Osprey Farpoint as a carry on?

I'd say the Farpoint 70 is too big for a carry on. It depends on the airlines you're flying, but it doesn't meet the Google-provided carry on dimensions (9x14x22). The Farpoint 70 is 26x14x13. Even without the daybag, it's too tall.

The Farpoint 40 is 22x14x9 so it should easily fit as a carryon.

I'd say you'd be able to do a trip with just a Farpoint 40. That's the bag my husband and I have (one each) and it's been perfect. We haven't tried carrying them on, but they seem like they'd be ok. I've seen people bring much larger bags as carryons.

How long is your trip?

I carry on with an Osprey Porter 46 L. That may be a nice compromise for you. I may check it on an intra European flight though as it may be too big for that. I haven't had any trouble on domestic flights. It's official dimensions are 22 X 14 X 9.

55 is too large for carry-on. You would have to go with the 40 or the Porter 46 at maximum. I had no issues with my Porter 46 in Europe, but it could be too large for some budget airlines.

The Wirecutter articles on Osprey travel bags go into great detail on this topic:

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-travel-backpack/

Thank you all for your help! I did look into the porter and I will consider it but the straps aren't the best. Also I'm going for 2-3 months, but I also need to consider any future travels!

Are you insisting that you have to get as Osprey bag? There are others that are well made and might suit you:

eBags TLS Motherlode Weekender and Weekender Junior
MEI Voyageur
Eagle Creek makes a few

and of course, the Rick Steves Carry On Convertible.

All of the above fit most airline carry on rules.

There are others but I tried to stick to a price similar to the Fairpoint. If you are willing to spend a little more look at Tom Bihn and Red Oxx.

I used the osprey Porter 46 all over Europe and Asian including a budget airline from Venice to France. The dimension may make look that it won't fit but you forget that this is soft suitcase meaning that you can sqeeze to make it fit. What you do before boarding is loading up on your body all your item until you pass the luggage check point. Then load it in your bag then use the compression cords. Also like that it has sternum strap as well as belt strap making it handy to wear all day. This came especially useful in Japan when everyone was scrambling for buses when the train tracks was flooded. All I need to do was wear it and go versus lugging heavy luggage up stairs.
So yes even after 5 years later I am still using the same bag and even got it for my brother who after coming back from Japan was extremely glad he had this luggage.

And yes 46l is the largest I dare go because although it soft there really is no way to shorten the length. My wife and I found that we had plenty of room. We tested our load including clothes by taking a weekend trip on train and stay in hostel. This help us fine tune our gear. Also don't forget that if you forgot anything you can buy it there.

Another option is the Pacsafe Venturesafe 45L, I've used this for 2-3 weeks in Europe and find it's perfect for packing light and moving quickly. Whatever you decide on consider a Eaglecreek pack-it folder, this has made travel so much easier for keeping clothes wrinkle free and organized, add a couple of packing cubes and I set for any trip.

I have been using the farpoint 40 for a couple of years ( over 4 months worth of europe travel) it still looks like new.
with sometimes only 7kg limit with carry-on its very light.( very important to keep in mind) so you can carry more items.
i find it holds my laptop nicely in its own internal padded area. knowing it complies with the guidelines gives me piece of mind.

love my farpoint 40 for how comfortable it is and how effective the frame is at distributing the weight. i've tried out several other 'sleeker' looking bags but keep coming back to it. i don't love the laptop/organizer pocket being in the front because the weight is away from your body, and you definitely can't get anything larger than a 13" laptop in there. the load lifters do help to keep the weight close to you though. the bag also suffers from osprey's most annoying flaws: unstretchy water bottle pockets and compression straps that go right over them, but that's the case on all their bags.

that said, i haven't found anything better yet.

also worth noting that the compression straps extend from a fabric lip that covers the zippers when clipped shut, which means you don't need the obvious lock on your bag if you're not leaving it anywhere unattended, but just trying to deter the opportunistic. it's a pain when you want to get in there quickly.

as others have mentioned, the 55 is too big to carry on. i used only the 40 ( in the s/m size, so 38L) for a 1 month summer trip and had probably 1/3rd of the bag still free. i think you will be ok with just the 40 and careful packing (though of course everyone has their own needs), but if you need more space I would say get a little backpack with a good grab handle or a shoulder bag you can use as your day bag. i brought a packable 12L purse with and that worked great as my daypack and also for keeping all my essentials on the front of my body while on travel days.

honestly you probably don't want to be carrying the 55+15 on your back simultaneously...have you seen pics of this beast fully loaded? personally i wouldn't bet my balance against it, and i definitely wouldn't want to run to catch a train with it on!

