Osprey Ariel 55 vs 65
Osprey Ariel is an award-winning women’s backpack model. It is awesome; it has excellent build quality, good capacity, and great storage features. The IsoForm harness and Anti-Gravity suspension ensure a comfortable personalized fit, with very good weight distribution. However, choosing the right backpack size can be a tricky matter. You probably worry that a smaller backpack may not provide enough capacity for all your gear, but a bigger backpack will be very heavy and hinder your movement. Below, we will see the comparisons between Osprey Ariel 55 vs 65 to help you decide.
Size and Capacity
Of course, both Osprey Ariel 55 and Osprey Ariel 65 use the same fabrics for construction. They use 210D Nylon Dobby for the main fabric and 500D Nylon Packcloth for the reinforcement fabric for the bottom of the pack. For the accent fabric, they use 210D High Tenacity Nylon Shadow Box.
Osprey Ariel 55 is only available in three sizes, which are extra small, small, and medium. They all are barely 15 inches wide and 12.2 inches deep, and differ only by the height. For a smaller backpack, see Osprey Kestrel 48 vs Stratos 50.
On the other hand, Osprey Ariel 65 provides four sizes, which are extra small, small, medium, and large. They all measure 15.35 inches wide and 12.6 inches deep, and, again, they differ only by the height.
Because the sizes all differ primarily by the height, you should consider your own height and how much storage that you need. If your body is relatively small, you may prefer Osprey Ariel 55, because it is more compact in the horizontal directions. Choose the size according to how much capacity that you need. If your body is on the larger side, Osprey Ariel 65 will not give you any problem.
For relatively short trips, Osprey Ariel 55 is usually sufficient. For hiking and long trips, you should choose Osprey Ariel 65. The extra capacity will be very handy and useful for carrying your gear.
Features
Osprey Ariel 55 vs 65 are equipped with a removable top lid that can convert into the DayLid daypack, which is handy and practical for traveling around in the day. Both also have an internal hydration reservoir sleeve and an integrated FlapJacket cover for lidless use. They have compression straps to keep their loads stable.
However, Osprey Ariel 55 has a side panel zip access to the main compartment. On the other hand, Osprey Ariel 65 has a large J-zip access to the main compartment. Osprey Ariel 65’s J-zip is much more practical because it enables you to reach the items further inside the pack more easily.
They both have the Anti-Gravity suspension with the LightWire frame for even weight distribution. They also offer increased comfort with the IsoForm mesh harness and hipbelt and Anti-Gravity backpanel.
Osprey Ariel 55 vs 65
Conclusion
In general, Osprey Ariel 65 is a more recommended choice because the extra capacity is very useful for backpacking and long trips. The J-zip access is very useful and handy as well. However, if you really want to be compact and nimble, choose Osprey Ariel 55.
