Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Gregory Whitney > Rami Benhameda > Initial Report

 Gregory Mountain Products

Whitney Backpack

www.gregorypacks.com

PERSONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND: (back to top)

I've been hiking and backpacking in and around Central and Southern Indiana for the past 20+ years either solo or with my wife and daughters. Within the last 5 years, I've become an avid long distance hiker with sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia under my belt, as well as other long distance hiking.

PRODUCT INFORMATION: (back to top)

Manufacturer:    Gregory Mountain Products ( www.gregorypacks.com )

Year of Manufacture:    2004

Series:    Adventure Series

Model:    Whitney

MSRP:    USD $329.00

Components:

    Packbag - size medium ( 5450 CU. IN. / 89 liters )

Top, front, side and bottom access

Front pocket access and twin ‘barn door‘ side pockets with access

Top pocket converts to a fanny pack

210d ‘double box’ HT ® nylon body

Shelter-Rite® bottom

Canted water bottle holder

Side mesh pocket

Hydration sleeve and port

Chimney ventilation channel

Floating partial framesheet

Twin 7001-T6 stays

    Shoulder Harness - size large

Auto-Cant™ harness

Flo-Form® II shoulder harness

 

    Waistbelt - size large

Adjust-A-Cant™ waistbelt

Flo-Form® II waistbelt padding

    Colors - Midnight Blue / Black

    Weight - 7 lbs 1 oz (3.2 kg )

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: (back to top)

The box arrived on my doorstep on April 7th with no evidence of shipping damage.  The box was from Gregory and the pack inside was in excellent condition and fully assembled.  It was wrapped in plastic and had a 12 page booklet attached.

The booklet is very informative with details about the history of Gregory packs, details about the Whitney itself, specifics on how to fit and adjust the pack, and other important details like the lifetime guarantee, care and packing suggestions.  My first impression of the pack when removing it from it's box and plastic was of an extremely well built, well thought out and virtually bomb proof pack. 

When initially taking measurements for this pack, I noticed that the website specified measurement ranges for the packbag and waistbelt, but not for the shoulder harness.  For the shoulder harness,  they recommend choosing harness sizing to match that of the pack bag.  Based on my own preferences and previous experience in fitting packs, I opted to order a size large for the shoulder harness rather than the suggested size medium.  My selection proved to be the right choice for me because I have a fairly large chest 46" (1.17 m) in proportion to my torso length  18.5" (.47 m).  I find that the size large shoulder harness provides plenty of adjustment room, and the straps curve all the way around to my 'lats' (the muscles under my arm pits where my sides curve around to my back).

When adjusting the Whitney to fit, I contemplated taking it to a local outfitter, but decided against it.  My decision was based on the fact that I already knew how to fit a pack, and I was too impatient to wait to get to the store.

I started by trying the pack on empty and examining (in a mirror) the shoulder harness' fit over my shoulders and feeling around the top and bottom of the waistbelt for any gaps.  What I found was that the pack only needed a slight adjustment to the load lifter straps and it fit perfectly right out of the box.

I have used the Whitney on only three short day hikes at our local park/ nature preserve, but in those uses, I loaded the pack with the following items:

• A CamelBak hydration bladder - 100 oz (3 liters) full (the Whitney is equipped with a sleeve and port to support use of a bladder)
• Big Agnes Seed House 3 Tent - 7 lb 5.4 oz (3.33 kg)
• a first aid kit (my regular pack kit) - about 6 oz (170 g)
• a sleeping bag - about 2 1/2 lbs (1.13 kg)
• a whole pile of clothes to fill out the bag - about 5 lbs (2.27 kg)

All of this amounts to a total weight of around 26 lbs (11.8 kg).  While this is less than half of the maximum load recommended for this pack, it is heavier than I've been used to carrying recently. 

This load has been very comfortable in my day hiking experiences.  The waistbelt is quite well padded and feels 'cushy' on my hips.  The shoulder harness has also been exceptionally comfortable and cushy.  The 'floating partial framesheet' and aluminum stays make for a firm but flexible pack body, and in sum, all parts work together to give me the sense that I could load it all the way to the top with bricks and it would still feel comfortable.

FUTURE TESTING PLAN: (back to top)

I am looking forward to putting the Whitney through as vigorous a workout as I can muster over the coming months.  I anticipate spending many long weekends in the woods here in central and southern Indiana, as well as a few longer trips of a week or more.

Some of the features I am looking forward to exploring in much greater detail are the removable top pocket which becomes a fanny pack, the side pockets for storage plus access to the main pack body, the front pocket for storage plus access to the main pack bag, and the fantastically comfortable suspension system. 

Thank you to Gregory Mountain Products and BGT for the opportunity to participate in this test!

Rami Benhameda

Reviews > Packs > Internal and External Framed Backpacks > Gregory Whitney > Rami Benhameda > Initial Report