Usage
Two day hikes in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area
Air temperatures were a bit below
freezing, and the weather was mostly sunny with calm winds. The trail
was mostly packed snow and quite icy. The first trip I was with my
daughter and the second by myself. On the second trip, I maintained a
brisk pace and as a result slipped on the ice a few times. I also did a
bit of bouldering on an exposed section of rock to see how stable the
pack was and if it would interfere with movement.
On
both trips and most subsequent trips (see details below) I carried my
basic hiking gear (first aid, emergency equipment, and rain
jacket/paints) weighing around 7 lbs (3 kg) not counting water. I also
carried a full 2 L (64 oz) hydration pouch and two 0.5 L (16 oz) water
bottles.
Day hike into Umptamum Creek Falls - Washington
Again, the trail was quite icy and a few spots were a bit dangerous. We
hiked to the falls and I did a bit of exploring in and around the rocks
above the falls while my daughter watched two groups of climbers (one
on the rock face and one climbing a frozen waterfall). I was carrying
the same equipment as above.
‘Urban’ Day hike Yakima Washington
I spend a few hours hiking from my house
into and around town, with the same gear as above, but no water.
Two days snowboarding in Loveland Colorado
Temperatures were way below freezing
with fresh powder as well as groomed trails. I carried only extra
clothing, a water bottle and some snacks in the pack. I am a terrible
snowboarder, and as a result had more than a few wipeouts.
Day Hike up Umptanum Creek Washington
The temperature was 45 F (7 C) with a
slight breeze when I started out. I fallowed the creek up the canyon
for a few miles, but the trail was washed out and I could not find an
easy place to cross. I ended up exploring some of the side canyons
doing some scrambling up loose talus and mud slopes and up a few
slippery rock faces before exploring the cliff tops and then
negotiating my way back down following some game trails where I could
find them. By the time I returned to the trailhead, it had warmed up to
50 F (10 C) and it was raining lightly. I was carrying the same basic
equipment as my first hike except that my water bottles and bladder
were empty (I filled them from a stream about half way through the
hike). In addition, I was carrying my rain gear.
Day hike to Switzer Falls in the Angeles Crest National Forest California
I hiked in to the falls with my two girls, my wife, and my wife’s aunt.
I played ‘Sherpa’ for the group carrying water snacks and even my
wife’s purse in the Z25. The day started out cool but warmed up to
around 70F (21C) by the afternoon.
Emergency gear pack in my work vehicle
During the testing, I have used the Z25
to hold the ‘emergency’ gear that I carry in my work vehicle. This
consists of the same basic gear I carry for day hikes plus a stove,
food, and tea/coffee. I usually toss the bag into the back seat, but
sometimes need the room and so the bag will be tossed (and I mean
‘tossed’ literally) into the back of the vehicle on top of all my
equipment.
Mountain Bike ride I just purchased a new
mountain bike, and took the pack with me on a short evening ride (some
dirt, but mostly paved road). I was carrying the same gear as the hikes
above, but with only a single 0.5 L (16 oz) water bottle.
Field Performance and observations The Pack
seems quite well constructed; however, there is one aspect of the pack
that concerns me (but only slightly). I do not know if this is an issue
with the design, or the manufacture of my individual pack, but I notice
that when I have the pack even partially filled it is necessary to use
two hands to fully zip the main compartment. The way the weight of the
pack
is distributed, the two parts of the main compartment pull apart
requiring me to use two hands in order to get both the zippers to meet
at the top of the pack. You can kind of see this in the image above
labeled “Stash Pocket and Hydration Port.” It is not that it takes
strength, but I find it necessary to take the strain off the top part
of the zipper in order to get the zipper past that section. I notice
that when fully zipped there is an uneven strain on the zipper with
most of the force concentrated on the top center of the zipper. My
concern is that when fully loaded with bulky items this strain could
eventually damage the zipper or pull apart the stitching. Should this
zipper fail, there would be little to hold the pack closed aside
from the two top compression straps. So far, the construction of the
pack suggests that it is well constructed and I see no indication that
any of the materials or stitching might fail, so I will keep a close
eye on this area.
One thing that keeps striking me about the pack is how much of the
internal space can be difficult to utilize when using a full water
bladder. The bladder pouch hangs in the center of the pack attached
near the top. When the bladder is full it divides the pack into four
distinct areas.
1) The space below the pouch – widest part of the remaining space and
good for larger items that are not flexible (e.g. my Jet Boil stove) or
sharp items that might puncture the bladder. It is about the only place
internally I would trust to store Crampons if I was also using a water
bladder.
2&3) The two sides of the bladder – Long and narrow spaces.
4) The expandable space between the bladder and the front of the pack.
