Osprey Airporter

This bag worked well in a pinch for us. We usually wrap our packs with Saran Wrap for a flight, then we wouldn't have to carry this bag for the whole hike. It is almost a pound.

We bought two of these bags last minute when we realized we had left the Saran Wrap at home. We bought them at REI.

We usually wrap our bags in Saran wrap before the flight, this way we do not have the extra added weight in our packs on the trail. This weighs almost a pound. 

The bag served the purpose well. Easy to put the backpack inside of it with room to spare. The handles on it are a little awkward to use due to the cumbersome size in general, and weight. There is an ID area to put you address/info card.

Features

• Size Medium is designed for 45- to 75-liter packs
• Made with bluesign®-approved and GRS-certified 100% recycled main body fabrics
• Durable water repellent (DWR) treatment is made without PFAS
• Protects backpacks when traveling or checking in at airports
• Lockable zipper (lock not included) provides added security
• Improved shoulder strap makes lugging it to and fro a breeze
• Works on its own as a packable duffel to carry extra gear
• Top and side grab handles
• ID card window
• Packs into itself

Technical Specs

• Best Use:  Backpacking Travel
• Dimensions

• 34.25 x 15.35 x 14.57 inches
• Material(s)
• 210-denier high-tenacity double ripstop nylon (bluesign® approved)
• Weight
• 15.2 ounces
• Sustainability
• Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria
• Contains recycled materials

We ended up sending these home, along with some other luxury items before our hike. Yosemite has a nice little post office in the valley. we sent almost 15 pounds of extra gear home.

When we finished our hike, we bought Saran Wrap in Fresno and wrapped our packs. Cheap and easy way to fly with backpacks. We have been using the Saran Wrap method for years. No one has ever unwrapped our packs, or gone through them at the airport. TSA has left them alone. They always come to us fully wrapped and intact from the Baggage Claim Belt.

Final Thoughts: I would probably use the Osprey AirPorter again for ease of use. Just takes a few seconds to load the packs in them. We will keep them for now, just in case we need them in the future.

Background

Over 10 years experience

Protective cover for medium size rucksacks when travelling by air. Packs down to a compact size.

Hiking rucksacks tend to have plenty of dangling straps that can get caught in airport luggage conveyor belts, risking damage if they are checked in as hold luggage. The Osprey Airporter is a protective cover that completely encases your rucksack, eliminating this problem. The Airporter packs into its own pocket, so you can keep it in your rucksack till it's time for your flight back home. 

The Airporter comes in different sizes. The small is rated for rucksacks of up to 50 litres in volume. I have used mine with a 40-litre pack which it swallows with room to spare, as shown in the photo above.

The Airporter has two carry handles, one on the side and one on the top. Under the side carry handle there is a little plastic window in which you can insert a card with your contact details.

A small zipped compartment contains a strap that can be brought out and clipped to a D-ring on the side, as shown below, enabling the Airporter to be carried from the shoulder. 

The main compartment of the Airporter closes with two zippers. The zippers have metal eyelets so they can be padlocked together, offering a degree of security in transit. "Security" is a relative term, of course: the Airporter is durable, but it would not offer much resistance to a thief with a blade. Then again, neither would your average rucksack.

When folded away, the Airporter makes a fairly compact package. The small version packs down to around seven by eight inches, so it should not be too difficult to find space for it in your backpack. 

The only downside to the Airporter is its weight. The small version weighs 352g (12.4oz), a significant amount for an item you will only be needing at the start and end of your hiking expedition. However, the hotel where you will be staying on your last night might be willing to keep the Airporter for you, if you can get it delivered to them. This would save you the need to carry it in your rucksack while hiking.