The Osprey Kyte 46 liter hiking backpack is in all sorts of sweet spots lately, both in terms of size, quality, and price as one model overlaps the other, often at nearly 50% less cost. You take a look at the Kyte 46 and think it’s not big enough for a hike of several days to a week but when you get a bigger bag, your back will remind you daily that was a bad choice.
You can watch my full review in the video above or read on.
Who This Bag Is For
Since the Kyte 46 collapses so efficiently (seriously, almost all the pockets can be shrunk down with straps or zippers when empty), it doesn’t look as large as it is. Yet for short hikes of 3-4 days or so, it is the right amount of space. All of us tend to pack our bags to capacity, a psychological factor that’s best mitigated by controlling the size of the bags we choose. With a touch of minimalism, the Kyte’s capacity can easily be stretched out to a week.
There are two sizes of the Kyte 46, a bag primarily developed for female travelers. A XS/S and an S/M – both of which have roughly the same capacity of 46 liters but the Small/Medium is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) taller. The real distinction however, is between Osprey’s newer version of the Kyte, which price competes with itself.
Speaking Of Versions
As of this post, there are two versions of the Kyte 46. A newer model with the same name that’s essentially the same bag with some slight modifications to the coloring and exterior design. The former version of the Kyte 46 is still on sale, although quietly, and you can find it on Amazon for roughly half the cost. Prices for the both Kyte 46 have been changing frequently but if you keep an eye on them (latest sales listed right below) you can likely get this bag for less than $100.
So long as Osprey can’t decide on how to handle this overlapping rollout of gear, it’s in your benefit if you’re bag shopping.
Strong Design Quality
Osprey bags are durable. I’ve used this bag for 8 years, this one for 4, and have reviewed a lot of their gear and it simply holds up. A good bag will last you years – obviously cheaper fall apart frequently enough they end up costing more in the long run. Travelers looking for a solid outdoor bag for relatively short journeys in summer mountains or in cooler climates will save both money and space with the Kyte’s 46 liters.