Osprey x Carryology Archeon ‘Fūjin’ | Exclusive Release

The Osprey x Carryology Archeon ‘Fūjin’ collection takes flight. Harnessing the power of the cutting-edge in ultralight textiles, paired with Osprey’s leading harness technology, this pack and pouch pairing soars effortlessly from EDC to travel and outdoor adventures.

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Outdoor Industry Leader

Few brands in the outdoor industry have shaped the way we carry our gear quite like Osprey. Founded in 1974 by Mike Pfotenhauer in California, the company began as a humble custom pack workshop where every stitch was done by hand. From the very beginning, Osprey’s focus was clear: build packs that last, perform under pressure, and fit like a second skin. That obsession with fit and function quickly earned the brand a cult following among thru-hikers, climbers, and travelers who demanded gear that could keep up with their ambitions. Over the decades, Osprey has continued to lead with real innovation, reimagining harness technologies and modularity, over and over again.

What sets Osprey apart isn’t just technical excellence—it’s their relentless drive to evolve. From introducing the game-changing Anti-Gravity™ suspension system to pioneering sustainable materials in their packs, the brand has remained at the cutting edge without losing touch with its roots. Whether it’s a trusted hiking pack, a travel backpack, or a mountaineering hauler, Osprey gear is known to last through years of heavy use and harsh conditions. It’s no surprise that they’ve won countless industry awards and remain a staple on trails and tarmacs around the globe.

It’s that legacy—that iconic pedigree—that made Osprey a brand we’d long dreamed of collaborating with. And now, after many many months of behind-the-scenes work, we finally get to pull back the curtain on what we’ve been building together.

Carry Award Winner

In early 2024, the team at Osprey invited us in for an early look at a project they’d been quietly developing: the Archeon family. We were sent pre-production units of this everyday carry–meets–travel adventure pack collection—and right away, we knew it was something special.

Osprey admitted the design brief was crafted specifically with the Carryology audience in mind—discerning, detail-driven, and gear-savvy. They even developed a new fabric just for Archeon: a bluesign® APPROVED, 100% recycled 420D Robic nylon with ripstop, treated with a PFAS-free NanoTough DWR. Yes, that’s a mouthful—but the performance speaks for itself. The fabric was so tough, the abrasion testers had to be shut off. It simply wouldn’t fail.

Design-wise, Archeon nails it: modular features, sharp lines, and a clean silhouette ready for anything—from city commutes to far-flung adventures.

Fast forward: we loved it so much, it took home 1st place in the 2024 Carry Awards for Best Carry-On Backpack. The Archeon was a clear standout—and an obvious choice for a collaboration.

The Perfect Pairing

First, we had to choose the right pieces from the Archeon lineup—the ones that truly spoke to us and our community. With seven form factors on the table, it wasn’t easy. But in the end, consensus landed on the Archeon 30.

Compact enough for larger everyday carry and ideal for those who live by the “1.5-bag travel” philosophy.

And for true 1.5-bag versatility, our collab needed the perfect sidekick. Something modular, adaptable, and light. We put all four Archeon accessories through their paces, and one emerged as the clear MVP: the Pouch.

Three ways to carry—sling it crossbody, strap it to the pack’s exterior, or mount it inside as a sleek tech organizer. Use it solo. Pair it with the 30. Strip it down or stack it up.

Maximum options. Minimal compromise.

OSPREY X CARRYOLOGY ARCHEON POUCH/ $100

OSPREY X CARRYOLOGY ARCHEON 30/ $500

The Textile (Disrupting the Industry)

Now… the fabric. Osprey’s custom 100% recycled 420D Robic nylon with NanoTough™ coating wasn’t just good—it was a fortress. The kind that shrugged off abrasion testing like it was nothing. Osprey even had to turn off the Taber abrasion-resistance testing machine after the fabric failed to… well, fail. Upgrading this stuff would be a challenge.

