Atompacks - maybe a great pack?

Gear
#1

For the past year, I’ve been using an Osprey Exos 48 and it just never felt right for me. It’s a lightweight pack but it has a pretty hefty frame which holds the mesh on the back. For some reason, the bottom of the frame just really irritates my back, and putting the hip bet on seems to make it worse. I have a long-standing hip injury and I suspect that it’s somehow irritating the injured area. I’ve tried to adjust it in a million different ways, changed the order in which I pack my gear, kept my gear weight fairly low and it just stayed bad :grimacing:. I’ve decided to move on.

Being from the UK, we don’t have much access to many of the lightweight backpack brands in the US. There is, however, a small manufacturer here in the UK that has caught my eye. I’ve been researching the Atom+ and judging by some reviews on youtube, it seems like it could be a great option. Has anyone used their packs before?

#2

@oz I have an Atom+ if you’d like we could meet up and you could check it out in person!

The owner of Atom packs (Tom) is very responsive, he’ll happy answer any question you have via email and customise any aspect of the pack, normally for a small charge.

They’re really well made packs and look the business. A couple of points worth noting; the way capacity is measured includes the side pockets, I believe a 40 liter pack actually has a 35 liter main compartment but worth double checking. I found it a tight squeeze to get all my gear in - it might be worth borrowing my pack to see if your gear will fit. Personally I found the shoulder straps cut into my neck a little when the pack is heavily loaded, but haven’t heard anyone else with that complaint.

My absolute favourite pack is the Waymark Thru but coming from the US the import duties are no joke.

#3

I believe a 40 liter pack actually has a 35 liter main compartment but worth double checking

Yeah, that’s what it suggests on the website (and judging by what others have said). It seems like it’s also possible to get a slightly stretchier pocket fabric which adds another 4 litres (supposedly). I thought it’d be quite roomy so it’s that’s interesting that you found it a tight squeeze… given that I’ll need to store quite a lot of food in mine, I should probably think about it a bit more.

Do you have a picture of you wearing it? Would be good to see it for scale.

I have an Atom+ if you’d like we could meet up and you could check it out in person!

This would be great!

#4

Hey oz and nick, I’m a big Gregory fan so I use the Zulu 40 for thruhike’s. Kind of forces you to pack small and light and it’s very comfortable.

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