GearFlogger

Gregory Targhee FastTrack 24 Ski Pack

We review a lot of gear, and one thing that never fails to amaze us is the degree of innovation in small packs. The Gregory Targhee FastTrack 24 is a perfect example: every decision made on this pack reflects its singular purpose, to bootpack your skis to the top of your favorite track, and then to let you grab and go without even taking the pack off. OK, maybe that's two purposes? Whatevs, read on for the deets!

The Targhee FastTrack comes in three sizes: 24 (reviewed here), 35, and 45 liters, all with the same features, and all built around the FastTrack ski carry system. So about that... the FastTrack works and works well. To use the system, remove the coated webbing loop from its hidden pocket on the right side (as you're wearing the pack) and drop your skis, tail first, into the loop until the brakes catch. Now, the magic: wrap the elastic webbing that is anchored behind your right shoulder around the skis, around your head, and slide the webbing into the keeper on your left shoulder strap. In about as long as it takes you to read that - or watch it - it's done and done.

Securing and releasing skis is crazy easy with the FastTrack system. Carry works just fine too, although the load can develop a starboard-side list if you don't snug it up correctly. It's not quite as comfy as an a-frame carry, but it's comfortable enough and the on/off is just... so... smooth.

The rest of the pack is equally well thought out. The helmet pouch deploys quickly from a small pocket and clips into the daisy chains on the front pocket. We do wonder about the longevity of the small plastic clips; aluminum would have been a better choice here, but they are easily replaced by small biners if you want. The avy tool compartment is perfect, a wide slot for your shovel blade and two sleeves for handle and probe. There's another medium-size pocket behind the helmet cover pocket, and the main compartment is totally open, with a hydration bladder sleeve and tight-but-workable hose port on the top. The sewn top lid has two zippers that meeting in the middle at a small tab, with just enough room to stick a finger in and pull the whole lid open without manipulating the zippers. Nice touch!

After the FastTrack system, the coolest feature on the Targhee is the ability to strip it down however you like. The pack starts at 2lb 10oz. Remove the 4oz hip belt and the 8oz aluminum framesheet (don't worry, there's still a thin sheet of foam in the backpanel) and you're down to 1lb 13oz (with rounding). Why would you do that? Because the Targhee 24 is a perfect ice climbing pack in the minimalist configuration, with its dual ice tool keepers and gear loop on the right side hip belt. Add a crampon pouch, stuff your rope in the avy tool compartment, and you're good to go. There is one other interesting option here: both the gear loop and the small belt pouch can be removed. This also removes the oversized pads on the back, but keeps the wide webbing hip belt itself, and you can now slide other things into place, for example a trauma kit or camera bag. It's good to have options!

The Targhee has all the straps: top and bottom compression straps, load lifter straps, and sternum strap with whistle. The only thing we'd like to see added is a water bottle pouch on the wearer's left of the pack, which could also function to stuff ski pole handles into. Bottom line, if you're looking for an uber-cool ski and ice climbing pack, the Targhee FastTrack 24 and it's larger siblings have got it all.

$199.95 at Gregory

Gregory Border Traveler 30 Travel Backpack

It's no secret that here at Gearflogger we love us some small-to-medium size backpacks. A backpack is just a small garage you carry around with you, or as George Carlin said, a place for your stuff. All packs can be just an open sack, or be specifically designed for biking, school, climbing, or, in the case of the new Gregory Border Traveler 30, for travel.

We generally stay away from the big controversies in life: roll your tent or stuff it, bark up or bark down, and, of course, is chamomile really tea? But here we are taking the brave step of weighing in on the single open compartment versus lots of organization in a pack debate. And our conclusion is... if you only have one pack, it should be open, but if you can have a pack specifically for travel purposes, organized is the way to go. And if you're going organized, the Gregory Border Traveler 30 makes a strong argument for the dedicated travel pack, thanks to just the right amount of organization. Bear with us, there's lot to unpack here. Get it? Unpack? (editor's note: really? that's just lazy. how much do we pay you anyway?).

