Exclusive: Osprey UNLTD AirScape® 68 shows the future of backpack design
Backpack icon, Osprey, has been making highly regarded backpacks for decades, with packs for climbing, trekking/hiking and cycling, and its new Osprey UNLTD AirScape® 68 (available in Men’s and Women’s styles) continues the company’s tradition of innovation. Osprey founder Mike Pfotenhauer and his team designed the Osprey UNLTD AirScape® 68 and it features an industry-first 3D-printed Fitscape Lumbar Pad, an AirScape polycarbonate vacuum-formed frame-sheet that helps maintain a close-to-body fit, along with inbuilt flex, while reducing pressure points. This combines with equally unique Carbon DLS Technology and a high-carbon stainless-steel frame to provide support, flex and ventilation, and anti-slip grip (no more pack feeling like it is sliding down your spine over time), along with Osprey’s AutoLift System, which adjusts fit and harness length automatically.
The pack’s limited production status means the wearer gains the benefits of all of this high-end tech, as well as the state-of-the-art (210D high-tenacity nylon ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene ripstop, along with a 500D high-tenacity base) fabrics used in its construction. This high-tenacity nylon’s advantage is from its polymer structure and resultant higher melting temperature, to improve abrasion and tear resistance.
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The pack’s harness system is designed to be supportive across a load range of 14-29kg. One of many highlights is that the lid can be converted into a fully-functional 18L daypack. The AirScape polycarbonate vacuum-formed frame-sheet (right) maintains a close-to-body fit while providing some flex to minimise pressure points.
Add in the Fit-on-the-Fly hipbelt that makes in the field adjustment fast and easy, plus a removable 8L top lid that converts into a fully-functional 18L daypack (plus rain- and transit-covers), a secondary large (zipped) panel access point, compression divider, twin front pockets, removable sleep-pad straps, external-access reservoir sleeve and loads more and you’ve got a seriously capable load-lugger (load range is 14-29kg).
The tech behind the Osprey UNLTD AirScape® 68 is something we’re busting to check out, so look for our online review of the pack soon. The pack is available exclusively through Paddy Pallin.
