous-wrap harness and hipbelt move with your body rather than fighting it, the internal framesheet and load lifters carry a day load properly onto the hips, and the pole, ice tool and hydration attachments cover almost everything a day hiker asks of a pack. It is not the most ventilated pack in the range and it is not the lightest 22-litre option going, but as a single pack to cover fast day walks, coast paths, downland and light scrambling, it is hard to fault. Here is the full picture.
Who the Talon 22 is for
The Talon 22 suits the hiker who wants one pack for the majority of day walks and values a close, agile ride over maximum volume. Twenty-two litres is the sweet spot for three to seven hour days: waterproof, a spare layer, a full day's food and water, first aid and the usual bits, carried close enough to your back that the pack never swings or throws you off balance on steeper, rockier ground. If you scramble, move fast, or simply dislike the way a bigger pack shifts around behind you, the close AirScape carry is exactly what you want.
It also suits a hiker who wants Osprey's carry system and organisation in a pack that still weighs under a kilo. At around 901g for the S/M it is not ultralight, but for a framed pack with a load-bearing hipbelt, hip pockets, pole and ice tool attachments and a proper harness, it is light for what it does.
Who should look elsewhere? Anyone who regularly carries a hydration bladder plus a stove, plus multiple layers, plus dry bags for a full winter day. That is a job for more volume, and the Osprey Talon 33 is the natural step up. And if a cool, dry back matters to you above all else, a suspended trampoline-mesh back like the one on the Osprey Hikelite 26 ventilates better than the Talon's close-contact panel. More on both of those below.
The AirScape back and BioStretch harness
The carry system is the heart of the Talon and the reason it rides the way it does. The AirScape back panel is an ergonomically shaped, injection-moulded foam panel with raised channels cut into it and a mesh cover. It sits in direct contact with your back, which keeps the load close to your spine and centred over your hips, and the channels let some air move through behind your shirt as you walk. This is a close-contact ventilation system rather than a suspended one, and the distinction matters when you buy.
The pay-off of keeping the pack close is stability. Load stays tucked in against your body, so the Talon does not pull backwards or sway when you move quickly, step up onto rock or use your hands on a scramble. Testers consistently praise how balanced and secure it feels when the going gets technical, and that agile, planted carry is the single thing that most defines the pack. It is the reason experienced hikers reach for a Talon over a roomier but looser-riding daypack.
The trade-off is airflow. Because the panel touches your back, the Talon does not breathe as freely as a tensioned trampoline-mesh back that holds the whole pack off your spine. On a hot climb you will feel it, and testers note a damp shirt where a suspended-mesh pack would keep you drier. If ventilation is your top priority, that points you to the Hikelite 26 or the bigger Stratos 36. If stability and a close, controlled carry matter more, the AirScape system is the better tool.
The harness is where the current Talon earns its keep. The BioStretch harness runs as a continuous, seamless wrap from the lumbar area through to the hipbelt, and the stretch panels flex with your hips and shoulders as you move. Combined with true load lifters and an internal framesheet, it transfers weight cleanly onto the hips rather than hanging it off your shoulders, which is the whole point of a load-bearing daypack and the thing cheaper packs get wrong.
Fit and sizing: two sizes, close to the body
The Talon 22 comes in two harness sizes, S/M and L/XL, covering a back length of roughly 43 to 56cm across the two. That two-size approach means most people can get a properly fitted harness rather than a one-size-fits-all compromise, and it is worth measuring your back length before you order rather than guessing. The S/M suits shorter and average torsos, the L/XL the taller end.
Fit is close and body-hugging by design. When it is sized and adjusted correctly, testers describe the Talon as one of the most comfortable packs in its class, disappearing on your back on long days. Get the size wrong and you lose that, so this is a pack where matching the harness to your torso genuinely changes the experience.
The women's fit equivalent is the Osprey Tempest 20. It is the same design and carry system built on a women's-specific frame, with a narrower harness and a hipbelt shaped for a female pelvis, and it is the one to look at if the Talon's harness feels too wide or too long. Osprey also offers Extended Fit versions of both packs for larger body sizes, which is a genuinely useful addition if standard hipbelts have never quite reached for you.
Capacity: what actually fits in 22 litres
Twenty-two litres is a true three-season day-hiking volume. It is enough for a full day out without tempting you to overpack, and it is the capacity most UK day walkers actually need for the walks they actually do.
