Osprey Rook 65

How much the empty rucksack adds to what you carry, as sold. 6: A bit better than average.

Osprey lists 1,680 g for the one-size Rook 65 (65 L), in the 1,500 to 1,999 g band.

How well it carries a full camping load over a long day: hip belt, shoulder straps, back and how the weight sits. 7: Better than most.

Four sources carried a camping load. TheOutdoorGearReview (bought with its own money; 6 months, 11 to 18 kg) found it comfortable up to about 16 kg and suggests the Atmos AG above that. The Long-Haired Hiker often carries 18 kg with no rubbing or chafing. Osprey UK's 20 buyer reviews (4.9 of 5, counted once) include 20 kg over three days in the high UK mountains. Lifestyle and TechNZ (15 kg, trips of 3 and 2 days) found the thin, hard padding sore and advises staying under 15 kg, so the sources run from 2 to 4. Not counted: OutdoorGearLab (comfort 8 of 10, no load stated).

Reviewers disagree on this.

How well the fabric, zips, buckles and frame hold up over seasons of use. 7: Better than most.

Three sources describe real use. Switchback Travel tested the women's Renn 65 (600D polyester body and base; it calls the Rook the Renn's men's counterpart with a largely identical design): virtually no wear after a 4-day Yukon trek with rocks, thick brush and rough handling, and the zips, straps and buckles held up. TheOutdoorGearReview calls the stitching and materials very good after 6 months but gives no wear detail (counted as 4). Osprey UK's 20 buyer reviews report no failures, but none states more than a few days of use (the longest is a 72-hour event), so they count as 3. OutdoorGearLab, The Long-Haired Hiker and Lifestyle and TechNZ praise the build quality without describing any wear, so they are not counted. Nothing covers more than about 6 months.