Gregory  Kalmia 50 Pack - Women's

Light and full of features

The first thing I want to say about this pack is how comfortable it is. I am a short torso and full-figured woman, 5’ 5” and a 38” bust and it was a dream to wear. The adjustability of the harnesses was way easy. I had expected it to slip and maybe need occasional tweaking but so far it stays put. The mesh back panel does its job keeping me cool. Let’s go over the components I’ loved. The side zipper access to the body of the pack is awesome. This is my first pack with that feature, and I love it. Talk about making it easy to grab what you need and get on with the pleasure of hiking. The water bottle holder is super easy to get to and fits my 1 liter bottle snugly but not so much that I can’t grab it. And the additional option for a bladder makes it a hydration winner. I’m a fan of the zippered pockets. There are plenty on board. The top of the bag as a quick access pocket that is perfect for smaller items that you don’t want to get stowed and inevitably lost in one of the bigger pockets. The hip belt pocket is perfect for my phone and a snack. Basically the storage options are vast, helping me stay organized and they don’t seem to impact the weight of the pack. One additional feature I felt was handy was the sunglass keeper on the harness. I used it for both my sunglasses and readers. I have no complaints about this pack. It’s awesome. I used this pack for a couple of weekend outings. It’s going to be perfect for week long treks.

Comfortable pack with extra organization!

I have tried many packs over the years and some of my favorite features about the Kalima 50 are the large front zipper pocket (easy access to items like snacks and gloves), latch for drinking hose on the front strap (something I have ALWAYS wanted on a pack) and comfortable hip belt width (provided lots of support without being overly thick.) The pack worked great for weekend backpacking trips and I had plenty of space for all of my gear and a little extra for my two dogs. One thing I did not love about the pack was how small the pockets are in the top. I found when the pack was really full, I could not get large items that I usually store in the top of my pack to fit. Overall I would definitely recommend this pack! It is very adjustable, comfortable and provides plenty of options for organization. I am around 5'6 but have a short upper body. I had this pack extended to it's tallest setting and it worked perfectly. I would highly recommend trying on in store to find the right fit for your body.

Sweet!

The Kalmia offered great space/ volume per weight, and fit me so well! The adjustable backplate offered needed personalization for fit, and the padding protected me from hotspots without being bulky. The rotating shoulder straps made a difference; I could feel the pack moving with me, instead of against me. The Kalmia 50 is my new go to pack! While this pack offers some personalization, it isn't the pack for everyone. I highly recommend trying the pack on before purchasing, and walking around a bit with some weight added to see how she rides. Overall: well made, great weight to capacity ratio, helpful personalization through various adjustment and tension points, moves with the hiker.

Originally posted on ExpertVoice.com

Sturdy backpack and can hold a LOT

I took the Gregory Women's Kalmia 50 Pack on a long day hike, it could definitely be used for overnight. Felt very secure on my back the whole time and material felt light weight in the heat. Some backpacks are not very breathable into high temperature and this one did feel comfortable through all phases. This pack was also able to hold a ton of stuff… full water bladder, plenty of snacks, large array of gadgets, and spare clothes. I am 5’9” and 135lbs… I normally am a size XS or S in most equipment, I tested this in an XS and would definitely have sizes up to S. Felt like it was sitting a bit too high on my back. Overall great backpack tho!

Disappointed

Pretty disappointed in this pack. I work trails for the National Park Service and I rely on this pack nearly everyday during the summer season. Typically I can get by with a pack for 5-6 seasons without things wearing out (zippers, buckles, padding, etc). Not even by the end of my second season with this pack, the top zipper broke, the strap connecting the brain to the shoulder snaps busted, the color faded. I would NOT recommend this pack for outdoor work. Their warranty isn’t nearly as good as Osprey either. Four thumbs down.

Originally posted on Gregory

Response from Gregory

GregoryCX

3 months ago

Hi, We appreciate you taking the time to review & share your experience. We're always listening to & learning from our customers, we're sorry to hear this wasn't the five-star experience we wanted you to have & value your feedback. A member of our Customer Service Team will reach out to you shortly to follow up.

Great overnight pack

I already have an osprey 65 aura pack, so this pack was more of an overnight or a weekend pack for me. I did also use it as a pack when I would take my paint supplies or knitting out to a remote spot on a hike and hang out for the day. It works great for carrying. Good weight distribution. Excellent pockets and loops for carrying extra gear. I did think it was a bit weird it didn't come with a rain fly, but maybe I've just been spoiled by other brands including them automatically. I really enjoyed the amount of padding. And the length of extension for the hipbelt was great because when I first got it I was pretty out of shape. But after losing 15 lbs it still fits wonderfully with just a tighter hip strap. The only negative I experienced was that the shoulder straps are just a little too close together. Which means that when I'm wearing a tank top or open neck top the straps really rub and grind into my shoulder and neck which left me with blisters and raw skin. So I recommend breaking it in with day hikes before you commit to a multi day trip with this pack because there's almost nothing worse than having to put on a pack that gives you raw skin and blisters over top of the raw skin and blisters it made the previous day. Thankfully the material was really easy to clean so I got all the blood out. Now that its broken in I really don't have the same shoulder strap issue but yeah it was uncomfortable to deal with at first.

Great Bag

Great bag for multi-day hiking, fit everything I needed

Great overall ride and quality. Bought for the Kalalau trail hike in Kuaui, held everything we needed and has great organization. The straps and suspension system worked well and it distributed the weight evenly. This is a great pack for entry level backpackers or more advanced backpackers, big enough to carry all comfort items you would want for a 2-3 day trip. Hip pads were big enough for cell phones and other items which was handy.

Originally posted on ExpertVoice.com

Great Lightweight Backpack

This backpack has a ton of extras on it and secures and cinches tight. The best part is that it can be customized for your body type and does not wear on you even when hiking over 10 miles a day through rough terrain.

Originally posted on ExpertVoice.com

LOVE

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Amazing pack. So excited to use it on my cross country road camping trip. It has everything and more!!

Originally posted on Gregory