I am about to purchase an osprey 25 backpack online so I need to know whether I should order a small, medium or large.

I am 5 foot 10, with a 30 inch waist and approx 36 inch hips. The osprey website suggests a large for the atmos but I am not used to being a "large" so I just wanted to know if anyone out there could provde some advice on the size?

I don't know, Jon, but there's a good chance that the Osprey rep' will come along tomorrow and help you out, as he reads this site regularly.

Good luck :)

I am roughly the same height & have an Atmos 25L with large backsize.It fits me OK & is plenty big enough for day walks in Winter when I am carrying extra gear.

I am about that height and when I was measured for my Atmos 50 I came out as a medium although I did try the Large in the shop and it was too big. I was so impressed with the Atmos that I later bought a medium Atmos 25 online (I couldn't afford to buy the Company :) ) The medium fits me fine.

http://www.ospreypacks.com/sizing_fitting.php

This may help

Hi Jon,

Based on your height I would go for a medium. Unless you are aware that you have a long torso for your height.

The best way to be 100% sure is to visit a store and try on the different sizes, if you can't do that then I'd go for medium over large.

Let me know if you need more information.

Regards

Rob
Osprey

Im 5' 10, 32 inch waist and wear a medium Aether 70.

I'm around half an inch shorter than you and I use a medium Atmos 25 and it's a perfect fit, so unless you do have a long body, I reckon you'll most likely be medium.

Looks like I have a long body as the large fits me perfectly!

Many thanks for all the replies - just one further question (maybe for Rob)

The osprey website gives the following size chart:-

Torso Length Hip Measurement Pack Size
> 20" > 33" L
18-20.5" 30-34" M
< 18.5" < 31" S

Given the advice to go for a medium this chart does not appear very good at all - my hips (along with almost everyone in the UK, as they roughly equal your chest size ) are bigger than the 34" suggested for medium. Also, a 20.5" torso is not very big at all. I am 5 foot 10 with a 32 inch leg length so my torso must be bigger than 20.5".

Hence, do I ignore this size chart?

Have to say that having recently spent a couple of hours in the George Fisher shop in Keswick trying the Atmos 25, I cannot say I was entirely convinced I should replace my trusty Lowe Alpine (sweaty back)Walkabout 25. True, it is much lighter, but those pockets on the hip belts, surely if they were used the items would poke your kidneys, or perhaps they're just made to fit you younger skinnies.

I have to say I don't find the hip pockets on the Atmos v. useful. Still, though, I now keep my little camera tripod in one and my cute French knife (for bread, cheese, garlic etc) in the other.

Having said that, the hip pockets are only a very small component of the lovely Atmos :)

I keep my compact camera in one pocket, and some nuts and raisins and a small fresnel lens in the other (for looking at fine map detail). I don't find anything digs in at all. If you crammed them full, then perhaps it might, but then you would have trouble getting stuff in and out while wearing the sack. Overall I find them a good feature and I wouldn't want to be without them. Oh, and at 13st, I'm not a skinny either!

Hi Jon (Armstrong),

You've hit on 2 issues here:

1. It is better to visit a store and try a pack on. Also the store should have an Osprey back measuring device which will show exactly what torso size you are (this is much more accurate than measuring at home as the start and finish points of the measurement will be more accurate). To get your accurate torso size (based on the chart) you need to find your C7 bone and Illiac crest on your hip. The torso measurement is between these two points, not your entire torso from your inside leg to the base of your neck.

2. The hipbelt (waist) measurement is more based around a bigger trekking pack. In an ideal world it sounds like you would have a medium torso with a large hipbelt, unlike our bigger trekking packs the hipbelt is fixed on the Atmos (sewn in). Therefore I think it is better to get the right torso size first, and have a slightly smaller hipbelt than the 100% ideal. This will be much better than the reverse situation. Also bear in mind that the Atmos 25 is only 25 litres, so you won't be carrying super heavy loads, where more critical hipbelt fit would be important (like on a trekking pack). Better to have the hipbelt on your hips and good contact around your shoulders with the harness.

I hope this information is useful, if not please ask away, no problem to answer any questions you might have.

Cheers

Rob
Osprey