Rewind a couple of years: Mike and I (Taylor) were at the ISPO Outdoor Gear Show in Munich. For three straight days, every designer, brand rep, and gear geek we bumped into kept telling us—no, insisting—we check out this one revolutionary textile brand hidden somewhere in the labyrinth of halls. Same name, again and again: ALUULA. Apparently, they were doing something truly groundbreaking—something beginning to disrupt the industry.

ALUULA: The Material Born to Harness the Wind

It started with kiteboarding.

In 2019, a small Canadian team set out to revolutionize performance kites—where every gram counts and failure isn’t an option. The goal? Build a kite frame that was lighter, stiffer, and far stronger than anything before it. The result was ALUULA: a next-gen composite that instantly cut airframe weight in half, doubled stiffness, and made possible the first-ever “double megaloop” in kiteboarding history.

Now, that same material is quietly shaking up technical carry.

So What Is ALUULA—and Why Are We This Obsessed?

First off, let’s demystify the name. ALUULA might sound like a made-up word from a sci-fi novel, but it’s real—and serious. Built on the same core fiber as Dyneema, Challenge Ultra, and Spectra—UHMWPE, or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene—ALUULA takes a radically different approach.

Where others use lamination (think: glue and heat) to bind layers together, ALUULA skips the glue entirely. Instead, it uses a proprietary fusion process to bond layers at the molecular level. The result? A single unified material that’s lighter, stronger, recycle-ready, and one that won’t delaminate when subjected to UV or rapid variations in temperature.

But the benefits don’t stop there:

• Lighter weight: ALUULA Durlyte clocks in at 115-220 g/m², outperforming similar-weight fabrics in both tensile strength and abrasion resistance.
  
• Stronger bond: With no adhesive failure point, durability jumps way up—field tests show ALUULA holding strong where others split or fray.
  
• Stitchless construction: Because it’s a mono-material, it can fuse to itself, enabling waterproof, seam-free builds using heat and pressure instead of thread and needle.
  
• Recyclability: Being a monomaterial which is 100% PE-based with a UHMWPE core, it’s recyclable—unlike most multi-layer laminates glued from mixed polymers.

The Bottom Line

ALUULA isn’t just another entry in the UHMWPE arms race. It’s a rethink. A composite that fuses rather than glues, stays strong under pressure, and opens new possibilities for how we build the next generation of packs, outerwear, and technical gear.

After poring over performance specs and putting three ALUULA fabrics through hands-on testing, we landed on: ALUULA Durlyte HV‑175. An incredibly tough film molecularly bonded to our ultra-strong ALUULA Core™, Durlyte features abrasion resistance, low friction, and toughness.

Only one question remained:
Does it come in black?
…And maybe white too?

Organization, Upgraded

The layout of the Archeon 30 just made sense. Two side pockets for smaller essentials, a soft-lined quick-access pocket up top to protect your phone or sunglasses, a spacious main compartment with built-in organization, and a dedicated laptop sleeve around back. It was already dialed—but we added a few refined tweaks with the Carryology crowd in mind.

First up: symmetry. We mirrored the layout of the side pockets, so each one now fits a tech pouch (like the Archeon Pouch), a large water bottle thanks to the internal stretch mesh sleeve, or loose items kept in check via a zippered mesh organizer on the inside front wall. Tucked at the top of both pockets? A hidden zipper that opens directly into the main compartment for quick access—arguably one of the smartest upgrades. We also added a key leash to the left pocket, because… key carry needs some thought too, ya know? 

Inside the main compartment, the updates continue. On the rear wall, you’ll find two small stash pockets with Velcro flap closures, plus a large zippered mesh pocket below for bigger items you want locked down and visible. On the left interior, two horizontal webbing straps with adjustable hardware let you secure a tripod, umbrella, or even mount the Archeon Pouch as a modular sidekick.

Form meets function—without overcomplicating the formula.

Suspension (Let’s float!) 

