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Initial Report: Gregory Deva 60
TESTER BIO
Name: Jennifer Williams
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m)
Weight: 120 lbs (56 kg)
Shoulder width: 16 in (41 cm)
Hip width: 15 in (38 cm)
Email: jensmail78 (at) yahoo.com
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: January 24, 2006
Backpacking Background:
I grew up horseback riding, skiing, camping, and hiking, but I just started backpacking about three years ago. All of my trips have been one or two night stays. My trips normally range from coastal trails in the redwoods to mountainous terrain in the Sierra Nevada. I tend to hike where I encounter rain and dampness. This year I am looking forward to making some longer trips in northern California and gaining more experience. I am not a lightweight backpacker yet, but would like to reduce my current pack weight significantly.
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PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Gregory Mountain Products
Year of manufacture: 2006
URL: www.gregorypacks.com
Pack Size: women's small
Waistbelt Size: women's small
Volume: 3700 cu in (61 L)
Listed Pack Weight: 5 lb 3 oz (2.4 kg)
Pack Weight as Delivered: 5 lb 2 oz (2.3 kg)
Lid/Fanny Pack Weight as Delivered: 7 oz (198 g)
Number of Stays: 1
Color: Azure (also available in Plum)
MSRP: $249.00 (US)
Materials
Body:630 D/210 D high tenacity nylon
Harness & Waistbelt: polyethylene closed cell foam
Stay: aircraft grade aluminum |
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Product Description
The Gregory Deva 60 is a women's specific pack in Gregory's "Weekend Warrior" Series designed to carry up to 45 lbs (20 kg). It is equipped with their Auto-Cant Harness and new Response Suspension System that is designed to automatically adjusts to your hip angle and has a women's specific narrow back panel. The pack has top, front, and bottom access points and a top pocket that detaches and converts into a fanny pack. The pack also sports a removable hydration sleeve and port, as well as a canted water bottle holder and additional smaller pockets for organization. Other features listed on the Gregory website include water resistant zippers and a waterproof Tarpaulin bottom. The Deva 60 has crossover compression straps combined with compression stiffening panels that are intended for stabilizing partially loaded packs.
Initial Impressions
The Gregory Deva 60 arrived in a large box with all of the straps tightened and buckled. There was a small pamphlet attached to the pack explaining the Gregory lifetime warranty, details about the pack, and instructions on how to fit the pack. After loosening most of the straps I inspected the pack for any imperfections or blemishes and was happy to find none. Initially, I looked at all the different pockets and straps to figure out what everything was for. There are definitely enough pockets in this pack to keep one very organized. In addition to the main compartment and top pocket, there are four smaller, zippered pockets on the sides and front of the pack. Three of the pockets are large enough to hold a camera, map, or other medium sized items. The fourth pocket is smaller and would only hold small items like chapstick or a pocketknife. This fourth pocket is on the lower left side of the pack, where the water bottle holder is on the right side. The canted water bottle holder is made of a stretchy mesh material and it has a small bungee attachment at the opening to prevent the bottle from falling out or the holder. The Deva 60 also has a hydration sleeve that hangs inside the main compartment, against the inner back panel of the pack next to the stay. It is very easy to remove or insert it by pivoting two small buckles though their attachment slots. The port for the hydration tube is simply a small fold of overlapping fabric that creates an opening just above and behind the right shoulder strap. The sleeve and port seem big enough to accommodate my 68 fl oz (2 L) reservoir and its tube. Overall, I noticed that most of the buckles are very ergonomic, with a curve in the top to make it easy to lift the buckles and all of the male ends are tapered to prevent getting hooked on the edges of the female ends.
Fit:
After a general inspection I put the recommended weight of 15 to 20 lb (6.8 to 9 kg) inside the pack in order to fit it to my body. The pamphlet gives detailed instructions on how to fit the pack. I received a women's small pack and a size small waistbelt. According to Gregory's sizing chart I should use a medium waistbelt. However, when I tried the pack on and tightened the waistbelt it seemed to fit correctly, so I decided to stick with the small. Next I had to adjust the harness to the lower of the two attachment slots for the shoulder harness pads because I am on the shorter end of the size small range. This adjustment was a little difficult because the slots are behind the back panel and it was hard to get my fingers in there. It was not impossible though, and I don't anticipate having to do it often (if ever again). I then adjusted the sternum strap to the most comfortable position on my chest. I noticed that the sternum strap is attached with a plastic sliders to small cables that run the length of the shoulder harnesses. This attachment is different from the usual nylon webbing that I am used to and I was happy to find that it was much easier to adjust. I also noticed that the nylon straps that run along the outside of the shoulder harness pads attach/detach from the pads with Velcro. However, I find this odd since the ends of the pads are sewn directly to the straps making it impossible to remove them completely or even slide them up or down. My only guess right now is that this might help with adjustment of the sternum strap in some way.
