Gegory G
I have found a great deal on the Gegory G pack 04 model for 69$ How would this work for a tru-pack? the large is 3100 cu.
The pack needs to fit both your torso and your load. Does yor torso length fall in the fit range for a Gregory Large? If you don't know, vist Gregory's website for instructions on measuring and sizing. Next to your footwear your pack is the last place you should try to save a few bucks, and force it to work cause the price is tempting. Kinda of like buying size 12 boots on sale even though you wear a 14. The best way to go is obtain all your gear first, and take it to a decent outfitter and choose a pack that is designed for the weight and volume and then have it properly fitted.Originally Posted by madmantra
It isn't a very durable pack. I actually had an outfitter tell me that it was a bad idea to buy one for a long hike/thruhike. That's right, a guy who makes his money selling gear told me not to buy a G pack for a long hike. However, HYOH.
Just hike.
My G's been a good pack.
I've put about 600 miles on my G-pack, including a gear eating couple weeks in the Grand Canyon. It has a couple of good abrasions but that's from me treating it like it's my Palisade (my poor, lonely retired Palisade, sniff). Other than that, it's held up well and it's a very versatile pack w/ the big bucket pocket (note the new G's have the bucket sewn in two extra seams, creating 3 pockets and nullifying the flexibility of the huge pocket). I bought mine on sale and settled with a large when I fit a medium, so I'm waiting for the 'offer I can't refuse' on an 04 medium. In the meantime, I'm carrying it from Springer to Hot Springs this March.
Cheers,
Backcountry Dave
The G Pack is definitely a good pack for a thru hike; but like the post above states, it has to fit your needs as well as pricing.
The G is a classic lightweight backpack, catering to the ounce counter. It's the kind of pack you'd use if you had an alcohol stove, titanium cutlery, and lightweight sleep system and tarp. It is not the kind of pack you'd carry (though you can, just won't leave much room for) heavy things like certain types of aluminum pots, heavier stoves like the Coleman Dual Fuel and even Whisperlites, and heavy 2 person tents.
The pack rides comfortable at 25-30 pounds. If your gear is in this range I would then seriously recommend you consider it. If you try squeezing anything else into the pack, it will not function.
Also important to note with all lightweight backpacks: how to properly put your pack on and take your packs. The stitching can easily come undone in the shoulder straps and cause "wardrobe malfunctions" when swinging the pack on by them. By using the centered handle on top of the pack, you can, with a wide legged cowboy stance, rest the pack on one knee with the shoulder straps facing you. With the opposite hand rotate the pack around by grabbing the centered hanger/handle on top of the pack and pull around to one shoulder. Then add straps to shoulders, thus saving relatively unnecessary manhandling of shoulder straps and elongating use. Reverse process for removing a fully loaded pack. Save those shoulder straps!
The G Pack is definitely a winner for the right kind of user! One of my prized possessions....
I like mine, and I'd quite happily take it on a thru-hike. All of the caveats mentioned about are relevant. If it fits and feels good to you, and you are good about packing light, it should work.
Yeah. it may also be that my preferences lean towards light and not ultra. My dry pack weight is 14.7 pounds, but my pack itself weighs 3.5. It's an Osprey Aether 60, and I absolutely love it. I make up most of that with a 1.5 pound down bag.
Also, with an outfitter, you have to realize that they'll try to steer you towards more expensive gear, and the G was on sale. I did, however, seriously consider the Z pack at one time.
Of course, I'm pretty loopy from the flu meds, and I might have those two letters backwards. The one that I thought you were talking about is the lightest of the two. If I have it backwards, then never mind, it's a good pack.
lalalala...
Just hike.
I used the ZPack on my thru and it held up wonderfully and was a great pack. If I were to thru again, however, I would carry something much lighter, as 3lbs 3oz can certainly be significantly reduced with every increasing technology.
I have both the G-pack and the Z-pack. I use the G-pack in the summer when my load is below 30 lbs. In cooler weather, I have more bulk in my pack and a little more weight (closer to 35 lbs) so I use the larger Z-pack. I can't comment for certain on suitability for a thru . . . I've unfotrunately never had the pleasure! I expect, however, as others have said, that it would be fine as long as loads are below 30 lbs.
Yeah, I think I did have it straight. The G was the lighter one. I'd just heard lots about rips and tears and shoulder straps letting go and things like that. If you want a very-light pack that'll do well for you, go with a G4 or G5 from Gossamer Gear. (That's a collective "you", not just 1/2 of the Solemates.)
That Z is almost as heavy as my Aether. I can't imagine how they got that Osprey so light with all of those features.
Just my opinion...
Just hike.
I personally didn't find the G-pack comfortable at 30 pounds. As a matter of fact, I think even at 25 pounds I felt it digging in my shoulders a bit too much, and that was in the store for a short period of time. I got the impression that the Z-pack would feel good at 25 and below and the G-pack at 20 and below. Other people here seem to think otherwise, so your best bet is to try it out.
Z-pack
I had lots of trouble with my Z-pack. The shoulder strap slowly ripped off one side, and the zipper busted on the replacement pack Gregory sent me. Two crappy packs! The final replacement has held up ok so far, but I haven't done alot of hiking lately. Hopefully they iron out these kinds of problems, because otherwise the pack was comfortable.
if you're looking at getting a G-pack, check out granite gear's Vapor trail.
they're lighter,more durable, can carry more weight, and are more comfortable than the G-pack.
http://www.granitegear.com/products/...ks/ultralight/
Last edited by Freeze; 03-02-2005 at 03:28.
If they just had external pockets, I probably would have bought one already Can't understand the reasoning behind that decision. How much weight is a pocket or two going to really add anyway? Too bad because I really liked the way the Vapor Trail fit me when I tried it on.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote