Gregory Z55 vs Atmos 50

It would help if you said how much you plan on packing in them. However, for that category of packs, I would recommend the Granite Gear Vapor Trail over those two packs. It is much lighter.

sorry new to all this. My estimates are around 30 pounds total weight including pack.

Hey, Dan-
Honestly, the only way to know which would be more comfortable for your size is to try each one on with weights. Unfortunately there's no easy way around that. Probably the best thing to do is buy each of them and try them on at home, then return one.

Both the Z55 and Atmos packs have great frames; the Vapor Trail, at 2 pounds, has no real frame (just a very thin sheet of plastic). I would strongly consider an Exos 58 in a large for you–awesome frame and great support, comfortable carry, only weighs 2 pounds 8 ounces. Atmos is basically the same frame with more padding and options. I think that 8 ounce difference in pack weight is more than compensated for by the energy savings you get in a significant frame. YMMV.

Ya i was a little concerned about the exos 58 b/c of the reviews in backpacker magazine about constantly adjusting thin shoulder straps but apparently this concerns were just in the test models and the company has addressed them. I think that will be the pack i go with.

I'm a big fan of Osprey packs and I've had my eye on the Exos 46 or 58 as well. I'm tall (6'7") but most of my length is in my legs. That being said, my torso measures in at around 22". I was worried about whether the Exos would fit me well so I ventured down to my local REI this evening to try one on. I had the salesman load it up at 25 lbs and it was very uncomfortable for me as my shoulder's where bearing all of the weight, even with the shoulder straps extended was out and load-lifters adjusted to help pull things back in. Even at 20lbs, it still was not comfortable. The frame size simply wasn't made for someone of my size. Needless to say I was disappointed because this is a very nice pack.

While I was there I tried on the REI Flash 50. For my size the pack definitely fit better, largely due to the fact that the shoulder straps seemed to ride slightly higher on the harness and would also let out more freely than the Exos. I wasn't crazy about the padded frame on the Pack though so I didn't pull the trigger.

hmm, thats dishearting on the exos. i really liked what i've read about the flash 65 but have been hesitant b/c its specs list it as 19inch torso max. might have to drive the 2 hours to REI and try it myself.

I tried on a friends Exos 58 this weekend. I loved the way the pack fit snugly on my back. But ALL the weight seemed to be on my shoulders. Now to be fair the pack hadn't been fitted for me and I didn't spend a lot of time adjusting it.

I tried the exos 58 also. I had it fitted at REI and used 20 lbs in it. The shoulder straps rise a little above my shoulders and fiddling with load lifters etc didn't fix it. This is a common issue for me cos I have rounded shoulders. This would likely be OK, but my other issue was that the shoulder strap on one side was already niggling at my collar bone, so I know that after a few trail miles this would be a problem. Shame, cos I loved the pack otherwise. Back to my Catalyst now :-)

The Exos has a bowed frame and although Brad and I disagree on this point, it will put the weight farther out from your centre of gravity which will affect load stability and transfer to a comparable pack that has the load against your back. Fact and physics.

With respect to the Vapor Trail, the frame is plastic but it has excellent vertical stiffness and yet can flex with your back (and upper body movement). For me, anyway, it can easily carry a load for a day at 35 pounds. It will undeniebly be more durable than the Exos. Early feedback on the Exos is already coming back showing frayed side compression straps, load lifters that slip too much, mesh ripping easily. The VT is proven.

Keep in mind that packs fit different people, even when they're of similar build, differently–just because a pack doesn't fit one person doesn't mean it won't fit another. I'd also be somewhat suspect of being fitted at REI–I regularly see people who have been "fitted" there, say in a large when they clearly fit a small. Not always, but use caution… not everyone fits packs well.

@David, we don't disagree on fundamentals. A load further from the back will indeed shift center of gravity. My point is that the distance from the users back of an Exos as compared to, say, a Vapor Trail is actually about the same–just that one has air space while another has the space filled with foam. I've worn both and can attest to this. YMMV. Whatever fits someone the best and works for them the best is the way to go. But I can fold a Vapor Trail in half lengthwise, in thirds if I wanted to. That's not much support. By comparison, a framed pack won't let you do that. I've heard of people carrying loads up to 45 pounds in frameless packs like the VT, or GoLite's Pinnacle, but if we're objective and properly fitted into a framed pack I've never seen an instance where the frameless is more comfortable. At lighter loads it won't matter as much, naturally.

Edit: Incidentally, the Exos might be a horrible pack for the OP. I'm just suggesting that he (and we all) keep an open mind on pack options. Different people have different requirements and expectations of pack fit and performance, even within the lightweight/UL community.

I went with the Talon over the Exos.

It doesn't have the fancy back panel design that the Exos has, it is lighter, and it fit me better.

The Gregory Z55 has a large hump over the hip belt that was to big for me and pushed painfully into the small of my back.

The Atmos is a nice pack but was heavier then what I was looking for.

I have tried on all of these packs and the only real way to find a good fit is to do the same. Depending on how much shopping you plan on doing you might just want to drive 150 miles and make a day of it.

–scott

> But I can fold a Vapor Trail in half lengthwise, in thirds if I wanted to.

Are you serious? I haven't had a chance to see the Vapor series (I own a nimbus meridian) but I'm really surprised to hear this. Sounds like an extremely wimpy 'frame' if you can bend it in half!

Hey Ashley, yup, I'm serious. Not exactly a techy, savvy-seeming demonstration but illustrative.

Hi, all-

Just an update on the Exos/Atmos packs… I was wrong about the frame comparison between the two. It's kind of backwards, really. The Exos frame is much stiffer and more supportive than the Atmos frame–yet Osprey claims the Atmos is suited to carry 10 pounds more than the Atmos. There's a ton of flex in the Atmos frame! I tweaked it out of shape by putting relatively mild vertical pressure on it. The only way I can imagine that is because they're thinking the padding is more cushy on the Atmos, but I don't notice much difference. From what I can tell, the Exos is not only much more supportive but also about a pound lighter. The Exos webbing is so thin that I have to wonder just how many stitches are holding each compression strap on (probably 2 to 3 stitches?). But so far it seems that the Exos is far better for most of us than the Atmos.

Anyhoozit…

What year is your VT, Brad? Thirds? Not me and I am…uh…strong.