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Gregory Z Pack
Long Term Report - June 11, 2004
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Torso: 20½-21" (52-53 cm)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Date: June 11, 2004
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Gregory Mountain Products
Model: Z Pack
Year of Manufacture: 2003
URL: http://www.gregorypacks.com
Listed capacity (size L): 3,950 cu in (65 L)
Listed weight (size L): 3 lb 5 oz (1.5 kg)
Measured weight (size L): 3 lb 5.3 oz (1.52 kg), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Color: Flame (red)
Other colors available: Castor Grey
MSRP: $169 USD
Features (from web site) [return to top]
- SUSPENSION
- Sewn-in Sport harness
- Gullwing™ Plus harness
- Single, hollow 1/2" 7075-T6 stay
- Remove the stay to save 1.4 ounces
- FOAM-X hourglass framesheet
- Chimney ventilated backpanel
- PACK
- Top and side access
- Front "bucket" pocket
- Secondary front pocket with water resistant zipper
- 140d Dyneema® body fabric
- 210d HT nylon fabric reinforcements
- Water resistant top pocket zippers and side access
Description [return to top]
The Z Pack is a top-loading 3,950 cu in (65 L) pack with a removable floating lid pocket, a large outer “bucket” pocket with mesh sides that create side pockets, and a full suspension with hip belt and framesheet. The Dyneema fabric used for the majority of the main pack body – exclusive of the suspension – is red, with white threads (the Dyneema material) running throughout in a ¼ in (6 mm) grid pattern. The rest of the materials used in the pack are black. All straps (boy, this thing has a lot of straps) used on the Z Pack are ¾ in (2 cm) wide unless otherwise noted. All zippers are waterproof.
The main body of the pack measures 24 in (61 cm) tall at the framesheet, which is 11 in (28 cm) wide at the top. The bag measures 11 in wide x 7 in deep (28 cm x 18 cm) at this point. The extension collar, made of nylon, rises 7½ in (19 cm) further from this point and tops off with a cord and cordlock.
For a (much) more detailed description of the Z Pack, please see my Initial Report.
Field Testing [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly. Almost all of these outings included a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures from lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 85 ºF (29 ºC). Elevations ranged from sea level to approximately 2,000’ (610 m). I packed for these trips as I would on a solo or 2-person hike, i.e. stove, cooking gear, ground sheet, tent, etc., in addition to what I needed for troop camping, so that I could test the suitability of the pack for long distance use, for the capacity I need. While I truly love the 32-liter (1,950 cu in) pack I previously used, I have not yet reduced the bulk of my load to fit a week of 3-season equipment and food in it (getting closer, though!), and a winter weekend load may also be a bit much. The 65-liter (3,950 cu in) capacity (size Large) of the Z Pack is just over twice that of my day pack (same weight, though), and has therefore been plenty of pack to carry everything I took along, with much room to spare.
I tend to generate a lot of heat when moving, due both to large muscle mass and plenty of – ahem – ‘natural insulation’, so I was especially interested in the capability of the chimney ventilated backpanel to keep me cool and dry (particularly as the weather warmed up), especially since I am used to a frame pack. I was pleased to find my back relatively dry on a hot, humid day following a 30-minute trek through brush at a local Scout camp.
The web site offers a fitting/measurement guide. I have followed their method in the past using a flexible tape to obtain my 20½-21 in (52-53 cm) torso measurement, although I recall reading that the Gregory Fit-O-Matic can give different results than a tape. The fates conspired against me, not allowing me to verify this due to transportation problems, though impressions with a loaded pack do seem to confirm that I have the correct size for my torso.
Final Thoughts [return to top]
- I will certainly continue to use this pack when my load exceeds that of my day pack, but with summer here (and my load steadily shrinking), a smaller pack is all I should need until late fall or winter.
- The suspension has been able to effectively transfer the load I carried to the hip belt, however I found on a recent bushwhack that the belt slipped too readily down my lower back, unless I over-tightened the belt – which just wasn’t comfortable. Perhaps some further fiddling will ease this, but I haven’t found the magic spot yet. I plan to take a few more shakedown hikes to try to eliminate the slippage I experienced.
