Really helpful customer service, and enjoyed the process of customization. The pack has held up so far so good over 200km. The moldable back panel and hip belt are especially nice!

Very impressed with custom notch after just finishing the highland way it has exceeded my expectations, I must admit with previous packs not been lightweight and having back support with a void, I expected the notch to be sweaty and uncomfortable but far from it, I was really impressed and the roll top feature definitely allows you to compress and get that little more in the pack that you usually couldn’t, having chosen the custom it has a real personal feel when carrying on my back and drew plenty of attention, thanks again atom packs for a quality product and even better that these are British made and handcrafted rather than a run of the mill factory mass produced product

My Notch 50 did very well in spite of needing to do a 10L water carry on my most recent trip. I was definitely over the recommended weight limit at the start of the trip. Once I got under the weight limit I would say that, comfort wise, it was on par with my old Osprey Atmos which is over twice the weight of this pack.

The pockets are my favorite features on this backpack. The shoulder pockets are nice to have and fit a 0.7L Smart Water bottle comfortably. The side pockets fit two 1L water bottles each, but can be difficult to get to when walking, so I used the shoulder pockets to carry whatever bottle I was actively using. I opted for a single hipbelt pocket. They are a good size and fit most modern phones. However, they are not as secure as built in hipbelt pockets, so I tended to use two hands to open the zipper.

This is my first time with a rolltop bag and I do find it somewhat annoying to have to roll it up every time I open the bag, but it does have the benefit of being able to pack down very small for travel.

Lots of things to love about this pack. All the little design innovations that make it so useful and easy to use. Maybe I should have gone for the 50l instead as it can easily fold down, but I do like the 40l being able to be hand-luggage on a plane. The only other issue I have is that compared to my (heavier) Osprey Atmos Pro I do find that on hot days I get a sweaty back. So I think I will keep the Osprey for my hikes in hot. Europe and this one for colder UK! But I really like it anyway.

Simple as that. It is one of those pieces of kit I am constantly stoked to use, and is 100% the most comfortable pack I have ever had the pleasure of using over the last 20 or so years. I have been looking for a great 40L pack for ages, and this fits the bill perfectly.

I loaded up my 40L custom Notch (in truly unhinged 90s-style colours) to walk the South Downs Way, camping over New Years, and the whole way it was a delight to use. The malleable frame once dialled into your shape means that the weight sits everywhere good, and nowhere bad. I actually ordered and then returned a stock Notch to check the fit and had a really nice email conversation about the fit and also some colour options (avoiding attracting flies) with the team too.

I opted not to have hip belt pouches because my arms rub on them and I didn't miss them at all. The pocket on the base of the pack was perfect for stripping my mittens/beanie/buff on and off, and also storage for my little map book for moments when I wanted to go off-piste or plan camps. When it was full it did stretch out, but at the end of the walk when I took everything out it returned to its original dimensions very quickly.

The elastic string on the front of the pack was fab for when my fly was frosted and needed to sit on the outside of the pack, and there was room left over in the side pockets even with a 1L bottle and tent poles (or mini bassoon in my case) snacks stuffed down the sides if I wanted.

I appreciate that the hip belt is removable so when I'm carrying smaller/lighter loads I can take it out and use the pack with a lot more freedom, and if my weight changes drastically I can swap the belt out for a different size. I anticipate this pack will last me a long time so that is particularly encouraging, as is Atom Pack's willingness to do repairs if you send the pack back (at a cost, but that's very fair!).

It took me about 8 months to have the courage to order this pack and I'm so glad I pressed go on it. I might not be a totally UL hiker (as it's £££) but it's perfect for the light, fairly compact kit I have as well as any more UL options I go for in the future.

I'm a majority solo hiker so my photos with the pack are generally not very useful, but there's one of me with it packed to the brim including about 3-4 days of food, and both a sleeping bag and quilt as I don't have one rated to -10C at the moment, to give you an idea of how it might sit when fully loaded.