Suspension:
The overall suspension is very interesting and I am excited to see how it does on the trail. The waistbelt is actually two separate foam pieces that are each attached to separate hard plastic pieces that are attached to the bottom of the stay with rivets. These two halves pivot independently of each other, and of the pack to a certain extent. The plastic pieces are almost like an exoskeleton for the waistbelt. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the foam pieces are snapped to the plastic pieces at the rivet, which is how one would remove the foam to change out the belt size. The shoulder harnesses are also attached to rivets that pivot independently, but the foam for the harness is attached to nylon webbing instead of plastic. They both seemed to adjust to my movements while I walked around my apartment. I did notice that the harness did not move as easily as the waistbelt, but I will have to determine if that is an issue in the field. |
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Lid/Fanny Pack:
The top lid was very easy to detach in order to convert it to the fanny pack function. I just had to loosen the straps until they came completely out of the buckles. Once detached there is a hidden pocket on the underside of the lid where the belt is tucked away. Once I unbuckled the belt I was able to pull the two different ends out either side of the lid and loosen the straps. The webbing of the belt is 2 in (5 cm) wide and seems comfortable without cutting into my waist. The lid seems big enough to hold a few medium sized items like a camera, small water bottle, and a first aid kit. The lid has five buckles that hang from the edges while being worn as a fanny pack. I don't think they will get in the way, but they are noticeable. Reattaching the lid was just as easy as detaching it and took well under a minute.
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FIELD INFORMATION
Central and Northern California Coasts:
During the beginning of the testing period I will go on multiple trips along the coastal mountains to take advantage of the warmer winter temperatures in that area. Locations will include multiple state parks and national forests, such as Big Sur, Los Padres National Forest, and Henry Coe State Park, ranging in elevations from 0 to 6000 feet (1800 meters). I will go on at least two overnight backpacking trips. Temperatures will be between 30 and 60 F (-1 to 16 C) and conditions will generally be damp and rainy with occasional dry and warm days. Most trails will be maintained with occasional overgrowth, but no bushwhacking.
Sierra Nevada:
As the testing period progresses and weather improves I will start backpacking in the Sierra Nevada range again. I will go on 2 overnight backpacking trips in Tahoe National Forest and another trip to Yosemite National Park at elevations between 7000 to 9000 feet (2100 to 2700 meters). Temperatures are typically between 30 and 70 F (-1 to 21 C) and conditions tend to alternate between dry, clear weather and occasional rainstorms. Terrain will consist of mostly maintained trails near lakes and rivers, with occasional off trail hiking and boulder hopping.
My gear is typically distributed between my backpacking partner and myself, thus pack weight and contents can vary. However, I try to keep my pack load below 25 lbs (11 kg). On all camping trips my main gear consists of a 3-season, 2-person tent, an open cell sleeping pad, and a down sleeping bag. I also carry a first aid kit, water filter, water bladder, small canister stove or alcohol stove, small aluminum pot, a lexan spoon and bowl, assorted clothing, and a bear canister when necessary.
TEST PLAN
I will use the Gregory Deva 60 as my main pack for all of my backpacking trips during the testing period. I have never used a women's specific pack before and, as a smaller woman, I am interested to see if this feature will actually make a difference for some of my problem areas that I have with other packs. I have narrow shoulders and often find that unisex harnesses are too wide even if the torso size is correct. Additionally, I tend to develop tender areas on my hips and collarbones. I have had professionals fit previous packs and, despite feeling very comfortable on the trail, I still end up with pain in these areas at the end of the day. Consequently, I will pay particular attention to the suspension system and comfort of the pack. Other considerations include:
Suspension:
Does the suspension hold up under the recommended load weight?
Does the waistbelt provide enough support?
Does the waistbelt bottom out or sag and cause bruising?
Does the harness bear weight equally well?
Is the harness narrow enough for my small frame?
Can I easily distribute the weight between hips and shoulders?
Comfort/Fit:
Does the size small fit my torso accurately? If not, is it adjustable?
How adjustable are the various straps and load stabilizers?
Are there any hot spots or chafing from straps or lack of support?
Does the ventilated back panel actually provide cooling for my back?
Durability:
Does the fabric withstand reasonable scrapes and tension?
Do the seams and straps hold up under full loads or do they tear?
How water resistant is the pack? Do the seams or zippers leak?
Is the fabric easy to clean off?
Is the bottom of the pack extra durable or is it easily worn or frayed from sitting on the ground?
Functionality:
Is the volume a good combination with the suspension system? Is it easy to overload the pack?
Do I feel restricted on size even when I am under the recommended weight?
Are there enough attachment points on the outside of the pack to be able to customize my load?
Are the hydration sleeve and port in convenient places or do they get in the way of other gear?
Once on, is the fanny pack comfortable? Is it actually useful?
Thanks to BackpackGeartest.org and Gregory for the opportunity to test this mattress.
Read more reviews of Gregory gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Williams
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