Those two things - as Backpacker points out in its review of Gregory’s Palisade 80 pack in the current issue of the magazine - don’t often go together. But in the case of Gregory, we’ve always said, if you’re not comfortable, you’re not having fun.
Backpacker put the Palisade through the wringer over the past year-plus, and comfort is the verdict. Nothing’s more important when ca
rrying heavier weights.
Current trends suggest that people aren’t buying big backpacking packs as much as they used to, instead choosing to go lighter for shorter periods of time. Part of that’s time (people are busy, so they don’t carve out a week for a backpacking trip), but we think part of that is also comfort (people these days just don’t see carrying upwards of 50 pounds as fun).
That said, we think that there are always going to be the folks going on extended trips who need big load haulers, even if that’s not in vogue (can you use that word in relation to backpacking?) at the moment. There’s places to go and things to do that you simply can’t do unless you’re willing to haul what you need for five days, a week, or more. And as much as lightweight gear has reduced the amount you need to carry, there’s still no way around carrying sufficient food for a week!
And we’re committed to building the best packs for those folks (and everyone else, for that matter).
We also humbly submit that if everyone’s experience carrying heavier weights was using Gregory’s Response CFS suspension (what’s used on the Palisade, and what yields superior load transfer and, thus, comfort), there’d be more interest in extended lengthier outings.
Now if we could just do something about that North American work schedule …
Have you heard the song “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz? If you haven’t, you either A. live in a cave B. don’t listen to cheesy music or C. don’t listen to cheesy music.
I personally like the song, but I’m also a twenty-something girl who lives vicariously through ridiculous love songs like this little gem. So, why are we discussing Jason Mraz’s hip song when we should be writing about more important topics, like, say, backpacks?
Well, it just so happens that our very own Z55 merited a silver screen appearance in the song’s music video. So, no matter how lame you think the song is, you have to admit, Jason has pretty great taste.
On a different, but not completely unrelated note, the Outside Lands Music Festival held in San Francisco this coming 
weekend (28th-29th) will feature, among others, drum roll please…Jason Mraz. Now, by this point you should be savvy enough to guess we’re not just updating you on the pop singer’s status (that’s what twitter’s for @jason_mraz).
No, more importantly, Gregory is partnering with the recycling program at the festival called TRASHed Recylcing. The program aims to keep the festival site clean by picking up compostable cups and plastic bottles in exchange for some sweet prizes like 5 classic series Gregory day packs.
So, if you happen to be grooving to Jason Mraz at the festival this weekend, pop on over to the TRASHed recycling booth with compostable cups and plastic bottles and cash in on Gregory swag and other awesome prizes.
Over the last week or so, we’ve bee
n updating you on Gregory co-sponsored adventure racing team NUUN-FeedTheMachine’s progress throughout Primal Quest Badlands. And around midday last Saturday, the team crossed the finish line in 8th place after nearly 170 grueling hours on the course.
According to Primal Quest’s blog, the team was ‘lost’ on Friday, which was made apparent by the SPOT tracker. But, after a bit of rest and a replacement bike delivered to the course, the team was once again found at the finish line.
The race officially ended on Sunday after teams ran, climbed, trekked, swam, and paddled 600 miles across the Black Hills and the Badlands. Congratulations to NUUN-FeedTheMachine for finishing 8th in the longest adventure race in North America!
One of the most frequent questions/inquiries we get here at Gregory in our customer service department is “I’m going on a trip (of varying lengths) … what’s the best backpack for me?”
Though there is no single right answer, there are some questions you can ask yourself to help narrow down your choices, in terms of size and features. We categorize our packs by their volume and suspension systems, and therefore by how much weight they can comfortably carry. So, the best way to start the process of selecting the right pack is by asking yourself a few questions:
- How many days do you expect to be out?
- How much volume will you need?
- How much weight do you plan to carry?
Don’t worry if you’re unable to answer these questions directly; instead, you can use them to set some parameters. For instance, “I’m not sure how many days I’ll be out, but I know less than five days.” Or, “I’m not sure how much weight I’ll be carrying, but I’m going out for two to three days” – and so on.
These principles should only be used as general guidelines, as each trip you take may vary in length and needs. A cold-weather trip, for instance, will typically require more gear (warm layers) and food for the added calories needed to stay warm. Many people heading out on guided trips will get volume requirements for the backpack from their guide service (such as, bring a pack 4,000 cubic inches or larger). Some desert locations may require you to carry more water, typically one of the heavier items of a pack.
This all said, here’s an overview of how Gregory categorizes its packs, with the relationship between size and weight, and the typical uses for which people buy these packs. 
