Date: 2016-11-22
To: Gear Review: Osprey Atmos AG (pack)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

OSPREY ATMOS 65L/50L AG Gear Review!Weight (Atmos 65L, small): 70.2oz (4.39lbs) Weight (Atmos 50L, small): 65.9oz (4.12lbs)I carried the 65-liter size of the Osprey Atmos from Georgia to Connecticut. I changed from the 65L to the 50-liter size at that point because my 65L was too large for me and my gear was sliding around in the extra volume. I wasn't using the vertical front pockets or a lot of the top space in the pack itself. To be totally honest, I had shed enough gear and learned to pack so densely that I didn't even need fifty liters, but I was nervous (AS USUAL) that I would need the extra volume in an emergency. GIANT overfilled 65L pack on my first day in GA!VERY reasonable 50L pack on my final day in MaineI've been doing pro and con lists for each item so far but I want to say something very important before I start the more 'technical' portion of this entry: packs are incredibly, INCREDIBLY personal items of gear.. Your pack is the #1 thing, other than possibly shoes, that will affect how you feel almost every moment of the day. Your pack should be comfortable, durable, appropriately sized, a reasonable weight, and make carrying it as easy as possible. You'll be shoving 20% of your body weight into a sack on your back and carrying it up and down mountains for many months... it's never going to be easy but the right pack can make it more bearable. I chose to carry the Osprey Atmos - a men's style pack - because after trying on many styles and sizes it was the one that fit me best and felt the "lightest" when weighted with sand bags in REI. The weight should carry mostly your hips (I liked about 90% on my hips, 10% on my shoulders) and you should be able to twist and move with it on without it sliding around or pinching you anywhere. Also, of course, you need to be able to fit ALL of your gear in the pack, not strapped to the outside. Trust me, it seems like a good idea to clip stuff on the outside but when it rains heavily or is extremely windy or you are going through Mahoosuc Notch, I wanted everything INSIDE that pack, safe and dry and contained.I took great pride in being able to pack so densely that my pack was small and contained. All of my gear is in there!!Pros:-Durable. Osprey knows how to make packs. They are the most popular type of pack on the trail by FAR and it's for good reason - they stand up to everything the trail throws at you. My original 65L looks almost new (after I washed it...) and I carried it for 3.5 months straight. The ONLY thing that was damaged was one mesh side pocket after I fell against a tree and got it caught on a branch. My 50L that I carried through CT, MA, VT, NH, and ME is in perfect condition. I treated my packs very well and was careful (as I was with all my gear) but I never heard a bad word about the durability of the Osprey Atmos/Aura line.-Adjustable. Lots of straps and clips on these packs. The height (the length between your hips and shoulders) is adjustable within reason, so if you are between standard sizes you can make it a Tall-Small or a Short-Medium, or whatever. I liked this feature a lot because I needed a small hipbelt but closer to a medium height, so I could adjust the Small to have a longer backplate. The top pouch, or 'brain', of the pack is also removable and there is a flap underneath that you can use as the top. Both options can clip into adjustable straps and are convenient for cinching down the pack to be more dense. I sent my 'brain' home while carrying both packs to lose weight and because I was barely using it. If you look again at the pictures above you can see the brain still on my green Atmos 65L and gone from my orange Atmos 50L.-Top and bottom loading options. The Atmos packs (and Aura line, the ladies' version) are top-loading, meaning that they have a drawstring at the top, under the brain/top flap, which opens to allow access to the entire pack all at once. They also have a SUPER convenient zipper flap on the bottom that you can open and access the bottom of the pack. I loved this because I could open it to pull out a heavy thing that I might need unexpectedly, like my food bag, without needing to empty the entire pack to get to the bottom. -The "AG" thing. The newer Atmos models sport "Anti-Gravity" back support. It's basically a heavy duty mesh that sits against your back while a neat engineering feature holds the actual pack an inch or two away from your body. This allows air to flow between you and your pack and really cuts down on sweating and chafing. I thought at first that the "AG" was a stupid gimmick, but it was the most comfortable feature of any pack that I've ever carried.The AG part is the gray mesh along the center. There's a gap between the mesh and the pack and it's AWESOMECons:-Expensive. This is not a cheap pack. I don't think mine will ever wear out if I continue to treat it properly but hey, quality is expensive. -Not ultralight. I'm not a very muscular human being or one with good cushion-y fat deposits. I was very worried that my pack would be uncomfortable and chafe in all kinds of places, so I chose to get one that has a good amount of padding. I tried to make myself fall in love with the Osprey Exos 58, which is a very light pack for the size because it has minimal padding, but it was SO uncomfortable on my shoulders and hips that I knew I would hate hiking with it. Like I said, packs are super personal items, and they NEED to be comfortable for you. Ultralight just wasn't in the cards for me.Do I recommend this gear? Yes, based on durability and convenience. As far as fit and comfort, I'll just say that I saw three people switch to Osprey Atmos/Aura packs from other brands during my hike and I don't think I'll ever buy a non-Osprey pack again. I also recommend that you try to buy the smallest volume pack possible for your gear - don't buy a larger pack just because you are nervous about 'emergencies' - it makes no sense and it was wrong for me to get a 65L at the beginning for basically no reason. Also - practice packing!! You'll be doing it at least once per day and probably more than once, so get good before you leave and have a consistent method of packing so that you always know where everything is and can reach it without fussing around, even in the dark or bad weather.Any questions!? Think I should add more info somewhere? Feel free to email me at elleoutdoors@gmail.com!Disclaimer: I did a LOT of research before starting my thru-hike but my Gear Review series is about my personal experiences with my choices of gear and everything might not be true for everyone! Decide carefully, my hiker friends, and get things that work for you