Osprey Hikelite 18 Review

The Osprey Hikelite 18 feels like a combination of one of their modern hiking packs and one of their beloved lightweight Daylite packs. It has a harness system worth writing home about, so if you’re after a small pack for hiking, cycling, or mini adventures, is this the pack for you? Let’s dive in and find out.

External Components

The body of the bag is crafted from 100% recycled 100D high-tenacity nylon. It’s bluesign® approved, so you know that the supply chain is sustainable. The bag features a DWR coating that doesn’t contain PFAS, making it a more environmentally friendly choice. This is par for the course for Osprey, which we appreciate.

The daypack has a rain cover, which comes stowed inside the bottom compartment of the bag. It doesn’t take up much room, and there isn’t another clear use for that pocket, so we kept it there throughout testing. It’s easy to pop out and adds a ton of water resistance to the bag in inclement weather.

The zippers are from YKK and have the classic Osprey loop pull. We dig this because it’s incredibly easy to get your finger inside it to open and close the zipper. They aren’t loud or in the way, either.

The pack features both ITW and Woojin hardware. We’ve had good experiences with both brands in the past and have had no issues in this round of testing. The buckle is snappy, and the adjusters are easy to use.

The pack has two water bottle pockets. They’re crafted from a stretchy material, and it hasn’t loosened in testing. It holds onto water bottles tightly, and we haven’t had one tumble out, even when cycling quickly or jogging on uneven surfaces.

There are two diagonal compression straps, one on either side of the pack, which help compress the bag or attach larger gear in the water bottle pockets. In addition to helping with taller bottles, we’ve used these to secure a travel tripod.

You can also use the compression straps to help attach trekking poles. There are two small loops on the bottom of the pack’s front face, which you can loop through the compression straps for safe storage.

The bag’s top handle is super minimalistic and lightweight. It doesn’t have any padding or aeration, and it digs in quickly when carrying the bag. This helps keep the weight of the pack down and ensures the top handle is out of the way if you’re out for a hike. When you need it, you can use it, but it isn’t comfortable in the long term. This is a backpack, though, so you should carry it like one.

Fit Notes

The back panel features Osprey’s AirSpeed™ SUSPENSION, one of our favorite back panels. It’s completely suspended, so your back is constantly getting cool air, and it’s taut enough that your back is still supported, too. It doesn’t have padding, but that’s because it doesn’t need to. It’s like a trampoline. The material itself isn’t radically comfortable, but the way it’s suspended makes it comfortable and bouncy.

Two metal beams run vertically behind the back panel. These add structure to the pack and stretch the back panel.

The shoulder straps are well-padded and super aerated to keep things cool. The mesh is extremely fine, and the straps have a slight stretch to them, which we find comfortable, even when the pack is loaded with extra weight.

The pack features load lifters, which help distribute weight evenly. Though the pack only holds 18 liters worth of gear, these are a welcome addition when you’re out for a long day hike.

The sternum strap is on a rail, allowing for micro-adjustments. There’s a whistle on the clip, which we appreciate for safety reasons. It’s also fun to play with and a stellar way to wake up your partner or friend after a night out or for a laugh.

The hip belt is super minimalist with no padding or aeration, but, similar to the load lifters, it helps shift weight around and keep you comfortable.

Inside The Pack

The bag’s liner is bluesign® approved 100% recycled 420D nylon with a PFAS-free DWR coating. Similar to the exterior, it is lightweight and sustainably sourced.

There’s just one secondary compartment. It’s located on the top of the pack’s front face. There’s no organization inside, just a key leash. This pocket works well for sunglasses, snacks, a phone, or a wallet. This pocket doesn’t offer a ton of protection, so be careful what you stow here.

The main compartment has almost no organization, which is both a benefit and a drawback. If you prefer to do all of the segmentation yourself with packing cubes, a tech pouch, and other devices, it’ll work great. If you typically want a bag to do all the organization for you, this might not be the pack for you. We believe a lack of organization makes the bag more versatile, as it can be used for your camera equipment, hiking essentials, or gym clothing. If it were specifically tailored to any of those things, it would be hard to use it for anything else.

The only organization is a water bladder holster on the back wall. There’s a toggle at the top of the compartment to hold up the hose and a pass-through to guide it to the left or right shoulder strap. If you aren’t using a water bladder, you can stow gear in the elastic-topped pocket.

The rest of the space is open and yours to organize (or not) your gear as you see fit. There are harsh differences between the front and back materials thanks to the harness system. The backside is well-structured thanks to the AirSpeed™ SUSPENSION system. The front has no structure, and the materials are floppy. It reminds us of when you’re taking down your tent and still have the stakes in, but have taken the poles out. Though the materials are similar everywhere, the design (and the ground) keep the backside structured, but the rest of the materials are free to blow in the wind. This can make it challenging to organize the pack at times, but we appreciate its light weight.

Although we thoroughly enjoyed testing this pack, it may not be suitable for everyone. It’s versatile, lightweight, and very comfortable for its size. It lacks organization and structure, which means it might not be the best choice for you!