UPDATE! I have the next-gen Atlas Athlete and it's just as wonderful as the first! You can use my affiliate code SNAPCHICK here to find out more and get your own! atlaspacks.com/snapchick

I received my Atlas Athlete today. I couldn't wait to see if it would hold everything I need for a two night backpacking trip into the Smoky Mountain National Park. IT DOES!!!!!! I got a lightweight tent, foot print, mattress, Jet boil, food, sleeping bag, rain coat, of course my camera equipment which isn't much, Fujifilm x-t20 and two lenses, batteries. I opted to forgo the tripod this trip. It added 3 1/2 pounds. So I'm quite pleased I got everything I think I will need.

Best bag ever. Seriously well designed and thought out. And perfect to pack camera and hiking/travel gear.

Thank you for your honest review! This meets my needs exactly because they were the same as yours... Mine is on its way and I’m so excited! Thanks again

Great review. I have one too and it's a great bag. I wasn't entirely happy with the waist belt so I contacted Atlas and they couldn't have been nicer. They sent me the heavier duty belt for the larger bag and it works great. As for the pullout pockets in the waist belt, I carry a water bottle there and it's so easy to grab while hiking. No more removing the pack to get to my water bottle or asking someone to hand it to me and return it to the pack when I'm done getting a drink. So far I've had no problems with overhead compartments on airplanes, although it certainly will not fit in a small plane's overhead bin (not much does).

Washable!!! LOVE THAT....no telling what we pick up in those special places we want to capture.The removable frame to pray this fits into the compartments on plane trips especially overseas...love the fact about the range of movement that is something I truly never thought ablout...I thought we had to deal with what we were offered!!! It certainly is a chameleon in many ways ..adaptable to so many different scenarios.it looks like I will upgrade to this amazing bag coming from my Kata Bumblebee that has been wonderful but at times a bit unwieldy and cumbersome with a body I wish had been a bit shorter....all depending on what was added or crammed into it...As you said your needs have changed and with them comes the backpack upgrade.Guess I’ll be saving up for this arsenal to add to round off the package.Thank you for giving a woman’s perspective which was very important to me as well as this excellent video that helps me decide .

Love it! As always very informative .

what i like about them is the hydration pack with a camera bag

Love mine so far. It is very comfortable and good sturdy waist belt! And it's removable! As far as versatility this bag is currently the best on the market!

I purchased the adventure model. I wanted to be able to have my 500mm prime on a gripped body in the pack. It is a larger and deeper pack. Your first comment was that it exceeded your expectations. That is my experience.

You covered this bag pretty well. I was not familiar with this company until watching this video. Thank you for posting it.

This will be my hiking pack - once I am able to afford it. It's not a gripe about the price but just something I have to plan out on getting. Who knows, once I'm ready to get one Atlas will release an updated version that will address the water reservoir issue and maybe find a way to center it and expand it to carry a Osprey/Camelbak sized 3L Hydration Bladder

My wife and I live in Este’s Park, right next to the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. You’ll love this park👍👍👍

Nice review. I will be going on a couple long trips soon and will definitely be looking at this bag. As to a nice phone case to add on, my wife and I both have the “Timbuk2 3 Way Accessory Case”. Comes in a couple sizes and works very well, secure and compact.

Thank you for a fantastic review. I've been looking for a pack and this finally sold me. The only problem I'm having now is the color to go with. lol Deal with the gray and the chance of having to clean it more often or the black and worry about the amount of heat it creates from the sun.

Thank you for the great review i am actually considering of purchasing the pack because i love to hike and my simple Amazon basics camera bag is not worth. it is just too small to fit clothing such as rain gear etc.... thank you again for telling us about the pack

Thank you! It's so hard to find a bag that is made for a smaller person! Between my husband and I we must have 30 +bags. I'll take a good look at this one!

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

Right??!! I can't believe I can get full range of motion with my arms, even when I have a Gorillapod in the side pocket.

@ChrisPaulk

5 жыл бұрын

Picked one up yesterday in Seattle. Planning on testing it out this week, but so far, I like it! :) @@LeighAndRaymond

built in fanny pack, excellent! Now I don't have to get weird glances.

I like the hydration pack area. Great bag for hiking,camping, etc. I would take my small light, camera with lens, filters, reflector, batteries, memory cards, food, maybe other small things and phone. It’ll be better to carry on my back with an evenly distributed weight all in one bag. Better than having my hands full. I forgot to mention a stabilizer. Tripod probably. Thanks for sharing. Now I’ll go see if I can afford it, ha. I appreciate what you do. Have a great day.

One problem I see is that there are very few, if any, places where you can see the pack before buying one. At least on the east coast.

Great review! I've been looking at this backpack along with a few others. I have a Z6 w/24-70, 70-200 2.8 vr and the 200-500 beast. Do you think I'd have room for all of that in the athlete? This bag checks off so many items that I'm looking for and I'm just concerned that after watching you put that huge piece of glass in there I wouldn't have room for much more. I'd only occasionally carry it along with the other two lenses that I haul everywhere. Thanks!

Washable? Hooray!