A typical spring-to-autumn day load fits comfortably:
- Waterproof jacket
- A light fleece or spare layer
- A full day's food, sandwiches, snacks and fruit
- Water, either bottles in the side pockets or a reservoir in the sleeve
- First aid kit
- Hat, gloves, sunglasses
- Phone and a small power bank
That all goes in with a little room to spare. Where 22 litres starts to run out is a full winter kit, or any day where you add a stove and cook set, a big insulated layer and several dry bags on top of everything above. That is not a criticism of the pack, it is simply the size doing its job: if you routinely carry that much, you want the Talon 33 instead. For a standard three to seven hour day, 22 litres is the right amount of pack.
Pockets and organisation
The Talon 22 is well pocketed for a daypack, with the kind of external storage that keeps you out of the main compartment through the day.
Hipbelt pockets. Two zippered pockets on the hipbelt for the things you want on the move: phone, snacks, lip balm. These are the pockets you use most, and they are the one area where testers push back. On the current design they sit a little further back on the belt and run slightly shallow, so a large phone in a case can be a tight fit and reaching them is not quite as easy as the deep front-set pockets on some rivals. Useful, but not best-in-class.
Side stretch pockets. Deep elasticated mesh pockets on each side that take a one-litre bottle securely, angled so you have a reasonable chance of retrieving a bottle without taking the pack off.
Front stretch pocket. A large gusseted stretch pocket across the front face for the grab-and-stash items: a damp waterproof, a hat, gloves, a map. It swallows a wet jacket without soaking anything in the main compartment.
Harness pocket. A small stretch pocket on the shoulder harness. It is handy for a gel or sunglasses, but like the harness pocket on the Talon 33 it is too small for a modern smartphone in a case, so do not buy the pack expecting to run your phone there.
Top zip pocket. A slash pocket at the top of the pack for keys, wallet and the small essentials you want quick access to.
The one honest gap in the organisation is inside: the main compartment is essentially a single top-loading space without the internal dividers or clamshell access some daypacks offer. You pack it from the top down and dig for what is at the bottom. For most day hikers that is fine, but if you like a fully organised interior it is worth knowing.
Pole, ice tool and helmet carry
For a 22-litre pack the Talon carries an impressive spread of attachments, which is a large part of why it works across so many kinds of day out.
Trekking poles attach via Osprey's Stow-on-the-Go system, which lets you stash your poles on the pack without taking it off, using a harness loop and a lower bungee. It is a clever idea and it works well for slim poles. The caveat, and testers raise it consistently, is that poles with large baskets can be fiddly to thread into the loop, and the harness bungee can sit where it brushes your arm on a scramble. Once you have your own method it is fine, but it is not quite as slick as it looks.
There is a dedicated ice tool loop with a bungee tie-off for winter use, and a LidLock-style helmet attachment, which is genuinely useful if you scramble, bike to a walk or carry a climbing helmet. Side compression straps cinch the load down when the pack is not full, which helps keep a light load stable and stops half-empty packs from sagging.
Hydration
The Talon 22 takes a hydration reservoir in a dedicated internal sleeve, with a hose port to route the drinking tube out over the shoulder strap. On the current generation Osprey moved the reservoir sleeve and widened it to take larger bladders more happily, which is a sensible update. A three-litre reservoir carries you through a full UK day in most conditions.
One thing to know: the sleeve's suspension tab is designed around Osprey's own reservoirs, so a non-Osprey bladder may not hang perfectly and can need a small workaround such as a carabiner to clip it in place. If you are buying the pack and a bladder together, the Osprey Hydraulics 3L reservoir is the path of least resistance and drops straight in.
Durability and materials
Build quality is a strong card for the Talon and part of what justifies the Osprey price. The pack is made from bluesign-approved recycled high-tenacity nylon, using a mix of 100D and heavier 210D and 420D fabrics with a PFC-free DWR finish, so the more abrasion-prone panels get the tougher cloth while the body stays light. Testers report it standing up well to mixed terrain and repeated hard use without obvious wear, and Osprey's construction and long-standing reputation for standing behind their packs sit behind it. This is a pack built to last years of day walking rather than a season or two.
Worth noting, as with the Talon 33, the Talon 22 does not include a raincover. If you want one you buy it separately, or you do what a lot of experienced hikers do and line the pack with dry bags so it does not matter whether the pack itself gets wet. If you would rather the cover came in the box, the Hikelite 26 includes one as standard at a lower price.
Talon 22 vs Talon 33: which size do you need?
This is the decision most people are really making, because both packs share the same carry system, harness and feature set. The difference is volume and how much you carry.
Choose the Talon 22 if your days are three to seven hours, you carry a layer, waterproofs, food, water and the usual bits, and you want the closest, most agile ride for fast walking and light scrambling. It is the pack for the majority of UK day hikers most of the year, and its smaller size keeps it stable and out of the way when you move quickly.