There are a dozen things the world loves about Osprey packs. But if you asked any one of us to name our absolute favorite? The answer would be unanimous: suspension. No hesitation. No contest. With their decades of experience, their load carriage innovations are world-leading. 

And one of the best things about a collaboration like this is that it gives us the chance to spotlight and celebrate what makes a brand truly great. The in-line Archeon was already a top-tier performer—it even snagged a Carry Award for Best Carry-On Backpack. But for a concept-level collab built with ALUULA fabrics, we wanted to take things even further.

We found a way to integrate their award-winning AirSpeed suspension system—famous for its all-day comfort and breathability—into the Archeon collab. The result? One of the most comfortable packs we’ve ever tested. 

Now, you’ve got an Archeon with elevated comfort for everyday use, air travel, and full-on outdoor adventures. And yes, it comes with a removable webbing hipbelt, naturally.

Suspension: leveled up.

The Pig Snout

Here’s one small—but deliberate—addition we made to the collab: a Hypalon lash point on the front exterior. In the industry, it’s affectionately known as a “pig snout.”

It’s subtle, but meaningful. A visual nod that sets this apart from the standard Archeon lineup—and a respectful tip of the hat to the designers who helped shape the golden era of outdoor gear in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Back then, lash points like these were everywhere. Today, you mostly see them on “heritage” packs, more for vibe than function.

But make no mistake—this one works. Clip in a carabiner, lash a layer, or rig some extra accessories for your next adventure. We kept the spirit but modernized the execution: Hypalon, stitched directly into the ALUULA shell. A detail from the past, built with materials from the future.

Small? Sure. But totally worth it.

The Codename: Fūjin

Inspired by kitesurfing innovation, ALUULA is an ultralight marvel—engineered to harness the wind. So when it came time to name this pack, we looked to mythology and “Fūjin”, the legendary Wind God of Japanese folklore. He carried an enchanted bag of wind—capable of unleashing violent storms or gentle breezes. A force of nature, balanced between chaos and calm.

It felt like the perfect codename for this project. A backpack built from wind-born materials, embodying the same duality: force and finesse. 

Bringing Fūjin to Life

Born and raised in a small fishing village in Toyama, Japan, Kentaro Yoshida moved to Australia at 18 hunting sunshine, surf, and creative freedom. Now based in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, he’s the kind of artist who fluidly shifts between digital and paint—working in murals, canvas, and digital art. 

His art blends bold, expressive line work with soft, pastel-hued palettes, often laced with a wry humor and a cast of playful characters. That distinctive style—equal parts manga, psychedelia, and coastal daydream—has made him a sought-after collaborator across the worlds of fashion, music, and design.

Kentaro’s portfolio includes everything from large-scale public murals to album artwork, surfboard graphics, and international campaigns. His hand has touched projects for Dr. Martens, Billy Strings, Audio-Technica, Billabong, New Era Japan, BMW, and Blink-182, among others. Notably, he was commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2019 to create a mural for the Japan Supernatural exhibition, bringing traditional mythology into the contemporary realm with a signature dose of whimsy. 

And when he plied his hand to Fūjin, we knew the results would be astounding – a floating Fūjin, coasting on a cloud of wind. 

Each backpack includes a 4”x2.5” embroidered Velcro morale patch with an astounding level of detail, 29,658 individual stitches.

Wind Camo

To bring our Fūjin-inspired concept full circle, we needed a liner that carried both story and soul. We turned to ancient Japanese geometric motifs—and from that, crafted our very own custom “wind camo”: a flowing dotted wave pattern that moves across the interior like a zephyr captured in textile.

The entire interior is lined with this bespoke print. And for a subtle design flourish, we scaled it up and tucked it behind the breathable mesh of the trampoline suspension. It ties in beautifully with the airflow story—and let’s be honest, it looks incredible.

Fujin carried a bag of wind.
Now, so do you.

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