OSPREY ATMOS 50 / AURA 50
Its AntiGravity back system makes big promises, but does it translate for weightless backpacking out on the hill?
■ Capacity 50ltr
■ Men’s Two back sizes
■ Women’s Aura 50, two back sizes
■ Weight 2057g (inc. 111g raincover)
■ Best price found £136 IT'S GOOD
I never realised how long I had suffered with ill-fitting packs until I put on the Atmos. It felt like relaxing into a favourite armchair, thanks to its trampoline mesh-style design holding the pack away from the body and making it extremely comfortable. In addition, as it comes in two back lengths with additional back length adjustment I was able to adjust it to fit my 6ft 4in frame and long back properly, unlike shorter, single-sized packs. The AntiGravity back system makes heavy loads feel almost weightless and I never tired of carrying it, which seems strange when this is the heaviest pack on test. It will carry 50 litres of kit, not relying on expansion or external pockets to make up the capacity, and I loved the huge front mesh pocket, which was big enough to stuff in a jacket and water bottle for easy access. This pack passes with full marks for comfort, fit and ventilation. Superb.
HOWEVER
My first impressions were that there were just too many straps everywhere and some are so long that they dangle annoyingly. However, once I got to know it, I did overcome this impression and grew to love it. The one niggle that remained was the lid. I felt that a traditional large fixed lid on the pack would have been better for British hillwalking, rather than the overcomplicated combination of a large floating removable lid, plus an additional smaller Flap Jacket lid that is there to cover the main compartment if you remove the main lid. Also, I had to adjust and tighten the straps on the floating lid throughout walks to keep it fitting perfectly. It was just an unnecessarily messy design. This is the priciest and heaviest pack on test – so you really need to decide if it’s worth £170 to you.
VERDICT
We all agreed the Atmos 50 is the perfect pack for multi-day trips, thanks to its comfort, adjustability and capacity, while its awesome airflow across the back means you’ll only sweat when handing over the £170 asking price.