- The Z Pack has plenty of pockets, and is large enough for even my (heavy) winter load. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a lightweight, large-volume pack – with the understanding that a proper fit is very important.
Things I was looking for:
- Fit. Does the sizing seem accurate based on my torso measurement taken with a tape measure?
- Fabric. Is the Dyneema durable (I have no prior experience with the fabric)? Does it stretch? Does it fade? Is it waterproof? Does it pill, pull, or snag readily? How about the HT nylon reinforcements?
- Zippers. Are they truly waterproof? Do they function smoothly? Are they durable? Repairable?
- Capacity. What can I get in it? Does it pack/unpack easily?
- Carry/comfort. Does it move around much when properly adjusted? How about when improperly adjusted? How much weight can I carry comfortably? How much can I put up with (i.e. re-supply days)? Can it be adjusted down to fit a reduced load?
- Washability. Are there special instructions? Are they easy to follow? Does it hold much dirt in the first place?
My findings:
- Fit. It seems just right for my torso.
- Fabric. I have noticed no wear, even after a 30-minute bushwhack.
- Zippers. It got rained on while I was away from the campsite. Everything inside was still dry.
- Capacity. The 24 in (61 cm) height of the main compartment is perfect for my ¾-length Therm-a-Rest to be used as an outer layer to my packing. This not only gives me a stiff cylinder to pack, but also serves to protect the pack from anything sharp I may place inside. My largest load to date included: flashlight, sleeping bag, winter pants, cook set, fuel, Therm-a-Rest, heavy winter gauntlet gloves, knit hat, several pairs of socks and underwear, Gore-Tex rain suit, extra pants, “bear” can (unused paint can for “smellables”), hygiene kit, and other miscellaneous bits.
- Carry/comfort. With a little tweaking of the various straps (did I mention this thing has a lot of straps?) the pack is stable to carry, only moving around with a top-heavy load, and not much even then. The suspension has been able to effectively transfer the load I carried to the hip belt, however I found that the belt slipped too readily down my lower back, unless I over-tightened the belt – which just isn’t comfortable. Perhaps some further fiddling will ease the slippage, but I haven’t found the magic spot yet.
- Washability. The Dyneema fabric does not seem to hold dirt, although I generally am pretty careful with it.
Things I like [return to top]
- Lightweight.
- Lots of space.
- Color. Hey, I like red.
- Keeps me relatively cool and dry.
- Ooh, ooh… I found another one! Inside the lid pocket is a small plastic clip on a short section of webbing – for holding keys, I presume. It is not mentioned in any literature, and it took me nearly 6 months to find it, but I like it.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- Boy, there sure are lots of straps. Perhaps color-coding would make figuring out the straps a little easier, but once everything is in use, it’s not *too* bad.
- The hip belt slips down my back. Perhaps a section of a “rubberized” material at the center could help this.
- No specific outlet for using hydration systems. The tube must be routed either through the top opening of the bag, or out through the side zipper.
Backpacking Background [return to top]
I started car/trailer camping with the family when I was about 5. I enlisted in the Army Reserve during my first year of college and spent 17 years fine-tuning my packing methodology - by the time I separated from the service, I was down to what I thought was a respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load. When my son started Cub Scouts, I brought my 60 lb (27 kg) ALICE pack for a weekend. We got to Boy Scouts in the Spring of 2002 and now camp monthly in locations ranging from the Chesapeake Bay area (flat and lightly wooded) to the Pocono Mts (flat spots hard to find and very wooded), in all seasons.
Lightweight (and ultralightweight) web sites, along with a day hike up Pikes Peak in July 2003, have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices. I plan to start doing more hiking/backpacking on our monthly scout trips, taking along as many scouts as are willing, to a) get in shape (yeah, yeah, I know… round IS a shape), and b) determine what I really need to take along. I am relatively confident that I will be able to reduce my 3-season pack to 20 lb (9 kg), before food, fuel and water, by the time this season is over.
Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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