Hi I am female and I do cliff walking and quite a bit of town/beach walking as well. I am going on a walking holiday later this year - variety of terrains - flat/hilly/low mountainous. My problem is that I am looking for a comfortable daysac that would fit both my lifestyle and these sort of holidays. I am looking at the Osprey Atmos 25 - what do you think? I am 5'8" and low waisted - do I have a choice of back, waist sizes etc? what would you reccomend ? thanks
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 The atypical reply on here will be to try getting out there to few outdoors stores and try some on for size mostly really! In that daysac market-which is like as not probably the biggest of all of the rucksac ones out there, there is simply a mass of choice to be had! First off of coorse it depends on how much money you actually want to pay out doesn't it, in a nutshell! That having been said you can anyways get a heck of a lot of good daysacs for very little cost at all comparatively. Try to go for a quality make first off from one of the bigger outdoors manufacture names, but just look too to see anything suitable that catches your eye. Lots of good websites listed to the left of youe scree here f the bigger partners of OM, like Field and Trek and Cotswold, that might be well worth a quick perusal of to give you a little better idea of the varieties of style that are available out there. Then there are accessories built into the sac itself that you might well note there as being quite desirable in that which you go onto to finally make your arrived at considered choice. All Osprey stuff very good these days it has to be said though, so you are already on the right kind of a track there yourself perhaps! A good place to look for ideas is the ebags website, just to compare like with like as they do an awful lot of ok day sacs there it has to be said!
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| Edited: 10/04/08 10:48 |
 I like the Inov-8 packs. Very comfortable and onesize fits all. I have an Osprey Atmos 35 and it is a very good pack.
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Oh dear oh dearo! I just read back over my first post there above, and my command of the English language seems to be getting worse, not better!!! Good job this isn't one of those Ripping Yarns occasions in life here on the old OM! Or else it would no doubt have to be that walking away from the dinner table situation time, with the loaded revolver, for me right about now I really do tend to think!  
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| Edited: 10/04/08 10:59 |
Hi thanks for your comments - my problem is that I live in the channel islands = only one hiking shop with very limited rucksack choice. - so possibility of trying any on is zilch - hence my request for help !!
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Ah! Well my crystal ball is failing me there really, in that case! I know Jersey is an island but don't you get to nearby France in a while at all there then much? Lots of good outdoors stores dotted throughout, I am often led to believe! We do have a good soul here in the regulars on OM, one of the 'OM Heroes' too, that lives in France now, and he will no doubt be able to tell you of some good outlets over there I do reckon!
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| Edited: 10/04/08 11:40 |
Thanks you Ian Pennington I have looked at sites with the Inov-8 and it looks just what I want - great - only thing now what do you recommend 22 or 30 litre size - as it is quite narrow thought I'd go for the 30 that way if weather outlook seems dubious I can pack a few weather sensible items - what do you think. Will the 30 come up past my head i.e. be very large?? thanks again for this info would never have thought of this one
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I've emailed John now about this question, as he is the member I thought of that lives in France, quite close down by your way! Hopefully he could give you some more helpful general good info on outdoors kit shopping out that way maybe!
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A very good page link that one there Michael, indeed shows the most of the features available on daysacs today.Well done sir!
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Alma, if any daysac like that is sitting right on your back, then it should not be too much obstructing views etc as you turn your head, if that is what you meant there, in fact. I would not go for less than a 30 litre in a daysac myself. That way it has more potential uses for day hikes to over nighttime stays outdoors, with both basics of minimalist kit within/strapped to the outside combined.
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| Edited: 10/04/08 11:58 |
Hi Alma I would probably go for the 30 litre as the packs themselves are really light and you can compress them down when not full. Its worth looking at the hydration system that fits that pack as well as it does make a difference the water being loaded on your hips and makes the pack more comfortable. Another brand that you may want to look at would be OMM, people who have their packs review them very favourably.
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30 litres is about the maximum size for 3-season walking. I would also consider the following points: What features do you need on a sack? Are you taking a water bladder? If so, you will need a hydration sleeve and exit point. If you are taking walking poles, you will probably want attachment points for them. Ensure that you have compression straps. What with the '4 seasons in 1 day' weather, the sack can be virtually empty when you have all your spare clothing on and it is nice to be able to snug the pack down. Think about waterproofing. Very few daysacks are genuinely waterproof. Either one big rucksack liner or a few smaller waterproof stuff sacks will keep your kit dry. A raincover is also a possibility. Access on the move is important. Some daysacks have storage pockets on the hipbelt for small items like lipsalve, sunnies etc. You don't want to be taking the pack off every time the sun comes out. If you don't have integral storage pockets, one or two removable utility pouches can be bought separately and attached to the hipbelt.
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You seem to have it all covered for the most part daysac accessories fitments-wise indeed there Jake! Dare I add, chest or sternum strap, possibility of outside extra pouch pockets to expand the sac use up a bit, plus ice axe loops for them that want them too maybe! If the shopping is to be done at all in France than the Euro exchange rate today is surely looking good for it then now! What is it about 80p to a pound now, the strongest I think that the Euro has ever really been yet against the pound I seem to recalll a paper today saying! The Independent online today has that very fact as first article story, frontpage, in fact!
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A little bit of back/side cargo netting in fact too often seems rather handy a feature to have!
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 If youre particularly smitten by the osprey packs,then go for the talon 33,the most comfortable pack I have ever used in over 20 years of hillwalking,just about every review I've read on it is 100% positive and its available in different back sizes,I'm 5 ft 8 and have gone for the small/medium back and it fits perfect.
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thanks guys you have all been really helpful and given me lots of really helpful tips - I have narrowed my choice down to just a few now - one final question I am looking at getting at minimum 30 - 35 litres, with or without airflow system for back, not sure yet. Does this size rucksack cause problems as hand luggage at airports? and if I go down the airflow-type chassis route does it create problems if I wanted to return from a trip with it in my suitcase i.e. does it pack down or is it just too bulky? Once again thank you for giving me your time and expertise
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 that size should be fine at airports. i've never had a problem yet. just ensure that nothing banned is lurking deep within its contents. you'd be surprised at what can end up "living" in the bag and you forget about it. i personally dislike airflow backs. you still get a hot sweaty back. the main compartment tends to be curved which makes getting stuff in and out a royal pain as you can't see the bottom of the bag. they will not compress down that well for packing in a suitcase as they are curved.
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I have a Berghaus Freeflow II 30 + 6 and my wife has a Freeflow IV 30 + 6 and both fit in the Easyjet measuring frame without problems.
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