Pack Cover Osprey vs. Sea to Summit

[JWren]

I have been looking for a new pack cover because first my current one i believe is too small when my pack is full anyway, i have an osprey Atmos 50 and do not know to get an Osprey cover or a Sea to Summit one, Secondly does either one have and elastic band instead of a drawstring, thirdly which size sould i get when my pack is 53 Liters
-Wren
Thanks

[slowandlow]

I have not tried the sea to summit cover, but I can tell you from experience that the Osprey ultralight cover is highly ineffective and is not ultralight either. I replaced mine with a Etowah Outfitters cover and I am much happier with its waterproofness.

[Lilred]

I have a sea to summit pack cover with the draw string and love it. Been using it two years now and it has never been snatched off my pack by those pesky branches. It has never failed to keep my pack dry, and that includes two weeks of rainy, wet, foggy weather.

My pack cover is one piece of gear where I don't consider the weight.

Elastic stretches. If a branch catches on the cover, it'll stretch and thus be able to be snatched off. A pull string will give more resistance and not be so easily snatched.
If it's easy to get on, it's easy to get off too. I met more than one hiker who lost their pack cover that way.

[Tinker]

I'm using a lightweight coated pack cover from REI. It's a little tougher and heavier than silnylon, but it probably won't leak under pressure like silnylon. It's pretty new, however. I used it once in the White Mts. last year and once in NY this year.

[AT-HITMAN2005]

i used the etowah outfitters one in '05 and got a new one to replace it for this year, cheap and easy to use, but lilred is right, although i never had this problem, i know of other who had to go chasing there pack covers in bad weather.

[Littlest Hobo]

Use a sea to summit pack cover on my Atmos 50. No complaints and packs real small

[big_muddy]

I got a sea to summit to replace my Granite Gear one which I lost on Mt. Madison in the Presidents. The sea to summit one has this nice strap that goes around the lumbar part of your pack, it keeps the sides from catching wind and blowing the cover off.

[JWren]

Thank you Guys for all your replies and advice and more advice is always welcome