Atom Packs Mo 50 £250

Lightweight, versatile, practical, hard as nails, customisable Relatively simple back system, not cheap

The lightest pack here, the Mo 50 is over 1.5kg lighter than the Osprey Ariel Plus 60. It’s an innovative design from Atom Packs, which turns out fully customisable packs from its Lake District workshop – allowing you to select your preferred back length, hipbelt size, materials, number of pockets and even colours.

The Mo is rugged enough to take extended trail abuse, with burly side pockets that won’t snag on tree branches. There’s also a tough stretch front pocket that will take a set of waterproofs, so this pack carries more than its nominal 50 litres. The lidless roll-top design gives you a roomy main compartment, which can be fastened drybag-style or cinched down via side compression straps. Other features include a handy stretch shoulder pocket for a phone or GPS unit and a top Y-strap for stowing a sleeping mat or tent.

The harness and back system balance low weight with comfort and stability, consisting of a plastic frame sheet stiffened with a single central removable alloy stay, overlaid with closed cell foam. The harness has padded, contoured shoulder straps with load-lifters, plus a supportive hipbelt, with optional zipped pockets and four-way adjustment.

■ Weight 0.85kg ■ Sizes S-XL torso, XS-XL hipbelt ■ Main fabric 210D Robic Extreema (or VX07 or VX21 XPAC) ■ Pockets Up to 7 ■ Raincover No ■ Women’s version No

Verdict

A great lightweight choice, offering far more than most ultralight rivals for practicality and durability.