I’ve been using the Osprey Farpoint series of backpacks for 10+ years now. Recently, the Farpoint 55 was updated with a brand-new design. Here is an updated look at this classic pack.
The new Osprey Farpoint 55 has reduced the size of the main pack now making it fully carry-on compliant. The included daypack can be attached in the front, on the back, or used separately, so this is designed to be a 2-in-1 backpack system.
I’ll share my thoughts on the latest version in this Farpoint review. I’ll also tell you how I think it compares to other editions, like the Farpoint 40, the Farpoint 55 Trek, or the Farpoint 70. (Yes, I’ve used them all!)
Is Osprey Farpoint 55 carry-on?
Yes, the Osprey Farpoint 55 is now very much carry-on compliant. The main backpack’s dimensions are within most airlines’ carry-on limits. You will need to detach the included daypack and place it under the seat in front of you as your ‘personal item’. Make sure the airline you fly with allows both a carry-on piece of luggage and a second personal item.
Airlines don’t always specify how big a personal item can be, but the general guideline is that it should fit easily under the seat in front of you. The Farpoint Daypack is definitely small enough to do this with.
The previous edition of the Osprey Farpoint 55 had different dimensions that made it too big for carry-on. Old blog posts and reviews might still mention this, but don’t let it confuse you. The current edition (launched in 2022) qualifies as a carry-on when the daypack is removed.
Who is this pack best for?
The Farpoint/Fairview series is designed for lightweight travel. You can use them for many types of trips, but they’ve always been a big hit with backpackers and adventure or budget travelers. You can see an overview of all the Farpoints and Fairviews here (there are quite a few!).
The packs don’t have lots of extraneous features in order to keep them light and simple. For example, there is no internal travel organizer pouch for things like pens or holding a smartphone. However, the Farpoint/Fairview packs have all the essential features and are very durable and reliable. (I once traveled non-stop for 2 years with one of these on my back.)
Although the Farpoint/Fairview series isn’t necessarily designed for hiking, they are comfortable enough to take on hikes during your travels.
Where to buy Osprey Farpoint 55
USA: Buy directly from Osprey (best option) or check out online retailers. You can check prices on Amazon. If you are a member of REI it might be more advantageous to buy it at REI.
Europe: Check the Osprey Farpoint 55 at Amazon as it ships to most countries in Europe.
At the time of writing Amazon is not yet stocking the new updated edition, so I recommend checking directly with Osprey first.
Differences between Farpoint and Fairview 55
The Farpoint 55 and Fairview 55 are essentially the same product; the only difference is that the Fairview is a women’s specific version.
The shape of the hip belt, sternum strap, and the main pack itself is designed to better fit a women’s body type. Besides this, the Fairview also comes in different colors than the Farpoint. However, all of the features are identical.
You can check out the different Farpoint color options and Fairview color options.
Osprey Farpoint 55 dimensions
These are the dimensions of the main pack (40L capacity):
| Height | 55cm | 21.6 inches |
| Width | 35cm | 13.8 inches |
| Depth | 23cm | 9 inches |
There is also an included daypack that adds another 15L of volume.
These dimensions are different from the older editions of the Osprey Farpoint 55. The main pack dimensions are now the same as the Osprey Farpoint 40.
Are there different sizes of the Farpoint 55?
No, there is just one size. It used to have a S/M and a M/L version but no longer. There is now only one size: O/S.
The latest edition has an adjustable harness. This means you can move the harness up or down by up to about 3 inches or 8cm.
Is the Farpoint 55 good for hiking?
Despite not being a dedicated hiking or trekking backpack, you can definitely use it for this. The harness is very comfortable and can be worn for hours on end (if you adjust it well). The main backpack also has a trampoline-style back panel to prevent a sweaty back. However, there are no advanced trekking features such as a trekking pole attachment or a place to put a water bladder.
If your travel plans involve a lot of hiking or multi-day trekking, then you might consider buying the Osprey Farpoint 55 Trek edition instead. It’s not carry-on but its shoulder straps are much more padded, the hip belt is thicker, and the trampoline-style back panel has much more airflow than the normal edition. I’ve done a 5-day trek with the Farpoint 55 Trek and it was insanely comfortable.
How does the 2-in-1 system work?
You can attach the included daypack to the back with two clips. There are two gaps in the daypack that you can loop these through, ensuring the two packs are securely stuck together. This essentially makes it look like one big backpack.
