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  1. #1

    Default Backpack bigger than Osprey Atmos 65 but similar?

    Hi

    I have an Osprey Atmos 65 backpack.
    https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/revie...ey-atmos-65-ag

    Its great and it has a unique suspension system to distribute the weight.

    But @ 65L its always too tight to pack everything. Past 2 nights its just not big enough and def not big enough for international travel and hikes.

    Id like a roomier pack that is similar. Would love suggestions!

  2. #2
    Registered User jigsaw's Avatar
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    10-15-2002
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    lee ma.
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    its the pack i had the atmos 50 and that thing sucked to pack. the way the frame bends in
    i got rid of it and switched to a ula circuit and love it.i do miss the back mesh panel of the atmos
    but thats what made it hard to pack

  3. #3
    Registered User
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    09-14-2015
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    Fort Wayne, Indiana
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    As you shop remember that sometimes the "65" model or whatever model does not always hold the full 65 liters if you are buy a "small" size. Look at the specs, not the model number.

  4. #4
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
    Join Date
    12-13-2004
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    2,661

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    I agree with Jigsaw - the "trampoline" style pack suspensions are great for comfort, lousy for packing. The ULA Catalyst has tons of usable space. The Gregory Zulu 65 is like the Osprey pack, but probably has the same packability issues.

  5. #5

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    For the pack, I suppose the natural step up would be the next largest model from Osprey or Gregory(who now have some useful things Osprey has done away with) that has the same or similar features that you want.

    If you're getting out often, or hoping to, I'd consider going another direction, and putting that money toward replacing some of the bulky gear that has you needing a 60L pack for 2 nights to begin with, and paring down the remaining stuff.

    Been there, as a lot of us "older" guys have...carrying heavy, oversized packs with lots of mostly useless crap for even 1-2 nights. That's hardly the key to a comfortable backpacking experience, though!

    Been using Ospreys with suspended mesh back panels for 11 or 12yrs, and can only concur with packability problems if trying to use a hydration bladder.
    I'm now getting 7 days/6 nights from an Exos 38, and have used it for 4 days/3 nights with a BV450 bear canister. That's with gear for dealing with low temps in the teens(ok, around freezing for anyone who isn't a human blast furnace) and nothing attached to the outside of the packbag.
    The trampoline back doesn't seem like much of an issue to me...

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by OwenM View Post
    If you're getting out often, or hoping to, I'd consider going another direction, and putting that money toward replacing some of the bulky gear that has you needing a 60L pack for 2 nights to begin with, and paring down the remaining stuff.
    Been there, as a lot of us "older" guys have...carrying heavy, oversized packs with lots of mostly useless crap for even 1-2 nights. That's hardly the key to a comfortable backpacking experience, though!
    Some years ago, I had to replace my 60 liter pack mid-trip because of a failure and ended up with a 75 liter pack. The extra space made it easy to get into bad habits.

    I'm now back down to 55 liters, but need a better quality 30-35 degree sleeping bag to get my setup truly right.

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OwenM View Post
    For the pack, I suppose the natural step up would be the next largest model from Osprey or Gregory(who now have some useful things Osprey has done away with) that has the same or similar features that you want.

    If you're getting out often, or hoping to, I'd consider going another direction, and putting that money toward replacing some of the bulky gear that has you needing a 60L pack for 2 nights to begin with, and paring down the remaining stuff.

    Been there, as a lot of us "older" guys have...carrying heavy, oversized packs with lots of mostly useless crap for even 1-2 nights. That's hardly the key to a comfortable backpacking experience, though!

    Been using Ospreys with suspended mesh back panels for 11 or 12yrs, and can only concur with packability problems if trying to use a hydration bladder.
    I'm now getting 7 days/6 nights from an Exos 38, and have used it for 4 days/3 nights with a BV450 bear canister. That's with gear for dealing with low temps in the teens(ok, around freezing for anyone who isn't a human blast furnace) and nothing attached to the outside of the packbag.
    The trampoline back doesn't seem like much of an issue to me...
    This ^!

