Osprey Aether 55 - Garlic Mustard Green L/XL

I bought this pack a couple weeks ago to use as my winter pack here in the White Mountains of NH. My typical daypack is a stratos 24 from Osprey from over a decade ago, and this new pack weighs the same but can carry more than dbl the load. My most recent trip was MtGarfield 4500' 32°F down low to -15°F WC summit temp with wet snow, sleet, and heavier snow- so frequent switching of layers was needed. The stash pocket in the front was great for a damp fleece and the shell that was on and off. Being able to unzip the main compartment from the side made it easier to access the down jacket for the summit.As for comfort.... after recieving the pack, i loaded it up and made the 3 adjustments this pack offers for a really comfortable trekking experience. It was like i ... MoreI bought this pack a couple weeks ago to use as my winter pack here in the White Mountains of NH. My typical daypack is a stratos 24 from Osprey from over a decade ago, and this new pack weighs the same but can carry more than dbl the load. My most recent trip was MtGarfield 4500' 32°F down low to -15°F WC summit temp with wet snow, sleet, and heavier snow- so frequent switching of layers was needed. The stash pocket in the front was great for a damp fleece and the shell that was on and off. Being able to unzip the main compartment from the side made it easier to access the down jacket for the summit.As for comfort.... after recieving the pack, i loaded it up and made the 3 adjustments this pack offers for a really comfortable trekking experience. It was like i wasn't even wearing the pack at all! The air space channels were nice keeping back sweat at a minimum, although it's almost impossible not to sweat on the steeper sections. The lumbar support is a new one for me and really is a game changer.The zippers are good, material rugged, but one con thus far is the rain cover. Although it has the cinching ability to cinch around the pack, there's no button or buckle to snap it together guaranteeing it won't blow off. Here in the Whites, winds on the summits and ridges are 50-85 mph on a daily basis. Osprey should add that security button or buckle. I went with a different Osprey pack cover that had this.Happy trails and fight for liberty.

First, The pack was sized by an REI Service professional. After that the pack has carried so much weight. I hike with a driftwood and rock collector, yep into the pack. We always are doing +800 elevation hikes, with her new collectables. The end of the day back is GREAT, hips are great, and she is happy. The bag cleans up from these collectables. This is great.

My Gossamer Gear Mariposa gave up the ghost midway through my 700-mile AT LASH last year and I picked up the Atmos as an emergency replacement, expecting it to be just tolerable. I found, being an older (66 at the time of this writing) hiker, that the comfort and padding of this pack make up for the extra weight. It fits snugly against your back and the hip belt works nicely.The size is deceptive - I was out for a month with it, often 5 days between town stops and it had plenty of space for a mid-size bear canister, my sleeping bag and clothes and 1 person tent inside. The brain on top (non-removable which is a minus) has two large pockets for things you need frequently. The water bottle pockets could be a little snugger - I use 1 liter seltzer bottles and if you ... MoreMy Gossamer Gear Mariposa gave up the ghost midway through my 700-mile AT LASH last year and I picked up the Atmos as an emergency replacement, expecting it to be just tolerable. I found, being an older (66 at the time of this writing) hiker, that the comfort and padding of this pack make up for the extra weight. It fits snugly against your back and the hip belt works nicely.The size is deceptive - I was out for a month with it, often 5 days between town stops and it had plenty of space for a mid-size bear canister, my sleeping bag and clothes and 1 person tent inside. The brain on top (non-removable which is a minus) has two large pockets for things you need frequently. The water bottle pockets could be a little snugger - I use 1 liter seltzer bottles and if you lean over, they can slip out. But all-in-all, this should be a good contender for a thru-hike pack.There are a lot of zippers and such on the pack. The minus is that these add weight, but the plus is that you can unzip the whole back of the pack which makes organization of your stuff really easy. There's a roomy (but not as roomy as my Mariposa :-( ) back pocket, good for more stuff you need quickly like water filter and #2 trowel.I was prepared to hate this pack, but I'm heading out for another 700 mile AT section this spring and looking forward to hiking with it.