User Review: Gregory Whitney

Gregory Whitney
Above: The current Whitney, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed May 12, 2007 by Mark14

Rating:
Design: front & side-loading internal
Size: 5500 cu inches
Number of Pockets: 2
Max. Load Carried: 60 pounds
Height of Owner: 6'1"
Price Paid: List

Nice pack. Side pockets and their access to main compartment, plus front access, is sweet.

I used to live in California and Oregon. Got an A16 external frame in 1972 (excellent for its time) and a Lowe single-compartment toploader in 1986 (a great pack). Now I live in a smaller city in the Midwest. Not a great place to find a variety of packs.

I ordered a Terraplane large from backcountry.com based on great reviews, but the belt they sent was a medium. I examined the pack, and was underawed. Backcountry offered free return and new-pack shipping. I asked them to send me a Gregory Whitney instead of another Terraplane. When I received it, it was obvious "This is a beautiful pack--I hope it is comfortable." And it proved to be so, carrying up to 60 pounds.

The popped buckles of an early version are not a problem today. Everybody makes design and component errors. Good companies like Gregory correct their mistakes, as is the case for their Whitney.

Today's version is a definite 5 star weekend to weeklong-excursion pack--if it fits you and distributes the load on hips and shoulders so you don't get sore, which is the ultimate test. My Whitney fits me very nicely.