ub Outdoors

November 6, 2009 in Camping & Backpacking, Featured by Carl H. Martens

Back in October we hiked roughly 40 miles of the Appalachian Trail over a three day period.  We started our hike at the approach trail at Amicalola State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia and ended at Woody Gap.  Prior to this trip I had contacted Osprey Packs and asked if they would provide us with a pack for our trip, they kindly agreed to and sent the Osprey Atmost 50 backpack. 

The Atmos 50 is a superb ventilated backpack providing lots of storage and compartments.  It uses a 210D Twill Velocity Cordura and 160 x 210 Window Ripstop fabric.  It is a top loader featuring vertical pockets, a front pocket, tool attachment straps, sleeping pad straps, hydration port, side compression, side pockets, hipbelt pockets, backpanel, and a harness/hipbelt.

Osprey never ceases to amaze me with the magnificent fit of their packs and the Atmos 50 was no different.  The AirSpeed Suspension with Lightwire alloy frame and 3D tensioned breathable mesh backpanel with side ventilation provided not only a strong support for the load I carried, but it kept my back cool and dry as well.

What I liked most about this pack was the number of compartments that it had and the ideal placement of each.  For instance, the zippered side pockets were ideal for items that I would be using frequently; stove, water purifier, cookware, that day’s food, Nalgene bottle, and other items.  These pockets are quite deceiving as you can pack quite a lot of gear into them.  In between the side pockets is the adjustable stretch woven front pocket.  The front pocket stretches and expands substantially and on our first day I stored my tent here because it was raining so I wanted the tent to be readily accessible that evening.  I should mention, having the tent stored here did create a noticeable “pull” on my back and probably was not the ideal place…it probably would have made better sense to use the pack’s side straps.  The rest of the trip was dry however and so I stored the tent inside at the base of the pack.  The front pocket is best used for lightweight items as it is at the pack’s furthest point from the user’s back.

The sleeping pad straps are actually at the base of the pack, however I used the side straps to store my pad in order for my raincover to fit more securely.  There are also loops and straps for telescoping poles and the hipbelt features large zippered mesh pockets, a great place for your compass, map, and nutritional bars.

The pack does feature a hydration port which is large enough to fit the largest of bladders.  I opted to not use this feature and used my Nalgene bottle instead…reason mainly being because my Katadyn Vario water filter is made to specifically fit the top of a Nalgene bottle.  Filling a bladder with the Vario is possible, but I like the ability to lock the Vario to the top of a Nalgene bottle when filtering water.

If you are looking for a pack that provides sturdy support and many compartments, look no further!  You will be very pleased with the Osprey Atmos 50.

Below is a video on Osprey’s Atmos and Aura packs presented by Nolan Davis of Outdoor Sports Marketing; Ospreys salesreps in the Southeast.

Below is a video presented by Tom, Sales Manager for Osprey Europe. The video was taken while on a pack testing trip in the canyons of Utah. Tom walks you through some of the packs features.