Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Gregory Tega > Karin Claus > Long Term Report

Long Term Report: Gregory Mountain Products Tega ™ Backpack
Name: Karin Claus
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Height: 5’ 6” (167 cm)
Weight: 120 lb (54 kg) 
Email Address: KarinClaus@yahoo.com
Region: Evergreen, CO USA
Date: June 4, 2005

Backpacking Background: 
I live and play in the Colorado Rockies.  I through-hiked the Appalachian Trail in ’02 and the Pacific Crest Trail in '04.  In general I have a minimalist, light-weight through-hiker mentality and do not like to carry equipment that is not essential and light.  I'd rather suffer some discomfort than to carry extra weight in my pack.  I have used hammocks, tents, tarps, and slept shelter-less under the stars.  I love long weekend loop hikes.  I go backpacking because I enjoy walking; camping is just something I do because I am caught outside overnight.

Product Description:

The Gregory Tega™ is an internal frame, top loading pack designed for women.  The booklet that came with the pack says that there are three things that were done on this pack specifically for women.  

It was designed by women with light and fast femme fatales in mind.  The female specific design is reflected in the harness shape, waist belt and narrow backpanel.

-Female Specific Harness: Curved women's harness provides a custom fit
-Female Specific Gullwing™ Plus Waistbelt: Light, comfortable, and supportive
-Narrow Backpanel: 1" narrower to provide superior female fit


The pack has a loop and a strap for holding an ice axe.  The pack has two side lower mesh pockets, two upper side fabric pockets, and one large mesh pocket across the back.

Long Term Report:
Since the field report, I have taken the Gregory Tega out for a 500 mile (805 kilometer) trip on the Continental Divide Trail in New Mexico .  Most of this trip was in hot, dry desert conditions.

I have not been using the removable top of the pack, or the hydration sleeve.  Everything I need fits easily inside of the pack.  

Water:
I use a 2.4 liter (0.6 gallon) Platypus inside the pack, and a one liter ( 1/4 gallon) soda bottle in the water bottle pocket.  I drink out of the soda bottle, and when it is empty, refill it from the water stored inside the pack.  Therefore, I did not test the hydration sleeve on this pack.

I continue to have problems with the water bottle falling out of the water bottle pocket.  I was crawling under a lot of barbed wire fences, and passing my pack through, over and under the same fences.  I would like to see the manufacturer change this pocket to an upright pocket with an elastic top, and no bungee.  I also do not like the angle of the water bottle pocket.  While hiking with the water bottle at this angle, I can feel the water surging back and forth as I walk.  


Zippered side pockets:
I have been placing my winter hat and GPS in one of the side zippered pockets.  The other pocket I leave empty.  It is very hard for me to fit anything useful in the zippered side pockets.  I really have to fight with the pack to get things in and out of these pockets.  I would also like to see the manufacturer change these pockets (or at least one of these pockets) to a large mesh pocket with an elastic top.  The compression straps are directly over these pockets, and are in the way of easy access to these pockets.

Large Mesh Pocket:
I have been enjoying the large mesh pocket.  It's easy for me to get things into it, and to get things out of it, and nothing has fallen out of this pocket accidentally.  I keep miscellaneous things in this pocket - toilet paper, trowel, cooking alcohol, snacks, toothpaste/brush/band aids.

Top Compression Straps:
These straps don't seem quite long enough.  With the pack fully stuffed, I can barely get this clipped closed.  I like to place my "squishable" items in the very top of my pack (crackers, sandwiches, fresh vegetables).  The first time I went to clip on this strap I realized that I had just squished my lunch. The other end of this strap straps to the top of the mesh pocket.  

 

There is a strap down the back of the pack.  This strap can be threaded through a buckle on the removable top pocket.  This strap, even when threaded through the removable top pocket, reaches the ground.  I find this strap to be unnecessary.  I also don't understand why it is so long.  I would like to see the manufacturer remove this strap.

I took the straps which connect the removable top pocket, and tied knots in them, to make the straps very short.  Before I did this, I kept putting the pack on, and would feel the straps between my back and my pack.  

Small Mesh Pocket:
I have been enjoying the small mesh pocket.  I can easily reach this pocket while hiking.  I keep my Aqua Mira and my headlight in this pocket.  Unfortunately, my last set of Aqua Mira exploded and the chemicals ate through the mesh of this pocket, and stained the pack.  I tried to wash the pack with water (from the outside), but only succeeding in getting the inside of the pack wet.  The chemicals probably damaged the fabric, so I don't know if the pack fabric was previously waterproof or water resistant.

