SPECIFICATIONS

My notes and measurements are denoted in red.

The Gregory Keeler is manufactured by Gregory Mountain Products.  

WEB: http://www.gregorypacks.com/

YEAR OF MANUFACTURE: 2004 (Made in China)
MSRP: US$249.00  

The Keeler is the top end (largest) of the Escape series of Gregory packs.

LISTED WEIGHT:   Varies with size.  Size tested: Large.

LOAD CAPACITY: Up to 40 lb (18 kg)

AVAILABLE COLORS: Midnight Blue, Lichen.  Tested color: Lichen

TESTED WEIGHT:  6 lb 1.3 oz (2.76 kg)
TESTED SIZE:         Large

WEBSITE

The Gregory Keeler isn't a 'one-size-fits-most' type of pack.  That isn't the way Gregory builds packs.  Gregory provides detailed fit and adjustment instructions on their website, and anyone considering purchasing a Gregory pack should know at least two measurements:  Torso Length and Waist Size.   Torso Length is determined by measuring from the seventh cervical vertebrae (C7, which is the large bump that most people can feel at the base of their neck) to the top of the hip shelf (which, for most people, is where they wear a belt).  My measurement is 20.5 in (52 cm) and a quick cross reference provided on Gregory's website:

If your torso measurement is: Your frame size should be:
14” – 15 1/2” XS (not all packs are made in XS)
15 1/2” – 17 1/2” SM
17 1/2” – 19 1/2” MD
19 1/2” – 21 1/2” LG

reveals that I need a large pack.  

The second measurement that I needed to know to order my Keeler is the Waist Size.  Measuring around my hip bones reveals that my measurement is 42 in (107 cm) and a check of Gregory's chart:

If your waist measurement is: Your belt size should be:
22” – 28” SM
28” – 34” MD
34” – Larger LG

shows that I need (surprise!) a large waist belt.

The Shoulder Harnesses also come in various sizes, and according to the Gregory Website's 'fit page' for the Escape Series, most people will need the same size Shoulder Harness as the pack they order.

The last thing to know when deciding on a Keeler is color choice.  The Gregory Keeler comes in either Midnight Blue or Lichen Green (which is rather like military olive drab).  I selected, and received, the green.  While it is entirely my subjective opinion, I was really pleased with the Keeler color choices.  An awful lot of outdoor gear - packs included - now comes in all kinds of sissy pastel or screaming neon colors.  Either of the Keeler's color choices makes it easy to blend into the backcountry instead of standing out like some kind of Technicolor fashion fricassee.  I mean, it's intrusive enough to meet someone on a wilderness trail, but when they look like they've been painted by a color blind three year old, it can be downright obnoxious.  Gregory deserves bonus points for not using abominable colors.

PACKAGING & PACKAGE CONTENTS

The Gregory Keeler arrived in good order via UPS packed in a plain cardboard box.  The pack was further protected by a clear plastic bag.  The sole documentation is an eight leaf, double sided card that provides product information and instructions.  The instructions are covered later in this review.

OVERVIEW OF MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION, AND FEATURES

Language taken from Gregory's website and product documentation is noted in navy blue.

MATERIALS

According to the Gregory Website, the Keeler has a "210d double box HT nylon body".  Research turned up little extra explanation.  The material is a very sturdy, double box rip-stop nylon.  It does not stretch.

YKK Group hardware (customized with Gregory's logo) is used exclusively as far as I can tell.  Buckles are sturdy and substantial.  Nothing looks or feels 'cheap'.  There is no skimping; nothing that seems likely to fail.  To be honest, of all my packs this one exudes more 'tough guy' attitude than any other.  It seems to say, "Let's go around the world.  Twice.  If you get tired of carrying me, I'll carry you."  Now that would be nice...

