Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I started my Appalachian Trail thru hike with the Gregory z65 pack. It was a decent pack but the shoulder straps started to tear on me a couple hundred miles in. I knew I needed a new pack so when I reached Hot Springs, NC I went to the outfitter that was down the street to see what they had. I did some prior research and was planning on purchasing the Osprey Aether but it turns out they didn't have it, bummer. However, they did have the recently released Osprey Atmos AG pack. I didn't know much about it so I went back to my room to do more research. Well, like I said it was a new pack so there weren't many reviews on it. The few that there were were positive though. I was still skeptical and didn't want to spend that much money on a pack that I may not like. I bite the bullet and the next day decide to purchase the pack. I bought a lot of new gear while on the AT, and I'll say that this pack was by far the best money I spent on the whole trail. I can't say enough good things about this pack but I'll do what I can. The new suspension system is great. It is a giant strong mesh panel that rests on your back. It feels like the bag is just floating on your back. Doing so means it carries weight extremely well. While on the AT I carried roughly 40-45lbs. That proved to be too much for my Gregory pack but the Osprey did and amazing job with it, at times I'm sure I've even gone past 50. You can also adjust the pack to have it lower or higher on your hips. One of the best features of this pack is the angled water bottle pocket, with my Gregory I had to take the pack off just to drink water. With the Osprey I could easily reach on either side to grab my bottle. It was a game changer and saved a ton of time. More time equals more miles hiked. The mesh pocket will easily fit a 32oz Nalgene bottle. The hip belt is different from other packs. It feels as if it's trying to hug you, wraps around you very nicely. You have the option of extending the belt if you have a bigger waist but I kept mine all the way inside. I will say the the straps for the hip belt are very long, this pack could seriously fit a sumo wrestler. I had to use duct tape and roll up the extra slack. Another little issue was the hip belt pockets, you can't fit much in there, it would be nice if they gave you more room in there. I was able to stuff four snack bars in one pocket and my camera in the other which was a tight fit. If you like extra pockets then you'll love this pack. There are two zippered pockets in the brain. The bottom one is pretty big, I could fit a ton of extra gear in there. The top one is smaller but I was still able to jam a good amount of accessories in there. There are also two side zippers on the front, one on the left and one on the right. They go pretty deep so you can again stuff a good amount of gear in each of those. On top of that, the front mesh pocket that Osprey is known for can also fit a ton of stuff. I would keep all my rain gear that I would need quick access to in that pocket. I met other hikers that stuffed so much gear in there that the pack looked like it was pregnant. I don't know what kind of mesh material Osprey uses but it's pretty tough. That being said, I did puncture a small hole in the mesh, don't know how it happened, must have caught it on a branch or something. I threw duct tape over it to fix it. There is also a sleeping bag compartment on the bottom, I never used it though. The pack is very durable. The material just felt stronger and of better quality than the Gregory I previously used. Up north on the AT I had to deal with an insane amount of tree blow downs and sitting down and sliding down rocks. Many times I swore I tore a hole but when I checked the bag was fine. I did however get my water bottle pouch caught on a sharp branch that tore it. It still worked but there's just a hole there now. The sternum strap is also a little lower on this pack. I actually liked that because it wont rub your collar bone while you hike. The sternum strap also has a built in whistle like the rest of the Osprey line of packs. The bottom straps on the pack for a tent or sleeping pad has a lot of slack which is a good thing. You shouldn't have an issue fitting anything on there. I just kept my one man tent down there. The pack weighs in at 4.5lbs (73.4oz when I weighed it after my hike). This is pretty heavy for a 65L pack. However, this is a 4 season pack (in my opinion) so it's tougher and more durable. More weight will usually accompany that. Overall, this is an amazing pack. I'll defiantly be a long time Osprey customer now. Any pack that can comfortably last you nearly 2000 miles deserves a 5 star rating in my opinion. I was with another thru hiker who started with the Gregory Baltoro 75L pack and after trying on my pack he got off the trail and got a ride two hours away to an REI and exchanged it for this pack. He ended up loving this pack as well and we both summited Mt Katahdin with it on our backs. Pros - Great suspension system - Carries weight well - Comfortable / Hugs your body - Many extra pockets - Durable Cons - Lots of extra loose straps - Hip belt pockets aren't very big - Heavy UPDATE: 8 Aug 2015 I contacted Osprey about the two holes I sustained while hiking. I had the pack sent in (had to pay for shipping) and they sent it back stitched up. Not gonna lie, I was hoping they would give me a new pack but that was a long shot for such small damage. Also, the Atmos AG is the new #1 rated backpacking pack according to OutdoorGearLab. They are my go to website for all things gear related.