Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Cerro Torre Gecko 65L > Owner Review by Ryan Lane Christensen

(logo from Cerro Torre website)

(photo from Cerro Torre website)

Owner Review -- January 13, 2007

Reviewer Information:

Name: Ryan L. Christensen
Age:  42
Gender:  Male
Height:  6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:  235 lb (102 kg)
Torso Length: 19.5 in (50 cm)
Waist Measurement: 38 in (97 cm)
Email address:  bigdawgryan (at) yahoo (dot) com
City, State, Country:  Idaho Falls, ID, U.S.A

Backpacking Background:

I began hiking, camping, backpacking at twelve, and continued until 25. After a long hiatus due in part to a bad back, I resumed hiking and camping four years ago. I share my love for these sports with my teen-age boys. The past several years, we have hiked or camped nearly every month, year-round. We vary our experience: desert, forest, meadow, and mountain; spring, summer, fall, and winter; sunshine, rain, wind, or snow. We began backpacking together last summer. I am a lightweight backpacker, but carry a full array of necessary gear.

Product Description:

I was looking for a good internal-frame backpack. A friend of a friend is a distributor for Cerro Torre. Therefore, my friend ordered the Cerro Torre Gecko 65L for me. Not knowing beforehand what I was getting, I was a bit nervous. However, upon receipt of the backpack, I was quite pleased. I really liked the rust and charcoal coloring of the pack. The Gecko 65L is a medium-volume pack designed for extended-day trips. This pack has numerous features including the following:

Currently, the website (cerrotorreusa.com) which was in English now takes you to the manufacturer's website which is predominately in Korean. This makes it virtually impossible for us non-Korean speaking consumers to learn more about this particular product or others Cerro Torre manufactures. However, after some searching, I was able to find the Gecko 65L listed on the website. The price of the Gecko 65L is listed as 216,000 Korean Won. As of the exchange rate today, January 13 2007, this is approximately $230 US. However, I have been unable to find out whether the Gecko 65L is available in the United States.

The first field outing with my Cerro Torre Gecko 65L backpack was a two-day trip up Sheep Creek Peak near Swan Valley, Idaho in June 2005. While packing my gear for the trip, I was a bit frustrated with the size of the sleeping bag compartment. My 0 F (-18 C) rated Hollofil mummy bag (in its stuff sack it measures 18 in x 12 in or 46 cm x 30 cm) did not fit well. Therefore, I had to insert it into the bottom of the pack via the opening at the top. This took up far more space in my pack that I would have liked. However, there was still enough room for my stuff, including food for both my 12-year-old son and me. The cinch straps enabled me to secure my forty-pound (18 kg) load. The adjustable shoulder straps and hip belt further enabled me to adjust the load so that it was quite comfortable. The waist belt supported most of the load, and the shoulder straps held the pack close to my body. I was impressed with how comfortable I was carrying this pack, especially since I have a bad back. I originally had the pack set for a large (21 in or 53 cm) torso. However, part way through the climb, I adjusted it down a bit. This seemed to be more comfortable for me. The weather conditions during this trip were ideal: clear skies, little wind, and temperatures from the mid 50s F in the early morning hours to the upper 90s F in late afternoon (10 C - 32 C). The ventilated mesh back of the pack prevented my back from being totally soaked with sweat. The mesh pockets just above both hips are ideal for water bottles. I really like the small, zippered pocket on the hip belt. This was a great place for me to put my tube of lip balm, keys, and gum. Although initially frustrated with the size of the sleeping bag compartment, due to not having a true "backpacking" sleeping bag, I was quite impressed with this pack on its maiden outing.

