15 Days: Gear Selection - How to Choose a Pack

  3 Days till Ottawa.
15 Days till Sydney.

 With only two weeks left in Calgary I can really feel the pressure. Still so much to do. Luckily I have accumulated near all of my gear now, with only a few small items left. The big one this past week was my pack finally arriving. I decided upon the Atmos 50 by Osprey as my travel pack, with a Fluid 26 from Mountain Hardware as my day pack for around town, and shorter over night trips and adventures where I can (or need to) leave the 50L behind.

 Choosing the right pack is probably one of the top two most important decisions you can make when gearing up for a trip - with your choice of footwear coming first. Many different facts play into choosing your pack; trip length, climate, trip style (resort skiing v.s. long-haul backpacking), what gear you take with you, and your body shape/size.

 Because of the nature of my endeavor, I took many factors into consideration when choosing my pack -
These were; Weight - I need the minimal weight possible for a long period of time, Comfort - I need a well ventilated, comfortable pack to handle the warm, humid climate over a long period of time, Versatile - a pack that can change as quickly as I will, while taking the weight factor into consideration. Last, I wanted Simplicity - a slick, simple bag, where less is more.

 I do get many looks of bewilderment and confusion when I tell many people that I am wandering into the Australian Outback for a year with only a 50L main pack. Though, after the first few test runs of my stuffed pack, I have found that if desperation called, I could get away with even lass space... Its pushing it, but it is possible. 50L is comfortable, and leaves me with space for collecting along the way.

 So lets take a look at each factor one-by-one and see how the Atmos 50L meets these needs.

 Weight: Weighting in at only 3Lbs 3oz, the Atmos offers a fast-and-light feel with more than enough storage space. Compared to many typical backpacking packs which can rage up to 8Lbs or more, the Atmos 50 weighs in 9oz LIGHTER than my tent.

 Comfort: The trampoline-style back panel on the Atmos series offers great airflow between your back and the pack itself, reducing heat and sweat. Also, the light weight, yet sturdy, fixed hip belt and shoulder harness offer optimal comfort over the long hauls while keeping bulk and weight to a minimum. Though not everyone's body's are built the same, and some packs simply won't fit everyone, the Atmos 50L fits like a glove. For me, it slips on and feels more natural than most packs of this nature.

 Versatile: A year in the Outback? Anything can happen, at any moment. The Atmos 50 offers several quick-adjust features, such as; a removable top pocket, InsideOut side-Compression straps, removable Sleeping bag straps and gear loops - simple features, but effective in the field.

 Simplicity: This is Ospreys "Superlight Backpacking/Active Adventure" pack. It was designed to help you move quickly without sacrificing comfort. A fixed hip belt and shoulder harness cut weight, but also eliminate maintenance points on the bag. As mentioned earlier, side compression straps help keep the pack snug and streamline, and stop your load from shifting as the trip progresses.

 So all-in-all, the Atmos 50 stacks up to be a great choice for the trip. Super light and simple, but still comfortable and versatile. Lets see how it does in the field!