New Atmos AG from Osprey or an ULA Circuit/Catalyst

I have tried on the Atmos. I liked it. Obviously, it is a personal thing and you would have to try one on yourself as we all have different backs and shoulders.

Osprey and ULA both make nice packs, but the reviews mean nothing as far as which will be a better fit for YOU and your gear. That's not something anyone else can answer for you. If you're going to keep it 30lbs or under, check out the Osprey Exos, while you're at it, and don't forget to go by the capacity for the packbag alone on the ULA packs, not the total volume they list.
Ideally, you would be able to pack each with your gear(good dealers will at least have some sandbags, though), and carry them around for awhile. I always brought a big Rubbermaid tote with my stuff when pack shopping.

With any pack that you will be hauling serious weight in, fit trumps all.

Having said that,the all tensioned fabric suspension on the AG,while really neat and maybe comfortable for you is unproven for durabilty.

The Catalyst is a full pound lighter with a proven track record. Its also built in Utah by Americans. The Osprey is made in Vietnam. Cottage makers will only be around if we support them. ULA makes good stuff.

Whatever gets the weight off your shoulders and carries well.

I personally cannot use the lighter Osprey packs at all. The frame is painful after some miles with 20 lbs in it. Neither the Exos nor the Atmos shall ever be in my kit. The ULA Circuit works very well for me, however. My boyfriend was the opposite- tried on a ULA, bought an Osprey.

I also attended the meeting in Boulder where Gordon tried on the new Atmos loaned to our group by the local Osprey rep. This pack has a very revolutionary suspension/hip belt system that is hard to explain. We didn't load it up with gear, but I have a hunch that it will be an extremely comfortable carry for heavier loads. But I doubt that I'll ever be carrying over 30# again, so it would be overkill for me. Especially since I'm in love with my newly acquired HMG Southwest.

I appreciate the input a lot!

I'll wait until spring and try on the Atmos under weight and see how it feels.

I'm curious as to durability too. I doubt Osprey would put out something that fails quickly but you never know.

Sadly I don't have a way of testing the ULA without ponying up the money to order it. So I guess we'll wait and see.

There is a store in Santa Cruz that carries ULA packs. Call and see if there are any others, may be one near you.

Like everyone else has said, the way a pack fits on *your* back, carrying *your* load is the ONLY thing that matters.

It looks like the new AG is a very different design than the first gen Atmos 50 that I owned (and briefly loved). At loads around 20 lbs it was a damn nice pack. On an AT section hike during a drought I had to carry 5L of extra water…it was most uncomfortable hike in the past 10 years as the suspension not only collapsed under the load but the aluminum tubing perimeter frame dug into my hips and lower back. If the new design retains that perimeter frame, I would be very wary of it.

I have (finally) settled on 2 Granite Gear packs, a Blaze 60 for loads up to 35 lbs and a Crown VC 60 for loads up to 25 lbs. If you haven't tried the GG packs you might want to look at them. They are not fancy or high-tech…in fact they can look downright retro/primitive…nor are they the lightest pack out there, but they simply work great.

Whatever pack you look at, make certain it is loaded with *your* expected pack weight, preferably with your gear. Then add 10 lbs and see how that works :)