My oldest son, Tye, who, at the time, was fourteen and 5 ft 9 in tall (1.75 m) and 118 lb (53.5 kg) used my pack on his BSA Varsity Scout High Adventure during the first week of August 2005. It was a three-day backpacking trip to Bechler Meadows, located 24 mi (39 km) east of Ashton, Idaho in the southwest sector of Yellowstone National Park at an elevation of 6,400 ft (1,951 m). The weather conditions during his trip were ideal: clear skies, calm winds, and temperatures from the mid 50s F in the early morning hours to the upper 90s F in late afternoon (10 C - 32 C). Because my Cerro Torre Gecko 65L is adjustable, he was able to size the frame to fit his torso perfectly. He said it was quite comfortable during the eight mi (13 km) hike to where they base camped. Unfortunately, he is so skinny (29 in or 74 cm waist), that he could not size the hip belt to fit him nearly as well as the frame did. Because of this, he had to keep pulling the pack up on his back and shoulders; according to him, this was annoying. Other than that, he thought the pack was quite comfortable. He really liked the zippered-pocket on the hip belt to hold snacks. He felt like the pack had plenty of room for the gear and food he needed for the three-day outing. The Bechler region is the wettest in Yellowstone and is dubbed, "Cascade Corner" for the many waterfalls descending from the Pitchstone Plateau. On their way in and out, they had to ford the Bechler River. The items inside the pack never got wet during these fordings. The Bechler Region is home to a large population of black bears, and special precautions must be taken when traveling in the area. Therefore, each day, using a 5 mm (nearly 1/4 in) static rope through the shoulder straps, Tye would hang the pack up 10 ft (3 m) in a tree and 4 ft (1.2 m) out from the trunk. There were no noticeable signs of rubbing, fraying, or loose stitching resulting from suspending the pack each day.

Since purchasing this pack more than a year ago, I have taken it on numerous outings. Two of the most recent trips were to the Palisades Lakes near Swan Valley Idaho and to Ski Lake on the Jackson Pass between Victor Idaho and Jackson Hole Wyoming.

The Palisades Creek Trail to the lower and upper Palisades Lakes is located approximately 50 mi (80 km) southeast of Idaho Falls Idaho and nearly 60 mi (97 km) west of Jackson Hole Wyoming. The Upper Palisades Lake is about 6,800 ft (2,071 m) above sea level. The first night we spent in the Palisades Lakes area was the coldest. The sky was clear, the winds were calm, and the temperature dipped, as there was frost on the ground when I awoke around 6:30 a.m. the next morning.  The next night the temperature was warmer--no frost on the ground but there was heavy dew. Daytime temperatures were in the 90s F (30s C). We hiked approximately 22 mi (35 km) on this trip. However, I only wore my pack while covering about twelve of those miles (19 km) to and from where we base camped. Because I had my thirteen-year and eleven-year-old sons, I carried more weight than I would normally have carried for a three-day trip. My pack weighed just over 45 lb (20 kg). I had adequate space for the gear and food we needed. The "well ventilated mesh back panel" provided some breathability, but I was still quite sweaty underneath the pack. Nevertheless, the pack was very comfortable, with all the adjustment straps; I am able to "dial-in" the fit.

At nearly 8,800 ft (2,682 m) above sea level, Ski Lake is nestled at the base of a peak on the Teton Pass. This is just outside of the Grand Teton National Park. One Friday evening after work in September 2006, a friend and I made this overnight trip. This hike is approximately 5 mi (8 km) round-trip from the parking area. There is an 850 ft (259 m) elevation gain/loss on this easy hike. Like our Palisades Lakes trip a month earlier, the skies were clear and the winds calm. Daytime temperatures were in the 70s F (20s C) and nighttime temperatures were most likely in the low 40s F (4 - 9 C). On this trip, my pack weight was about 22 lb (10 kg). As on all of my trips with this pack, I was very pleased with its performance.

The capacity of the pack is ideal for shorter treks, but for longer outings, I would like to have a larger-volume pack such as the Gecko 80 which is 33.75 in x 14 in x 10.5 in (86 cm x 36 cm x 27 cm), weighs 6 lb 10 oz (3 kg), with a volume of 4,882 cu in (80 L). The material and seams are holding up well, no fraying or noticeable abrasions. Although it has gotten dirty on treks, it cleans up quite easily. The zippers, cinch straps, and buckles are in excellent condition. I believe the Cerro Torre Gecko 65L to be an excellent choice for a medium-volume internal frame backpack.

Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Cerro Torre Gecko 65L > Owner Review by Ryan Lane Christensen