You can also attach the daypack to the front shoulder straps, letting you carry two packs in “turtle shell” style. This is actually how I most often use it when I’m navigating through airports or bus stations. It makes it easy to carry both packs while keeping your hands free.
The benefit of having 2 separate packs is that you can leave your big pack at your accommodation and use the other during the day. Or you can keep your important valuables with you in your seat in a bus, with the big pack down in the hold.
Differences with the Farpoint 40
The Farpoint 55 main pack and Farpoint 40 have the same dimensions and are fairly similar overall, but they have some important differences:
| Farpoint / Fairview 55 | Farpoint / Fairview 40 |
| Includes Farpoint Daypack | No daypack (but can buy separately) |
| Internal mesh side pocket in main compartment | Doesn’t have this pocket |
| No laptop sleeve | Has laptop sleeve |
| No outer pouch (for water bottle etc.) | Has outer pouch |
| No top zipped compartment | Has top zipped compartment |
The reason the Farpoint 55 main pack lacks certain features is that it assumes you will use the included daypack for these things.
Because you have the daypack, the main pack is kept very simple so there is maximum space in the main compartment.
The Farpoint 55 has this mesh pocket inside; the Farpoint 40 doesn’t.
Differences with the Osprey Porter
When product pictures of the new Farpoint got released, I saw many comments on forums comparing it to the Osprey Porter. They do look a bit similar in pictures, but the Farpoint is absolutely NOT as structured or as stiff as the Porter.
The Porter 46 is a rather hard-shell backpack and will maintain its shape even when empty. While the Farpoint has a stiff outer rim on the back, the walls don’t really stand up when it’s empty, so it’s a more flexible pack. In my opinion, the Porter also has terrible shoulder straps, while the Farpoint’s are very comfortable.
The Farpoint Daypack features
The included Farpoint Daypack is fairly basic. The back panel is quite flat so that it can easily attach to the mothership backpack, but that also makes it less comfortable than a curved or padded back.
There is enough space inside the daypack to fit your day-to-day travel items. Rain poncho, snacks, your travel gadgets: it’ll fit. But when I tried to fit in a camera cube (a TropicFeel camera cube in this case) it was too tight, so this won’t be the pack for you if you carry a camera with several lenses.
The Daypack also doesn’t have an organizer pouch (e.g. for pens, mobile phone, etc.) and doesn’t have any hiking features.
You can store a laptop or tablet up to 15” inside its laptop compartment. Due to the flat back panel, your laptop will feel a bit like a plank in there. That’s fine for taking it along on bus journeys and such, but it may be annoying if you’re walking with it all day. (Although, who takes their laptop out when sightseeing?)
Two generous meshes on the outside will fit a big water bottle or even a small tripod.
The Farpoint Daypack is fine but I also wouldn’t write an ode to it. I personally prefer the Osprey Daylite Plus because it has more compartments, a more padded back, and it’s compatible with Osprey’s bladder system for hikers.
However, the Daylite Plus doesn’t have the pass-throughs needed to best secure it to the Farpoint. The Farpoint Daypack is really designed to work in conjunction with the Farpoint 40, 55, or 70.
Farpoint 55 review conclusion
The Osprey Farpoint 55 is an excellent backpack at a very reasonable price. I’ve traveled with Farpoints for years and have personally decided to upgrade to this latest edition.
Pros
- Comfortable suspension system
- Two-in-one system with daypack
- Not too heavy (great for light travel)
Cons
- Not many internal organization features
- Daypack is a little basic
This latest edition introduces some well-considered improvements that make it more comfortable for longer carry, though fortunately without adding to the pack’s overall weight.
The back panel is now ribbed and has a trampoline mesh to improve ventilation. The shoulder straps are attached to a bar that’s separated from the back panel, further aiding airflow. This bar can also be adjusted up or down to match your torso height, which is an excellent feature. In terms of comfort, the Farpoint 55 is amazing.
While you can take it on hikes, it’s designed with (air) travel in mind. The main bag is carry-on and the entire harness can be stowed neatly behind a zipped panel — ideal for when you’re checking it in or want to carry it by the handle without any straps dangling around.
It also opens suitcase-style from the side and not from the top, so you can always access everything very easily. This is perfect for when you mostly stay in hotels or in hostels.
One weakness of the Osprey Farpoint 55 is the organizational options inside. It’s a little bare-bones and so if you want to keep things neat and tidy, you might want to also purchase some packing cubes, a nice toiletry bag, or some kind of travel organizer. That said, I like the simplicity and how leaves it largely up to you how to organize things your own way.
