I first saw this video back in 2020 but didn't buy it then. I waited until June 2023 (It went on sale for $150). I know I'm frugal!!!! HAHAHA I took it on Camino Frances from October to November 2023. It was such a perfect pack for me. I didn't even use my Ikea bag (still brand new). lol Thank you for an awesome review. :)
The Zerk 40 has been a total gamechanger for me: The weight of the pack sits around my chest, a bit like a cone. It's by far the most comfortable backpack of any size I have ever used. The shoulder straps barely touch the tops of my shoulders, where every other pack rides hard and hurts after some hours on the trail. This is without using the hip belt - I don't like hip belts and have never used one more than an hour or so - find them too constricting for the hip muscles. Even after hours on the trail I'm thinking what an incredible feeling it is that the weight of the pack is distributed all around my chest so I can't really tell how I'm carrying it. The answer to all my backpacking prayers! I'm 5'9", 160 lbs so I shortened the shoulder staps almost an inch at the top...it helps and I may shorten them more. Fantastic pack.
Great review. I appreciate all the detail. This and the Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 are my two favorite choices for my next pack. I carry a Mountainsmith 18L Cairn fanny pack with straps almost daily on short hikes and love it. Glad I found your channel. The Camino is at the top of my list of hikes to do.
Both great packs. I eventually found the zerk too large for an overnight pack without a hip belt, but I liked it for a day pack. I hope you get to do the Camino someday. I don't know if I'll get another chance. But as they say, ultreia! :)
Thought I'd muddy the waters for you, Doug. I'm looking for a new small (24L - 28L) pack. I was looking at the Osprey Stratos 24, but I really like a top loading, then I came across the Deuter Speed Lite 26. They also make it in a 32L version, that comes in at only 30oz. It's a top loader with top lashing points and a daisy chain on each side of the front. Still slightly heavier than the Zerk40 and 8L smaller, but all the features(plus some) of a traditional pack. Just not sure about carry-on limit, it's 25x11x8 inches, which is a total 44 linear inches. Some airlines says, item can not be longer than 22 inches, but most also say, you're OK if the total linear inches is less than 45 inches. I know Deuter is very popular on the Camino, especially with the Germans. Sounds like a reason for another gear review. LOL
Hey if it wasn't for muddy waters, gear reviews wouldn't exist! :) My day pack was a Deuter Act (24L) for YEARS. I absolutely loved it. Last year I gifted it to my boy and switched to an Osprey Talon (22) - mostly just to switch things up. The Speed Lites look great from what I can tell. I have to stop backpack shopping for a while though. The battle for me now is between the Atmos and the Zerk. I'm hiking this Monday and taking the Zerk with me for the 2nd time. So far it's been great. The Atmos hasn't been beat for comfort and carry capacity - but it is slightly overkill and I am really concerned about the size for foreign airline travel. After many years of crisscrossing the USA, I basically avoid baggage check like the plague. :)
Doug, was holding off on commenting on this video. I appreciate the time and effort you take to make the videos and the details you provide for our consideration on equipment selections and How to walk our own Camino. I hold your opinions in high regard and have generally agreed with your recommendations and logic, until today. Having spent 33 years hiking as part of my profession (retired USMC), I celebrate the opportunity to use thoughtfully designed equipment that "wears" better in terms of comfort and weight distribution. Disenchanted with issued equipment (pack with no frame or external frame) and carrying 40 - 60 pounds for up to 25 miles a day... Saw your video on the ATMOS AG 50 and after researching other packs (other Osprey models and Dueter) I was literally heading to REI to purchase the 50 AG the day you posted this video. I went to REI, but bought some Altra Trail Runners and darn tough socks instead of the pack. Having now watched this video 3 times I am more convinced the ATMOS AG 50 is the way to go (for me) because of the size, features and comfort featured in your Osprey Atmos AG 50 video review. Thanks for the exhortation you provided to do our research and make our own decisions. My priorities for pack selection centered on these main issues. 1. I too am not the Hiking Viking, I will look for every opportunity to slow down, take a photo and have a cafe con leche. Being in perpetual motion is not a Camino goal for me. 2. Gear wise, I will stick with Marine Corps training and take 3 of all clothing items (shirts, trousers, skivvies, socks) instead of do-able two. My camera and electronics gear (planned) is my phone, iPad mini and a DJI OSMO pocket handheld camera. I expect my load to be very similar to the 14 to 15 pounds you plan to start your Camino. 3. The lack of frame, padded hip belt and other aids to evenly distribute weight to my aching back remind me to much of my overloaded ALICE pack. Its a Camino, not a sprint. Comfort over the long haul is my primary consideration. Very interested in updates on the Zerk if you do any additional hikes over multiple days AND your final decision on pack and gear once you slap the table on the final load out. cheers and thanks again for sharing your life with us.
