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Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Gregory Advent Pro Pack > Test Report by Chari Daignault
GREGORY ADVENT PRO BACKPACK
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REPORT [June 13, 2007]
TESTER INFORMATION
I've been an ultra light hiker for 35 years -- I take the bare minimum with me and prefer a pack under or close to five pounds. I've hiked all the Florida State Forest trails in Central Florida and climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan when I was nine. I have hiked dry & sandy, rough & rocky and wet & boggy trails and as a result, have found what does and doesn't work for me in terms of equipment and clothing. Central Florida affords a lot of sun and rains, with high temperatures and massive humidity. It's a great testing area for clothing, footwear and headgear. INITIAL REPORT [June 13, 2007]PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Gregory Mountain Products INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The pack arrived with retail tags and no packaging. The pack itself is very light, with a lot of straps, zip cords, zippers and buckles to navigate. I will attempt to describe and display many of the key points in this report.
Advent Pro Features: Molded foam backpanel AeroTech™ mesh harness and waistbelt Wraptor™ stabilizer system Top load with giant front access Free floating Quickdraw compression system Side stretch mesh pockets and front zippered pocket Waistbelt pockets Front helmet pocket Side lashing system Integrated non-slip top pocket Hydration ready Bottom and top webbing compression Pole and axe loops/lashing Siliconized G 30 nylon ripstop 210D HT nylon twill The pack is very sharp and looks like it will hold much more than I would need on a typical day hike. TRYING IT OUT
The great thing about this pack is that I was able to figure out what each tie, draw, snap buckle or zipper was for just by trying them out. It's very intuitive. I easily put it on, adjusted the waistbelt, clipped the chest harness, tightened the Quickdraw Compression System [see photo] and the empty pack fit me perfectly.
The molded foam back is rigid, without being hard. The pack does not have a hard frame, but can stand upright even while empty, if leaning on something.
The pack is top loaded through a drawstring closure, which is accessed by unsnapping two buckles and flipping a top cover back. The top cover has a zipper pocket in it for storage of smaller items. The pack can also be loaded/accessed via a front access point that is found by unzipping a large flap on the front of the pack.
There are stretch mesh pockets on the bottom sides of the front, along with a front helmet pocket made of the same material.
The pack can be compressed along the sides via the Side Lashing System, which incorporates pull cords with locks that compress the pack to keep items from moving around while in use. These are accessible while the pack is on, so you can tighten them after getting the pack settled on your body.
The waistbelt has pockets built-in on both sides. I found these to be very convenient and they are easily accessible while wearing the pack.
The Wraptor™ stabilizer system is built into the bottom of the shoulder straps. This allows you to adjust each shoulder strap from one point at the base to two separate points on the pack, with just one pull of a strap. This helps the pack to form to your body and to settle comfortably against your lumbar.
Inside the main compartment, there is a hidden pocket which closes with a hook and loop fastener. I may use it for maps or important papers that I don't want exposed to the elements.
There is also a separate area in the main compartment for a hydration bladder, which includes an opening for the drinking tube to emerge. I tried out one of the two hydration bladders I have, and at 70oz [2L] when full, it fit nicely and did not flop around. There isn't anything to clip it onto, so I'll have to see how well it stays in place once the water level in it begins to drop during use. TESTING STRATEGY
The Gregory Advent Pro is advertised as a pack for adventure racers and lightweight thru-hikers. I'll be testing it on day hikes and trail runs. SUMMARY
So far, the Gregory Advent Pro backpack seems to be an excellent lightweight pack for high activity hiking. I have not tested it out in the field yet, but will be doing so during the Field Report testing phase.
FIELD
REPORT [September 6, 2007]
FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
Locations: PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I used the Advent Pro mostly on day hikes of 3 to 5 miles [4.83 km to 8.05 km] and on some bicycle rides of 10 to 15 miles [16.10 km to 24.15 km]. I learned very quickly not to fill the pack anywhere close to the maximum stated limit of 25 lbs. [11.34 kg]. The pack, no matter how much I fidgeted with the straps and adjustments, was not comfortable at all for me with a weight over 9 or 10 pounds [4.08 kg or 4.54 kg].