NB: i think you are female from your name, so just want to add that if you are under 5'4" or have a short torso, the s/m of this is definitely your bag. I tried...uh...6 others for comfort before deciding on it, and 4 since then, and nothing else is as comfortable.

edit: just deleted another comment i left below which was lacking context, as it was a response to another person's moderately snarky comment :-)

Someone on Amazon listed how the Osprey Porter Travel Backpack Bag (46 Liter) fits on all airlines.

Since you only want to hear about those bags, the 70 is too big and the 55 is also probably too big for carry on. The 40 may be too small for you. You could probably be fine with a 45 L bag but since it's not made in this model you will have to decide.

you definitely won't be able to carry on 70L, and it may be very expensive to try to - ryanair for example, will ding you at the gate if your bag is too big (something like $75?)

i think you can either use a 40L bag or resign yourself to checking/add'l bag fees.

if you're in the US you should be able to order/buy one and try test packing it at home once you've got your packing list sorted, and decide from there if you need more space. it really is more space than you think, but that's the only way to be sure.

also once you've packed up your 40L, try taking a walk around or going up a few flights of stairs and then consider if you want to carry more than that. sarah murdoch's packing video changed my life - now i weigh everything i bring with on a kitchen scale, makes a huge difference.

I'm a 26 year old, 5'7" female (you don't need to know my weight...) with an Osprey Farpoint 40 M/L and I love it. I've had the RS convertible carry on for a six week trip and sorry Rick, but that was not a pleasant or comfortable experience... Other people swear by that RS bag and if it works for them; lovely. I on the other hand, ADORE the real padded shoulder straps and padded hip belts on the Osprey Farpoint bags. They really make the world of difference. The light wire frame is on point with load distribution and the load lifters are excellent. 40L is enough space for a 2 month trip, no worries. Just be prepared to do laundry as needed. Consider packing cubes to save space/compress your clothes. Osprey bags are pricey so there is that to consider, but if you're already decided then to me, the Farpoint 40 is how a carry on sized, front loading backpack is done!

Yes there a few negatives about the bag, i.e. the not so stretchy front mesh holders, etc. that a few other people have mentioned. That's just another reason to go see the bag in person and get a feel for it. I personally will trade a poorly designed water bottle holder for the excellent light wire frame/padded hip belts.

The 55 and 70 are too big to carry on. Like, way too big. Because of the light wire frames, you can't bend the bags to be smaller and scrunch them to fit an overhead airline bin. The 50 and 70L are just too big for carry on. Do you live near an REI store? Not telling you to buy it there necessarily but what you should do is go to an REI and test the bags you're considering. They also have weights to add to the bags to simulate what it'll feel like schlepping all your stuff around on your back. (They can also help with tips on how to pack the bag in terms of where to place your heaviest items within the bag, etc.)

I suggest going to the store, trying on each weighted bag you're considering, and walking around the store/up and down their stairs so you get an idea. Maybe it's just me but I could never buy a bag or piece of luggage without holding it in my hands and seeing it in person. Good luck with your search/purchase!

I agree with Frank II - the Farpoint 70 is going to be too large for carry-on even at 55L, especially if you'll be using any European airlines during your trip. If you're set on that particular pack, I wouldn't be too concerned about checking one bag. I do that on every trip and it's never been a problem.

Whether it will have enough space is something you could determine by gathering all the kit you plan to take and doing a test packing. After that do a walkabout in your home area for an hour or so to see how the pack feels when it's fully loaded. The general principle with many here is that they pack the same for two weeks as for two months.

Having you considered leaving the Daypack attached while travelling, but with nothing inside. That way you'd have something to use for day touring and also a convenient accessory for bringing back souvenirs.

"Also I'm going for 2-3 months"

Be sure that you don't exceed 90 days in the Schengen area, as there can be severe penalties (financial and other).

Frank II, your response makes me curious. If, hypothetically, the OP (or, hypothetically, others watching this thread), were interested in something besides the Osprey Farpoint, what would you recommend in the 45L size?

No, not in a million years will you be able to take the Farpoint 70/55 on any plane as a carry-on. Buy the Farpoint 40 and you'll have no problems, unless you 'pack it to the gills' and exceed the weight limit, and are unlucky enough for the airline staff to single you out and weigh your luggage. I've got a Farpoint 80 here at home gathering dust, used it once, then brought a Porter 45 used that a fair bit, still do. Then I drought a Farpoint 40 (great bag, especially if you are going to lug it around on your back for a far distance) it is very comfortable, with a great internal frame and good hip belt. I'm packing lighter still these days and have just taken delivery of a Tom Bihn Aeronaut 30 for an upcoming trip to Europe (28 days). It's more now a case of not how much you pack, it's what you pack, and what you actually need.