Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Gregory Navarino Pack > Test Report by Jamie DeBenedetto

Women's Navarino Day Pack

by Gregory Mountain Products

Reviewed by Jamie DeBenedetto
Updated October 19th, 2009

Report Contents

Reviewer's Information Back to contents

Product Information Back to contents

Description of Product

The Gregory Navarino is a women's specific day pack. Although on the small end and lightweight it has gobs of features. Starting from the outside I've listed them here.

• The back panel and the body side of the shoulder straps and hip belt are made of "Aero-Mesh", which feels like a thin, crinkly foamy substance covered by latticed material. (pictured top right)
• The suspension system is what Gregory calls BioSync™. This quote from one of their press releases explains it perfectly. "The result is a suspension that uses two attachment points at each shoulder harness and waist belt interface, with elasticity built into each of those interfaces, so that the entire suspension moves with - and mimics - its wearer's body during activity." The elastic bands are concealed or maybe protected by the hydration tube sleeves on the shoulder straps and the waist belt pockets.
• In addition to the hydration tube sleeves the shoulder straps also support two reflective strips, a gear attachment strip on the right side and an elastic cord shaped like a figure eight that fastens to the strap on one end via a hook and loop patch. (pictured second on the right) I'm not sure I get what this is used for yet.
• Also attached to the shoulder straps is the adjustable sternum band. This not only changes in length but each side can be slid higher or lower via a semi-rigid tube built into both sides of the shoulder straps. (also pictured in second photo)
• Moving down to the waist belt there are two storage pockets, one on either side of the belt, both open via zippers. The pockets use three different types of materials. The top cover is nylon, the front/ side panel is made of a stretchy, tiny holed mesh, with a less flexible net material covering the bottom.
• On each side of the pack, just above the waist belt pockets are pull cords attached to the "internal, on-the-fly compression system". When pulled the sides of the pack come in a bit. They release with a spring loaded toggle.
• Continuing along the sides of the Navarino we come to two top loading net style pockets. These do not fasten shut but there is an elastic piece along the opening to keep items restricted.
• The front of the pack, the side a person walking behind me will see, is very snazzily colored. In addition to turquoise the Navarino is accented with grey and steel blue.
• There are three main gear storage compartments, two use zippers with pull tabs, the other attaches via an elastic cord and is part of the total compression system. The largest holds the built-in hydration sleeve with two integrated hook-and-loop hangers and dual tube port openings at the apex of each shoulder strap. Between the hangers is a key loop and across from the sleeve is an internal zippered mesh pouch.(pictured third) Below that is a GPS sized pocket and still another removable small bag the manufacturer calls a "discreet pocket". At the very bottom of this main compartment is a small triangular drain hole. The middle compartment, while not as large as the main one is nearly as deep and also offers two organizer cargo spaces.(last picture on the right) The end compartment is the shallowest but it's meant to be expandable and compressible. It's part of the pack's compression system and therefore employs a couple of panels of the same stretchy mesh used on the waist pockets and two compression straps with buckles, one on each side. The sides of this compartment are the same net style material used for the side pockets.
• Last and probably least is the haul loop located at the top of the main pocket nestled between the shoulder straps.

Arrival Condition and Informational Material Back to contents

The Gregory Navarino arrived in what appears to be perfect condition. I inspected all pockets, mesh, straps, seams, etc. and did not find any issues of concern. Zippers zip and unzip and buckles open and close so I'm happy with its arrival condition.

No informational tags were attached, I did however, find some decent details about the pack on the Gregory website. I was impressed with Gregory's commitment to customer satisfaction and their lifetime warranty stance. It's always a plus in my book when a company is willing to stand behind their work. One missing tidbit that is of particular interest to me is the country in which the item is made. I personally like to know this up front before I buy anything and in many cases if that detail is unknown I won't make a purchase. The only other unclear information on the website was the max load capacity the pack is designed to carry comfortably. The scale Gregory uses on the website is a white line that begins at 20 lbs (9 kg) and ends at 70 lbs (32 kg). Until I checked a larger capacity backpack I didn't realize there was a yellow bar that moved along the middle of that scale indicating the load rating for that specific pack. The yellow bar is absent from the "Comfort Zone" scale on the Navarino page, leading me to wonder how much weight the pack could handle. Perhaps a different chart could be used for the day packs so this info. would be more clearly shown.

Expectations and First Impressions

The Woman's Navarino Pack was only shown from the front on the manufacturer's website so it was impossible to have a very good idea of what I would be getting when it arrived, internally speaking of course. I will say it certainly has more features than I thought it would. The thing is loaded with pockets, reflective strips, adjustment points, stretchy suspension, the works. I don't think I have ever seen a day pack with so many organizational compartments.

It's been a few years since I broke in a new day pack so I'm looking forward to finding out how the Navarino handles the gear I carry and the terrain I hike in (very dusty, prickly and sweaty). There are several parts of this pack that have caught my eye but probably the most interesting is this BioSync™ Suspension System. I'm not a runner but I will plan to do some light jogging and fast downhill in an effort to jostle the suspension and see if it truly "mimics" my body as Gregory claims. The on-the-fly compression system is also a rather unique element I have not encountered on other packs. With winter on the march I expect a fleece will soon be added to my regular daily item list meaning I'll most likely need this feature relatively quickly.

Having only given it the eye/touch inspection so far I certainly can't say how well the pack will perform once it's actually loaded with gear and I'm hiking. If I'm perfectly honest, I'm a bit concerned I wont have enough space to fit all of the things I usually carry AND an light jacket, which I will need sooner or later I'm sure. With that said, there are two other things I saw that stirred some "hmmm" activity in my head. First is the semi-rigid tube on the inner part of each shoulder strap. As mentioned before, this is designed to allow me, the user, to adjust the sternum strap up or down by sliding the end of each side of the strap along this track. The mystery for me comes because the tube is covered in nylon material and the strap ends are plastic. I am wondering how long it will take before that layer of nylon wears through.

The second "hmmm" thing is the mesh side pockets. I normally carry 22 oz (651 ml) water bottles in sided pockets in the pack I'm currently using. First, what size bottle will these compartments hold? Second, on occasion when I bend over or carelessly toss my pack into my vehicle one of the bottles will slip out; will this happen with the Navarino? The pockets look nice and secure in my initial home pack loading using a 22 oz (651 ml) bottle but only real field use will tell. Please check back in two months for these answers and the rest of my Field Report findings.

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-Jamie J. DeBenedetto - 2009

Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Gregory Navarino Pack > Test Report by Jamie DeBenedetto