Thank you for the thoughtful comments! I own both packs and without question, the AG50 is my main go-to backpack for all the reasons I stated in my reviews. The ONE thing that really concerned me was the AG50's measurements vs. carry-on requirements. I've flown a lot over the past 15 years and had some pretty bad experiences resulting in me becoming a carry-on only guy. I recently had friends lose their Camino gear on the way to Spain which resulted in several days of delay and the stress of not knowing if they'd ever get their gear. So I am pretty paranoid about checking my beloved Atmos and possibly losing it and my Camino gear. That was the major impetus to looking at smaller packs. When I found the Zerk 40 used, I decided to try it out even though it seemed to violate every suspension desire I had haha. Having tried it out, I think that although the Atmos will objectively carry ANYTHING better - I am not sure it's worth the extra weight and stress for me to bring the Atmos on this trip. Definitely going to keep trying them both out though and I will make a final packing video before I go!
I’ve seen everyone of your videos, love them. They’ve been a big help to choose my first pack. I want a good all around day pack, thinking of this one or the Stratos 36. For my larger one, I’m definitely going with the Atmos 50 AG. Awesome channel bud, keep killing it!
Thanks! I liked the Stratos even though I thought it was a bit heavy for a 36. I am still not sure why it didn't work for my back. But it's wildly popular and I love Osprey so, might have just been an anomaly. Let me know when you try it out! (If you can spend some time at an REI it will be helpful - they'll let you try on packs with weight so you don't waste a lot of time - plus they have a one year return policy. :)
So it looks like Mountainsmith removed the big “Zerk 40” on the back? Good! Also, there are a couple of packs out there that have runner style shoulder straps with 2 sternum straps. Do you think it would’ve possible to add a second strap? And do you think it would help by taking even more weight off ones shoulders?
Actually the lettering just rubs off haha. :) As to adding on a second sternum strap, there is no daisy chaining on the front and the strap that comes with it is a sliding clamp, so you'd need one identical to it. The clamp runner tops out about mid-way up the strap, so the second would be pretty low (which is how I've see them placed on such packs). I've never tried one, so I honestly don't know - but it seems likely that it would be of some benefit!
Great pack with many admirable features. I have one query for a women’s anatomy, how the wider style chest straps would fit, or would there be potential for chaffing irritation when worn on long distance or Camino style hikes? Really enjoy your reviews, many thanks for the information.
Good question! The straps widen out about half way down the chest and they ride more on my ribs but obviously every fit will be different. I actually bought mine from a woman who used it on the Appalachian Trail, and the only other personal review I've seen on RUclips is from a female thru-hiker (ruclips.net/video/g13S5aSa57k/видео.html). So it worked for them! :)
Great video. Well done I notice you don’t have the Zerk 40 graphics on your mesh and I prefer that look. Was it tough to take those off and did it leave much of a mark?
Thanks Doug, just what I need ANOTHER pack. I wonder how the 'average person' is going to like it after 30+ days on the Camino, especially with no hip belt, versus adding an additional 1.5 pound of pack weight for something like the EXOS 38. Here's the big question; Is this your Camino pack?
@@BackcountryPilgrim I'm glad to hear you've definitely made up your mind about which pack. LOL It will be interesting to hear how additional testing goes. I wonder if you should increase your testing weight to 18 lbs. to simulate walking with wet rain gear or extra water if the temps are extra hot, like last summer Also, if you're going to carry a waist pack in front of you check it out careful, I carry a pouch in front on me for my Nikon DSLR and having that weight in front of you makes a difference. I don't blame you for being paranoid about losing your pack. But, it definitely looks like an interesting pack, I'll have to check it out in person.
