The right size when a porter has your duffel
Osprey Talon 33
Thirty-three litres holds a day layer, water, snacks and a camera with room for the down jacket you take off at ten — it is a frameless-ish pack, so above about 9 kg it stops being comfortable.
Skip it ifIndependent trekkers carrying everything themselves. You want 50-65 litres and a real frame.
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The rest of the shelf
Best for carrying your own loadFor independent trekkers with no porter
Osprey Atmos AG 65
The suspension genuinely makes 18 kg feel like less, which is why it is the default independent-trekking pack — buying one for a supported trek means carrying 2.2 kg of empty pack for two weeks.
Skip it ifAnyone trekking with us on a standard guided itinerary. A porter carries the duffel; take the Talon.
Best budgetEnough for a short trek and the Kathmandu days either side
Osprey Daylite Plus 20
Light, cheap and fine for a five-day trek where you carry a jacket and two litres of water — the hip belt is a strap rather than a belt, so it will not carry weight.
Skip it ifA high-altitude trek where you carry a down jacket, three litres of water and a camera. You will run out of space by Namche.