Gregory Z-Pack - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

I have been shopping around looking at this and that and am looking at back packs. I’ve read that the Z-Pack is great. I talked to someone at the store I go to and they said it is great (but they are trying to do business so I only took his comments with a grain of salt).

I would go out and get it if I didn’t fear that it wouldn’t be good for more than say a month. It collapses down to a smaller size so it’s great for weekend trips and it can expand to about 3500 Cubic Inches (more or less) so it can be good for long 1 -2 week hikes. Would it be ideal to take on a 1 month or even a thru-hike some day?

Thank you,

Kayel

Kayel

#2

I bought a Z-Pack and used it for one week recently doing an 87 mile section of the trail. I was disappointed. Now mind you I packed it to the limit and found the hipbelt and shoulder straps were not sufficient to hold the load. The stories you hear about the straps cutting in where true. I thought as the week proceeded and my pack weight lessened the problems would subside- Nope! If the pack only had a little better suspension system. Now some in this forum swear by the Z-pack and that’s fine. Not me. I learned a valuaable lesson- Gregory is not the best ultralight pack manufacturer. I have a Gregory Reality and love it. I also recently bought an Osprey Crescent 75, now that’s a suspension system! My suggestion is to continue researching and spend the hard earned bucks wisely. Good luck.

icantsleep

#3

Kayel: It’s a pretty cool pack if you keep your pack weight below something like 32Lbs. There’s not really a difference between a pack for a 2-3 day hike and a thruhike, it’s all in the way you use the pack. An AT thruhike is really a lot of ~4 day hikes strung back-to-back, not some jungle expedition. If you get a Z Pack (or most any backpack for that matter,) it’s a good idea to go to a competent outfitter and get fitted with it rather than mail/phone/online ordering it and trying to guess the right size and adjustments.

icantsleep: It sounds like the pack did it’s job fine to me, you just overloaded it. You put more than it’s designed for into the pack, yet it held together, which many “ultralight” packs might not have done. Maybe consider either getting a beefier pack (maybe less than the Cresent, which is rather big) or lightening your load to a level that’s appropriate for a Z-Pack.

Have fun!

Skittles

#4

Screw the Z-pack, try out the Granite Gear Vapor Trail. I hiked with the Z-pack for a day (I swapped with my hiking partner), by lunchtime I was begging for the Granite Gear back. I had 26lbs, the Z-pack had 29lbs,not much difference in weight but a real difference in comfort and performance. Try em’ out at a good outfitter.

A-non

Anon

#5

I am currently thru-hiking the AT with my boyfriend, Timber and we both are using the Z-Packs. (I am taking a break off the trail until Sunday, so thats why I can type all this!) I have the medium and carry 33-35 lbs; he has the large and carries 35-38 lbs.

Overall, we have been happy with the packs. They are lightweight and the size is perfect I think–if a thru hiker needs more space than our packs, they better think again about how much gear they are carrying! the Z is a bigger pack than alot of other hikers have as it is. We line our packs with a trash compactor bag, so the cool side zip feature is useless for us. We also share a few pieces of gear between the 2 of us such as tent, water filter, and cook kit. However, even with all of our winter gear, I had no problem with space, and I was carrying the mammoth sized Cat’s Meow 20 sleeping bag (I did have to used a compression bag to get it in, but that is a common thing to use)

Problems we have encountered with the packs:
Timber’s shoulder strap actually began to rip off shortly before Trail Days this year. We inquired about a replacement with Gregory and found out that since this is a new pack and all the “kinks” are not yet worked out–there were LOTS of size large Z’s that had the same problem this year. They replaced the pack no questions asked.

My problem was that I had no more room to tighten the waist belt and you can’t just replace that as in some other packs. Luckily, at Trail Days, the pack designer was there and she actually cut my waist belt and sewed it back on so it was shorter. I guess what I am trying to say is that Gregory has great customer service if you have any kind of problem with their packs.