The instructions consist of a single booklet of seven sheets printed on light card stock.  It is nicely done, and provides product information as well as fit and adjustment instructions.  It starts with a nice introduction by Wayne Gregory.  The major emphasis is on proper fit.  Three separate contact choices are given for getting help with fit.  Pack selection is covered, as well as the particular features of the Keeler.  Cleaning instructions are given, as well as packing instructions.  If I had never seen a backpack before, all of this is exactly what I would want.  Other manufacturers could take lessons from the way Gregory has laid out their clear and easy instructions.  The Limited Lifetime Warranty is explained, and I particularly liked, "Sorry, no free repairs if you have been using your pack as a feed bag for bears or cleaning with white gas!"  

TRYING IT OUT

NOTE: There is no standard terminology for specifying the 'front' or 'back' of a pack.  In this report, I use Gregory's terminology which calls the 'back' of the pack the suspension side, and the 'front' of the pack what you would see if you were walking behind me - even though I think that's backwards.  Left and right stays conventional; the left shoulder strap is over my left shoulder and the right shoulder strap is over my right shoulder when I am wearing the pack - and so the sides of the pack are determined in the same way.

When I first slid the Keeler out of the box, it occurred to me that it seemed a little heavy.  Once I took the plastic off and turned it around, my gear geek brain shorted out for about three minutes.  To say that the Keeler is 'full featured' is like saying that the Grand Canyon is a rather deep ditch.  To be perfectly honest, the Keeler really is somewhat overwhelming at first glance.  24 Straps, totaling over 36 feet (11 m) cumulatively!, 11 slip buckles, 8 quick release buckles, 2 snaps, 7 zippers, totaling nearly 15 feet (4.6 m) cumulatively, 14 sliders, 2 pull cords, 2 cord locks, and a small nylon clip...all left me unsure where to begin.  

Rather than looking under the hood, I just decided to try it on.  I stripped off, wanting to feel the pack against my skin since that is how I would wear it sometimes and I wanted to know how comfortable the materials would be against my tender flesh.  Having worn enough backpacks in my day, the adjustments came naturally.  The shoulder straps are a unique shape.  Sort of an 'S', and maybe that's where the Stealth moniker comes from.  The instructions say that the shoulder harness is designed to contact the body along its length to distribute weight and force evenly.  This seems to be true; the smal amount of recurve in the shoulder straps makes a big difference.  The shoulder strap adjustments snug easily, although I noted that there were no thumb loops at the end - something I have become accustomed to and really like.  It will be easy enough to fold the strap and put a few stitches in it at the end, though.  The sternum strap is moveable (by means of Durable snaps) up or down the shoulder straps and held in place by daisy chain loops stitched onto the shoulder straps.  One half of the sternum strap is nylon webbing that allows adjustment through the quick release buckle's ladder.  The other half of the sternum strap is the other half of the quick release buckle connected to a piece of heavy elastic.  The elastic allows movement and freedom to breathe while keeping the shoulder straps in place.  I first encountered elastic sternum straps when I tested the Deuter Kid Comfort II, and I have liked the idea. The hipbelt is not just a flat piece of foam with a strap; the hipbelt is pre-molded to conform to the hips.  The hipbelt buckles and cinches firmly.  

The hipbelt stabilizer straps are 1 in (2.54 cm) wide webbing.  Since I use waist belt stabilizer straps to attach things like pepper spray and my knife to my pack, I like my stabilizer straps to be the full width of the waist belt - in this case 2 in (5 cm) - and I will be interested to see if these small stabilizers can do double duty as gear attachment points.  I pulled all the straps tight and was satisfied that the pack fit me well.  

I walked out into the back yard and moved around a bit to get a feel for the Keeler.  I did all the crazy things I do when I'm trying out a pack - squats, jumping jacks, running in place, bending this way and that - and I noticed a few things.  All the materials are very comfortable.  No rough spots, seam edges, or any other annoyance comes into contact with my body.  The frame is quite stiff, but flexible, and the Auto•Cant™ shoulder harness should have been named the Auto•Can™ shoulder harness.  Those simple swivels make a big difference to me.  The shoulder straps lay flat on my body, and I am able to move freely, which is an improvement on most framed packs that I have worn.  Strapping on most packs with a frame are like strapping on a back brace.  While mobility isn't as free as with a totally frameless pack, it's close.  All this really establishes is that the pack is comfortable when empty;  More on how it is all packed up will come later.

