I was wondering if anyone is hiking or has hiked with a Gregory G pack (the blue sil nylon 2.5 lbs pack with a stay), and if so, what your thoughts are on it for a Long Distance hike, and what light gear you recommend go with it, since it is only 3100 cu. I am aware a few reviews say it is too lightweight to do LD hiking with. But I am just planning on using it summers.
Thanks,
Aes
Aeschylus
I am not hiking with a g-pack - I have talked to some folks about them, and provided you care for it some it will last. Most important is the total load you put in it - less than 25# - so you really have to be weight conscious. If you are doing short distance stuff, and only out for a few (3-4) days it can work for you. I can also reccommend the Granite Gear Vapor Trail - it is a 2# pack that will handle 30# loads and 3600 cu - a little easier to fit into if you haven’t hiked as much. If your summer weight is at or below 30# you are doing pretty well (as far as I am concerned) - some people have ultralite on the brain and can get their pack weights down to 5-10#, but I am not one of those. Anyhow - there’s my 2 1/2 cents worth
Scuba
Bought th G-pack for a 2 week section hike on the lower AT. Took one look and shipped it back and got the Z-pack. The better back support and the extra 600 cu was worth it. fully loaded pack weighed in at 23-35 lbs including water and food (6 days food at the beginning was too much but we did not have time to resupply the first half). I could have dropped a couple of lbs of cloths and snacks but am glad I switched. The Z-pack is a bit more rugged and I need this pack to last for the next several years as I work my way north.
used a tarptent that weighed 1.25 lbs, but mostly stayed in shelters.
e_stumps
We met a thru hiker last year in Conn. that had been using this pack for his whole hike; he was on his third one by that point. The straps and seams kept tearing out. He was able to get Gregory give him replacements, but they weren’t real happy about it. One cs rep told him it was really only designed for “light stuff”.
Bramble
a real popular pack in the lightwieght with support catagory is the LWA (light wieght adventures) pack. i dont know the precice model, but they are a small company in utah and chances are you cant find thier packs anywhere other than trail towns. but look them up online. i know that Cbiscuit has a detailed gear list which includes the specs of the pack on his trail journal. yeah, the biscuit, a 2 week a year hiker, and spot a 4 time thru both spoke very highly of that thing. the z pack just looks akward to me- the one person carrying it this year was having tingling on his back. seems to me gregory hasnt pegged the light thing yet.
i would go LWA or vapor trail. just remember you gotta keep your load reasonable. not ultra light, just light. keep clothes to a min, use alcohol stove, light bag, light shelter (like the tarp tent). good luck.
milo
P.S. “a few reviews say it is too lightweight to do LD hiking with”
i would say bohemouth packs like the forester are too heavy to do LD with, since wieght equals undue stress on your body day after day. the longer the distance, the lighter the load should be!
milo
I’m thinking Milo meant ULA instead of LWA. I just got the ULA
P2, had to adjust it a little but the basic design is pretty comfy and light. Mine weighs about 40 oz, has a stay and a frame sheet. We’ll see how it holds up on the CDT. It can’t be worse than the Golite Gust;)
Apple Pie
2-more cents for any future shoppers.
I’ve been using a G-Pack since last October for my 3-4 day outings. My base pack weight is 15 lbs (spring, summer, fall). Push the G-pack over 25 lbs and it 1) is probably crammed too full, 2) will begin to feel fragile and about to tear whenever you lift it. The biggest drawback has been lack of cubic volume not its low weight capacity.
I have grown very fond of the wrap-around mesh sack. You can stuff just about anything into it. I use it for my Z-lite thermarest, rain gear, book, and nalgene bottle. It looks a little disorganized but so what? I do too after a few days out.
Honestly, I bought this pack without thinking too much. I would have picked the Z-pack, if I had stayed within the manufacturer’s line. The biggest advantage is that it forces you to pack light and small, and to treat your equipment with respect. But any lightweight pack should do that.
DoubleRev