Gregory Sula 18 Pack

Small packs are often interesting, because they have to focus since there's not enough room on the pack for every option. Gregory always makes interesting packs, because that's pretty much all they do. Combine that dual focus and you end up with an outstanding pack like the Gregory Sula 18. The irony here is that this pack does a whole lot of things very well, thanks to clever design and a feature you don't often find on small packs: a frame.

At first glance the smooth and svelte Sula 18 is clearly a day hiker, with a smaller capacity appropriate for fast and light excursions. Look closer, however, and you'll see the technical features that are the mark of a true multi-role pack: an outside stuffer pocket, outside zipped and padded pocekt, internal hydration sleeve with both loop and hook, internal zipped organizer pocket, ice axe/trekking pole loop, dual mesh water bottle pockets, compression straps, a minimalist hip strap and glove friendly zipper pulls. When you realize it's also got a fairly stout little frame on it, it suddenly dawns on you: I could stuff this thing to the gills and use it for anything, and in any season!

And indeed you can. The Sula hits all the right notes to be a quiver of one for a small pack. For winter climbing, it'll carry an axe and crampon pouch. For summer cragging, plenty of fluids, shoes, rope and rack. For ultralight overnight, a tarp, food and summerweight sleeping bag. It even excels for school use and travel; there's way more organization than you would expect on a pack this size, and you can put a mid-size laptop in the hydration sleeve and the frame will keep it from bouncing off the floor. There's even load-lifter straps, a sternum strap and keep loops on the shoulder straps to dial everything in once you're loaded. You can also reverse the hip belt to function as a lower compression strap for smaller loads and lighter days.

The frame is really the key to this pack. You can put a deceptively heavy load in it, but thanks to the frame and hip belt it'll carry like a champ. The other big plus for the frame is the airflow. It's been a hot summer everywhere, and the Sula 18 means your shirt won't be plastered to your body within seconds of starting a trek. The Sula 18 is a beautiful pack, not just on the outside but on the inside where it counts: the frame, that is. Absolutely consider at the top of your list if you're looking for a do-it-all small pack.

$99.95 at Backcountry

Gregory Z35-R pack

It is the golden age of packs. If you can't find a pack for any purpose conceivable, you're just not looking. A good place to start looking is with Gregory. The California-based company only does packs, and as you might imagine they have dialed in the technology.

The Gregory Z series of hiking packs are perennial favorites here at GearFlogger. The streamlined 35 liter Z35-R weighs in at 3lb 12oz for a medium. It features JetStream LTS suspension, with minimal contact between pack and body for better airflow, but still plenty comfy to carry with a stout load. The space between back and pack is handy for stuffing a climbing rope or clothing layer that you're taking on and off as you move. The suspension is fully adjustable everywhere you look, and you won't have a problem getting the fit fully wired for your frame.

The R in Z35-R is for rolltop. The pack does away with the top pocket in favor of a simple rolltop closure that's fast, simple and leaves total freedom for neck swivel. There's a small flat pocket on the front of the rolltop, a large stuff-it pocket perfect for layers, and a medium capacity vertically zipped front pocket for stuff you want to keep out of the way. Inside is a hydration sleeve with clip and twin tube ports, and on the dual-adjustable waist belt are two small mesh pockets sized for compact cameras and snacks.

Although the Z35-R is billed as a hiking pack, it has technical features too: dual ice axe loops and ski carry loops on the side. Compression straps on the top and sides will let you attach additional gear as needed, so you can really go total yard sale if you feel the need. So the Z35-R is fast, light, comfortable and flexible. What's not to like? Only one small thing: no side pockets for water bottles, so you'll need to pimp your ride with some aftermarket bottle holders.

$180.00 at Altrec

Gregory Alpinisto 35 pack

Gregory. Packs. Same thing. Gregory has been synonymous with backpacking since before back pain was invented. Not that you'll have to worry about that with their packs, which consistently carry like a dream. For alpine loads up to about 40 pounds, the Alpinisto 35 (as in liters capacity) is your weapon of choice.

