Gregory  Maven 55 Pack - Women's

I love the details on the Gregory Maven 55. Every other large backpack I’ve had, I’ve purchased only after completing an in-person fitting. Because I ordered this during Covid-19, I didn’t have that luxury. I’m 5’9’ with a long torso and a narrow upper body and getting a good fit where the pack sits in the right place on the hips and doesn’t move too much around the shoulders is always tricky. Sometimes I’m XS-S , and sometimes I and S-M. I went with the S-M based on measurements online and really couldn’t believe how well the pack fit well straight out of the box The 55 is perfect for a 3 day-2 night backpacking trip—easily fits the essentials: tent, sleeping pad, stove, food, extra water, layers, and sleeping bag Pros: - Side Zipper. YES! (this makes it more useful for travel as well as backpacking) - Details. There are so many details on the pack and they all are useful. The clip for the water sleeve inside, the clip for the mouthpiece, a place for sunglasses, and a waist pocket that fits an iphone plus with a case. -Remarkably lightweight -Did I mention it fits! - I got the red color which hides so much dirt Con: - The structure of the frame has some airflow, but does sit mostly direct on the back which makes it warmer than a pack with a frame that creates a gap for more airflow.

I am a 5’8”, fast moving hiker and appreciate a combination of lightweight and comfort in my packs. As with all Gregory packs (and the Maven is no exception), I like the ease of adjustability. Not sure exactly how they do it, but the hip, lower and upper shoulder strap adjustments are very ergonomic and don't require unnecessary fiddling. And speaking of adjusting, the hip belt and the back panel (torso length) are both adjustable by Velcro to allow you to narrow in on what feels best over time and with different weights. The lumber support, the hip pads, and ventilation of the padding were also very nice and increased comfort in the later hours of the hike. I felt like the suspension system/frame worked well for me - the load was nicely transferred to my hips and lower back while still feeling secure to my upper back and shoulders. A few notes on functionality. The brain is “free floating”. This is nice in that you can remove it completely if you want to drop a few ounces, but I find it rather fiddlesome since it can move all over the place. The brain has two pockets for organization of lightweight/small objects (the raincover in comes with has its own special pocket on the bottom). The main compartment can be accessed by the traditional top (closed by a drawstring and clip), a full length side zipper, and a bottom zipper flap (so kudos on the ultimate accessibility). The top pullstring can be easily opened with one hand. There is only one large inside elastic pocket for the hydration bladder, with the characteristic Gregory hook and a small webbing loop for hanging. The interior has a nylon shelf to divide the sleeping bag from the rest of the compartment, which can be easily removed. The outside of the pack has three elastic pockets, two on the sides and one on the back, and two zipper pockets on the belt useful for snacks, phone, etc. There is also a sunglass holder on the shoulder strap. There’s also an elastic, adjustable loop and a lower adjustable strap on the back right for carrying trekking poles. All these awesome little features come with the price that there are a lot of straps and clips, making the choices for adjustment a little complex. I don’t feel this takes away from the function of the pack, it’s just a preference for some people to be aware of when buying. Overall, I would recommend this pack for an overnight or multiday hike.

I am a 5'8", fast moving hiker and appreciate a combination of lightweight and comfort in my packs. As with all Gregory packs (and the Maven is no exception), I like the ease of adjustability. Not sure exactly how they do it, but the hip, lower and upper shoulder strap adjustments are very ergonomic and don't require unnecessary fiddling. And speaking of adjusting, the hip belt and the back panel (torso length) are both adjustable by Velcro to allow you to narrow in on what feels best over time and with different weights. The lumber support, the hip pads, and ventilation of the padding were also very nice and increased comfort in the later hours of the hike. I felt like the suspension system/frame worked well for me - the load was nicely transferred to my hips and lower back while still feeling secure to my upper back and shoulders. A few notes on functionality. The brain is "free floating". This is nice in that you can remove it completely if you want to drop a few ounces, but I find it rather fiddlesome since it can move all over the place. The brain has two pockets for organization of lightweight/small objects (the raincover in comes with has its own special pocket on the bottom). The main compartment can be accessed by the traditional top (closed by a drawstring and clip), a full length side zipper, and a bottom zipper flap (so kudos on the ultimate accessibility). The top pullstring can be easily opened with one hand. There is only one large inside elastic pocket for the hydration bladder, with the characteristic Gregory hook and a small webbing loop for hanging. The interior has a nylon shelf to divide the sleeping bag from the rest of the compartment, which can be easily removed. The outside of the pack has three elastic pockets, two on the sides and one on the back, and two zipper pockets on the belt useful for snacks, phone, etc. There is also a sunglass holder on the shoulder strap and adjustable straps on the back for trekking poles. Would recommend!

I love the details on the Gregory Maven 55. Every other large backpack I've had, I've purchased only after completing an in-person fitting. Because I ordered this during Covid-19, I didn't have that luxury. I'm 5'9' with a long torso and a narrow upper body and getting a good fit where the pack sits in the right place on the hips and doesn't move too much around the shoulders is always tricky. Sometimes I'm XS-S , and sometimes I and S-M. I went with the S-M based on measurements online and really couldn't believe how well the pack fit well straight out of the box The 55 is perfect for a 3 day-2 night backpacking trip-easily fits the essentials: tent, sleeping pad, stove, food, extra water, layers, and sleeping bag Pros: - Side Zipper. YES! (this makes it more useful for travel as well as backpacking) - Details. There are so many details on the pack and they all are useful. The clip for the water sleeve inside, the clip for the mouthpiece, a place for sunglasses, and a waist pocket that fits an iphone plus with a case. -Remarkably lightweight -Did I mention it fits! - I got the red color which hides so much dirt Con: - The structure of the frame has some airflow, but does sit mostly direct on the back which makes it warmer than a pack with a frame that creates a gap for more airflow. -The older version of the Maven used to come with a small daypack I believe. That is no longer included.

