Atom Packs is one of the few dedicated manufacturers of ultralight backpacks in the UK. Based in the Lake District, this small but passionate team has quickly built an enviable reputation for turning out beautifully crafted, bespoke packs.
Led by founder Tom Gale (a gangly 6ft 7in thru-hiker with some of the world’s longest trails under his belt, including the Appalachian Trail and Te Araroa), they manufacture all packs in-house.
Though there are a few off-the-shelf options, most of their packs are custom made to order. This means that you can specify preferred pocket configurations, fabrics and colours to create a unique custom pack. The packs are also built tough, utilising extremely robust technical fabrics, designed to survive multiple days and many, many miles on the trail.
LFTOatompacks.co.uk
Pros
- Incredibly lightweight
- Clever design features
- Tailored size options
Cons
- Patchy availability
| Weight | 675g |
| Volumes | 40L (EP40), 50L (EP50) |
| Materials | EcoPak EPX200 (main and base); 210D Robic Extreema (side pockets, shoulder straps, hipbelt); 500D nylon (backpanel) |
| Load capacity | Small (15 - 17in), Medium (17 - 19in), Large (19 - 21in), XL (21 - 23in) |
Design and features
While bigger brands remain wedded to traditional backpack styles and designs, Atom Packs is a market disruptor with a cutting-edge, forward-thinking strategy. The Keswick-based cottage business have given a British twist to the US ‘thru-hiking’ movement. Their ultralight backpacks are highly-customisable, including well-thought-out features and tailored sizing options.
The headline figure for this pack is that an off-the-shelf Atom+ EP50 weighs just 675g – that’s impressively light for such a robust bit of kit. Many comparable ultralight packs feel comparatively flimsy, made with gossamer thin materials. Not the Atom+. It’s robust, durable and fit-for-purpose. Materials used include EcoPak EPX200, 210-denier Robic Extreema, Dyneema mesh and 500-denier textured nylon, all of which feel tough enough for extended trail abuse, despite being light.
Of course, to get any multi-day backpack down to a sub 1kg weight inevitably means accepting some compromises. But if you’re considering this pack, you’ll already be familiar with that, and probably already have an ultralight mindset (and gear setup) for your backpacking and ‘thru-hiking’ adventures.
In essence, the Atom+ is a beefed-up version of the brand’s original ultralight pack, the Atom. This one is built on the same body, but with an increased torso length to accommodate a removable hip belt and a foam back panel with a removable carbon fibre hoop, which serves as an internal frame. In terms of carrying capacity, it comes in 40 or 50-litre volumes, and the brand reckons it can haul up to about 13.5kg (30lbs) of kit, though we reckon around 10kg is a more comfortable cut-off.
It has a simple roll-top closure that gives access to a big main compartment, with a top compression/gear strap, plus stretch pockets on the side, front, base and the shoulder straps. If you go for a custom-built model, there’s also the option to add additional storage, such as zippered hipbelt pockets (though this obviously adds to the overall cost). There’s also simple shock-cord webbing on the front and sides of the pack to hold extra gear.
Harness and back system
Compared to all the other packs tested here, the Atom+ is undeniably simple and straightforward. You get a foam back panel overlaid with tough nylon, plus a padded foam hipbelt and contoured shoulder straps lined with open-weave mesh. The back panel and hipbelt are both removable should you wish to strip even more weight from the pack. That’s about it though. No gender-specific fits, foam cut-outs, load lifters, air channels or suspended back systems here. Still, for loads up to about 10kg it carries well, with good load transfer.
Pockets and storage
The Atom+ is actually a lot more practical and versatile than most stripped-back, minimalist ultralight packs. For example, the harness incorporates two handy shoulder pockets either side of the sternum strap. These pockets are super stretchy and big enough to hold most smartphones, soft flasks or a fistful of trail bars. There are also two roomy but tough side pockets, a large ‘shove-it’-style front pocket made from Dyneema stretch fabric, and also a Dyneema stretch bottom pocket on the base of the pack. The latter is designed to carry trail trash, which is a nice touch that helps us all to abide by Leave No Trace principles.