The Alpinisto 35 (also available in a 50L) is an excellent mountaineering pack that stows all the essentials for a heavy day or light weekend of technical vertical fun. Leashless-compatible tool sleeves, ski loops for A-frame carry, hypalon crampon panel, and dual gear loops on both sides of the waist belt round out a serious-alpinist feature set. The build says serious too; it's made for the kind of knuckle-dragging abuse typical of the underfed and overstimulated climber set. Hoo-ah!

Gregory's Wraptor stabilizing system has two points of contact for the webbing that connects the pack bag to the shoulder straps. Combined with the wide belt, ample compression points and helmet-contoured floating top pocket the Alpinisto is a stable load carrier. Stuff it past its 35lb rating and it still doesn't complain, thanks to the removable aluminum stay and HDPE framesheet. The Alpinisto 35 in a medium tips the scales at a very reasonable 3lb 14oz. Minus the framesheet (9oz) and belt (5oz) you've got a 3lb burly climbing pack with a minimalist hip belt that should nest nicely with your climbing harness. A great pack for vertical all-season adventures.

$200.00 at Moosejaw

Black Diamond to merge with Gregory, go public

We hate to pollute our opinions with actual news because that sounds a lot like real reporting. And once you start down that slippery slope you better have crampons and an ice axe. But here you go, straight from the wire:

"05.10.2010 – Black Diamond Equipment Ltd., a global leader in the climbing and freeride ski markets, today enters a transaction with Clarus Corporation to take the company public and simultaneously merge the operations of Gregory Mountain Products into a new operational platform."

Frankly we were surprised that the dismal state of the economy didn't result in more mergers and acquisition activity in the outdoor products sector the past couple years, but hey, we're not paid to be rocket surgeons either. In fact we're not paid, period. Dammit!

Gregory Z30 pack

The Z30 sounds like a secret weapon from outer space, but it's actually a sweet little pack from Gregory, the guys who do only packs. The Z30 is available in small 1,650ci, medium 1,800ci and large 1,920ci models weighing in at a very nice 2lb 10oz, 2lb 12oz and 2lb 14oz respectively.

The Z30 is literally cool, with a burly curved frame and mesh back panel that allows airflow across the back. Gregory claims the Z30's frame will increase support as you add weight. In what must be a first in the marketing world, this seemingly impossible claim proved out. The catalog lists the comfort rating at 30lb while the tag indicates 25lb, but we're here to tell you you can stuff this thing like a Christmas turkey. Our testing showed 40lb+ were not a problem with careful packing.

The design is a bit unconventional: there's the usual hydration sleeve, dual mesh side pockets and handy dual zippered belt pockets. Then you have four storage areas including the main compartment. The lid zippers waaaay open, gaping like high school students watching Porky's for the first time. This is nice because you can get to a lot more than you can with a normal top loader. On the back of the lid there's a medium-sized top pouch, and below this is an open bucket pocket - great for stuffing jackets - with a smaller vertically zippered pouch on its front. The bottom line is a lot of organization options, each sized appropriately to its location on the pack.

The shoulder and waist suspension is comfy and up to the demands of kitchen sink rated loads. A note on sizing: the Z30 seems to run a tad small for its rated size, so try it on if you can. On the flip side this is a great men's pack that is SheFlogger approved, so don't let She Who Must Be Obeyed try it on or you may never see it again.

$119.00 at REI

Gregory Denali Pro pack

Yes, you can take it with you. Carry the kitchen sink in this pack, which lives up to its name as "the Great One" for both its capacity (7,000ci for the size large) and its weight (8lb!).

You won't even notice the six-pack your buddy stuffed in the bottom of this load monster while you weren't looking. Its impressive dry weight means you can use it for training right out of the box, no additional gear required.

This pack is ubiquitous on the mountain it's named after, due to its super-comfy feel even when fully loaded.

$459 at REI