Gregory Z30

Great pack. I got this as a present for my high school graduation, and it was a great gift. The fabric is very sturdy, and has stood up to plenty of wear and tear, including sharp rocks. As a day pack this excels. The volume is perfect for short trips, with room for a jacket or two, food, lots of water in the outside pockets, and plenty of easily accessible smaller pockets for general use.

The fit is perfect. Weight sits evenly on my lower back, and not on my shoulders. I rarely feel that I have any pack on at all, and it fits snugly enough for trail running.

My criticism: although the inside of the pack is ample volume for a small cook stove, some food, a jacket, and some essential overnight gear, it will not fit a tent or sleeping bag. Also frustrating is the lack of any kind of cinch pulls that could be used to put bigger gear on the outside of the pack. In reality, it is nowhere near a practical choice for an overnighter.

Great day pack, difficult for anything longer.

Great pack to have if you're a frequent day hiker. There are just enough pockets and space to put what you'll need without getting too bulky. Could use an organizing departments.

It's a great versatile bag that doesn't restrict movement, and it's pretty well centered and balanced in terms of weight. Only use for day hikes and may not be sufficient enough for an overnight (however, not impossible).

I bought this pack in women's size medium for my 12-year-old daughter to use for her wilderness survival training. She loved the comfort and not having to mess with a top "lid" to load the pack.

However, yesterday she carried it with about 30 pounds on a rigorous hike to Horsetail Falls in the Sierras near Tahoe and on the steep descent over the granite boulders, the material on the bottom of the pack totally blew out from scraping on the granite. The material is very thin and does not hold up to abrasions. It is damaged so badly that it is not repairable. This was only the second time she carried this pack on an outing and now it is trashed.

I only gave any stars because it is lightweight, is well ventilated, and loads well, but it doesn't hold up at all to trail conditions such as granite rock crawling. I would imagine this thin material would rip to shreds in the brush or think trees as well. It might be good for travel or easy hiking, but not tough conditions. I have several other Gregory packs and they have all held up well, but the material, especially on the bottom, is much more durable. Not money well spent.