Gregory  Swift 30 H2O Hydration Pack - Women's

I needed a bigger backpack with a bladder for hiking in Glacier National Park. This pack is perfect! Lots of room to store snacks, extra layers, and all the hiking essentials. The color is awesome!

Best Pack I Own!! It comes with the bladder, which I love. Also, appreciate that the bladder is acessible via an external compartment. Comes with lots of pockets- one small at the top, a large main, a smaller compartment with pockets, and the front pouch that is covered in mesh. Also it's objectively a super cute pack. The only thing I wish it has is hip pockets, but the other things this pack provides more than makes up for it. Comfort wise, it is by far the best pack I own. I can hike for 10+ miles and the mesh material on the back never rubs against my skin or irritates it (like the REI brand packs have). A great purchase.

Great backpack, I searched high and low for a good, decent hiking backpack. Because let's face it, most hiking backpacks range from $130 - $200 more or less. This backpack was within my budget and had all the things I was looking for. In total with taxes and everything it was $96.01. That is give or take how much a North Face backpack costs and Gregory backpacks also have a lifetime warranty like The North Face. I currently have 26 L backpack that I use for travel/hikes but needed something a little bit bigger. For most airlines 28 L is the limit for a personal item, but the 30 L is okay if you don't overstuff your backpack. I needed a backpack I could travel with and also "turn into" a hiking backpack; mainly so because I don't usually travel with a carry on, only a backpack. This one already had the water bladder. I just separately bought the cleaning things on the Gregory website and the disconnecting tubes because the one that comes with the backpack is just one big ol' tube. It has a trekking pole attachment, which does a pretty good job. It's on the side not both sides if that makes sense. The sides are very expandible so my 1 L bottle fits, if you have a bigger one it could fit, because it stretches. I like that the "front pocket" because it's made out of mesh material. So, if you need to throw a rain jacket or a beanie, scarf, neck gaiter, map, it's in an easy reach area. This backpack also has a chest and waist strap. A lot of the complaints or comments are that its magnetic and they wish it was a clip kind of chest strap. However, I have found that the magnetic mechanism works great to keep the chest strap secure. The only thing I would say is that I do wish it came with a whistle, but it's okay. No biggie. The waist strap is also really nice, and it just does a nice job at hugging your side. I do wish you could tuck them in when you don't use them, but you can just put them behind you, and you will be fine. I am a fan of waist straps because I get tired really easily (chronic illness) and it I do feel like it helps relieve the weight with the chest and waist strap. It would be nice if the waist strap was bigger so it could have a pocket included so you can fit in your phone or something, but it's an older model, and for the price I'm not complaining. But the waist strap does feel like it hugs you in a nice way and it's very easy on a hike to adjust how you want it if it's too tight or too loose. The strap at the top also is thin but durable, you can pick up your backpack without it feeling like oh no the strap is not sturdy enough. I do wish it was a bit heftier like the recon backpack handle though. But it's fine. One thing I also really appreciate about this backpack is that it has load lifters, so if you feel like its getting too heavy or need some kind of relief, or the chest and waist straps aren't cutting it for you.... then comes in the load lifters. They are at the very top of your straps, you pull on them and boom, they help load and lift your backpack. I mean of course you wouldn't like super stuff it but when you have been on a hike for a while, its the little things like that, that make a difference. The back panel is nice, its comfortable. Regardless of the kind of pack you get, you will always have that sweatiness. But it does have does holes for ventilation. The magnetic part of the water bladder though, I would say that is the main malfunction on this. I have to insert it inside the little strap and inside my chest strap, so it doesn't flap around because it just doesn't stick to the magnet. It's not a deal breaker for me, but it's certainly not a hey let's pull it out and stick it to the magnet. I wasn't sure what color to get... it's the trivial things that get me sometimes, but I ended up getting the Juniper Blue color. In the pictures it's a lot brighter, but in person its more muted, like a grayish blue. It's still nice though, I liked it and kept it. I wanted to have some color in my life so didn't go for the black or the dark pink one. The zippers on this are also nice because you don't hear them dangle and clinking into each other while you hike. Also, if you have gloves, they are an easy pull. One last thing, I did purchase strapper keepers which I didn't even know where a thing until I researched and they help keep your backpack not look as "messy" because sometimes it can look a bit too strappy, but the strapper keepers help clean up the look of your pack if you're into that kind of thing. I had gotten the 25 L and 30 L version of this backpack. I think I could have made the 25 L work because honestly it is a nice spacious backpack, but for me, I wanted something a bit bigger, because even though I only travel with a backpack, I always end up asking my husband to pack something of mine in his backpack. For reference he has a Columbia roll top 27 L backpack, but it has stretched out quite a bit that it honestly looks like a 30 L.