Osprey Porter 46

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Our Thoughts

The Osprey Porter 46 is a beloved, yet pudgy, one bag. On the one hand this bag as universal acclaim from online reviewers. But on the other hand, the dimensions far exceed most airline carry-on restrictions. Owners of the Osprey Porter 46 report the bag routinely gets into the overhead space as a carry-on, but as the airlines crackdown, I'd be skeptical this bag could avoid baggage fees in the future.

Muffin Tops and Ovals

Osprey is an excellent bag company but they do make fat, round, pudgy little bags with odd shapes. Osprey attempts to mitigate the problem with a "straight jacket" feature, but the bags still end up looking like they've eaten too many cupcakes. Each of their bags has extra straps which allow you to pull the contents of the bag in, but that can only squeeze the sides in so much. Fully packed bags will have a bit of a muffin top look.

I've seen Ospreys look like a heavy set person in a tank top that was a bit too small.

In an era of square packing cubes, oval-shaped bags can be inefficient. The straight lines packing cubes don't sit against the curved edges of the Porter and leave empty space. You'll be tempted to fill that empty space with socks or small items like curling irons. Depending on how much you stuff the bag you'll end up with bulging sides that make the bag much broader than it should be. Zippers won't work the same, the bag will be wider and catch on things, and overall all the engineering won't work the same.

Great Carry On

I feel like I've fat shamed the Osprey Porter but it is a great carry-on from a great company. My next bag will likely be an Osprey, so I can recommend their products.

👍 Reasons to Buy

• Offers good suspension.
• Really spacious and offers a lot of space for your things.
• The clamshell opening makes packing and unpacking fast and convenient.
• The compressions strap prevents the bag from looking sloppy.
• Lightweight for its size

🤔 Things to Consider

• Can be a bit awkward to use when your shoulders are narrow as it is wide.
• Can rejected as hand luggage when overpacked.
• Features minimal organization in the main compartment.

💬 Reviewers Have Said

• "This is such a cleverly designed bag. It’s always fun going through every inch of a new Osprey pack just to see all the intelligent design features they’ve incorporated. So much thought goes into these designs and the level of detail is amazing."
• "This travel bag transforms to suit my needs. It can hold a laptop and lots of things within the main pouch."

🔎 Reviews

"For better or worse, the Osprey Porter 46 is a big pack with a big capacity. Bulk it up or cinch it down, the Porter is a durable option for those who tend to carry more."

"The Osprey Porter 46 is an impressive gear-hauling travel backpack. Osprey also calls it a deluxe duffel, because it can be carried by its side or top handles, and features D rings to clip an optional shoulder strap."

"Yet again, Osprey has delivered another phenomenal product. This bag is the real deal, and if you are looking for a mid-sized bag with great organization and an old-school backpacker look… this may be the backpack of your dreams."

"We think the Osprey Porter is an excellent value — especially at its price of $140. You can tell this backpack was designed with the urban traveler in mind so it has a lot of smart features that you’ll appreciate. The Porter is comfortable and it’s super solid so it will withstand whatever you throw at it."