@@davidandmoose8885 LOL I love it! What I meant though was that I was under 15 lbs with food and water - or close. I could always add more of course. ;)
I don't know if they are available in stores anywhere yet - even in the USA. I'd check out Mountainsmith's main website (see video description) - I am sure they could ship to you!
Hey Doug, would a BV 450 fit inside the pack? Everywhere I hike either requires it or I don't feel safe without it. It is one of the smallest canisters and I was hoping it would fit inside, seems top heavy and and unwieldy strapped on the top to me.
It might get crammed in there but it wouldn't fit *well.* The pack is not quite 12" x 6" and the BV450 is nearly 8" x 9" so it could be stuffed in, but I think it would compromise the pack design too much to recommend it.
I actually bought this from a woman who used it on a thru hike and there's another girl on RUclips that also thru hikes with one. :) Your height should not matter, but your torso length will determine where the hip belt rides. It's a pack designed to not need it for weight support though, it mostly is just for stabilization so it's not that important. What changes on a woman's packs is usually the shape of the shoulder straps. Like most packs you'd likely have to try it on to know for sure if it would work for you. So check the return policy wherever you get it. :) Hope that helps!
Actually, part of me hopes no one buys it LOL! I am looking for a slightly different setup in the same size and just can't justify having two in the same volume range. (I mean, I COULD...but I shouldn't haha). :)
I first saw this video back in 2020 but didn't buy it then. I waited until June 2023 (It went on sale for $150). I know I'm frugal!!!! HAHAHA I took it on Camino Frances from October to November 2023. It was such a perfect pack for me. I didn't even use my Ikea bag (still brand new). lol Thank you for an awesome review. :)
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad it served you so well!
The Zerk 40 has been a total gamechanger for me: The weight of the pack sits around my chest, a bit like a cone. It's by far the most comfortable backpack of any size I have ever used. The shoulder straps barely touch the tops of my shoulders, where every other pack rides hard and hurts after some hours on the trail. This is without using the hip belt - I don't like hip belts and have never used one more than an hour or so - find them too constricting for the hip muscles. Even after hours on the trail I'm thinking what an incredible feeling it is that the weight of the pack is distributed all around my chest so I can't really tell how I'm carrying it. The answer to all my backpacking prayers! I'm 5'9", 160 lbs so I shortened the shoulder staps almost an inch at the top...it helps and I may shorten them more. Fantastic pack.
It really is. I don't know why more people aren't using it!
I have the 2021 version and love it for over-night hikes.
I saw they updated it but I haven't investigated it yet. Thanks!
Great review. I appreciate all the detail. This and the Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 are my two favorite choices for my next pack. I carry a Mountainsmith 18L Cairn fanny pack with straps almost daily on short hikes and love it.
Glad I found your channel. The Camino is at the top of my list of hikes to do.
Both great packs. I eventually found the zerk too large for an overnight pack without a hip belt, but I liked it for a day pack. I hope you get to do the Camino someday. I don't know if I'll get another chance. But as they say, ultreia! :)
Thanks for the response Doug, seems like it may be suitable for women, but as always needs to be tried for fit and comfort.
Always! :)
Thought I'd muddy the waters for you, Doug.
I'm looking for a new small (24L - 28L) pack. I was looking at the Osprey Stratos 24, but I really like a top loading, then I came across the Deuter Speed Lite 26. They also make it in a 32L version, that comes in at only 30oz. It's a top loader with top lashing points and a daisy chain on each side of the front. Still slightly heavier than the Zerk40 and 8L smaller, but all the features(plus some) of a traditional pack. Just not sure about carry-on limit, it's 25x11x8 inches, which is a total 44 linear inches. Some airlines says, item can not be longer than 22 inches, but most also say, you're OK if the total linear inches is less than 45 inches.
I know Deuter is very popular on the Camino, especially with the Germans.
