User Review: Osprey Atmos 50

Osprey Atmos 50
Above: The current Atmos 50, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed March 17, 2007 by djdan3@gmail.com

Rating:
Design: Mesh back panel, top-loading ultralight
Size: 3000
Number of Pockets: 8
Max. Load Carried: 28lbs
Height of Owner: 5'8"

This is a great lightweight backpack with an excellent suspension system. The mesh paneling (think Aeron chairs) and stabilization system combine to give you cushioned, form fitting pack that distributes weight properly onto your body. Fully packed , 28lb, it feels wonderfully lightweight, cool, and comfortable on your back.

One problem with the suspension system is that it is curved, and partially arcs into the main compartment of the bag. This makes the pack difficult to load. Packing the bag from the outside in can help in certain cases. Currently, packing the bag is no longer an issue; it took a couple multi-day backpacking trips to find the best way to pack my stuff.

The interior pocket for the water bladder is also pretty much useless because of the curvature of the the suspension system. It is much better to hang your water bladder in the meshed pocket directly behind your back. This is advantageous because the water provides additional cooling on your back during warm-weather hikes.

This pack easily holds around 28lbs of your stuff without any sweat. If you load more than 28lbs, the pack does not perform well and the shoulder straps will cut into your shoulders.

The two front outerpockets can both easily hold a Jetboil PCS, or Nalgene bottle. The two side pockets do not hold much and can be extremely difficult to use when the pack is fully loaded. The mesh pockets on the hip belt are great for holding a pocket sized (Canon Elph) camera.

Despite these minor shortcomings, this pack is a keeper. I would not even consider another pack unless it had a mesh back panel system similar to Osprey's.