An elastic shock-cord on the front of the pack plus single side elastics (or optional webbing) enable you to stash additional gear (or, as the brand suggests, dry out soggy socks). They’re also a great place to secure tent poles or trekking poles, though there’s also a sewn-in trekking pole loop and an upper bungee for that too.
Performance and comfort
This really does feel like a pack that has been designed by people with plenty of experience when it comes to really long walks. If we were going to be hauling a pack through punishing terrain and serious miles, this would be our pick of the bunch, due to its low weight, hard-as-nails fabrics and unrivalled build quality. This makes it ideal for long-distance routes in the UK and further afield – and that would include some of the world’s epic thru-hikes, like the PCT.
On the other hand, ultralight packs won’t be for everyone. For one thing, you already need to have an ultralight set-up (in terms of shelter, sleep system and cook set), otherwise, you’ll struggle to get all your gear in the pack, and even if you do, it’ll be too heavy to make for a comfortable carry.
The other thing to bear in mind that this pack is a lidless design, which takes a little getting used to. It’s better suited to organised hikers – otherwise you’ll find yourself constantly rooting around for a specific bit of kit. A top tip is to invest in a series of small, colourful dry bags to separate out and colour code your gear.
As such, this probably isn’t a pack we’d recommend to beginner backpackers. But then again, it’s not aimed at novices. If you’ve already got a few long trails under your belt and are keen to really embrace the ‘fast and light’ approach to multi-day hiking, then it’s an excellent choice.
Sustainability
Unlike most major brands, which often manufacture products in China and South-East Asia, these packs are handmade in Atom Packs’ premises in the Lake District. This approach ensures a bespoke and personalised feel (although lead times can be slow, with up to a 12 week wait for your pack to be made), while reducing waste – no excess stock or manufacturing surplus. There’s also something heart-warming about knowing some gear is still made in the UK, under the shadow of Skiddaw and the Lake District’s majestic northern fells. This also drastically reduces the pack’s overall carbon footprint.
The material for the body and base is recycled polyester (EcoPak EPX200) but the other materials aren't. However, all the fabrics are incredibly tough, which should ensures good sustainability through longevity alone. And if you need a repair or replacement panel or component, the Atom Packs team are on hand to help.
Price and competition
Atom Packs are completely customisable. A tool on the brand’s website allows you to create your pack just the way you want it, tweaking everything from the size, materials, colours, pockets and straps. Want a tropical teal and deep purple colour scheme? No problem. Prefer Dyneema stretch pockets rather than bullet netting? All sorted. Fancy a Y-shaped top strap instead of a single strap? Consider it done. This modular approach is clever and innovative, and enables you to fine-tune your pack to your exact hiking needs.
Of course, it also adds to the cost. The price of an Atom+ starts from £235 for the EP40 or £250 for the EP50, but if you add all the bells and whistles, it climbs to a hefty £370. That’s really at the top end of the market – but remember that for that money, you are getting a one-of-a-kind product that is entirely customised for your needs. Whether it’s worth it is really a question of priorities. For casual or occasional backpackers, it’s a splurge too far. For committed long-distance walkers, it might be a worthwhile investment.
In terms of the competition, we’re not aware of any ultralight packmakers that offer the same degree of bespoke customisation as Atom Packs (or at least, not in the UK). In fact, there are still very few brands in either the UK or Europe that produces this kind of gear. You’ll probably need to look to the ultralight manufacturers in the US, where the market is more mature, and more brands understand the fundamentals of how to make a good thru-hiking pack. Again, however, you can often expect long lead times and will also need to factor in the added cost of import VAT and duties.
Verdict
The Atom+ EP50 offers featherweight toughness, customisable features – and it’s made in the UK. But it’s best suited to committed ultralighters rather than casual backpackers.
How we tested
The Atom+ EP50 was tested by Matt Jones, one of our freelance gear reviewers on LFTO and our magazine, Trail. Matt tested The Atom+ EP50 in on a variety of wild camping overnight and multi-day hikes in Snowdonia, including sections of the Snowdonia Slate Trail, the North Wales Pilgrims Trail and the Snowdonia Way.