Side Compression Straps: 
There are two side compression straps, one on either side of the pack.  Even with these loosened up, it is still hard to get things in and out of the pockets underneath the straps.  I would like to see the manufacturer remove the side compression straps.  I have also used the pack for day hiking and did not need the compression straps when the pack was lightly loaded.  

Pack Fabric:
I do not know if the pack fabric is waterproof.  While walking through the desert I only got a few drops of rain.  I also had my pack lined with a trash compactor bag.

Comfort of the Pack:
I am very pleased with the comfort of the pack.  Generally, I place almost all of the weight of the pack on my hips.  However, since I am recovering from a car accident, I started placing all of the weight on my shoulders.  I find it very easy to adjust the weight between my hips and shoulders.  I have not had any problems with the load lifters slipping.  

The longest daily mileage I have done with it  is 28 miles (45 kilometers).  

Generally the pack stayed upright when placed on the ground with the sleeping pad attached. Sometimes the pack would fall over.  


Ventilated Back Panel:
While hiking in the desert my back did not stay dry with the ventilated pack panel.  I would stop and take breaks and let my shirt and my pack dry.  I don't expect my shirt and back to stay dry, and I do believe the ventilated back panel ventilates well.


Bottom Compression Straps:
The bottom compression straps work well.  I use them to carry my sleeping pad.  I get my pad almost every time I stop for a break.  I would like to have buckles on these straps, so it is quicker to remove and replace my sleeping pad.

Durability:
Generally, I am very gentle to packs (until I get really tired).  I was fortunate and did not rip my pack on any of the barbed wire fences I was climbing under and through.  Everything on the pack is in good shape still, except for the small mesh pocket.  However, that was due to a chemical spill, and can't be blamed on the pack.  

Sleeping with my pack:
I did not find the pack to be comfortable when placed under my head as a pillow.  I think this was due to the large number of straps and buckles.  This would be my preferred placement of my pack.  This makes it easy to find my watch, my headlight and other things when I wake up in the night.  Instead, I ended up emptying most things out of my pack, and sleeping with the pack under my feet.

Sternum Strap:
I broke the snap on the sternum strap.  I wanted to move the sternum strap up.  I had been hiking in the desert, and possibly got sand in the snap.  I used a safety pin to temporarily hold the sternum strap on.  This field fix worked fine.  I called Gregory's customer service and they agreed to send me a new set of sternum straps.  The customer service representative was very nice, and said she would ship the straps out directly.  These straps have not arrived yet, but I am expecting them any day.

The Day of Blisters:
I did end up with a blister on my left collar bone from my pack.  This happened early on in my hike, when I did a 28 mile (45 kilometer) day.  The blister was 1 inch by 1/4 inches (2.5 centimeters by 0.6 centimeters) wide.  I had been wearing a cotton shirt (instead of my usual wicking polyester shirt).  After this one episode, I did not get any more blisters.  It may have been due to dirt or a pebble caught between the strap and my skin.

Closing/Opening the pack:
The pack has a drawstring and a toggle.  The drawstring is very stiff.   It is time consuming and tedious to try to pull the drawstring tight.  I gave up using the drawstring, and merely buckle the top of the pack closed.  I would like to see the drawstring modified, so it is easy to use the drawstring.  On May 1st, I broke the drawstring toggle.  I exchanged it for the toggle on my day pack.  Later, I called  Gregory's customer service representative agreed to send me a new toggle also.  I do not know how the toggle broke.  The toggle worked, and then the next time I used it, it would no longer catch.

Removable Stay and Frame Sheet:
I removed the "removable" stay on May 15th.  I was trying to save weight.  However, I tried hiking with the pack without the stay when water sources were unreliable.  So, I was carrying a lot of water, and it was very hot out.  The pack did not seem to carry as well, or ventilate as well.  So, I replaced the stay, and left it in the pack for the rest of New Mexico.   I emailed Gregory, and their product support does not recommend removing these.  I never did figure out how to remove the frame sheet.  I would prefer that the manufacturer does not market these as "removable".

Summary:
I have been very pleased with this pack, and have enjoyed backpacking with it.  I had planned to continue using this pack.  However, since I had an accident with my water purification system, and the small mesh pocket and fabric under it was destroyed - I will retire this pack.  

Likes:  
It's comfortable to me.
It's easy to adjust.
It's the right size for me.
I like the way it looks.

Dislikes:  
I don't like the side compression straps, the water bottle holster, or the side pockets.  (Please see the body of the report, for the details.)


Thank you, Gregory and BackPackGearTest  for the opportunity to test this pack.

Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Gregory Tega > Karin Claus > Long Term Report