Atom Packs Prospector Review

[Mark Webb]

Companion forum thread to: Atom Packs Prospector Review

The Atom Packs Prospector is a lightweight, durable, and fully customizable flagship backpack from the British company Atom.

[Brad Rogers]

Interesting pack.  Thanks for the review.  I am thinking of experimenting with ~60L packs in the 2lb range so this looks like a potential contender.   Do you have any more details or pictures about the frame (particularly your frame with dual stays)?  Does the frame go all the way up to the load lifters?

I wonder if they could do a taller frame/pack for someone with a 22″+ torso…..?

 

[Ken Thompson]

It looks short on Mark. Look at the load lifter straps.

[Brad Rogers]

Now that you mention it, it does look short.  The load lifters are just about at the right angle, but it looks like it’s due to the frame being short and the shoulder straps being at an awkward angle.

[James Marco]

From a durability standpoint, any pack I have ever had with the stitched on shoulder strap buckles at the bottom has failed. A far more durable option is to run a piece of strap down the centerline of the shoulder harness, locking the buckles in a loop and folding it back under 2-3″ as it is stitched. The little bar tacks have a way of destroying the fabric in the area and causing it to stretch unnatuaraly (ie localized stretching around the bar stitches.)

People wear packs differently. What looks a bit short might be comfortable for him. A lot depends on the back arch, hip arch, shoulder slope, chest dimensions, etc. For the first 20 years or so of packpacking, I carried a 20# base load on my shoulders, only relenting, grudgingly, to go with a strong hip belt after I had a back injury. The hip belt relieved most of the load on my back/neck/shoulders allowing me to continue to get out.

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