One other thing about the Z–the waist belt is hardly padded which you might want to consider. I find my pack to be uncomfortable to wear alot of the time, esp after a resupply. I adjust and re-tighten the straps several times during the day, although Timber doesn’t seem to have a problem with this. Perhaps it is just my body build. That said, its not bad enough for me to gett a new pack to finish the hike with.

One thing I have to say about the Granite Gear Vapor Trail–I know a thru this year using this pack, and it is a good pack as well. The waistbelt is more padded than the Z, and it can be entirely replaced if you need to different size. But, this hiker had the entire belt RIP apart where the buckles are and he had to sew it by hand until Trail Days when he could get it fixed. He also got a huge rip near the top of the pack in the material. You will undoubtedly have some sort of problem with which ever pack you get, so just make sure it is comfortable to wear and that you can get all your gear in it.

I know this was a lot of information at one time. Hope some of it helps you in finding a good pack.

Tumbleweed

tumbleweed

#6

I’ve been pretty happy with mine. I’ve hiked SOBO from Katahdin almost to NH and no problems. I hike light, but not to extremes.

So: durability not a problem. Are other packs better? Who knows.

Bob

#7

Thank you all. Guess I got a good 50/50 view on it with all the mixed comments. I appreciate all the help. I might do a little more research and possibly look further into the Z-Pack. Thanks a ton.

Kayel

Kayel

#8

So far so good with the Zpack. I added extra padding the shoulder straps and that solved the problem there.The large size hold a lot of stuff but you shouldn’t overload the pack as it affects the comfort level.I have not had a problem with it coming apart but I’ve only put a couple of hundred miles on it.

2ply

#9

Just thought I’d share. I looked up the Z PAck online and the weight for a medium was 3lbs 2 ounces. With all the comments on padding and suspension and ripping, I’d suggest looking into the Osprey Aether/Ariel 60.

Good padding and suspension, weighs 3 lbs 6 ounces (can aways cut unused straps and take the lid off to lose weight), it is quite durable. Only downside is the fixed hipbelt. Osprey has great service as well. My 2002 model broke before Damascus, Osprey replaced it with the woman’s version (hipbelt on mens was too big) and sewed some quick release straps on the bottom for me, plus gave me a different shoulder harness. The second one went all the way to Katahdin and is still kicking.

Blip

#10

Just thought I’d share. I looked up the Z PAck online and the weight for a medium was 3lbs 2 ounces. With all the comments on padding and suspension and ripping, I’d suggest looking into the Osprey Aether/Ariel 60.

Good padding and suspension, weighs 3 lbs 6 ounces (can aways cut unused straps and take the lid off to lose weight), it is quite durable. Only downside is the fixed hipbelt. Osprey has great service as well. My 2002 model broke before Damascus, Osprey replaced it with the woman’s version (hipbelt on mens was too big) and sewed some quick release straps on the bottom for me, plus gave me a different shoulder harness. The second one went all the way to Katahdin and is still kicking.

I know several people switched from the ultralight packs to this one.

Blip

#11

You actually won’t know unless you get it and use it. I have the smaller G Pack and the reviews on that are about 50 50 as well. But I love mine. I think that most of the problems with these packs stem from people putting too much in them. They are just not designed for what people are used to. If you are not a light packer then don’t buy a pack designed for such.

Zaphod

#12

My husband used the Z Pack last year on our thruhike of the IAT. He liked it much more that the GoLite Breeze that he used during our AT thruhike (I personally love my Breeze though). Before the hike he took out the stays from the back of the pack which lightened it up a bit. He was very happy with the padding for the back and shoulders. We carried about 20-25 lbs and he had no complaints. He also found it to be quite durable.

If you can get your gear weight way down I would recommed looking at the GoLite Breeze, which weighs less than a pound. It doesn’t have lots of padding or even a hip belt but I loved mine and wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Budder Ball