This is a review of the Gregory Baltoro 65 vs Osprey Atmos 65, two high-end weekend backpacks. These backpacks by Osprey and Gregory are two of the largest on the market, holding about 70 liters of volume.
Before we go over what makes these backpacks different from each other, we will touch upon some of the similarities.
Gregory Baltoro 65 vs Osprey Atmos 65
You may like to read:
- Osprey Backpacks for Women: Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to the Best Waterproof Backpacks for Women
What makes the Gregory Baltoro 65 and Osprey Atmos 65 similar
Access to the main compartment
Since these backpacks hold a lot of volumes, it is important that you be able to access your gear quickly enough. This is why both feature large panel access to the main compartment. In order to access your gear, simply unzip the panel and get a view of all of your gear at a glance.
Attachment points
There are exterior bungee tie-offs on both of these backpacks. They can hold the external gear that you loop around them. But they also both have special attachment loops for ice axes and trekking poles.
Sleeping bag compartment
Since these backpacks are made for weekend-long trips, it is important to prepare to spend the night. This is why they will feature a separate zippered sleeping bag compartment. There is no need to store your sleeping bag outside of the backpack where rain can get to it.
Weatherproofing
Although both are made with thick and durable materials that can protect from moisture and rain, they also have integrated rain covers. It keeps you from having to place a garbage bag inside of the main compartment to protect your gear.
Front panel pockets
In order to store your larger items separately, both have zippered front panel pockets. Here, you can store outerwear or simply some of your dirty clothes that you do not want to mix with other gear.
Gregory Baltoro 65 and Osprey Atmos 65 differences
Size and adjustability
Both of these backpacks are highly adjustable in terms of the waste and the torso. However, the adjustability of these backpacks are done in different ways.
Their hip belts are very adjustable, but the Gregory Baltoro 65 has five separate hip belt sizes. By contrast, the Atmos 65 has a very adjustable hip belt, but it has 5 inches of slack.
Their back panels are also highly adjustable but in different ways. The Baltoro 65’s back panel comes in 15 different combinations for sizes. Like the Atmos 65, the backpack comes in small-medium and large sizes. With the Atmos 65, the back panel is adjustable to your torso length but not a set size combination.
Removable backpack sections
The Gregory Baltoro 65 and the Atmos 65 both have removable sections. The Baltoro 65 has a removable daypack so that you can comfortably travel in the city without needing to carry a large backpack. This daypack is fitted with a hydration pack sleeve. You can purchase a hydration pack to slip into this one in order to keep yourself hydrated without needing to reach for a water bottle. The Atmos 65 does not come fitted with a sleeve like this.
While the Baltoro has a removable daypack, the Atmos 65 has a removable top lid. This top lid cannot be converted into a daypack. It can simply be removed in order to reduce the weight of the backpack. Once removed, you can slide the flap jacket over top of where it normally would be, which allows you to further compress your backpack. The Atmos 65 has additional compression with internal compression straps.
Size
Gregory Baltoro 65 backpack
- Weight: 4 lbs. 13 oz. (s) and 5 lbs. 1 oz. (m) and 5 lbs. 3 oz. (l)
- Volume capacity: 61 liters (s) and 65 liters (m) and 69 liters (l)
Osprey Atmos 65 backpack
- Weight: 4.39 (s) and 4.58 (m) and 4.92 (l)
- Volume capacity: 62 liters (s) and 65 liters (m) and 68 liters (l)
Price
The Baltoro 65 and the Atmos 65 are very similar in price on Amazon. Please take a look below:
The Verdict
We are torn between these two backpacks. Both offer awesome quality and adjustability. If we were to choose one over the other, it would have to be Gregory Baltoro 65. This is due to the fact but it has a removable daypack, and that it has a lot of options in terms of harness adjustability. The daypack also comes with a hydration sleeve, which the Atmos 75 does not have. Given that these two backpacks have very similar prices, we feel that the Baltoro 65 has a slight advantage over the Atmos 65.
Liked the Gregory Baltoro 65 Backpack? Read our comparison review of the Gregory Baltoro 65 vs 75