Heard of the term Nature-Deficit Disorder recently? If you haven’t, the term, coined by Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods, refers to the idea that children have no real connection to the outdoors anymore, resulting a slew of of behavioral problems, in
cluding ADD and obesity. While this concept has no medical backing, those who feel a contectedness to nature, and seek it out to relax or ‘recenter’, will understand Louv’s point.
Tying into that concept by helping kids reconnect with nature, Jackson Hole’s Center of Wonder, which encourages the discovery of ‘wonder’ through experiential programs in nature, approached Grand Teton National Park management with a program called Nature Explorer aimed at connecting kids with the outdoors. The Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve staff felt the program lined up with the preserve’s goals and decided to host the program. The idea being that kids who
visit the preserve can check out backpacks filled with tools “to aid in the exploration of nature,” according to preserve staff member Vanessa Torres.
It’s roundup Tuesday from GregoryGoesThere …
Over in the Badlands, Gregory-sponsored adventure-racing team NUUN-FeedTheMachine keeps hammering away in North America’s biggest adv
enture race, Primal Quest. Currently they’re in fifth place out of 32 teams.
If you’re not familiar with SNEWS, it’s one of the leading voices in outdoor retail … basically where a lot of outdoor retailers and others in the outdoor industry get their news. In addition to reporting the news within the industry, they also periodically review products that catch their eye. Today, they gave a pack from Gregory’s new Active Trail line, the women’s Maya, a 4 out of 5 review, praising the line’s Bio-Sync suspension. Apparently we lost some points for having a women’s pack in ‘Barbie Pink.’ We take issue, though. That color is Amethyst, thank you very much.
A site we like to read, SectionHiker, has a thoughtful post on things to make sure you do when you get home from a backpacking trip, in preparation for the next one - and to take care of your gear.
And via Backcountry.com’s fun blog, the Goat, comes a story of a ‘naked alpine walker’ and ‘another reminder that snow and alcohol don’t mix.’
I am one lucky ambassador and that is REAL. Gregory Packs specially made this Z35r for me. I chose a color palette and they put in the order. I have never had a company offer me this sort of thing and actually come through with it. It is usually an ordeal, quite pricey, and not worth the time…. BIG thanks to Gregory. You are like Family.
A few weeks ago, we blogged about Gregory’s adventure racing team, Nuun-FeedTheMachine, and their winning start to the season. 
5 hours ago the team of 4 began Primal Quest, arguably the most challenging endurance race out there, and they’re in the lead. Teams will run, bike, paddle, and navigate their way across 600 miles of South Dakota’s Badlands over the span of 6-10 days.
Last year, the team finished 4th in the Montana race and they’re hoping to improve their standing this year- looks like they’re off to a great start!
You can follow their progress HERE. Or read their team profile on the Primal Quest website.
And you shouldn’t wear their packs either. So, other than color, what’s the real difference between men and women specific backpacks?
On the shelf, gender specific backpacks look very similar, aside from the color and maybe size. So, what’s the nitty gritty behind the two different designs?
Turns out, there’s no shortage of differences. Women’s center of gravity, shape, and even the way we organize gear in our packs are all different from our male counterparts, so it makes sense that our packs reflect those differences. Gregory makes sure it stays on top of fit and other differences in men’s and women’s packs by making sure it has an extensive panel of women testing its new designs and providing feedback.
In a nutshell, here’s a few key differences that make Gregory’s women’s packs stand apart.
Our shape, in fact, is more appropriate for backpacking than the male body as our wider hips act as more of a shelf, so the weight rests a little more easily on that shelf. Gregory’s women specific backpacks, therefore, have waist belts that either adjust to accommodate women’s hip angles (in the case of the Response and Expedition series packs) or are set at slightly more of an angle to better match a woman’s hip shape (In the case of JetStream, Fusion and Active Trail series packs).
Funny how lots of outdoor types will own, say, a $200 backpack or a $2,000 mountain bike, but yet they’ll drive a 20-year-old car, eat peanut butter and beans, and seek out ways to actually recreate for free or very cheap. And I’m not p
ointing the finger at anyone here, because I’d have to point it at myself first …
In that vein, and knowing that lots of GregoryGoesThere followers are all about getting outdoors to cool locales, we’re here to remind you that the upcoming weekend is the final of three weekends this summer in which many parks across the country will waive entrance fees toward the goal of boosting the economy of communities close to parks. Want to find out if a part in your area is waiving fees? Check the list here.
Been looking for an excuse for a regional road trip? Look no further …