I got this thing "used" for super cheap- I'm pretty sure it was effectively new, actually, a girl bought it for a AT thru hike that never happened with her ex-boyfriend (oof). I wasn't on the market for a pack, but I couldn't pass up the price. I was using a GG Crown2 60, men's short, and my weekend trips were painful affairs. I gave this pack a chance though, and fell in love with it after one weekend trip. My mom had measured my torso at 16", but I initially tried the Maven on at the shortest 14" adjustment and haven't looked back. I'm a pretty small person and need lighter loads, this pack distributes weight wonderfully and makes it feel lighter than the Crown2 despite being 3.3lbs. My boney hips don't get badly bruised. My back doesn't get as soaked with sweat. I never expected I'd get so much use out of the gear loops or side and bottom zips, and variety of places to clip things. I took it on a slow 343 mile Sheltowee Trace thru hike, and got to know it well. Got my personal systems in place. Hiked all day in the rain, fell backwards crossing a creek (stood up quick but barely any water got in the bottom), scooted on my butt over plenty of rough stone, squeezed through gaps in rocks and over and countless downed trees. Outer mesh held up great both on the pocket and against my back, no holes. Only real damage is I got one little tiny abrasion hole on the hipbelt pocket, to be expected really. I usually carried 20-30lbs, maxing out at 33lbs with cooler weather gear, food, and water, for a 7 day stretch without resupply. Shoulders hurt first day of that, maybe 2, but not for long. Fit two 10 liter food bags, tent, quilt, inflatable sleeping pad, clothes bag, no problem. My base weight is under 15lbs at this point, and it feels light as a daypack heading into a resupply. When I washed the disgusting mush from a pretty snailshell I'd thoughtlessly put in a hipbelt pocket which had been full of maggots and rotten snail (please learn from my mistake here), the pockets nearly totally held water and made for easy scrubbing and rinsing. Dries fast. The longer I've had it, the more I can shove in the mesh pocket it seems. Side pockets hold plenty too. I ended up with room to spare on the inside most of the time, even though the XS/S is 52 liters, not the 55 liters it says on the tin. A few other cons with my Maven that didn't really bother me- A couple bits where the thread is coming loose on some edging, pictured, I suspect glue would fix it fine. It squeaked/creaked like crazy with a heavy load, but I got used to it fast and I think that got much better towards the end of the hike, once everything was less stiff. I was hiking alone all but 2 days, so this might be worth thinking about if you hike with others. Lid can be a little floppy and annoying. One time the chest strap came off the rail things and it was a royal pain threading it back on. I also added a shoulder strap water bottle holder on the right, and a snack pocket on the left, as it's very hard to reach back into the side pockets of the pack. I have a fanny pack too, as my phone and maps won't fit anywhere accessible either (though I often wear one in everyday life too). I used a different pack cover than included, as I keep a lot of gear on the outside of the pack. I love the rosewood color, but it does get hot in the sun, often melting all my chocolate. Maybe pick a paler color if that's a concern. Despite any/all these little things, it still gets 5 stars. I plan on continuing to use this pack even as the rest of my gear veers towards ultralight, even though it won't always be full. I'm a slow hiker and carry lots of food and water. It feels like less weight because it carries so well, I'll take the extra 1-2 lbs on the base weight for that. Overall I would strongly reccomend this backpack to anyone, I sing its praises every chance I get. If it's in your price range, it'll serve you well. It's got plenty of space for a thru hike setup, but isn't too big for an overnight trip or even carrying dayhiking gear for 2 or a small family. I couldn't be happier with it.

Great Pack After it is Worn in. You will get some bruising on the hips but this happens to me with most new packs. After it is worn in I dont get the bruising anymore. It has all the essential accessories that I need and want. That made it stand out to me because other packs I looked at didnt have all the accessories/features that I wanted. It was a great 7 day pack, held everything I needed it too. I would have given it a 5 star if it werent for the bruising.

I'm 5'2" with a larger chest and find it hard to find a backpacking backpack that really fits me well. I really liked how easy it was to adjust the torso length and fine tune all the straps on this pack. Loved that the rain fly came stowed in the upper pocket and had no trouble throwing it on quickly. One thing I will note is that the top handle is actually hidden underneath the top pocket so if you're trying to move the pack around at your campsite, the top pocket will have to be open. A little annoying but not a deal breaker by any means. Great storage, easily accessible pockets for while you're hiking and it was able to fit enough for a light couple days of backpacking.

I LOVE this backpack. I suggest going into the store & have an assistant help trying a few styles. The woman who assisted me was amazing! It's the perfect fit, comfortable, holds so much. I adore the color. I've gone from using this for camping trips to it being my GO TO for all travel. It is in perfect condition as the day I got it (2 years of frequent/regular use). Worth the investment. Great details.

This pack is very comfortable and lightweight but the fabric isn't that durable. After one use it has a run in the mesh that holds the water bottle and two holes. One is along a spot where it goes over the frame and the other is in a corner on the bottom. My friend has the same pack but a year older. It was her first use on the same trip and she ended up with holes that were similar to mine as well. If you get it, be very careful with it. Don't set it on rocks or hike through overgrowth.

I am 5'4" and 125 lbs and the XS was the right fit for me. I love this backpack and am super happy with it. The zipper pulls broke (and Gregory's website is out of stock! Hmm!) but I have no other issues. Holds a lot for sure and sits well on my back. I would recommend getting the Gregory resevoir as opposed to other brands though - sits better in the pack. So far I have only used it overnight but think it will do great for 4-5 days too.