Arden

I packed the Atmos 65 AG full with just about everything I would need for an overnight trek, but wasn't planning to sleep out tonight. This was just a test of the new pack, so I could get the feel for the pack on my back when loaded to about 35 lbs. I hiked 8.5Km on the AT from Elk Pen (on Arden Valley road at the west edge of Harriman park) to LP junction, then took LP to ASB back to AT.
I wanted not only to get a feel for the pack, but to know whether or not I could get through Lemon Squeezer with the pack.

Everything went well. The pack was very comfortable and cool. I am pretty much at the short end of the size L pack that I bought, but it fits perfectly. I was able to get through Lemon Squeezer after removing my air mattress roll from the straps on the back.
There were no issues at all, and I was happy that I had no issues with any part of my body - which sometimes likes to complain - today.

I carried my old 0 deg F sleeping bag inside the pack - had to unhook the sleeping bag partition before stuffing it in there - but I have no intention of using this bag on my overnight hikes. I am going to buy a down bag for about 20F. Then I'll have room for clothing in the pack. Today I had only a spare shirt which I stuffed into the back pocked of the pack. I think I also need to buy the Osprey hydration system. My Camelbak bladder wouldn't go into the sleeve on the inside back of the pack after I had filled it, so I had to lay it on top and route the hose through the intended port.

i was able to carry my "Backpacker's Cache - Save the Bears" bear canister inside the pack. That came in handy to keep the ripe bananas from getting squashed.

I'm looking forward to my first real use for my new equipment in mid to late October when I will hike from the Harriman train station to the AT station at Pawling NY. I'm figuring on 3 nights / 4 days, but giving myself an extra day (Sunday) to arrive at the train station - trains stop there only on the weekends and holidays - but it's only a 3 mile hike down the road to Pawling where I can get a train any day of the week.