Choose the Talon 33 if you carry a hydration bladder plus a stove, multiple layers and dry bags, if you do long full days or shoulder-season and winter walks with more kit, or if you simply like the security of extra room. The 33 gives you the volume, a slightly more substantial hipbelt and the same excellent carry, at the cost of a bigger, heavier pack that you do not always need.
Put simply: the 22 is the everyday daypack, the 33 is the full-day and bigger-kit pack. Most hikers who do a range of walks end up wanting one of each, but if you are buying one pack to start, the 22 covers more of what a typical day out looks like. Both feature in the best hiking daypacks UK guide alongside the rest of the field.
Specs at a glance
- Capacity
- 22 litres
- Weight
- ~901g (S/M)
- Sizes
- S/M and L/XL (back length ~43 to 56cm)
- Recommended load
- 4.5 to 9kg
- Back system
- AirScape injection-moulded foam panel, close-contact
- Harness
- BioStretch continuous lumbar-to-hipbelt wrap
- Frame
- Internal framesheet with true load lifters
- Materials
- Bluesign-approved recycled 100D / 210D / 420D nylon, PFC-free DWR
- Pockets
- Two zippered hipbelt, two side stretch, front stretch, harness, top zip
- Attachments
- Stow-on-the-Go poles, ice tool loop, LidLock helmet
- Hydration
- Internal reservoir sleeve, hose port (Osprey bladder tab)
- Raincover
- Not included
- Women's equivalent
- Osprey Tempest 20
- UK price
- ~£117 (RRP ~£135)
Pros and cons
- Close, agile AirScape carry that stays stable and planted on rough ground and scrambles
- BioStretch continuous-wrap harness moves with your body and carries the load onto the hips
- 22-litre volume is the sweet spot for three-season UK day walks
- Two harness sizes plus Extended Fit for a properly fitted carry
- Full attachment set: poles, ice tool, LidLock helmet, side compression
- Tough bluesign-approved recycled nylon build backed by Osprey's reputation
- Amazon's Choice with a strong 4.6-star average and the most-cited pack in its class
- Close-contact back ventilates less than a suspended trampoline-mesh panel on hot climbs
- Hipbelt pockets sit a little far back and run shallow for large phones
- Harness pocket is too small for a modern smartphone in a case
- Stow-on-the-Go can be fiddly with wide-basket poles
- Non-Osprey hydration bladders may need a workaround to hang cleanly
- No raincover included
- Not the lightest 22L pack, and premium priced
A UK day hiker who wants one do-it-all daypack for three to seven hour walks, coast paths, downland and light scrambling, and values a close, agile, load-bearing carry over maximum ventilation or minimum weight.
Verdict: is the Talon 22 worth it?
Yes. The Osprey Talon 22 is the benchmark 22-litre hiking daypack because it gets the fundamentals right and balances them better than almost anything else at the size. The close AirScape carry keeps the load stable and planted when you move fast or use your hands, the BioStretch harness transfers weight cleanly onto the hips over a long day, and the volume, attachments and build cover the vast majority of what a UK day hiker asks of a pack. Add Amazon's Choice status, a 4.6-star average and Osprey's track record, and around £117 buys a pack that will do the job for years.
The criticisms are real but minor and they point in clear directions. The close-contact back does not breathe like a suspended-mesh panel, so if a cool dry back is your priority the Hikelite 26 is the better buy. The hipbelt and harness pockets are merely good rather than best-in-class, the pole system takes a little learning, and there is no raincover in the box. None of that stops it being the pack to beat.
If you regularly carry a bladder, a stove, layers and dry bags for full or winter days, size up to the Talon 33 and get the same excellent carry with the room to match. But for the everyday day walk, which is what most of us actually do, the Talon 22 is the default recommendation and one of the best hiking daypacks you can buy.
Rating: 4.6 / 5
Buy the Osprey Talon 22 on Amazon Buy the Osprey Talon 22 at BlacksFAQ
Is the Osprey Talon 22 big enough for a full day hike?
What is the difference between the Talon 22 and Talon 33?
Does the Osprey Talon 22 have a women's version?
Does the Talon 22 come with a raincover?
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Brand guide: for the full Osprey story, the technology behind the kit and where the range fits, read our Osprey brand review.
Osprey packs at Blacks
Prices pulled live from Blacks, updated daily. Links are affiliate links.
Osprey Men's Atmos AG 50 Litre Rucksack (S/M)
£255
Osprey Sportlite 15 Hiking Backpack
£63
Osprey Farpoint 40L Travel Backpack
£155
Osprey Daylite 13 Litre Daysack
£62
Osprey Kestrel LT 45 Backpack
£155
Osprey Sojourn 80L Wheeled Convertible Pack
£296
Osprey Farpoint 70L Travel Backpack
£185
Osprey Hikelite 26L Daypack
£95
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