Osprey AddOns - A Range of Helpful Accessories

When shopping around for a hydration pack to meet your requirements, almost everyone looks closely at how the pack is designed, how it feels, and how it performs. However, since most good hydration packs represent a significant investment, there are a number of little accessories that can come in very handy to help protect that investment. In this respect, Osprey has really taken the lead with their AddOns™ line of accessories. Many of these accessories are not exactly necessary, but represent a good investment anyway.

A prime example is the simple idea of the Airporter LZ. Anyone that has ever flown with a back pack or hydration pack know that all the loose straps and webbing can represent a real problem for airport baggage handlers and most people that travel frequently can probably relate at least one story where their bags, straps, or mesh were ripped or torn while in an airport. Osprey addresses this with the Airporter LZ, which is a simple nylon bag with a reinforced bottom that is designed to slip around your back pack or hydration pack, and protects all of the straps and mesh. When not in use, the Airporter LZ folds down extremely small and many of Osprey’s packs have a small dedicated pocket specifically for carrying it.

Another useful accessory that many people tend to forget about until it is too late is a rain cover. While most back packs and hydration packs are reasonably water resistant, when it comes to serious rain, additional protection is usually needed. Further, since many people aim at minimizing their weight, they refrain from wrapping a lot of their gear and supplies in plastic when setting off, meaning that leaks cause by heavy rain can quickly soak through everything. Not only does this result in a mess and sometime damage what you have brought with you it also results in a significant increase in weight as you find yourself carrying a lot of excess water as well as your gear. Osprey offers the UL Raincover, which comes in four different sizes and is made of durable ripstop nylon, so it folds down very small and is extremely lightweight whilst simultaneously being completely waterproof.

Another nifty accessory offered by Osprey is the MapWrap or Stow-on-the-Go™ Map Carrier. This is a small nylon pouch that can be easily folded or rolled up, but at the same time allows you to carry your maps flat and open. The MapWrap bag allows you much easier and quicker access to your maps and at the same time helps to protect them rain and other environmental hazards, so it means you do not have to store your maps deep inside your pack. In fact, MapWrap is specifically designed to be rolled up and then attached to most Osprey packs by way of a simple Velcro strap. Although it is not exactly a high tech idea, it is a good one as anyone that has spent time in the deep wilderness and constantly accessing their maps can easily attest.

The Osprey AddOns™ line of accessories also includes a number of other little accessories that might be worth investigating as well. However, the three described above seem like the most useful for mountain bikers, hikers, and others that spend a lot of time off road.