After I went back inside and finished modeling in front of the mirror, and deciding that an empty pack is a terribly unattractive thing on an unattractive naked man, I decided to take a tour of the Keeler.  I started with a good look at the suspension, which is as described above.  Everything looks like it is built to withstand battlefield conditions - and indeed Mr. Gregory has designed military packs.  

One issue I have had with packs in the past is that sometimes the suspension adjustments are too short for bulky winter clothing.  I fished my arctic parka out of the closet and put on a few layers under it, then I put the Keeler back on.  The Keeler has ample adjustment to compensate for bulky winter clothing.  Satisfied in this regard, I took it back off and continued my inspection.

Moving to the front of the Keeler, I began to peel it like a banana.  The Keeler has a hood that seats and secures nicely over the top of the pack with three slip buckles on the back (at the top of the suspension frame/backpanel) and two quick release buckles in the front.  The Gregory logo is neatly embroidered on the front.  The hood is removable, and weighs 5.7 oz (164 g) by itself.  The hood has a top pocket that is closed by a water resistant size 8 coil zipper (8C).  The zipper has dual sliders with 3 in (7.6 cm) long cord and nylon zipper pulls.  The zipper runs on three sides of the trapezoidal pocket, and measures 24.75 in (62.87 cm) in length, allowing the pocket opening to flap forward.  The pocket is approximately 9 in (22.86) wide at the back, 12 in (30.5) wide at the front, and 11 in (27.9) on each side.  The interior space of the pocket tapers from zero in the front to 3 in (7.6 cm) in the back.    It is difficult to determine the volume of such a space, but I can fit three t-shirts snugly into it.  Having studied Geometry, a calculation gives the theoretical volume of the hood pocket as 173.25 cubic inches (2.84 L), but this is obviously short since the pocket is not rigid and can be stuffed.  The pocket has a small plastic clip on a 2 in (5 cm) nylon ribbon leash located on the right front interior of the pocket.  This small nylon clip is suitable for securing keys, a small flashlight, or other small items that the user might like to secure to the pack with a clip.  Unfortunately the hood is not designed to be used as a fanny pack or escape bag.  When removed from the pack, there are no straps left connected to it.  It is my usual habit to carry a small bag of essentials - matches, compass, space blanket, power bar, etc. - that I can grab in an emergency if I have to leave the main pack behind.  I have called this variously a 'scat pack' or 'escape bag'.  More than once this has proven to be a real life saver.  I will have to continue to carry my fanny pack for that purpose or get a length of nylon webbing to thread between the slip buckles of the Keeler's hood to make a shoulder strap for it.  

One issue I noticed with the Keeler packed is that if the hood is cinched down all the way, the hood interferes with the load lifter buckles (red arrow, bilaterally).  It also interferes with the lift handle.  If the Keeler is packed up enough that the hood cannot cinch down all the way, then this isn't a problem.  With low volume loads, however, it is a problem and the load lifter straps become difficult or impossible to adjust while wearing the pack.  The center strap for the hood at the front also falls down between the backpanel and my back - as can be seen in the above image.  This is easy enough to solve by tucking it behind the framesheet, but if I forget, I'll have to fiddle with it behind my head.  

Removing the hood reveals that the pack closes with a drawstring and cord lock.  Opening this reveals a second draw string, and tugging on this reveals a popup extension collar that can add an extra 9 in (22.86 cm) of height to the Keeler.  The circumference of the collar is 41.5 in (105.4 cm) , which translates to a diameter of 13.2 in (33.53 cm).  A quick calculation reveals that the collar is good for an absolute maximum of 1231.6 cubic inches (20.1 l).  In actual practice, this will be somewhat less, as cinching the drawstring will, of course, compress that space.  Making a rough guess using an average based on conic volume, I'd say that the usable space added by the collar is 821 cubic inches (13.45 l).