Sounds like a reason for another gear review. LOL
Hey if it wasn't for muddy waters, gear reviews wouldn't exist! :) My day pack was a Deuter Act (24L) for YEARS. I absolutely loved it. Last year I gifted it to my boy and switched to an Osprey Talon (22) - mostly just to switch things up. The Speed Lites look great from what I can tell. I have to stop backpack shopping for a while though. The battle for me now is between the Atmos and the Zerk. I'm hiking this Monday and taking the Zerk with me for the 2nd time. So far it's been great. The Atmos hasn't been beat for comfort and carry capacity - but it is slightly overkill and I am really concerned about the size for foreign airline travel. After many years of crisscrossing the USA, I basically avoid baggage check like the plague. :)
Dude. I think this is my next pack. Amazing. Great find! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! I hope you like it. :-)
Doug, was holding off on commenting on this video. I appreciate the time and effort you take to make the videos and the details you provide for our consideration on equipment selections and How to walk our own Camino. I hold your opinions in high regard and have generally agreed with your recommendations and logic, until today. Having spent 33 years hiking as part of my profession (retired USMC), I celebrate the opportunity to use thoughtfully designed equipment that "wears" better in terms of comfort and weight distribution. Disenchanted with issued equipment (pack with no frame or external frame) and carrying 40 - 60 pounds for up to 25 miles a day... Saw your video on the ATMOS AG 50 and after researching other packs (other Osprey models and Dueter) I was literally heading to REI to purchase the 50 AG the day you posted this video. I went to REI, but bought some Altra Trail Runners and darn tough socks instead of the pack. Having now watched this video 3 times I am more convinced the ATMOS AG 50 is the way to go (for me) because of the size, features and comfort featured in your Osprey Atmos AG 50 video review. Thanks for the exhortation you provided to do our research and make our own decisions. My priorities for pack selection centered on these main issues.
1. I too am not the Hiking Viking, I will look for every opportunity to slow down, take a photo and have a cafe con leche. Being in perpetual motion is not a Camino goal for me.
2. Gear wise, I will stick with Marine Corps training and take 3 of all clothing items (shirts, trousers, skivvies, socks) instead of do-able two. My camera and electronics gear (planned) is my phone, iPad mini and a DJI OSMO pocket handheld camera. I expect my load to be very similar to the 14 to 15 pounds you plan to start your Camino.
3. The lack of frame, padded hip belt and other aids to evenly distribute weight to my aching back remind me to much of my overloaded ALICE pack. Its a Camino, not a sprint. Comfort over the long haul is my primary consideration.
Very interested in updates on the Zerk if you do any additional hikes over multiple days AND your final decision on pack and gear once you slap the table on the final load out.
cheers and thanks again for sharing your life with us.
Thank you for the thoughtful comments! I own both packs and without question, the AG50 is my main go-to backpack for all the reasons I stated in my reviews. The ONE thing that really concerned me was the AG50's measurements vs. carry-on requirements. I've flown a lot over the past 15 years and had some pretty bad experiences resulting in me becoming a carry-on only guy. I recently had friends lose their Camino gear on the way to Spain which resulted in several days of delay and the stress of not knowing if they'd ever get their gear. So I am pretty paranoid about checking my beloved Atmos and possibly losing it and my Camino gear. That was the major impetus to looking at smaller packs. When I found the Zerk 40 used, I decided to try it out even though it seemed to violate every suspension desire I had haha. Having tried it out, I think that although the Atmos will objectively carry ANYTHING better - I am not sure it's worth the extra weight and stress for me to bring the Atmos on this trip. Definitely going to keep trying them both out though and I will make a final packing video before I go!
Got this pack coming in a few days from REI. Bought it with their spring25 discount, so it costs $170, tax and shipping inclusive.
Great deal! Enjoy!
i have a mountainsmith lookout 25L i use for a day pack. with 15 lbs. in it its comfortable all day
Very cool!
I’ve seen everyone of your videos, love them. They’ve been a big help to choose my first pack. I want a good all around day pack, thinking of this one or the Stratos 36. For my larger one, I’m definitely going with the Atmos 50 AG. Awesome channel bud, keep killing it!
Thanks! I liked the Stratos even though I thought it was a bit heavy for a 36. I am still not sure why it didn't work for my back. But it's wildly popular and I love Osprey so, might have just been an anomaly. Let me know when you try it out! (If you can spend some time at an REI it will be helpful - they'll let you try on packs with weight so you don't waste a lot of time - plus they have a one year return policy. :)
So it looks like Mountainsmith removed the big “Zerk 40” on the back? Good! Also, there are a couple of packs out there that have runner style shoulder straps with 2 sternum straps. Do you think it would’ve possible to add a second strap? And do you think it would help by taking even more weight off ones shoulders?