Of these the most difficult to utilize is the space is the space
between the bladder and the front of the pack. When fully zipped this
has the potential to hold a significant volume of gear. It is partially
taken up by the interior organization pocket and the top stash pocket,
and anything you put in this area will be compressed directly against
the bladder so I don’t like to put anything that has the potential to
be crushed or could puncture the bladder. Finally, the way the way the
main compartment opens with the main zipper, while it makes accessing
everything in the pack simple, means that anything in this area will
come out when the pack is opened. So far, the only use I have made of
this area is to store clothing such as rain gear, extra jacket, etc.
All that being said, I can think of no better configuration for this
feature in a pack of this size. Therefore, this is more for information
than any sort of negative commentary on the Z25.
The comfort and stability of the pack continues to be remarkable. For
my first few hikes with the pack, I simply tossed my gear into it with
little thought of balance or stability. I placed small heavy items in
the stash and organization pockets and the rest of my gear just tossed
into the main pouch. I made almost no effort to adjust the
stabilization straps or compression straps. However despite hiking on
slippery icy trails, and intentional twists and bends (to see if the
pack would move or shift), the pack remained stable. Remarkably, after
my second hike I returned and noticed that prior to the hike I had
disconnected one of the stabilization straps from the waste belt prior
to the hike and forgot to reattach it. Despite this, the pack was
stable and did not shift. While snowboarding, the stability of the pack
was outstanding. Despite some spectacular crashes (I am new to
snowboarding and really SUCK), the pack remained in place and I could
easily forget I was wearing it. On my hike back from Switzer Falls I
worked up a bit of a sweat. However, the mesh back panel did a fine job
of keeping my back almost as cool as the rest of my body.
I have found the torso length of the pack to fit me quite
comfortably; however, as with most packs, I find the chest harness to
be a bit short. Note in the picture at the top and bottom of this
Field Report section, how high the sternum strap is, and this is with
it at its lowest position. Since I have this issue with most packs I
have worn, I expect this is an issue with my body type, and since the
pack rides so well and remains comfortable, it is more of an aesthetic
issue (in some of the pictures I think I look a little silly) than
anything else.
I am finding the expandable side pouches are very well positioned, and
I have no difficulties accessing or replacing my water bottles. I have
tried .5 L & 1 L (16 oz & 32 oz) bottles of various
shapes and they all work well. Getting smaller items like a snack bar
or my gloves can be difficult and I find it easier to remove the pack
to access these. While snowboarding I placed a 0.5 L (16 oz) water
bottle in one side pocket and attached it with a carabiner to the
lower compression strap. While the bottle did slip out of the pocket a
few times it only came entirely loose once, and I believe that was the
fault of the cheep carabiner I was using. The size of the pouches and
amount they stretch allows me to put quit a few things in them besides
my water bottles.
The waistbelt pockets are very handy. I find I can put my camera with
my SticPic (camera mount for my trekking poles) attached, or my Garmin
GPS in one with room to spare, and I have had two energy bars &
three Goo packs in the other.
So far, I have not really tested the pack with a full load. I am
finding that even with a full water pouch, this pack has more than
enough room for everything I normally take on a day hike plus some
extras. During the testing, I have made it a point of carrying more
water then I normally would, as well as tossing in an extra layer or
raingear even if I doubt I will need them. Even with the extra weight
added to the relatively high weight of the pack, I have been very
pleased with the comfort of this pack. I have been toying with the
possibility of replacing my tent/bivi with a hammock, and if I do go in
that direction, I am contemplating a short summer solo backpacking trip
using this pack. Unfortunately, conditions in my area will not be
favorable to this until long after this testing is complete.
Durability
The pack seems to be quite durable. During my field testing the pack it
has endured being tossed in the back of my truck, dropped on snow, dirt
and rocky ground, it even withstood some embarrassing head-over-heel
tumbles (that my brother and nephew found hilarious) while
snowboarding. While trying to help my daughter learn to snowboard she
managed to snag the straps on my pack a few times with her bindings. I
fully expected to find at least one of the straps ripped or at least
showing some sign of the abuse, but I was quite surprised to find no
damage to the pack.
SummarySo far, I am quite pleased with the Gregory
pack. While it is heavier than some other packs available, I feel its
features, comfort, stability and quality more than make up for the
additional weight. While I like to use a hydration bladder, I am
finding the pack is much easer to load and organize without it. The
hydration bladder pouch can then be used to better organize the
contents. And without the bladder in the center, the pack is simply
HUGE. It has room for all my gear and more. So far I have not come
close to fully filling it. The Z25 is in my opinion living up to the
“sweetest day pack you will ever wear” claim. At least it is the
sweetest daypack I have worn so far. I have only one real complaint
with the design of the pack, that is with the placement of the top
storage compartment in relation to the hydration tube opening, and even
that is a rather minor issue.
Overall I have enjoyed testing this
pack and fully intend to use it as my primary daypack for the
foreseeable future. I would confidently recommend this pack to
friends and family.