How to Choose a Backpack

With a FreeFloat dynamic hipbelt and ultralight aluminum frame, the Gregory Facet 55 pack comfortably supports over 50 liters of capacity so you can carry all you need for multiday trips on the trail.
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Imported.
View all Gregory Backpacking PacksBest Use | Backpacking |
---|---|
Frame Type | Internal Frame |
Ultralight | Yes |
Gear Capacity (L) | XS: 52 liters S: 55 liters M: 58 liters |
Gear Capacity (cu. in.) | XS: 3,173 cubic inches S: 3,356 cubic inches M: 3,539 cubic inches |
Weight | XS: 2 lbs. 7 oz. S: 2 lbs. 8.8 oz. M: 2 lbs. 10.6 oz. |
Fits Torso Length (in.) | XS: 14-16 inches S: 16-18 inches M: 18-20 inches |
Fits Waist/Hips | XS: 26-45 inches S: 27-45 inches M: 28-48 inches |
Material(s) | Nylon |
Frame Material | Aluminum |
Number of Stays | 2 |
Reservoir Compatible | Yes |
Suspended Mesh Back Panel | Yes |
Pack Access | Top |
Number of Exterior Pockets | 6 + main compartment |
Raincover Included | No |
Hipbelt Pockets | Yes |
Dimensions | XS: 26 x 14 x 13 inches S: 28 x 14 x 13 inches M: 30 x 14 x 13 inches |
Gender | Women's |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
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Pack weight is low (just over 2lbs), but still supports up to 35 pounds. It also includes many well thought out extra features to make your time on the trail even easier. I love the free float hip belt. I used this for a 24 mile Nordic ski trip last week with no rubbing problems at all.
I really wanted to love this bag, but I had to return it. I have two other Gregory bags and I wanted a light weight one with the features of a Gregory bag and the ventilated back. It felt great on my back Except that the shoulder straps have a rough mesh that was rubbing on my neck, and my next was turning red and would have caused chafing had I taken it backpacking. I’m 5’8” and average weight and average neck size and I think that they need to make more room for the neck. I hope Gregory comes out with a new edition of this bag at some point - I would be very interested in buying it!
Pack weight is low (just over 2lbs), but still supports up to 35 pounds. It also includes many well thought out extra features to make your time on the trail even easier. I love the free float hip belt. I used this for a 24 mile cross country ski overnight trip last week. I had no problems with rubbing or clothing being shifted out of place. Very comfortable!
This bag solves a lot of issues I have with the osprey Eja Pro line of bags. Such as compression straps routing over the side pockets and no sleeping pad straps. But two main issues are that the hip belt pockets are long and the shoulder straps are close together bIf I lost weight on trail I wouldn’t have space to cinch down the hips. The shoulder straps are also close together near where they attach to the pack, which I found uncomfortable and straining on my back. It’s too bad because this seemed great. Just did not fit me
TL;DR: Your backpack is the most critical piece of gear you bring on a thru-hike. Based on my experience, I strongly advise against buying a Gregory Pack because of poor-quality materials and inadequate customer service. I had used my Facet 55 a handful of times for travel, but was excited to bring it on a thru-hike of Vermont's Long Trail (270 miles). Base weight 17 pounds, ~25 with food and water. A few days in, I noticed that some of the stitching on one of my shoulder straps was distressed, including where the load lifter strap attached to the body of the backpack. Around mile 90, I took off my pack and the load lifter strap snapped off of the pack. I was able to tie the broken strap to another strap and lace them through the haul loop as a workaround until my next hotel stay in two days. It was after business hours when I got in, so Gregory's customer service line was unmanned. I sent in a warrantee request, and got an automated email with instructions for how to send my pack in for repairs. I responded to the email explaining my situation, and asking if they could send me a replacement pack. Customer service got back to me in two business days, at which point I was in the woods with limited service. When I was able to read the email, it just asked for the same information as the warrantee request. I responded during my next town day, reiterating that I needed a replacement pack... and then nothing. After waiting through a three-day weekend, plus two more business days, I sent a follow-up email. To their credit, they offered to send me a free replacement pack... with 1–2 business days to process it, plus 5–7 business days to ship it. I told them that by that point, my thru-hike would be over. Fortunately, my workaround held for the remainder of my hike, and the Long Trail is close enough to a few towns that I could have bought a new pack if I felt it was necessary. But if I had been attempting a longer hike, I would have cut those straps for weight. If I'd been in a remote area, I would have been stuck carrying a faulty pack, and putting stress on my shoulder. The way customer service handled my requests gave me the impression that they didn't have experience with backpacking. Equipment can fail over a weekend or a holiday. Cell service in the woods is spotty. Taking a month off work to do a thru-hike requires a TON of coordination, and you can't just burn three days in town waiting for an email, or for a pack to arrive. I would urge Gregory to give people the option of marking a customer service request as urgent, and addressing those requests ASAP.
My wife bought this pack as part of her continued effort to find a lighter pack. She found the load lifter straps too narrow to easily grasp. Also found the back adjustment system somewhat difficult to use. Her spine length is on the border between 2 pack sizes in the Gregory lineup, and so tried 2 different sizes but could not get either to fit perfectly. She has been using Deuter packs for many years, and while they are on the heavier side of the scale, they fit her perfectly and the load lifter/shoulder strap adjustment system is very easy to adjust. The Facet pack (both of them) went back to REI.
I’ve had great experiences with all my Gregory packs and this is no exception. I wanted something lighter than my Deva for warm weather backpacking. I’ve used it on a few weekend trips with an average weight of 30 pounds. It fits everything comfortably and carries well. I love the side access on the side pockets. So much easier to grab my water. The Facet has become my favorite pack.
Picked up my pack this week after wanting to cut my base weight from my Deva 70 setup. This pack is a full 2lbs lighter but seems just as durable. My BV 450 fits in this easily both vertically and horizontally which was one of my deciding factors. The large main compartment can fit my UL quilt, Nemo tensor pad, 2 person UL tent, clothes and food for a few days. The removable brain is perfect for snacks and whatever I need during the day. It doesn’t come with a rain cover but the cinch straps make this easy to snug up and fit under your poncho. This should work out perfectly for me
I bought this pack a week before starting the camino de santiago. I have a bad scoliosis (s shape spine) and one shoulder blade popping out. This pack was perfect for my condition, and I put it on with great pleasure every day!
This pack is lightweight, comfortable, and large enough to fit the items you would need for a short backpacking trip. The only downsides for me are that you can only enter the main compartment from the top as there is no side zipper and that I don't love the color (which isn't a real downside I guess). Otherwise, I have no complaints about this pack. It has worked well for me on the trips I've used it on.