Gregory Z65 Backpack - Internal Frame

I bought this for my daughter for a trip to Nepal. She will be going on 2-3 day hikes from a base hostel and it should fit the bill pretty well. She said it was really nice, but it appears to only have one way in, so she'll need to pack it so that the stuff she might need while hiking is on top. She didnt want a lot of compartments because it's easy to miss-place things with too many compartments.

Will be used on the PCT in 2011. If could be slightly lighter, but its comfort makes up for it.

Purchased for a Grand Canyon Rim to Rim hike in May 2011. This backpack performed flawlessly! Amazing comfort, easy to pack, comfortable with just under 40 lbs of gear and water. Easy to access all my equipment once it was packed.

This pack is the best one I've used! The frame fits me really well - I am a 5'5" woman, so that the load is easy to carry. Pack is light. The mesh back and straps do seem to limit that sticky, sweaty feeling of carrying a pack for hours. I haven't had it long enough to test durability. Hydration access is great, front zip access is exceptional, there's room on board for accessories like my hiking poles. The belt has these neat mesh pockets, and I can't decide what to put in them, but I like them! GORP would go nicely in there... I am training with this pack, intending to backback with it in Alaska this summer. So far, so good. Mountains, here we come!

Gregory has a history of making good, sturdy packs, and this is no different. My wife and I just got into backpacking 4 months ago, so this was my first pack. I bought it based on a suggestion from a close friend that he had always been happy with his Gregory packs. I read as much as I could, but given that I had never really been backpacking, I wasn't completely sure what I was looking for. That being said, I got lucky with this one and am very happy with my purchase. Adaptability: The pack has multiple cinch points that allow you to carry as little gear as for a day trip or as much as you need for a multi-day trek. Our longest trip so far has been a four-day, three-night Appalachian Trail trip in early February. My wife has the women's version of this pack, the Jade 60; unfortunately, she's quite a bit smaller, so I carry much of the load, including the cooking set, stove, and entire tent. With all that gear and my clothes, I never maxed out the volume of the pack. My starting weight was 45lbs, and although it felt heavy, it was never uncomfortable. We have also now been on several day and overnight hikes, and regardless of what we pack, I can cinch it tight so the load doesn't shift and the center of gravity is right where it needs to be. Two things to keep in mind with this pack: First, if you're a pocket person, this might not be the pack for you. There is one large pocket where the majority of the gear goes. In addition, there is a front zip pocket and another pocket on the top of the pack that are easily accesible and large enough to carry extra layers or keep your food easily accessible. There are also two hip belt pockets which are very convenient. A pocket specifically for the sleeping bag would be a nice addition, but I don't mind sparing the additional weight. If you're a pocket person, the Baltoro is probably a better pack for you, but it comes at a cost of a couple extra pounds. All things considered, I'm extremely happy with this purchase.