Gregory Triconi Pack
Long Term Report – June 27, 2006
Tester Information:
Name: Jason Boyle
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 6"/ 1.68 m
Weight: 170 lb/ 77 kg
Waist: 36”/ 91 cm
Email address: c4jc "at" hotmail "dot" com
City, State, Country: Snoqualmie, Washington, U. S.
Backpacking Background:
I have been camping and backpacking for about 18 years. My introduction to the outdoors started with the Boy Scouts of America and has continued as an adult. I have hiked mostly in the Southeastern and Northeastern United States. I am generally a lightweight hiker, but will carry extras to keep me comfortable. I have recently relocated to the Pacific Northwest and spend most of my time hiking and backpacking in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, but I can be found exploring the other wild areas of Washington!
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Gregory Mountain Products
Model: Triconi
Size:
Pack Bag/Frame: Medium (Received), other sizes available
Shoulder Harness: Medium
Waistbelt: Could not find a size tag
Capacity: 3800 cu in/ 62 L
Color: Spruce Blue, also available in Sequoia Red
Year of Manufacture: 2006
URL: www.gregorypacks.com
Listed weight: 5 lbs 13 oz/2.6 kg
Measured weight: Surprisingly 5 lbs 13 oz/2.6 kg
**Disclaimer: The closest my scale will measure is in whole ounces.**
MSRP: $249 US
Country of Manufacture: Unknown
Main Pack Bag Fabric: 630 D / 210 D high tenacity nylon
Load Range: According to Gregory comfortable up to 45 pounds (21 kg)
Product Description:
From the Gregory website:
Multiple inner pack zip-thru access points, exclusive Response™ suspension technology that automatically delivers a custom fit and a low profile front pocket make the Triconi fit for a variety of adventures~inter-continental traverses, week long ultra-light thru hikes or just a day of cragging.
At first glance the pack seems similar in design to many other internal frame packs, but Gregory has added some new features to a classic style pack. For a detailed product description please see my initial report and field report.
Long Term Field Conditions:
I have used the pack 11 more times since my Field Report. It has been used on a three day backpacking trip in the Norse Peak Wilderness and on an overnight backpacking trip on the Taylor River in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. These trips took place in the Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest. I also took the pack on a two day backpacking trip in the Buckhorn Wilderness inside Olympic National Forest. The pack was also used on day hikes inside of Olympic National Park, a car camping trip in Cle Elum, Washington, and on a mountaineering trip to the top of Mt. Colchuck. Elevation ranged from sea level to 8507’ (2593 m). Precipitation included rain and snow. My pack weight has varied from 20 to 40 pounds (9 to 18 kg).
Summary:
This pack has been a good two/three day backpack over the test period. I found it to be very comfortable to wear while hiking. I would like to see a lighter version and think the zipper for the bottom pocket could be designed to operate smoother. Overall, I think this is a good pack that I will continue to use after this test is over.
Long Term Results:
I have continued to enjoy the “Response Suspension” of this pack. I have gotten so used to it over the past four months that when I used a pack with a conventional frame for a day hike, it felt awkward and uncomfortable. I had considered that pack one of the most comfortable packs that I owned, until the Triconi. I have not made any adjustments to the pack over the entire test period from my initial pack fitting. I have not had any problems with pressure points with the pack until my mountaineering trip. I noticed that I had sore hips after I got home, they almost felt and looked bruised, though the bruises never materialized. I am not sure if I was sore from all of the scrambling and the slog up the glacier, or if it was wearing the pack for 12 hours, but I am going to say it was a fluke since it only happened that one time. I do have a small nitpick with the suspension, it is squeaky. When I am hiking there is a squeak every step that comes from the shoulder straps. It gets rather annoying. I have not figured out whether I can oil the fitting to eliminate the noise.
The pack’s durability was excellent until my mountaineering trip. After the trip, I noticed several small holes on the left side of the fabric on the bottom pocket. I am not sure when they occurred on the trip, but I know that they happened while climbing Mt. Colchuck. I had to do several scrambles through some tight granite cracks and also glissaded a significant portion of the way down the glacier. The holes are not on the side where I carried my ice ax so it did not cause the holes. I am left to assume that the holes happened while scrambling or glissading. I have also over stretched the elastic on one of the side elastic pockets. The pocket still works fine and is actually easier to get a water bottle into now.
I was having trouble fitting all of my early spring/late winter gear in the pack so I tried adjusting how I packed. I started putting bulky items like my sleeping bag, insulating layers, and tent in the upper compartment. I began putting smaller items in the bottom compartment like my stove and food. I found that everything fit better in this configuration and I did not have any problems with the bottom zippers sticking like they did when I stuffed the bottom compartment full of bulky items. I also found that I could actually use the side elastic pockets for a 1 L (32 oz) water bottle or even a 32 oz (1 L) Gator Aid bottle (A Gator Aid bottle is shaped very differently than a normal water bottle. It has a much fatter bottom.) |
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I mentioned in my Field Report that I had trouble putting my blue foamy pad onto the pack using the bottom straps. I was incorrectly using the straps. They were tucked into a plastic buckle that did not allow me to extend them fully. Once I pulled them loose from the plastic buckle, I was able to easily use the straps to hold my blue foamy pad.
Improvements:
I would like to see hip belt pockets added to store small items such as a knife, snacks, compass, and map. I would also like to see the pack lightened up. The pack by itself weighs as much as my tent and sleeping bag combo. The bottom compartment zipper is hard to operate when the bottom compartment is full. I think the curve of the zipper track contributes to difficulty; a redesigned zipper here would make it easier to stuff the bottom compartment.
Test Plan:
I have evaluated the pack on the following characteristics over the four month test period. My answers are in blue.
Fit:
- This pack features the “Response Suspension” that is supposed to mirror my body and evenly distribute weight so that I am more comfortable. How easy is this system to adjust? Initial adjustment was easy to do with the included instructions and I have not needed to adjust it since then. All straps remain easy to adjust.
- Does it require any getting used to? I don’t think so, and I have become so used to it that a normal pack feels awkward.
- Does it really distribute weight more evenly and make me more comfortable? I am not sure if there is a way to tell if it works, but it is definitely comfortable.
- The independent camming hip belt is supposed to automatically register my hip angle and provide an exact fit every time I put it on. How comfortable are the 3D hip belt and shoulder straps? I have only had one uncomfortable experience which was during my mountaineering trip, so I think it was a fluke experience.
Durable:
- How durable is the fabric? Everything was doing fine until I climbed Mt. Colchuck. There are two small holes in the bottom compartment after scrambling over granite boulders and glissading down the glaciers.
- Should I be worried about tossing it on the ground once I get to camp? Not unless it is on granite.
- How well does it hold up to off trail hiking? See my above answers.
Usefulness:
- This pack seems like a typical internal frame pack with a top loading part, a bottom loading part and an external front pocket. So what makes this pack special? See my description of the pack’s features in my initial and field reports.
Thanks to Gregory and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to participate in this test.
Read more reviews of Gregory gear
Read more gear reviews by Jason Boyle
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