Whether to buy the Farpoint or Fairview 55 or another version depends on your space requirements and whether you’re into the 2-in-1 system. You can consider several configurations based on your needs:
- Buy the Farpoint 55 – one integrated pair of backpacks
- Buy the Farpoint 40 – has more organizational features and you can still pair it with another daypack (e.g. the Osprey Daylite Plus)
- Buy the Farpoint 55 Trek – if carry-on is not that important, this pack will be much more comfortable and spacious. I love it for trekking trips or long overland trips (e.g. backpacking South America). You can read my detailed review of the Osprey 55 Trek here.
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Great review, and very helpful in making my final decision. I will be headed to Ireland from the US for a few weeks of travel and the Farpoint 55 sounds perfect. We will be doing birding, light hiking, and sightseeing. Thanks for the thoughtful review!
Best,
Myron
I just bought my Osprey Farpoint 40 last year(old version), now I’m trying to figure out of all the changes are worth buying a new version. On my Old Farpoint 40, I bought an Osprey day series cinch bag and with the daisy chain I can attach it to either bag very well and better and easier than the regular daypack. It also holds my Mac 13″ computer. Just an idea to throw out there.
Thanks for the informative review! Based on your review, I just purchased a 2022 Fairview 55L directly from Osprey. I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival as I’m headed to Mexico for a couple months of travel.
I find your reviews to be consistently clear, easy to understand, useful, and enjoyable to read/watch. Thanks!
Cheers Melissa, glad you found it helpful. Happy travels!
Hey Marek, thanks for the great review! 1) Is there anyway to add a shoulder strap for while carrying the main bag in messenger style? 2) I see the sleeping pad straps from the previous FP55 are gone. Do you think the “external gear attachment loops” at teh bottom could be used for this sort of thing? Thanks
Hey Toby! 1) That was a feature but not anymore 2) Yeah I think you can use them. Probably best to use 2 straps on the 4 attachment points to basically create an X behind which you an store such things. Hope that helps!
Hands down the best review of the new Farpoint thanks so much for your guidance!
You mention in a comment below that attaching the Daypack to the FP55 main pack is “a bit fiddly” and that instead you transport it by its handle. Is the handle on the top or on the side as I can’t see it in the pictures? Or perhaps you were talking about the old Farpoint?
I’m hesitating between the FP40 with Daylite (or Daylite Plus) or FP55 🙂
Hey Daniel, glad you find this review useful! Good point actually, there isn’t really a handle on the daypack, what I was thinking of is the top of the harness which is sort of handle-shaped.
I think FP40 + Daylite Plus is a pretty strong option because the FP40 is more complete as a standalone pack. I published this video today which may be helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXkJxiWz8YM
Would you know if the 15 liter Daypack could still be paired with the 40 Fairview? I bought them both separately thinking they could be joined only to realize too late that in actuality, that’s the entire concept of the Fairview 55… wondering whether return them both individually since they can’t be joined, or to keep?
Hey Sabrina! I bought the new FP40 as well so I was able to test this recently. The Daypack will clip into the front shoulder straps of the Farpoint/Fairview 40 and attach to the back exactly the same way as the 55.
The only thing to know is that the 40 has a stretchy pouch on the outside that the 55 doesn’t have. If you fill this pouch with too much stuff, the daypack won’t comfortably fit on top of it anymore. But of course you can use that pouch when using the 40 on its own, and not use it when using it with the daypack.
Hi Marek, thanks for your quick response. Did you just update this review? I can’t tell if my mind is soup from reading so many reviews in the last 42 hours, or if it was indeed changed with the newly released line.
I suspect the Fairview 40 that I purchased the other day is the older model (in that misty green/gray color with cyan buckles), and I don’t think it has the front shoulder straps to attach the Daypack I brought separately.
I’m in Spain right now, where all the stores near me are either out of Osprey stock or hanging onto one or two remaining Fairviews from the previous season. I see what I suspect is the new version on the European site – does this seem to be the new carry-on compliant version at https://www.ospreyeurope.com/shop/es_es/osprey-fairview-55-f22 ? The just-over-carry-on-size was my biggest gripe with the old 55, which is why I didn’t get it. I’ve not been traveling before with only a backpack and I’ll be spending 6+ weeks in a European winter, so a few extra liters of space would serve me well…
Thanks for all your help!
Haha your mind is not playing tricks, I did update this article the other day! I overwrote the old review.
