Osprey Atmos AG 65

The Atmos AG 65 is the most comfortable way to carry 30 to 45 pounds that mainstream backpacking gear offers. The AntiGravity suspension wraps a single tensioned mesh panel from the lumbar to the shoulders, so the load floats off your back and air actually moves between you and the pack — on humid multiday trips the difference against foam-panel rivals is obvious within an hour. The adjustable harness and hipbelt fit a wide range of bodies, the pocket layout is sensible, and the 210- and 500-denier recycled nylon shell shrugs off brush and airline handling. Owner feedback is remarkably consistent: people who overpack love this pack. The trade-offs are equally consistent. At around 4 lb 10 oz it is two and a half times the weight of an ultralight 55-liter pack, and at $340 to $370 it is a serious purchase. The AntiGravity mesh also makes the pack ride slightly away from your back, which some hikers feel as a balance penalty on steep, technical terrain, and the fixed top lid is overkill for minimalists. If your base weight is already low, the Exos 58 saves nearly two pounds. For everyone else carrying real loads on multiday trips, this is the pack to beat, and the women's Aura AG 65 is the same design in a women's fit.