Actually the lettering just rubs off haha. :) As to adding on a second sternum strap, there is no daisy chaining on the front and the strap that comes with it is a sliding clamp, so you'd need one identical to it. The clamp runner tops out about mid-way up the strap, so the second would be pretty low (which is how I've see them placed on such packs). I've never tried one, so I honestly don't know - but it seems likely that it would be of some benefit!
Great pack with many admirable features.
I have one query for a women’s anatomy, how the wider style chest straps would fit, or would there be potential for chaffing irritation when worn on long distance or Camino style hikes?
Really enjoy your reviews, many thanks for the information.
Good question! The straps widen out about half way down the chest and they ride more on my ribs but obviously every fit will be different. I actually bought mine from a woman who used it on the Appalachian Trail, and the only other personal review I've seen on RUclips is from a female thru-hiker (ruclips.net/video/g13S5aSa57k/видео.html). So it worked for them! :)
Great video. Well done
I notice you don’t have the Zerk 40 graphics on your mesh and I prefer that look. Was it tough to take those off and did it leave much of a mark?
Thank you! The lettering just wore off. :) Form the videos I have seen, this is not uncommon!
Thanks Doug, just what I need ANOTHER pack.
I wonder how the 'average person' is going to like it after 30+ days on the Camino, especially with no hip belt, versus adding an additional 1.5 pound of pack weight for something like the EXOS 38.
Here's the big question; Is this your Camino pack?
Personally, I would not trade 1.5 pounds for the support of a hip belt if I was carrying much more weight than I plan to on my Camino (
@@BackcountryPilgrim I'm glad to hear you've definitely made up your mind about which pack. LOL
It will be interesting to hear how additional testing goes. I wonder if you should increase your testing weight to 18 lbs. to simulate walking with wet rain gear or extra water if the temps are extra hot, like last summer Also, if you're going to carry a waist pack in front of you check it out careful, I carry a pouch in front on me for my Nikon DSLR and having that weight in front of you makes a difference.
I don't blame you for being paranoid about losing your pack.
But, it definitely looks like an interesting pack, I'll have to check it out in person.
@@davidandmoose8885 Good call - my base weight was actually lower than 15 lbs so I was rounding up. But water/food make a big difference for sure. :)
@@BackcountryPilgrim If
@@davidandmoose8885 LOL I love it! What I meant though was that I was under 15 lbs with food and water - or close. I could always add more of course. ;)
Nice one Doug, another superb review. A very nice looking pack. Is it available in the UK?
I don't know if they are available in stores anywhere yet - even in the USA. I'd check out Mountainsmith's main website (see video description) - I am sure they could ship to you!
Backcountry Pilgrim Thanks Doug.
Yes available in the Uk at www.absolute-snow.co.uk, bought mine in November, very happy with it.
Hey Doug, would a BV 450 fit inside the pack? Everywhere I hike either requires it or I don't feel safe without it. It is one of the smallest canisters and I was hoping it would fit inside, seems top heavy and and unwieldy strapped on the top to me.
It might get crammed in there but it wouldn't fit *well.* The pack is not quite 12" x 6" and the BV450 is nearly 8" x 9" so it could be stuffed in, but I think it would compromise the pack design too much to recommend it.
I would buy this buy I'm a woman who is 5" 5" tall. Is it really one size fits all? Seems to be a man's pack
Sheila
I actually bought this from a woman who used it on a thru hike and there's another girl on RUclips that also thru hikes with one. :)
Your height should not matter, but your torso length will determine where the hip belt rides. It's a pack designed to not need it for weight support though, it mostly is just for stabilization so it's not that important.
What changes on a woman's packs is usually the shape of the shoulder straps. Like most packs you'd likely have to try it on to know for sure if it would work for you. So check the return policy wherever you get it. :)
Hope that helps!
Great review never heard of this one thanks for bringing it to my attention 🤙🏻
You bet! I love it!
may i ask, why are you letting go this pack?
Actually, part of me hopes no one buys it LOL! I am looking for a slightly different setup in the same size and just can't justify having two in the same volume range. (I mean, I COULD...but I shouldn't haha). :)
SOLD!
You'll love it! Tell em Doug sent ya haha. :)
Nice review. You gained a new sub.
Thank you, I appreciate it very much!!!
Great video!
Thank you!!!
Nice video. Good review ✌️
Thank you!