How hot does the back panel mesh after several hours of hiking @Leigh? I tried foam mesh back panels from Wandrd, F-Stop and Peak Design, and all of them ended up being too hot. Only the tensioned mesh style of Osprey Stratos or Gregory Citro felt properly ventilated for me.

How to get the frame out. I have this pack but am thinking I would like a more compact version at times - do I need a tire iron? I am looking at videos but it is not apparent how it actually happens.Thanks I know this isn’t a new video I am late to the party lol

Which size of the waist belt you have chosen?

5:59 Oh Snaps! Perfect for my spent brass!

Thank you for this wonderful review. I've been vacillating back in forth for a while on whether or not to get this bag especially since the price is...daunting, but I'm really leaning towards doing it especially after your review. Currently I use the newest Osprey Stratos bags (withe the air mesh that separates your back from the pack and I find that is really useful for helping with SBS (sweaty back syndrome) on the really long hikes that I do. Do you think the mesh on the back of the Atlas bags will be as effective? Also, there is a mesh like material that lines the hip belt and shoulder straps on the Osprey Stratos bags that help some in that regard as well so I'm hoping the Atlas will be comparable.

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

The amount of mesh/airflow is definitely definitely personal preference. From looking at the Stratos online, it looks like the Athlete doesn't have as much separation between you and the pack. That being said, I'm a super sweaty gal and I haven't had any issues with it. There is mesh with zig-zaggy foam (technical term) under it that creates the airflow. I also like that the straps and belt have a wicking-type material that stays soft when it gets sweaty/dirty.

@kennyle8640

5 жыл бұрын

@@LeighAndRaymond Thank you. That is good info to have. It looks like I'll have to go into one of their retail partners' stores to try it on for myself. It's a good 2 hours away from me (Los Angeles county) in Rancho Mirage near Joshua Tree National Park, but I'll set a reminder to stop by when I'm out that ways.

@erikavelazquez1835

5 жыл бұрын

Kenny Le Hi, I had the same issue. All my bags are Osprey like the Stratos and I spent months reviewing and trying bags before buying the Atlas. This bag doesn’t have the big separation like the Stratos, but in my opinion the design gives enough airflow. I can’t complaint about the Atlas, I really like the design, material and customer service. I do hiking a lot and the bag gives the space for my hiking gears and protection for the camera. You can contact Allan and he can help you with more information and any questions.

@kennyle8640

5 жыл бұрын

@@erikavelazquez1835 Thank you for the advice. When I have some time, I'm going to take a good look at this bag in person. I usually don't carry a lot of camera gear on really long hikes since ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain as they say, but for more moderate hikes in which I have the luxury of carrying a bit more weight, this looks perfect. The first time I did a day hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney (August of last year) I carried a 30 pound bag which is really a bit more than what most people are comfortable with on a single day hike of 24 miles, but I wanted plenty of backup supplies in case things went south. The only major downside to the Osprey Stratos 24 I was using was getting it all in there. Ever since then, I've had my eye out something with a bit more flexibility and this Atlas bag is on the shortlist.

@erikavelazquez1835

5 жыл бұрын

Kenny Le your welcome! I’m very minimalistic with the gears when hiking so the bag is very light. One camera, 2 lenses, filters and tripod. I hope you can get the appropriate bag for you. :)

I'm interested in this bag, but wondering how the fit is for women compared to purchasing a womens specific bag like an Osprey? (not that those are a perfect fit either, I wasn't completely sold on how the Kyte fit)

@TheSnapChick other than the type of lens you're carrying, was there any other problem you've had with your Lowepro Photosport? Do you still recommend it for shorter trails? I wanna get a bag for so I can load my new (first) DSLR without wrapping it in towels and stuffing it into my backpack like in your Lowepro review lol. But ultimately, I want to get the Atlas pack for longer/overnight trails or for traveling outside of the islands.

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

The Photosport is still a great bag. It just didn't always fit all of my things! :)

Very useful review. Thanks. Does it fit a gripped DSLR. Looks too shallow? Do you think its possible to carry a 2ft tripod on the outside?

@LeighAndRaymond

4 жыл бұрын

Good question. We can fit the Nikon D810 with grip if we take the lens off and put the body on it's back/front, rather than the bottom. :)

Thanks for the good review! I enjoyed it and learned a lot! I'm strongly considering purchasing the Atlas Athlete Medium Size as well. My height is 5'9". So the good people at Atlas recommended to me the medium. My question for you today is this: Is there space behind the camera unit from top-to-bottom on the medium for non-camera storage gear? On your video I almost...can see but not quite. I know there is the storage area above the camera area. But can you go all the way down behind it, too? I'm asking, because I trek India in the Himalayas, and I really want to know if this will hold enough non-camera gear. Thanks so much :)!!

Hey lady, lovely review. Do review lowepro's Whistler series as well.

How breathable is the pack on your back? Sweat wise?

You say that a Nikon 200-500 mounted on a d500 fits ? Is it a very tight fit ? I also own A Sigma 120-300 2.8 which is about 1 inch longer..

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

I just tried it with my teleconverter, which is a little over an inch long and it still fits!

