Gregory Electra
Long Term Report

Biography

Name:	Ashlee Gunter
Age:	27
Gender:	Female
Height:	5’ 1” (1.52 m)
Weight:	110 lb (50 kg)
Email Address:	n8trlvr76(at)yahoo(dot)com
City, State:	Baton Rouge (Denham Springs), LA
Date:	June 22, 2004
Torso:	15 1/2” (39.37 cm)
Waist:	25” (64 cm)
Pack Size:	Small with XS shoulder straps

Backpacking Background

I have been backpacking and hiking most of my life.  Actually, I was car camping before I was born.  Growing up, my Father was a Scoutmaster.  He would load my sister and me up with packs, just like the guys and take us along with him on their trips.  As I’ve grown, I’ve had the opportunity to hike and backpack in Florida, Utah and Idaho, and now presently Louisiana and Mississippi.  I’ve hiked terrain from high desert to swamp.  I do not really have much experience or desire for winter mountaineering. I spent the majority of the past four years either pregnant or caring for a young child.  As a result, I have been limited to primarily day hiking for the past few years.  My son is now 3 and I have had the opportunity to backpack again. It is really fun getting back into it and I wonder how I was satisfied with just day hiking the past few years.  Because of a busy life, my trips are still limited mostly to day or weekend trips.  My son joins us on most of our trips.  As a result of this, lightweight compact gear is essential for us, although I would not classify myself as a true ultralight backpacker.  

Product Information

Manufacturer:	Gregory Mountain Products
Website:	www.gregorypacks.com
Year of Manufacture:	2004
Listed Weight:	5.7 lb (2.47 kg)
Actual Weight:	6.2 lb (2.78 kg)
MSRP:	$299

The size Small Gregory Electra is 4365 cu in (72 L) and is designed to carry loads up to 65 lb (29.48 kg).  This is a pack that does not skimp on the extras with many features including three access points, two cylinder shaped front pockets, water bottle holder, and a hydration sleeve to name a few.  Additionally, the top pocket is detachable and makes a nice lumbar pack for day hikes.  The Auto-Cant™ harness and Adjust-A-Cant™ waistbelt are features of an excellent suspension system.

Test Locations

My primary testing area for the Gregory Electra was the Kisatchie National Forest in Northern Louisiana.  This area has varied terrain with hills and sandstone rock.  The Kisatchie does not have the wetness of the marshes and swamps typical to Louisiana, although portions of the trails can become quite muddy at times. The Kisatchie National Forest varies in elevation from around 200 - 400+ ft (61 - 122+ m) above sea level. This is unusual as most of Louisiana is at or even below sea level. The temperatures during this test period ranged from 25 F (-4 C) to 85 F (29 C). Humidity and condensation was prevalent.  In addition, I tested the lumbar pack portion of the Electra on day hikes throughout the state of Louisiana and portions of Mississippi.  The temperatures during these day hikes were similar to those of the extended trips and the terrain varied from swamp and marsh to hilly and rock strewn areas.

Field Information

Throughout this test period, I packed the Electra pretty much the same way for each trip with an average pack weight of 35 – 40 lb (15.88 – 18.14 kg).  The top pocket was reserved for a change of clothes for my son, a bag of GORP, a trail map, and my raingear.  In the pack, I stuffed my sleeping bag in the bottom portion of the pack beneath the divider. My Neat Sheet was folded into a square and placed on top of the divider.  On top of the Neat Sheet was the rainfly for my tent, also folded into a square.  Because my son hikes with me and is too young to carry a pack, this requires me to carry his gear.  I placed my son’s sleeping bag and clothing for the two of us in a compression sack on top of the rainfly.  In the hydration sleeve I carry a 3 L (101 fl oz) Platypus Big Zip.  I then loaded from the top miscellaneous extras such as my coffee mug, a Frisbee, and fuel.  The outside pockets held additional items such as, my headlamp and stove.  My tent poles and a hammock were held to the side of the pack with the compression straps.  At times, I also used the compression straps to hold a fleece on the pack.  In the water bottle holder, I carried a 32 oz (1 L) wide mouth Nalgene.  My husband carried the other half of the tent, our food and first aid kit with his gear.  Although there were variations at times, this was the basic set up of my pack throughout the test period.

Though the Gregory Electra has many great features, the suspension system is the attribute I appreciated the most.  The Auto-Cant™ feature allows the shoulder straps to move with my body.  When it is warm out, I usually hike in a tank top.  Other packs I have used have chaffed my shoulders when I was hiking, but that has not been the case with the Electra.  When I first received the pack, I was having some difficulty with fitting the pack just right.  With the assistance of Gregory’s customer service, I was able to swap the size Small straps that came with the pack for a size Extra Small.  Then I adjusted the Adjust-A-Cant™ into the top slot. The pack fit just right allowing the weight to be carried on my hips. These features, combined with the strength of the two aluminum stays and additional elements of the suspension make for a very comfortable pack. I am very pleased with the way the suspension supports the weight of the pack and the mobility it allows me.
 
Since the Electra is a women’s specific pack, I was interested in the features that separated this pack from the men’s.  The narrow design of the pack fits my back well although it makes the pack a little taller than I would like.  The trade off is worth it though to not have a bulky, wide pack.  The Electra is said to be modeled after the men’s Lassen, and indeed I find they are almost identical.  The pockets are a little different and the Electra is slightly smaller.  Other than that, I cannot find much of a difference. 

Durability is important to me when it comes to packs.  Not only do I want a pack that will last, I want a pack that is dependable.  I do not want to waste time doing repairs on the trail or have to try to carry gear that is causing strain on a weak pack.  The Gregory Electra has held up without any problems whatsoever.  I can cram gear into it without worrying about tears or the seams ripping.  The straps and clips stay in place.  The Electra has been dropped on the ground, sat on, and even jumped on by my son.  It has been rubbed against rocks and branches without any signs of weakness.

During this test period, I have also used the lumbar pack on numerous dayhikes.  I have carried it in place of a day pack on short dayhikes.  It is just the right size for a small Platypus, a Neat Sheet, a Powerbar and my car keys.  On longer hikes, my husband has carried a daypack and I carried the lumbar with extra water or a change of clothes for my son.  I really like the way it fits on my back comfortably.  Most of the time, I hardly notice it is there.

Summary

The Gregory Electra is an awesome pack.  I have really enjoyed testing it.  The size is perfect for carrying both my son's and my own gear.  The suspension allows me to carry more than a third of my body weight with ease.  The Electra manages to be durable and functional, yet still attractive.

Likes and Dislikes

Likes	Dislikes
• Excellent Suspension System	• No XS Hipbelt
• Functional Features
• Components are Swappable