Atom Packs Atom 40 Ultralight Backpack

In this video, I share a closer look at a custom pack made by Atom Packs that I recently purchased. The ultralight pack is the Atom 40, made of a DCF hybrid and weighing 12 oz total.
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[@markswishereatsstuff2500]

I just ordered a custom Mo50 pack from them. It's nice to see how the packs have evolved in the last few years. What I ordered is going to be a very special backpack.

[@matjobin]

Nice Mark! It sounds like you have a great pack on the way. Hope you enjoy many miles with it. AtomPacks makes some solid gear!

[@raymondlogister6828]

great review thank you, and awsome back pack

[@matjobin]

Raymond Logister Thank you! It's a great pack and was solid craftsmanship, but I wanted to add a few custom tweaks to it and try another cottage pack. Never had a problem with this one though and have been very happy with it.

[@thetrailhunter4469]

Awesome video, I met the team at Atom Packs here in the UK in their new workshop and saw a couple of new packs coming out. They really know what they’re doing and make awesome stuff. Thanks for the video.

[@matjobin]

The Trail Hunter, Thanks! That must have been a great trip. I've been following Tom and his journey with it all. Love the pack. I agree, and you can't beat something made by a Triple Crowner! Thanks for watching.

[@thmkly]

That pack is pretty! I'm waiting on my VX21 Atom+ and am almost wishing I went with DCF after seeing this video :) Thanks for the excellent video quality on this one.

[@matjobin]

__tomk Thanks! It's a great pack and I have had some great trips with it. You can't go wrong with the VX21. Interested in hearing your thoughts after you get a chance to get it out on the trail. Thanks for watching. Enjoy the pack!

[@WyeExplorer]

Nice pack. I heard the Atom Packs mentioned just the other day on Trail Hunters channel (UK) and was intrigued. This is the first video I've seen. Looks good. Mark

[@matjobin]

Wye Explorer, Thanks! It's been a great pack so far. I have a couple hundred miles with it and love its simplicity, ease of access and the way it carries. I would recommend checking them out. Thanks for watching.

[@WyeExplorer]

@@matjobin I like the simple design to. It's like an uncluttered room - you can think clearly. Peace maaan.

[@tomdefig6514]

Looks just like a palante simple pack.

[@matjobin]

Tom deFig, It definitely draws influence from that pack.

[@JJ-mf8ru]

You said the side pockets are each 5 liters? I think they look more like 5 liters combined.

[@matjobin]

J J, Good catch! I meant to say 5 liters combined.

[@RJudd42]

Is this the atom 35L or 40L?? You said in the video the main pocket holds 30L, according to his website that would make this the atom 35L, correct? (I know technically the 35L does hold 40L, but that's not how they are sold) Thanks, cool pack!

[@matjobin]

Toadvine42, This is the Atom 40L. Good catch! I had meant to say the main body is 35 liters and the two bottle pockets are 5 liters together (2.5 liters each). Sorry for any confusion. The front pocket (5 liters) and snack pocket (2 liters) are not accounted for in the total volume. Thanks, its been holding up really well so far and I've been happy with it. I'll be putting up a more long term review of this pack in the future and will be adding the corrected pocket capacities to that.

[@RJudd42]

Awesome, thanks for the reply. Nice video, really helpful showing the size relative to yourself. Just now put in an order for a VX07 Atom 40 with the frame and hip-belt. Haven't had a framed pack in years but the design seemed like it might actually be worth the extra 3oz. I would've preferred DCF like your pack but the cost scared me away, 12oz is pretty amazing for that feature set though. Thanks again, going to be tough waiting 9 weeks :)

[@matjobin]

@@RJudd42, Thank you. The extra 3 oz will be nice to have if you find yourself on longer carries between resupply points. It will provide a little more stability too. DCF can be extremely high in price and it can have its drawbacks along with its benefits. Good luck with the wait. Hope you enjoy the new pack on many adventures this year!

[@YawkYawk]

Great looking pack! I've been pretty interested in Atom packs but it's just hard to take the dive into frameless packs. lol How much was it with all the addons?

[@matjobin]

DRsus89, Thanks! Frameless definitely takes a little more discipline and even when that's applied it still isn't for everyone. My base weight is almost consistently around 6 or 7 lbs so I find a frames to work well. I also rarely use hip belt pockets so that was a natural step for me too. You can always reach out to Tom Gale for customization that suits your preference, including a removable hip belt and frame if you want to transition between the two styles. The pack came to around $220 including shipping.

[@YawkYawk]

@@matjobinWow that's an amazing baseweight! Great price on the pack as well.

[@matjobin]

@@YawkYawk, Thanks! Winter always adds a bit more but it's nice to have less impact on the body and the trail. The price was tough to beat!

[@davidjennings6937]

good info

[@matjobin]

David Jennings, Thank you!

[@SimpleKowalski]

I’m between two packs now. SWD long haul 40 or Atom+ 40 ? Do You know which one is more comfortable? Specially on your back ?

[@stvganksquad1152]

Great Review! How many days Worth of Food can you get inside the pack?

[@matjobin]

StvGankSquad, Thanks! I can get between 4-5 days worth of food in this pack. Depending on the rest of my gear, necessary water storage between fill-ups and other varying factors like time of year/location, I could be close to the limit of a frameless pack (around 20 lbs I find) and may want to go with a framed pack instead for heavier carries.

[@tomlucas4788]

Matt did you look at the Superior Wildness Designs by chance if so what did you like better in the Atom?

[@matjobin]

Tom Lucas, I did. What drew me to the Atom at the time was the reasonable price and DCF material. I also appreciated the mesh bottom pocket, no hip belt, thicker EVA padding for the shoulder straps and the overall design of the pack (though the SWD looks eerily similar in some ways, so does the Palante). It's been a solid pack and I still use it on ultralight pursuits and specific trips, but my gear list is always changing due to varying factors. I'm also always purchasing and testing out new gear out of personal interest and so that I can provide honest feedback to everyone after using the products in the field. Along with the Atom I've been also using the HMG Southwest a lot this year .

[@HerbalistGuybrush]

I think about getting their 35l as DCF. Do you hear the DCF sound while walking and the pack rubbing your back?

[@matjobin]

Guyin Apocket Awesome! They make some solid packs. I just purchased another frameless 35 liter DCF pack recently (different cottage company though) which you can see in a new hiking video I posted here. It might help give you an idea of the sound you mention: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maKqYoCAlrp-qtU I do get a slight crinkle sound with any of my DCF gear and can get it occasionally with the pack but it's very minimal and doesn't bother me. Winter time it can get a little louder. I had a DCF pack out with me on a -20F (-29C) backpacking trip and it made a lot of noise. It went back to normal after warming up back home.