    Backpacking tends to be an evolutionary endeavor to increase gear effectiveness and reduce weight. Having been in the "out of space" position more than a few times over the years I have learned before discarding a pack that fits and travels very comfortably, I will spend some serious time going over my gear. Spreading out one's gear to look at it in entirety does not happen often and engaging in the sorting process is a bit of a chore. However unless one does this periodically the accumulation of stuff can be quite surprising. Using a simple sorting scale of "When was the last time I used/needed/wanted this item" with each bit of gear, regardless of size and weight, one can probably find more room.

    For example: I used to pack a wind breaker and a rain jacket which takes up space and adds a bit of weight. I found a good, ultra light rain jacket that doubled as a good wind jacket, eliminating the singular use garments and their related stuff sacks.

    My tent at the time was fairly bulky by today's standards but at the time of purchase was one of the better/lighter available. The tent was about a decade old and was at the point micro holes required constant attention. With the age/condition of the tent and advances in tents reducing both size and weight, it was a good time to replace the tent. The additional space this created in the pack just doing this alone was worth the effort and cost.

    I was surprised by the number of stuff sacks I was using to hold a variety of small to medium sized things I wasn't using much if at all. Stuff sacks typically do not necessarily fit closely with other pack items, allowing unused void space in packs, so I dumped them out to find all sorts of things I hadn't used in years but faithfully carried with me. I reduced my stuff sack use to that opened up some useful space.
    Small stuff seems to grow unchecked - I found a slew of items I had forgotten about, 2-folding knives, Leatherman tool, large screwdriver, several spoons, spare grommets and a grommet tool (vestige of the old canvas and wood frame pack days), a first-aid kit in a small box that had never been opened, a variety of small fire starting tools and other brick-a-brac hikers tend to collect along the way and over the years on the trail or impulse purchase items from stores. These all sound very small and they are, but each one takes up some room, adds some weight, but provide little to no value (in my experience) except to hide in plain sight. Removing this stuff and their stuff sacks dropped weight by a good half pound or more and increased storage space.

    Between gear reduction, replacement of a few things, and packing technique improvements, I found my trusty pack was able to easily manage the contents and saved me from having to upsize.
    Last edited by Traveler; 08-07-2022 at 08:09.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Traveler View Post
    This ^!

    Backpacking tends to be an evolutionary endeavor to increase gear effectiveness and reduce weight. Having been in the "out of space" position more than a few times over the years I have learned before discarding a pack that fits and travels very comfortably, I will spend some serious time going over my gear. Spreading out one's gear to look at it in entirety does not happen often and engaging in the sorting process is a bit of a chore. However unless one does this periodically the accumulation of stuff can be quite surprising. Using a simple sorting scale of "When was the last time I used/needed/wanted this item" with each bit of gear, regardless of size and weight, one can probably find more room.

    For example: I used to pack a wind breaker and a rain jacket which takes up space and adds a bit of weight. I found a good, ultra light rain jacket that doubled as a good wind jacket, eliminating the singular use garments and their related stuff sacks.

    My tent at the time was fairly bulky by today's standards but at the time of purchase was one of the better/lighter available. The tent was about a decade old and was at the point micro holes required constant attention. With the age/condition of the tent and advances in tents reducing both size and weight, it was a good time to replace the tent. The additional space this created in the pack just doing this alone was worth the effort and cost.

    I was surprised by the number of stuff sacks I was using to hold a variety of small to medium sized things I wasn't using much if at all. Stuff sacks typically do not necessarily fit closely with other pack items, allowing unused void space in packs, so I dumped them out to find all sorts of things I hadn't used in years but faithfully carried with me. I reduced my stuff sack use to that opened up some useful space.
    Small stuff seems to grow unchecked - I found a slew of items I had forgotten about, 2-folding knives, Leatherman tool, large screwdriver, several spoons, spare grommets and a grommet tool (vestige of the old canvas and wood frame pack days), a first-aid kit in a small box that had never been opened, a variety of small fire starting tools and other brick-a-brac hikers tend to collect along the way and over the years on the trail or impulse purchase items from stores. These all sound very small and they are, but each one takes up some room, adds some weight, but provide little to no value (in my experience) except to hide in plain sight. Removing this stuff and their stuff sacks dropped weight by a good half pound or more and increased storage space.

    Between gear reduction, replacement of a few things, and packing technique improvements, I found my trusty pack was able to easily manage the contents and saved me from having to upsize.
    ^ This (too!). Not only saving the need to upsize, but saving pain on the knees too. Or whatever you joint of trouble happens to be.

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