I’ve taken this bag through the Amazon jungle, over the hills of Nepal, backpacking through Europe (4 times), through Mexico for six months, all around South America, and on a road trip in Tasmania. Ok you get the point: I travel full time and write a travel blog for a living, so I’ve put my Osprey porter through some serious testing!
So how does the Porter backpack hold up?
Read on my for my detailed review of the Osprey Porter 46 backpack: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
[affiliate disclosure: if you purchase a bag through the links on this site, I may get a small commission at no additional cost to you]
Osprey Porter 46 Review: Summary
Here’s the bottom line on the Osprey Porter 46: it’s a truly excellent all-around backpack for most types of travelers. It offers the versatility and functionality of a backpack but the style and ease of a porter bag or suitcase. I would highly recommend this backpack to almost every type of traveler except for hardcore hikers who need a little more serious backpack for handling the wilderness.
Or check out the below table to see how the Osprey Porter 46 stacks up compared to some other popular backpacks:
Table could not be displayed.
A Detailed Review of the Osprey Porter 46 L Backpack
After 50+ countries across six continents, I have a lot to say about the Osprey Porter 46 backpack! So let’s dive right into the nitty gritty of why I think this is the best casual travel bag out there:
Features and Specs
For such a simple-looking bag, the Osprey Porter 46 is loaded with features you’d usually find on much more high end backpacks. Here’s a quick rundown of the key features and specs:
Look, there is a lot to love about this backpack. And in the six years I’ve been using it, Osprey has continued to make improvements over the model I purchased (e.g., by adding a laptop sleeve).
Second, my absolute favorite thing about the Osprey Porter 46 liter backpack is that it easily and quickly converts from a backpack that you can comfortably carry on your shoulders to a porter bag.
Why is that important?
Well, for one thing it means you can check this bag, put it under a bus, or store it somewhere without worry that your backpack straps are going to snag something. But it is also great for those times when you don’t want to “look” like a dirty backpacker who just rolled out of a hostel dorm bed with a huge bag on your back.
The Porter is also an enormously rugged pack and I’ve really put it through the ringer. I’ve taken it through the jungles of South America, the mountains near Denver, Colorado, backpacking through Europe, and hundreds of other places! Heck, I even had it with me when I was doused with water during Thailand’s Songkran festival (and I still managed to keep my electronics dry!).
There’s not a whole lot that I would change about the Osprey Porter 46, but no backpack is perfect.
For one thing, the fact that the straps hideaway has a downside: they by necessity don’t have as much padding as you might find on a more serious hiking backpack.
This means that, while the bag is comfortable for general carrying or even short distance hikes, after a few kilometers the straps start to pull at my back a bit. So if you’re just planning to walk around cities or do some very light hiking, it’s fine. For anything more hardcore, you need a more serious backpack. That’s the price you pay for the hideaway feature, though!
Another drawback of the bag is that it doesn’t have a bunch of pockets. I think this is mostly a good feature, as I find it easier to pack my bag with one big pocket, but it does mean you have to pay more attention to organizing your stuff.
Lastly, the only annoyance I’ve ever had with this bag is that sometimes the zippers catch on the little slip of material that’s meant to protect them. It can be a pain to get them uncaught, but it’s only happened a few times in six years of traveling.
Recommended Addition: Osprey Daylite Daypack
If you buy the Osprey Porter 46, I strongly suggest also purchasing Osprey’s Daylite Daypack, which is designed as a companion to the Osprey Porter.
I’ve traveled with this pack + day bag combo for 6 years and I love it!
Why?
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Well, first off, the Daylite Daypack can be strapped into the Osprey Porter 46 through the proprietary Osprey locking system so that you can carry them as a single unit.
Second, it’s an awesome daypack in its own right. Here are some of its great features:
Can be strapped into Porter bag!
Super lightweight
Slip pocket for laptops
Water resistant coating
Affordably priced
Lots of space (I fit my drone, laptop, and a full size camera inside!)
If you’re taking the Osprey Porter 46 traveling, you’ll also need a daypack for your days out exploring, so this is the perfect combo.
Like I said, if you plan on doing a lot of outdoor stuff, the Osprey Porter 46 is NOT for you. Instead, check out the Osprey Atmos 50 backpacking backpack:
Looking for a More Affordable Backpack than the Osprey Porter 46?
The Osprey Porter 46 is a great value for the price, but if it’s out of your budget I suggest checking out the Witzman Travel Backpack Canvas Rucksack:
I’m a big believer in packing minimally, but some people just have more stuff to carry! Need a little more room than what the Osprey Porter 46 has to offer? Then I suggest upgrading to the Osprey Fairpoint 55:
Bottom Line: Should You Buy the Osprey Porter 46 L Backpack?
The Osprey Porter 46 is a really solid backpack for most travelers who need a casual bag that they can carry on their backs.
I’d call it more of a “flashpacker” backpack than a traditional backpack, since it sort of straddles the line between a normal backpacking backpack and a porter bag or suitcase.
The Osprey Porter 46 is a great backpack for solo travelers, long travelers, families traveling with kids, or just about anyone doing casual international travel.
About the only people I can’t recommend this bag for are hardcore outdoor enthusiasts. The bag simply isn’t made for multi-day long hikes through the wilderness. For that, you should get a more full-featured hiking backpack.
But for just about everyone else, after 50+ countries and some serious memories, I can honestly say the Osprey Porter 46 is the best backpack I have ever found!
Nate Hake is a digital nomad from Denver, Colorado who has been traveling the world full time since 2016. He has traveled to 65+ countries across six continents around the world and writes about emerging travel destinations at TravelLemming.com. His travel advice and musings have been featured in high-profile publications like NBC News, Lonely Planet, Mic, and many more.
