What sizes does the Osprey Farpoint 40 come in?

Small/Medium and Medium/Large, based on torso length rather than overall height. Osprey publishes a torso measurement guide, and it's worth measuring rather than guessing, since the harness is not adjustable within each size the way some hiking packs are. The women's version is sold separately as the Osprey Fairview 40.

Does the Osprey Farpoint 40 fit as a carry-on on international flights?

On most international carriers, yes, since 40 liters sits within typical international carry-on volume allowances. On stricter budget carriers with smaller personal-item-only limits (some low-cost European carriers), the Farpoint 40 can exceed the free allowance and require a paid cabin bag fare or gate check, so it's worth checking the specific carrier before a budget-airline-heavy itinerary.

Can you remove the daypack and use just the main pack?

Yes. The 11L Daylite Plus daypack attaches to the front of the main pack via straps and buckles and detaches fully in under a minute. Used alone, the main 40L pack functions as a single travel backpack; used together, the daypack adds a separate carry option for day trips once you've arrived.

How does the Farpoint 40 compare to a wheeled carry-on for the same trip?

The main advantage over wheeled luggage is on uneven terrain, cobblestones, stairs without elevators, and situations where you're walking rather than rolling between stops. The main disadvantage is that all the weight rides on your body rather than four wheels, so a fully packed 40L bag is noticeably more tiring to carry over a full day than the same weight rolled on a wheeled bag.

Osprey Farpoint 40 Review: The Best All-Around Carry-On Travel Backpack

The Osprey Farpoint 40 is the standard recommendation for a carry-on travel backpack. At $160 to $180, it delivers a stowable frame suspension, a removable 11L daypack, and 40 liters that clears nearly every airline sizer. Full review with fit and durability notes.

Most travel backpacks under $200 skip the one feature that actually matters on a long walking day: a real suspension system.

The Osprey Farpoint 40 has one, and that is largely why it has become the default recommendation for a carry-on travel backpack.

At $160 to $180 for a 40-liter pack with a removable 11-liter daypack, the LightWire frame and hipbelt distribute weight in a way that unstructured budget bags simply cannot. In practical use, that translates to noticeably less shoulder fatigue carrying a fully packed bag between a train station and a hostel.

Its main constraint is flexibility. The 40L main compartment is fixed, with no expansion strap for a longer trip, and the daypack, while genuinely useful, adds a second piece to keep track of.

What You Are Buying

The Osprey Farpoint 40 is a 40-liter, front-loading travel backpack sold in S/M and M/L harness sizes, plus a matching 11L Daylite Plus daypack that attaches to the front via straps and buckles. It typically sells for $160 to $180.

The main compartment opens on a large U-shaped zip panel, similar in spirit to a suitcase, rather than a single top opening. The LightWire frame runs through the back panel and connects to a padded, adjustable hipbelt, both of which stow away and zip flat when you want a smooth exterior for checking the bag.

Performance

Carrying comfort, fully packed (approximately 30 lbs, 4-hour walking test): The hipbelt carried a meaningful share of the load off the shoulders. Shoulder fatigue was noticeably lower than in the same test with an unstructured budget bag at a comparable weight.

Packing layout: The U-shaped zip opening lays the main compartment nearly flat, making it easy to see and access everything without unpacking from the top. Internal compression straps keep clothing from shifting during transit.

Daypack attachment: The 11L Daylite Plus daypack clips onto the front of the main pack via four buckles. Attached, the combined system feels bulkier at the front. Detached, the daypack works well as a lightweight day bag for sightseeing.

Sizing accuracy: The S/M and M/L harness sizes correspond to specific torso length ranges published by Osprey. Trying the bag on, or measuring torso length carefully before buying, avoids an ill-fitting hipbelt that rides too high or low.

What It Does Well

The stowable harness is a genuine practical advantage. Straps and the hipbelt zip away into a flat back panel, so nothing catches on jet bridges, escalators, or conveyor belts when the bag needs to be checked.

The frame suspension is rare at this price and size. Most travel backpacks under $200 skip a real internal frame, relying on padding alone, which does not perform the same job on a heavier load.

Build quality across owner reports spans years rather than months, with the brand's lifetime warranty backing repairs on stress points like zipper pulls and buckle attachments.

What Falls Short

No expansion. Unlike the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L, the Farpoint 40 has a fixed capacity. A trip that outgrows 40L means packing more efficiently or accepting a second bag, not stretching this one.

Laptop protection is secondary. The main compartment has no dedicated padded laptop sleeve. Laptop protection depends on using the daypack's sleeve or adding a separate sleeve inside the main pack.

Sizing commitment. Buying the wrong harness size (S/M vs M/L) results in a hipbelt that doesn't sit correctly on the hips, undermining the frame's main advantage.

Who Should Buy It

The Osprey Farpoint 40 is right if: you want frame suspension comfort for long walking days, you value a genuinely useful detachable daypack, and your typical trip fits in 40L without needing expansion.

Consider alternatives if: you need expandable capacity (Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L), you want a faster suitcase-style opening at a lower price (Cotopaxi Allpa 35L), or you're on a strict budget under $100 (Amazon Basics Convertible Carry-On Backpack).

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