@glen4747

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for showing the d500 with the 200-500mm mounted -- I was hoping to have confirmation that this combo would fit. Great review.

@glen4747

5 жыл бұрын

Does it zip shut comfortably with the lens hood reversed and the tripod foot up?

I want to know can atlas Athlete fit sony 200-600mm + A7iii? I am 4Ft 9in so bag is right for me and i want to travel, wildlife, landscape and shoot airplane?

You may wish to check out the article in today's (February 1 ) New York Times Weekend Arts ll print section: "Exquisite Ghosts, Captured in Silver." Online, the title is " An 1840's Road Trip, Captured on Lustrous Silver." The online article (in the Art and Design section) has more photos than the print version. In the same section online is an interesting article on Frida Kahlo.

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks - I'll take a look!

Ah yes......the eternal struggle to find the perfect camera bag to be equaled only by the eternal struggle to find the "Holly Grail". LOL This looks like a pretty good backpack bag to me and I've had several over the years(too many to count), not to mention the side carry bags. I have found that a photo vest works pretty good for me "most of the time" Very nice review of what I think is a very good camera bag.

something I found that might be helpful, if you go to a self service car wash in the back where you vacuum out the car in the vending machines are those big blue towels, I got one last time I washed my car and I use it for a ground cloth its lightweight and cheap. For pouches I like Maxpedition products.

How long of a lens fits laying it cap up? I'm worried about my large sigmas 85mm and 20mm. They're 5.5 and 5.75 inches.

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

You have about 5 inches of clearance. Any more than that, they suggest you lay the lens flat.

@dandeschambault1810

5 жыл бұрын

@@LeighAndRaymond thanks. I'm torn between their two bags.

See,this is why i love reviews by the ladies,because they get into details,and it's not all about comparison with other brands and products.Ms Snap Chick,you need to take over Atlas and be the voice for the company,ans yes,it's weird to try and get into a bag with it dangling off of you,on weird angles.Great way to drop your cameras,lenses,clothes,and other gear all over the dirty ground.I currently have three packs and none of them are great for laptops and camera gear together,along with clothes,because most packs are just one main compartment,sometimes with 2 or more ways to get inside.The most i would carry would be two full frame bodies,one tripod,some media cards,maybe two portable hard drives,laptop,possibly two lenses per body(one prime one zoom),and probably one MDisc drive,to burn my main images to.

I wish I could carry a 40 liter bag. Just not enough room for all the gear I trek out with on big trips

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

Atlas has a larger bag that might be good for you! It's called the Adventure... atlaspacks.com/collections/atlas-packs/products/atlas-adventure-xl-camera-backpack#

A year later, is this still your go to bag?

@LeighAndRaymond

4 жыл бұрын

Yes. I have both packed right now!

@Islhopr

4 жыл бұрын

@@LeighAndRaymond Thank you for the great review and fast response. I just bought the Athlete

Awesome review!!! I'm wondering if there is room for a small, lightweight tent, a Bunsen burner, sleeping mat for back country hiking, cloths rain gear, food for a two or three night trip.

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

Good question. I plan to do some backpacking this summer and my first choice is to use this backpack so I'll keep you all updated.

@swampfox72

5 жыл бұрын

Gary, check out this video. Hopefully it's ok to throw this in here. I have the Adventurer was wondering about using it for a 2 night 3 day trip. Also wondering about picking up the Athlete for day hike stuff.......although I can cinch down Adventurer pretty tight. This guy uses the Athlete and packs it out pretty good. He doesn't show it all, but sounds like he takes it out for a couple days with gear on top of camera gear. I may have to make a trip to Atlas when I am in AZ in 10 days to see the Athlete in person. kzread.info/dash/bejne/nZOL1qNueJCtj9Y.html

@gburleson321

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks @@swampfox72 that's a good reference video. I found another one on the Atlas site where Caleb Kerr stuffed a sleeping bag, a mattress, a tent, a jet burner, a pillow and other things into the Athlete bag.

@swampfox72

5 жыл бұрын

@@gburleson321 Thanks for the reminder on that video. I now remember watching it........but totally blanked on seeing it. Now my only question is do I need both? Dimensions wise their isn't a lot of difference between the two, biggest one being 2" thinner. I can really cinch it down and get close. I could take the belt off for short day hikes.

@gburleson321

5 жыл бұрын

Jim Fox I just ordered the Athlete, so I’ll let you know 👍

Do you find that bag heavy?

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

I don't find the bag itself heavy. Even when it is packed with gear, it handles the weight well.

650 dollars if i want to import it... well above the clouds for a chinese product

You might want to switch away from full frame cameras. Then you won't need a gigantic backpack. Just a thought.

@LeighAndRaymond

5 жыл бұрын

My full frame Nikon Z cameras are just as small as many of my APS-C cameras. :)

@datapro007

5 жыл бұрын

@@LeighAndRaymond If you don't consider the lenses you are right. I like your videos.

Running from a bear... ok you’ve lost outdoor credibility.

Oh no...you got one for free....well then your review isn’t worth a thing.