With the top open, the cavernous main compartment is unveiled.  Reaching down into the compartment reveals a false bottom about 21 in (53.3 cm) from the top.  The front of this false bottom unclips, allowing the false bottom to fold away against the backpanel, making the maximum depth of the Keeler 31 in (78.7 cm), not including the expansion collar.  Again consulting the calculation for the volume of a cylinder, the volume of the main compartment calculates as 4242.3 cu in (70 l).  This measurement is only approximate - and somewhat short - as the Keeler's compartment is not a perfect cylinder.  Gregory's stated volume of 5300 CU. IN. / 86 LITERS for the size large I have is easily true, and given that I haven't even considered the side pockets yet, possibly short.

The false bottom provides more than just compartmentalization, however.  It also provides some structure to the pack, keeping the front of the pack from rounding out away from the backpanel.  That keeps the weight of the contents from shifting too far away from the back - which, in my experience, causes the pack to pull backwards against the wearer's shoulders.  

With the top open, the hydration sleeve is readily accessible.  The hydration sleeve is removable, and by default replaceable.  Removed, the hydration sleeve weighs 1.9 oz (54 g).  It is basically rectangular, measuring 9.5 in (24.1 cm) wide by 14.75 in (37.5 cm) deep.  It is a little wider in the middle, and not a perfect rectangle.  It easily holds my 3 liter (101 US fluid ounces) Platypus bag, and the hydration sleeve has a capacity in my estimation of about 5 liters (169 US fluid ounces).  The hydration sleeve is made of the same fabric as the pack itself, and is nicely finished with nylon ribbon piping on double stitched seams.  The pocket top has an elastic band that provides some closure to the top.  They hydration port - where the drinking tube comes out of the pack is located on the right side of the pack above the side pocket.  This is a little disappointing to me as I normally route my drinking tube on my left side.  I wish that there were a hydration port on each side of the pack, actually.  That way if I had two water bags (as I sometimes do in the height of summer here in the deep south), I could route a drinking tube out of each side.  

With the hydration sleeve removed, the framesheet and aluminum stay are exposed.  The framesheet is doubled at the top, which is nice and not mentioned in the literature.  The aluminum stay is 0.75 in (19 mm) wide, 23 in (58.4 cm) long, and 1/8 in (3.2 mm) thick.  The stay itself is contained by a nylon webbing sheath - which is stitched to the framesheet - for most of its length, but the upper few inches (centimeters) is exposed.  The sole stay attachment is a brass screw at the very top.  The stay is easily removable - and by default easily replaceable.  

The interior of the pack is nicely finished, with nylon ribbon piping on all exposed seams.  The stitching is nicely done and reinforced where it should be.  There is a small tag on the inside left top of the main pack compartment.  This tag gives materials composition and care instructions.  To whit: "100% Nylon Exterior; 100% Nylon Inner Lining", "Hand Wash, Cold Water; Mild Soap Only; Rinse Thoroughly; Line Dry, Do Not Iron; Do Not Dry Clean; Do Not Use Bleach."  While I have never thought to iron a backpack, I'm glad that no detail was left unanswered.  Inside the fold of the care tag is, what I assume to be, a manufacture date code: "04.09".  

Having seen some other interesting things inside the main compartment, I decided that these were best explored from the outside, so moving to the outside, the first thing that is apparent is the very large front pocket.  The front pocket measures 12.75 in (32.4 cm) wide by 16.75 in (42.55 cm) tall.  The pocket is pleated on the sides, and has a designed 'depth' of 1.625 in (4.13 cm).  A simple calculation gives the theoretical volume of the front pocket as 347 cubic inches (5.69 l), but even with the pack full, a little more than that can be gotten into the pocket because the pocket isn't rigid.  The pocket is closed by a vertical 5C coil zipper on the right side of the pocket.  The zipper is the full length of the pocket and is closed by two sliders with cord and nylon pulls.  The zipper is not water resistant.

On the very front of the pack, attached vertically to the front pocket is a 13.5 in (34.3 cm) length of nylon webbing stitched into a daisy chain of seven loops, 2.5 in (6.35) each.  The top of the daisy chain is connected to a 23 in (58.42 cm) strap that goes over the top of the pack and clips to the backpanel with an adjustable quick release buckle.  

