Get Out There

Gregory: Hiking Packs, Luggage & Travel Accessories

All of our women's packs are designed to fit the anatomy of the female body. This means a hipbelt angled to fit the shape of a woman's hipbones and a shoulder harness that is shaped to work with a woman's bust and allow for a smooth wrap over the shoulder. We also provide smaller torso lengths in womens packs to accommodate shorter women, as proper torso length is a key element to achieving the best fit.

We have two different adjustable torso designs on our packs. The first is a hook-and-loop attachment that can be separated and repositioned according to marks on the adjustable panel. Make sure to press and massage the attachment back together after adjusted. The second adjustable design is in the Response A3 suspension found on the Baltoro/Deva and Denali. The Response A3 shoulder harness can be attached in two positions in the backpanel, allowing 2 inches (5cm)of adjustment within each size. To adjust, flatten the toggles on the harness straps and pass them through the slots to remove them, then reverse the procedure to pass them through the second set of slots, keeping the toggles flat. Once through, flip the toggles so that they lie flat against the plastic assembly.

For packs with hipbelt adjustment, the process is very similar to the hook-and-loop style of adjustable-torso packs: Simply separate the hook-and-loop panels from each other, and then reposition the belt according to the marks on the pad, ensuring that each side is positioned at the same point for a proper fit.

Loading your backpack is a balancing act in the sense that you want easy access to contents in the order you use them on the trail and in camp, and literally in the sense that you want to balance the load to maintain your center of gravity. Here's how to do it, starting from the bottom of your pack:

Bag at The Bottom

Most backpackers will shove their sleeping bag into the bottom of their packs. On some packs, there is a zippered opening at the bottom of the pack specifically for this purpose. The bottom of the pack is also a good place for items you won't need until you make camp at night: long underwear being used as sleepwear, for example; a pillow or maybe a sleeping pad if it's the kind that can pack down instead of folding or rolling up. Any other campsite-only items can go down low, except a headlamp or flashlight—its always a good idea to have your light source readily accessible.

Mass in The Middle

Your heaviest items should be placed 1) on top of your sleeping bag or other items at the bottom of the pack and 2) close to your spine. Usually, these items will be:

Your food stash, either in a couple of stuff sacks or in a bear canister

Your water supply, either in a hydration reservoir or bottles

Your cook kit and stove might also go here, though both could be wedged into the periphery of the load if small and light enough

Part or all of your tent, packed into a sack that you can remove from the top without too much trouble when you reach camp

Heavier items should be centered in your pack—not too high, not too low. The goal is to create a predictable, comfortable center of gravity. Heavy items too low cause a pack to feel saggy. Too high and the load might feel tippy.

Pad the Periphery

Wrap softer, lower-weight items around the heavier items to prevent heavier pieces from shifting. Your tent body, rainfly, an insulation layer, or a rain jacket might work well. These items help stabilize the heavier core by filling empty spaces.

Tools on Top

Stash frequently used items in easy reach: This includes your map, compass, GPS, sunscreen, sunglasses, headlamp, bug spray, first-aid kit, snacks, rain gear, pack cover, toilet paper, and sanitation trowel. Place them in the pack's top pocket or another external pocket, if one exists. Many backpacking and trekking packs include small pockets on the hipbelt for trail snacks and accessories.

More Tips

Fill up hollow items with lighter, smaller, items or things that need protection. For example, you can put utensils, a cup, bagged grains or beans, or a small item of clothing inside your cooking pots.

Fill up your bear canister all the way to make sure you maximize usable space.

If youre carrying liquid fuel, make sure your fuel bottle cap is on tightly. Pack the bottle upright and always below your food in case of a spill or leak.

Share the load: Divide the weight of communal items (e.g., a tent) with others in your group. You carry the main body, for example, while your tentmate carries the poles and rainfly. But whatever you do, dont give a critical piece of gear to someone who might split off from your group!

Stabilize: Tighten all compression straps to limit load-shifting. Ideally, a well-loaded pack will:

> Feel balanced when resting on your hips.

> Feel cohesive, a whole unit with nothing shifting or swaying inside.

> Feel stable and predictable as you walk, at one with your upper body.

Ideally, we recommend carrying your pack on the plane to avoid damage in transit; however, carry-on baggage must fit easily in the Carry-on Baggage Check (approximately 22" x 14" x 9" or 56 x 35 x 23 cm), which is usually located near the check-in counters. Typically, packs over 40 liters are too big to carry on, although this also depends on how full you pack the bag. If you are checking a large backpack (Such as a Baltoro/Deva), you can put the backpack in a duffel for protection, use a bag-wrapping service in the terminal, or sometimes airlines offer plastic bags for free or for a small fee. If you have nowhere to leave a duffel but you want to bag your pack, we suggest putting it in a heavy-duty clear plastic contractor bag and then using duct tape around the bag to minimize free space and loose ends. But dont throw it away—you can carry it with you or stash it somewhere at your destination without too much concern, then use it again for the flight home.

Yes, the 3D Hydro Reservoir is both BPA and PVC free.