Osprey Aura AG LT 50 Backpack Review
Osprey’s Atmos/Aura AG has long cemented its reputation as one of the best packs on the market, and the LT version updates it for the modern, minimalist-minded hiker. The women's Aura AG LT ($300) reviewed here features a pared-down pocket layout but boasts the same carrying capacity and comfort as the ol' standard. While it doesn’t quite live up to its “lightweight” designation (if you’re looking for an ultralight pack, look elsewhere), the LT is just as good as the original, if not better.
Comfort
Organization
Weight
Durability
Water Resistance
Sustainability
Weight
3 lb. 12.7 oz.
Stated Load Limit
40 lb.
Fabric(s)
210D & 500D nylon
Adjustable Torso
Yes
# of Pockets
6
Access
Top, side
Capacities
50, 65L
Included rain cover
Yes
Pros
Cons
Osprey Aura AG LT 50
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Backpacking Backpacks.
Though designed as a stripped-down version of the Aura AG, the Osprey Aura AG LT 50 still features its namesake’s robust suspension. To distribute weight, it relies on a 4-millimeter metal perimeter frame and a trampoline-style backpanel that connects directly to the thickly padded hipbelt wings. Osprey rates the Aura AG LT as being able to carry up to 40 pounds (the same as the regular Aura AG). This pack’s carrying-capacity-to-weight ratio is good, but isn’t great; for comparison, the much-lighter ULA Equipment Circuit (2 lb. 6.5 oz.) maxes out at 35 pounds, and the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 (1 lb. 15.7 oz.) can schlep up to 40. Still, the LT has plenty of backbone for carrying loads on a weekend-long backpacking trip.
Osprey’s AG line is also known for its ventilation, thanks to the trampoline-style backpanel, which features mesh tensioned over a metal frame. I found the design to be wonderfully comfortable: It’s bouncy, forgiving, and grants plenty of airflow, way more than backpacking packs I’ve used with solid backpanels such as the ULA Equipment Circuit, Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest, and Osprey Ariel. I also thought the LT’s shoulder straps, which have a mesh overlay over their foam, similarly helped limit sweat buildup. As with the original Aura, the LT’s shoulder straps and hipbelt are thickly padded—perhaps overly so, given its nominal directive to cut some weight—and it’s hard to find any issue with how this pack feels on your back. I will say, though, that the rigidly structured hipbelt might not be for everyone; I found it too stiff for my liking (literally having to turn sideways to get it around my hips), as did another Better Trail editor.
The Osprey Aura AG LT 50 mostly separates itself from the regular Aura AG by way of its pocket layout. The latter—which some hikers consider a bit overbuilt—has eight external pockets and a zippered sleeping bag compartment at the bottom of the main compartment. The LT, on the other hand, has six pockets (two on the hipbelt, two on the side, one on the top lid, and one shove-it pocket on the back) and no bottom zipper.
Fewer pockets don’t mean the LT’s organizational prowess suffers much, though: It had a healthy amount of space for everything I wanted to take on the trail, and a curved zipper on the side allows for additional main compartment access. I also appreciated the detachable top lid for use as a sundries tote around camp. All in all, the Aura AG LT offers way more storage options than true ultralight packs (which generally feature one access to the main compartment via a roll-top, two hipbelt pockets, and three dump pockets), but doesn’t suffer from the pocket clutter that other backpacking packs—including the standard Aura AG—can fall victim to.
The Osprey Aura AG LT 50 tips the scales at 3 pounds 12.7 ounces, which is lighter than many traditional backpacking packs, but heavier than the “lightweight” moniker would suggest. We think Osprey could have done more to make the LT more competitive in this category. It’s made from 210-denier (D) nylon with a 500D bottom—the exact same materials that comprise the regular Aura AG. These fabrics aren’t particularly light (they’re pretty much standard for a modern backpacking pack), and go a long way towards causing the LT to land in somewhat of a weight purgatory: While it’s not as heavy as workhorses such as the Osprey Ariel 55 (4 lb. 12.4 oz.) and Gregory Kalima 50 (4 lb. 4.8 oz.), it weighs much more than models such as Osprey’s Eja 58 (2 lb. 13.2 oz.)—and the Eja is heavier still than true ultralight packs.
Using ultralight materials (100-denier nylon, perhaps) and paring down the padding and organization a bit more would have perhaps taken the Osprey Aura AG LT into the 3-pound range, which would make it a unique pack in the Osprey lineup. As it is, it weighs only 6 ounces less than the regular Aura AG 50 and occupies more or less the same niche, comfort- and capacity-wise. I’ll admit that this is being a bit nitpicky, though. The LT’s weight, in a vacuum, isn’t too heavy for most backpackers, and its comfort is far greater than an ultralight pack. Most hikers who aren’t obsessive ounce counters will be totally happy with this pack’s specs.