On either side of the Keeler are what appear to be side pockets at first glance.  Over the side pockets is a zigzag strap that acts as a cinch strap that stabilizes the load and keeps it close to the backpanel - and therfore close to the wearer's center of gravity.  The cinch straps pass through a quick release buckle at the framesheet, and tighten with a slip buckle at the edge of the front pocket.  Opening the zippers on what appear to be the side pockets reveals that they are side pockets, but they are also something else - side access panels!  The interior of the pack can be accessed through each of these pockets.  The access panels are 12.75 in (32.4 cm) high and 6.5 in (16.5 cm) wide, closed by a water resistant 5C coil zipper with dual sliders with cord and nylon pulls.  The zippers are 25 in (63.5 cm) long, and provide excellent access to the interior of the pack.  Opening the access panel reveals that the inside of the access flap has a nylon mesh pocket closed by a 5C coil zipper with dual sliders.  The sliders have metal fobs with cord pulls, making them easy to operate even with heavy gloves.  The mesh pocket is 12.75 in (32.4 cm) high and 6.5 in (16.5 cm) wide.  The zipper is 17 in (43.2 cm) long, in a horseshoe configuration that opens the upper 2/3rds of the pocket.  The pocket is about 1.5 inches 'thick', and provides about 124 cubic inches (2 l) of storage.

The utility of side access panels is obvious.  Many times I have wanted something out of my pack and had to undo the top and start pulling things out to get to the desired item.  With the side access panels, this problem solves itself as long as I know what side of the pack I packed the item.  It has been my usual habit of lining my pack with a trash bag or sil-nylon water proof sack.  I will abandon this method when wearing the Keeler, however, as it sheds water.  I will move back to the method I used with my A.L.I.C.E. pack, which was the 'bag of bags' method.  Several smaller waterproof sacks with gear in them inside the pack.

Below each of the side access panels is an external nylon mesh pocket with an elastic top.  At the top the pocket is 8.25 in (21 cm) wide, and 5.5 in (14 cm) wide at the bottom.  The pocket's sides are not equal; at the framesheet the pocket is 6.5 in (16.5 cm) tall, and at the front is 10 in (25.4 cm) tall.  There is quite a bit of 'poof' to the pockets, and they provide about 85 cubic inches (1.4 l) of storage each.  These pockets are reachable when wearing the pack, and I expect them to be handy for holding bug dope, my headlamp, an extra water bottle, a power bar or two, some toilet paper, and other nick-knack items that I want to have ready access to when walking.

Below each mesh pocket is a 7 in (17.8 cm) gear loop reinforced with a 6 in (15.24 cm) long piece of PVA tubing around it.  Can you say, 'beefy'?

As if top and side access weren't enough, the Keeler also has bottom access through a large pocket on the front of the pack at the bottom.  The pocket flap is 15 in (38.1 cm) by 6.5 in (16.5 cm) high.  It is closed by a 10C coil zipper, 22.5 in (57.15 cm) long with dual sliders.  The zipper is not water resistant, but is covered by a nice flap with an elastic cord inside that keeps it secure over the zipper.  The bottom of the Keeler is a heavy duty plastic coated nylon material that Gregory calls Shelter-Rite™.  With the false bottom in place inside the Keeler, the bottom compartment created by the bottom access panel provides almost 1000 cubic inches (16.4 l) of storage space.  That figure is merely an approximation, however, because the shape of the compartment is by no means simple.  

The benefit of the bottom access is easy to appreciate.  On a rainy day, digging everything out of my pack to get to my shelter and sleeping bag while trying to keep everything dry is a real problem.  I have solved this for the most part by packing my hammock in the top of my pack, which means that every time I want something I have to pull the hammock out.  Never again!  With the bottom access of the Keeler, my shelter and sleeping bag have their own place - out of the way, but instantly accessible without disturbing anything else in the pack!

At the bottom center of the pack, on the front seam is an ice axe loop, 9 in (22.9 cm) around.  The keeper for the ice axe is connected to the daisy chain loops on the front pocket.  I will not be needing an ice axe here in the deep south, but the ice axe loop and keeper is a perfect setup to hold my umbrella.  