The new 55 edition is in fact carry-on compliant now when the daypack is detached. This is the major improvement on the previous edition (as well as the new more comfortable harness).
To be honest I rarely use the front clip to attach the daypack. It’s a bit fiddly as you can’t easily see where the clip is when you’re wearing the backpack. I very rarely attach the daypack to the front or the back anyway, just carry it by the handle or I ‘double strap’ it for turtle shell style carry if needed for a short while. If you like your current Fairview perhaps the front clip is not a big enough reason by itself to upgrade/change.
You’re welcome! Enjoy your European backpacking trip! 🙂
Super helpful review. Thanks for your thoughts and insights on this bag. Very helpful!
Hey Marek, would you recommend this bag for central-south america? I travel light but will encounter rainy/colder weather in Peru and Bolivia probably. Cheers dude.
Hoi Niels. No reason why you shouldn’t… I did those countries with a Farpoint 40 + daypack myself 🙂
Hi nice review…Does the Osprey 40 can be taken for hikes with one overnight camping ? One more thing does those backpacks have side pockets for water bottles to take on hikes…
Hey Richin. It’s not really designed as a hiking bag but if your tent and sleeping bag are small enough you can probably make it work with the 55. The daypack part has two mesh pockets on the outside where you can keep a small water bottle.
Kudos for pointing out that the Farpoint 40 is not the same as the main part of the Farpoint 55. Many reviewers wrongly claim that it is, which kind of reduces my confidence in anything else they say.
You are right that the 40 takes all the good points of the 55 main pack + the 55 day pack. May I add a couple of observations for those who may be considering the Farpoint 40? Which BTW is a huge favourite of mine.
1. Osprey’s quoted dimensions of the Farpoint 40 are carry-on, just. They also calculate out to 40 litres, exactly. But that’s external dimensions of an object that is not perfectly rectangular. Conclusion: if you don’t stuff it, it’s carry-on but not a full 40l. If you stuff it, it’s 40l but not legally carry-on. However I have never had a problem with it.
2. A minor but useful feature: you can lock both zips with a single padlock.
Some great points Edward. Thanks for sharing them as I’m sure others reading this will find it useful! 🙂
I bought this bag based on multiple recommendations for “being one of the best” for long term travel (and your review was definitely a big part of my decision to purchase).
Only used twice so far, 2 weeks in Morocco and 3 in Scotland, but this is going to be the bag I take on my year long adventure next year. I keep them together, however, and have another small backpack for my carry-on that holds my electronics and various stuff I want on the plane.
My only con for this is not the size of the zipper rings but that the pulls on the zipper are somewhat awkwardly placed, and if the bag is completely open, it can be hard to get the zipper started to close it back up. You really can’t pull on the rings that are used to lock. Other than that, I love this bag and my small and medium packing cubes work great in it. I gave my large packing cubes to a friend when I got rid of the bigger suitcase.
Glad you’re happy with the bag and thanks for sharing your experiences. Yeah I do remember the zipper being just slightly stuck when opened totally. It can be a bit annoying. Good luck on your year-long trip! 🙂
thanks for the blog it helps a lot love from India
Thanks Shivam!
Do you think the Osprey 55 would be enough for a 27 day Europe trip? Considering I love buying souveniers, I dont know if I shud get the 55 or 70 farpoint. Help!
Personally I would avoid the 70. It’s HUGE. I don’t know what kind of souvenirs you buy but if they’re reasonably sized (trinkets, tshirts, etc.) I’ll guess you’ll be fine with the 55. 🙂 I’ve taken the 55 on trips lasting many months without wishing I had more space.
Thanks for the write up, Marek! I’m heading to Cuba in January for a few weeks and wanted to get a new travel backpack. After trying out a few, I decided upon the Farpoint 55; it’s nice to know that you’re so happy with it!
Thanks, I’ve been looking for something good for weekend trips. The daypack is a great feature. I don’t always want to carry a full bag around but there are some things I don’t like leaving in hostels
This is a cool post. You don’t see too many people coming back and updating as they go. Love to see how you feel a year from now!
Hey Marek, I love Osprey packs.
I use a Kestrel 38 which is a great size for carry-on but still rugged and comfortable enough for serious trekking. I do miss the front loading systems of my previous packs but I had zip fail on me with a front loader, been top-load draw string ever since.
Fully loaded my Osprey is around 10KG which is over the baggage weight limits on most budget carriers. I find that if I keep a low profile no-body bothers me.
Happy travels man. Love the blog!
Pete