As I mentioned above, the Aura AG LT’s 210D nylon body and 500D nylon bottom are par for the course in terms of midweight modern backpacking packs. Those materials provide as much durability as most backpackers need; they’ll get beat up after multiple years of hard use, but for hikers who log a few weeks a season, they’re perfectly serviceable. The LT’s construction is a nice middle ground: Going lighter with 100D nylon (the material found on the Osprey ultralight-adjacent Eja) will make the pack more fragile, using thicker fabrics will increase the pack’s weight, and using ultra-durable fabrics such as Dyneema—common in the ultralight pack world—will make the price skyrocket. All this is to say, the Aura AG LT has done a great job handling everything Better Trail has thrown at it so far—dragging across rocky terrain at camp, interacting with ice axes, and normal backpacking bumps and scrapes.
The Osprey Aura AG LT comes with a waterproof pack cover that stows away in a compartment on the bottom—or if the weather forecast is clear, you can detach it and leave it at home to save 3 ounces. If you remove the top lid, a flap covers the main compartment’s drawstring opening to keep out errant moisture. All of the pack’s materials are also covered with a PFAS-free DWR, so it’s enough to keep out a light sprinkle if you don’t want to deploy the pack cover. It’s also worth noting that the copious padding in the Aura AG LT’s shoulder straps and hipbelt will absorb water, so this isn’t the best pack to plan to bring when consistently venturing out in the rain.
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PFAS-Free DWR
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Recycled Materials
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Bluesign Approved
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Resale and/or Recycling Services
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Tester: 5’3” 103 lb.; 32” chest; 26.5” waist
Size tested: Women’s XS/S
The women’s Aura AG LT (and men's Atmos AG LT) comes in two sizes: XS/SM and M/L in the Aura and S/M and L/XL for the Atmos. I found it easy to pick my size on Osprey’s website thanks to the brand’s size charts. To fine-tune the fit, the Aura AG LT has 4 inches of torso adjustment via a simple hook-and-ladder system; this system is way smoother to operate than the Velcro adjustment panels on many other packs, if perhaps not as simple as the regular Aura’s sliders.
When wearing the Osprey Aura AG LT, I found the pack quite large for my body type, even in its women’s XS/S size. The frame was too tall for me, and the hipbelt was too stiff for my liking. I used the Velcro adjustment tabs on the waist to set the hipbelt to its smallest setting. I wasn’t a big fan of the extra strap length that flapped around; if you’re petite, I’d suggest cutting and re-sewing the straps. All in all, the Aura AG LT can accommodate a range of sizes (including mine, technically), but even with the proper fit, it felt too overbuilt for my small frame.
Osprey Aura AG 50 ($350): Less Bang for Your Buck
We’ll go ahead and say it: The LT offers better value than the Aura AG. For $50 and 6 ounces more, all you really get on the Aura AG are two additional zippered back pockets (and they’re in somewhat of an awkward position) and a slightly easier torso adjustment system. The suspension and carrying capacity remain the same, as do the materials and durability. If you’re a pack rat carrying lots of small items on your trips, we can understand if you want this backpacking pack instead. But for the rest of us, we recommend you save the money and choose the LT. For more, read our review of the men's Osprey Atmos AG 65.
REI Co-op Flash 55 ($229): Testing the Ultralight Waters
Unlike the Aura AG LT, the Flash 55 attains ultralight-adjacent status thanks to its materials and streamlined feature set. It comes in below the 3-pound mark (2 lb. 11 oz. for a women’s small) but still retains plenty of comfort thanks to thick padding for a pack this light and a spring steel frame that can distribute loads up to 30 pounds—less than the Aura AG LT, but still plenty for a weekend in the woods or a short thru-hike. Where the Flash lags behind the Aura AG LT in durability: Its thin nylon requires care, and our sample suffered some punctures during just one week of use. And, although it has more pockets than the LT, the Flash has just one main compartment opening and lacks a rain cover. If you’re looking to lower your base weight without going full minimalist, though, it’s a solid—and affordable—option. For more, read our review of the REI Co-op Flash 55.
Introducing a simplified version of the standard Aura AG for those who believe that less is more. Osprey pared down organization but retained the comfort and support the pack is known for. They could have cut more weight by utilizing thinner materials to justify the “LT” name.
Comfort
Organization
Weight
Durability
Water Resistance
Sustainability
Osprey's “classic” backpacking pack, the well-rounded Atmos (women’s Aura) prioritizes comfort and user-friendliness, highlighted by a trampoline-style mesh backpanel and copious pockets. The weight and steep price are hard to ignore, though.
Comfort
Organization
Weight
Durability
Water Resistance
Sustainability
REI's Flash 55 is aimed at backpackers looking to cut both weight and cost. It's by no means ultralight but is significantly more streamlined than many serious haulers while retaining a functional feature set. The thin nylon won’t last as long as thicker or Dyneema builds.
Comfort
Organization
Weight
Durability
Water Resistance
Sustainability
Is the Aura AG LT 50 for You?
The Osprey Aura AG LT 50 is a sound pick for hikers who want a traditional backpacking pack but don’t need the bells and whistles or durability of a more robust model. It’s (relatively) affordable enough for beginners building their kit and durable enough for experts heading off-trail, all while providing enough comfort and airflow to please everyone. While it doesn’t quite live up to the “lightweight” in its name, we think the LT gives the original Aura AG the refresh it needed and is arguably the more well-rounded pack for modern hikers. Ultralight aficionados will of course want to look elsewhere, but then again, this pack probably isn’t even on their radar.
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