A dual set of straps, 5.75 in (14.6 cm) apart, runs from the bottom of the framesheet, under the Keeler, and up to a set of quick release buckles.  These straps are 33.75 in (85.73 cm) long, and can be used to secure things - like a sleeping pad - under the pack.  They also act as cinch straps for the bottom compartment.

Almost all of the zippers have two sliders.  From a durability standpoint, this is great.  Sliders normally wear out long before zippers do.  From an accessibility standpoint, having two sliders on a zipper means that it can be opened at any point and not just from one end.  On the down side all those extra sliders add up to extra weight.  All of the external zippers have cord and nylon pulls (pictured).  The cord on these pulls has a reflective thread spiraling through it and these reflective threads light up like laser beams at night when any light source shines on them.  This is great if you want to be seen, but make the Keeler a tactical liability during night maneuvers.  I will have to tape all the cord pulls when taking the Keeler on night training exercises.

After my detailed examination of the Keeler, I decided that it was time to pack it up.  At first I packed it full of pillows so that I could get some pictures and the pack weighed out at 12 pounds.  It was comfortable, and I got all the straps just where they should be for me.  Then I packed it with actual hiking gear - all the things I would be taking with me while actually backpacking.  The Keeler swallowed it all, and wanted more.  It has ample room for even my winter gear.  Realistically I only need about two thirds of the Keeler's volume for 'ordinary' backpacking.  I could easily take the Keeler long distance hiking and not want for room.  The gear load, with three days of food and my water, topped out at 36 pounds (16.33 kg).  I put the Keeler on and took it for a two mile walk through the neighborhood.  My neighbors are used to seeing me walking around in backpacking attire by now...  The Keeler proved delightfully comfortable.  The suspension is just about perfect, and the Keeler is very easy to drive.  (Driving a pack will be further discussed in the Field Report.)  When I got it home, I decided to bring it up to 40 pounds (18.14 kg) and try that.  The Keeler handled its maximum designed load just fine.  Out of curiosity, I pulled out my shelter and sleeping bag and replaced them with some lead weights in a blanket to bring the weight to 60 pounds (27.22 kg).  The Keeler was still comfortable, and so I boosted it all the way up to 80 pounds (36.29 kg) just for a laugh.  Afraid that the lift handle wouldn't be able to survive that load, I loaded it on my bench and got my shoulders into the straps from there.  Properly adjusted, the Keeler felt fine with even double its load capacity.  None of the straps dug into me, and the waistbelt was very comfortable even after walking a few hundred yards (meters) with that load.  Of course, my body didn't really appreciate the eighty pounds - and my knees didn't appreciate that I did a few squats with that just to see if I still could.  In the course of the test series, I will never have a call to exceed the Keeler's maximum designed load of 40 pounds (18.14 kg), but it's nice to know that there is some room in the figure.  

TESTING STRATEGY

I will wear the Gregory Keeler at every opportunity.  I have already been wearing it on my daily walks.  The Keeler will see at least three overnight trips during the Field Report time period, including a tactical training session in mid December and a two night hike in January.  Day hikes, night hikes, zoo trips, and daily walks will insure that the Keeler gets a lot of carry time.

I will also evaluate the Keeler for packability, durability, comfort, water resistance, and anything else I think that a pack should be able to do.  The list is long and tedious, and will be covered in the Field Report.

SUMMARY

THINGS I LIKE

1.  Excellent Fit
2.  Built with the philosophy that 'overkill' is an unattainable ideal to be reached for.  Everything is stronger than it needs to be.  
3.  Color.
4.  Appeals to my manhood.

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

1.  The hood is not designed to be used as an escape bag.
2.  The hydration port is on the wrong side for me.
3.  No thumb loops on the ends of the shoulder strap adjustment straps.  
4.  Hood interferes with load lifter/shoulder strap stabilizer adjustment.

***

Thank you for your time.

Shane Steinkamp
shane@theplacewithnoname.com  
www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking