Field Information

Location where tests were conducted:
Over the course of the six-month test period, the Keeler was used for backpacking trips and long day hikes in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as walks in my home town. Elevations ranged from 900 ft (274 m) at home, to 5700 ft (1737 m) in the Mt. Rogers area in Virginia. The pack was tested throughout the winter, with lows around 15 F (-10 C) and highs around 60 F (15 C).

By the end of March, I was no longer using the Keeler, because it simply had too much capacity for my equipment. When I applied for the test, I wrote that I would like to test it as a winter backpacking pack, and winter ends fairly early in the southern Appalachians. By April, I'm back to using my ultralight pack.

The photo at left was made in January, 2005, on a weekend hike in Tennessee. We got freezing rain mixed with snow, but even with the bad weather forecast, I was hard pressed to fill up the pack.

I will note that for personal reasons beyond my control, I only made about half the number of trips that I had planned for this winter. However, I am confident that I have enough experience with the Keeler to write a good long-term report.

Product Description:
The Gregory Keeler is the largest pack in their Escape Series. Gregory describes these packs as

"lightweight overnight packs [which] are designed to carry loads less than 40 pounds, and are optimal for extended weekend trips. Four models offer different capacities and features for a variety of backcountry options."

Comfort
As I noted in my Field Report, this pack carries very well indeed. The suspension itself looks very simple and sleek, but it hides a lot of engineering inside. I have had this pack out with light loads of 20 pounds (9 kg), and terribly overloaded at 60 pounds (27 kg), and the suspension system was able to handle anything I threw at it. My base weight without food or water for a winter hike is about 27 pounds (12 kg) with this pack, making a long-weekend load come right in at 35 pounds (15.9 kg). At that load, the Keeler will stick to my back all day long with no complaints and no discomfort. I find it very easy to 'dial-in' this pack to the proper fit, and I don't have to make any adjustments as the day goes on.

Part of the comfort of the Keeler comes from the semi-custom fit, and I suspect that being properly fitted at a competent outfitter helped a lot in this regard. I have been measured by several dealers, and come in at the tall end of the medium range, or at the short end of the large range. In my experience, the Large size packs from Gregory fit me the best.

The pack still squeaks. I'm not sure that will ever change, since my older Gregory packs still squeak, too. But it doesn't bother me enough to stop using the packs.

Convenience
This is a big pack. In my field report, I said it was 20 percent larger than my ultralight pack. I was wrong -- at 5300 in~3 (87 l), it's actually 35 percent larger than my 3900 in~3 (64 l) pack.

With that kind of capacity, what can I fit inside this pack? Well, the list is long. I can easily fit my extra-large Ridgerest sleeping pad, at 25x78 inches (64x198 cm), inside the pack. I can fit a bivy sack and my sleeping bag and my down jacket and my wind shirt inside the lower compartment -- all at the same time! -- and there's still some room left over. I could easily pack my entire summer backpacking load -- including food, water, clothing and gear for a weekend-- in just the pockets and lower compartment of the Keeler. The entire main compartment would be empty. (Then I could carry a nice watermelon with me, or a couple of cases of, um, soda.)

Gregory markets this as a weekend pack, and for a backpacker with traditional gear, it's a good size for a long weekend or maybe a week. (By traditional gear, I mean a double-wall tent, large synthetic sleeping bag, big stove and cook kit, and all the extra clothing and gear that go into a traditional load.)

In my field report, I said I was having a hard time carrying snow shoes. Well, I have done some experimenting, and I was able to carry the shoes vertically on the front of the pack, crossing over the two straps covering the sleeping bag compartment, and the two straps that close the lid pocket in an X formation over the shoes. This was a fairly solid carry, and kept the shoes from snagging on anything.

I noted specifics in my Field Report about all the pockets and access points on the Keeler, and nothing's really changed. I am still working on packing properly when using this pack, since I've always been the One Big Sack kind of hiker. Gregory offers several packs in this series, and they each offer different features in terms of pockets and access doors to appeal to different hikers.

I would like to point out for special note the Shelter-Rite fabric used in the bottom of the Keeler. This material appears to be totally indestructible. In my experience, the bottom of any pack will start to show some wear just from constant contact with rocks, tree roots, and other sharp stuff. However, I expect the Keeler to avoid this particular problem.

Things that I would change
There aren't too many changes that I would make on this pack. Given the target market, it's a good design and well executed. However, for a personal pack, I would do the following:

• Take off the heavy front pocket and replace it with a mesh pocket. The side zipper access is fine, but a mesh pocket would allow me to carry wet gear and have it dry out a little during the day. It would also trim some weight. (I would also leave the lid pocket and the bladder pocket at home.)
• Change the top compression strap so it could be loosened from the bottom, as well as the top. When it's tightened all the way, this strap impedes access to the front pocket, and it can't be loosened without taking off the lid pocket.
• I would be interested in using a much lighter fabric in the body of the pack. Using Gregory's G Fabric, which is a silicone-impregnated nylon, the Keeler could be a couple of pounds (a kilo or so) lighter. I fully understand that this would reduce the long-term durability of the pack, but I would personally be willing to accept that compromise. But for the traditional backpacker, durability is very important, and I understand that Gregory has to build the pack for the primary market.

Conclusion:

The Keeler is a large, well-made, durable pack with a lot of features and an easy, comfortable carry. These are the same conclusions from my Field Report, except as noted above.

Things I like:
1. The suspension system is excellent, and the pack carries like a dream.
2. There's plenty of room for all my winter gear.
3. The top (lid) pocket is well designed and useful.

Things I don't like:
1. Difficult access to the front pocket.
2. It squeaks.
3. All those features add weight.

Will I keep using this pack? That's one of the questions I'm supposed to answer in a Long Term Report. Yes, I will use the Keeler next winter, and I expect I will be able to use it for about 4 months a year on average. I like the way it carries my winter load, and I am learning to use all the features.

My thanks to Gregory and to BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test the Keeler.