Hello there! I was hoping to get some advice/input from you all, here is the situation.

I recently purchased the Black Diamond Mercury 65 and this past weekend took it on a little backpacking trip. Fully loaded with all my gear it rang in just over 33 pounds. I really enjoyed it on my trip, and had ZERO issues with fit, fatigue, or any other negative experiences with it. However on future trips I will have my camera gear, and could easily exceed 40+ pounds. So that's where my dilemma is. I've read several reviews talking about how the Black Diamond isn't great above 35-40 pounds, as the shoulder straps can create discomfort.

I've also read great reviews for the Osprey Atmos 65, and i'm wondering if that pack might be better for larger loads.

What are your opinions? Is the only way to know for sure to buy each and test each in the field with a heavy load? Is there another way to assess the situation? Or should I just keep the BD because i've already had good luck with it?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Best,

Danny