The Wraptor Stabilizer system worked great with the lower pack weight, as did the waistbelt. The pack stayed with most of the weight on my hips, allowing me to move more naturally and comfortably. The foam back panel formed to my back and I wasn't able to feel any of the more oddly-shaped items in the pack through it. I can't comment on whether or not the back panel was able to wick any sweat from my back, as I sweat profusely anyway and my shirts are always wet. It seems the days I choose to ride my bicycle are the days when we end up with a steady drizzle of rain. This does not keep me from riding, and the Advent Pro has performed great. The interior of the cargo area stays dry; I've not had to pack anything in plastic bags. Anything packed in the outside mesh pockets will get wet though, so I move my cell phone into the hidden cargo pocket inside the top access point when it rains. Clean up was easy, as even though I've used the pack almost daily since I received it, there is usually only a minimal amount of dust on the outside. I use a micro fiber cloth dampened with water to wipe it down, which seems to work just fine. *I try not to bring plastic water bottles out on the trails. SUMMARY
The Advent Pro is a nicely made pack. It did not perform well for me packed with gear weighing over 10 lbs.; it performs wonderfully at anything less. It fits well, sits perfectly on my hips and allows me full motion without binding. The Advent Pro works well in light rain and cleans up easily. There is plenty of cargo room, loads of pockets for storage of smaller items and two large access points from which to get at your gear.
TESTING STRATEGY
I will continue to test the Advent Pro on my day hikes and bicycle rides. I would also like to try testing it on a trail run, if my schedule allows. Otherwise, I will try short spurts of running while hiking to see how the pack feels on my hips and shoulders.
LONG-TERM
REPORT [October 23, 2007]
LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I have worn the Gregory Advent Pro pack during all my day hikes and while on my bicycle on the trails. Having located a little-known [and not maintained] trailhead for the Hal Scott Nature Preserve in the southern portion of my own subdivision, I've been taking turns hiking and biking on the very rugged and often-times marshy trails in there.
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
Now that I've solved the weight issue I'd experienced early on [see the Field Report for details], the pack is very comfortable and does not cause much if any discomfort [other than sweaty back syndrome]. I carried a water bottle in each of the side mesh pockets on a couple of trips while my hydration bladder was in the process of being cleaned. The condensation from the water bottles dripped out of the mesh material and down the back sides of my shorts and legs, which initially was a bit disconcerting, due to the temperature of the water. Condensation is something that one has to deal with when hiking, but I'd really prefer to not have my backend dampened.
I carry my camera in one of the waist belt mesh pockets and my cell phone in the other. This works well, unless it rains, during which I'll then move the two items into the top pocket of the pack, which is waterproof. I like having my camera nearby, as thunderstorms look magnificent when they come rolling in across the flat brush out there. Unfortunately, they've come in so quickly, I haven't had time to get setup to photograph them.
I like the myriad of adjustments I can make to the pack to compress it or make it fit my torso better; however, these adjustments need to be made prior to my taking off on my hike, as once I'm out there, I don't like stopping to make adjustments -- and I've found that I can't adjust too many things on the pack once it's on. Understanding that the pack's main feature is that it's lightweight and frameless, I think that with its size, the Advent Pro should have more solid support so that it can comfortably carry equipment up to its listed weight limit. Either that, or lower the weight limit and/or make the pack smaller so that its more suitable to the target audience of trail runners and adventure hikers [my humble opinion]. SUMMARY
Overall, I really like the Gregory Advent Pro. I like using it for my day hikes but will probably not continue using it on my trail biking expeditions, mainly because it's a bit too big for me in that scenario [same thing for trail running; it's too bulky for me]. It's an excellent lightweight frameless pack for quick in-and-out hikes that allows me to carry most if not all the equipment I'd like to take along. I'd like to see Gregory add a lightweight frame to the pack, mainly so it can support and comfortably carry the listed weight limit. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Read more reviews of Gregory gear Read more gear reviews by Chari Daignault Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Gregory Advent Pro Pack > Test Report by Chari Daignault |