How to Choose a Backpack
Gregory J63 Pack - Women's
This product is not available. Good news: we have a newer version.
Always ready to hit the trail and take you comfortably into the wilderness, this incredibly light pack sports a cooling back panel and plenty of room for gear on your next multiday backpacking trip.
Shop newer version- Ventilated back panel, women-specific harness and wrap-over padding on the hipbelt offer comfort and stability for the long haul
- Die-cut foam on the harness and hipbelt adds breathability and decreases weight
- CrossFloâ„¢ DTS Suspension provides cooling airflow across the back without sacrificing load transfer; wire X-Frame transfers load weight to the lumbar pad and hipbelt
- Top-loading main compartment features a quick-draw closure and floating top lid ; U-shaped front zipper makes it easy to access the pack's depths
- Interior sleeve with port accommodates a hydration reservoir (sold separately)
- Front bucket pocket and zippered pocket, 2 exterior stretch water bottle pockets and dual hipbelt pockets make it easy to organize and access essentials
- The women's Gregory J63 Pack features hideaway axe/trekking pole loops with secure attachments, side/bottom compression straps and an integrated, color-matched rain cover
| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Frame Type | Internal Frame |
| Material(s) | Polyester/nylon tafetta |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Number of Stays | 0 |
| Suspended Mesh Back Panel | Yes |
| Pack Access | Top/front |
| Number of Exterior Pockets | 7 + main compartment |
| Raincover Included | Yes |
| Gender | Women's |
Buying Advice
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Wearing the backpack too low
LeoS10 years ago
One reviewer wrote that she and her husband have severe tailbone pain from their Gregory backpacks. That's because if the backpack is touching their tailbone, they're wearing the packs too low! Go to You Tube and find Mr. Gregory's video on how to wear a pack. You want to wear it so it sits mostly ON TOP of your hip bones, not strapped around them. The top of the hip belt should be 1-2" above the top of the hip bone. Anatomically, that's 4-6" above the tailbone. If any questions, call Gregory, their customer service is great.
LeoS
Connecticut, United States
20 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
nice pack; painful tailbone
bl0111 years ago
I bought this pack last month, in preparation for a 2 week hike this summer. I've loaded it up and used it for a couple of day hikes and one overnight hike so far. This pack has more pockets and zippers and places to stash things then I'm used to; it's going to take some practice to organize the packing. It handles a 25 lb. load well and feels okay to begin with, but by the second day my tailbone was bruised and incredibly painful. My husband bought the men’s Z65 and complained of the same problem. Neither of us have had this problem with a pack before. Gregory doesn’t sell padding accessories for this pack. If we can’t jury rig some tailbone padding, these packs are getting returned.
bl01
Massachusetts, United States
7 people found this review helpful
LeoS
Connecticut, United States
Wearing the backpack too low
10 years ago
One reviewer wrote that she and her husband have severe tailbone pain from their Gregory backpacks. That's because if the backpack is touching their tailbone, they're wearing the packs too low! Go to You Tube and find Mr. Gregory's video on how to wear a pack. You want to wear it so it sits mostly ON TOP of your hip bones, not strapped around them. The top of the hip belt should be 1-2" above the top of the hip bone. Anatomically, that's 4-6" above the tailbone. If any questions, call Gregory, their customer service is great.
Yes , I recommend this product
ohioboarder
Cincinnati, OH
Great pack for short torso
11 years ago
Carried this pack for 5 day trip on the Georgia AT and it was perfect for me at 5'3" and XSmall torso length. I preferred the lighter frame over heavier, more padded models I tested in the store, and comfortably packed around 29lbs for 7 - 9 miles per day. It's a good fit for 'vertically challenged' people with broader shoulders and narrow hips - the load transfers well to the hip belt.
Yes , I recommend this product
bl01
Massachusetts, United States
nice pack; painful tailbone
11 years ago
I bought this pack last month, in preparation for a 2 week hike this summer. I've loaded it up and used it for a couple of day hikes and one overnight hike so far. This pack has more pockets and zippers and places to stash things then I'm used to; it's going to take some practice to organize the packing. It handles a 25 lb. load well and feels okay to begin with, but by the second day my tailbone was bruised and incredibly painful. My husband bought the men’s Z65 and complained of the same problem. Neither of us have had this problem with a pack before. Gregory doesn’t sell padding accessories for this pack. If we can’t jury rig some tailbone padding, these packs are getting returned.
No, I do not recommend this product
amo
Kansas City, KS, United States
Plenty of room and compartments
10 years ago
Used this for my first solo backpacking trip. Pack held up incredibly well despite the 40lbs of weight I was carrying. It still looks brand new. All the compartments came in really handy for easy access throughout the hike and for easy organization at camp. My shoulders did get tight, but that is to be expected considering the amount of weight and the rugged nature of my trip. I'm really happy with my purchase and can't wait for my next adventure.
Yes , I recommend this product
Mo-Na
Reno, NV, United States
Not Enough Padding
10 years ago
I spent a good two months trying on different packs and I ended up choosing this one because it fit me very well. I loved the way it molded to my back and how it sat on my hips. Then I used the pack. I went on an over night 17 mile hike down the Grand Canyon then back up and on day number two of the hike, the lack of padding on the straps of the pack rubbed my shoulders raw and bruised my tailbone. It has been 5 days since the hike, and I am still applying Neosporin to my wounded shoulders. I am very disappointed. I really did like this pack and it held up great in a 5 hour long down pour. It just bruised me and rubbed my skin raw anywhere I had protruding bones.
No, I do not recommend this product
Belleness
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Served Me Well
11 years ago
Good pack. I have the size medium and it cleared (barely) the carry-on limit which was a surprising bonus. My pack weighed 25-30 lbs. and was comfortable with most of the weight on my hips. The gap between the pack and my back with the mesh frame was great and kept me cool. There were days I had it on for 10 hours as I hiked up a mountain and it never gave me problems. The tapered shape of the bottom concerned me at first but it didn't make much of a difference in the end, I just had to be more careful with packing and choosing what to put down there. It also doesn't let the pack sit up as easily. There aren't too many outer pockets (top flap, front, two sides, two on hip straps, and one behind the front) and what you can put in them is limited (the one on the front is relatively flat) but I, personally, prefer it this way. Being able to open the main compartment through the top AND the front (like a suitcase) was really, really great and convenient. I do wish the outer side pockets were made with a different material though--I put my water bottle in it for one day and when I removed it, the material stretched out and didn't return to its original form. Overall, a good pack. I'll be taking it with me on other adventures.
Yes , I recommend this product
Lynnmcd
Kennewick, WA, United States
Good but....
11 years ago
First, I have to add the caveat that I have a Gregory Jade 38 which I've used for a couple of years for day hiking which fits like a glove and I love it. It will be hard for any other pack to match it's awesomeness. However, it's too small for the backpacking I do so I stayed with Gregory and tried out this pack. The pros: 1.Wow! This is a 63l. (65l. in a medium which I wear) pack that weighs the same as my 38l.! That was a real draw for me in keeping my weight light overall. Bonus! 2. Gregory has maintained it's great number of external pockets for easy access to more needed items on the trail. They changed the side pockets are deep and a stretchy nylon that seems pretty durable. Held my water bottles in nicely. 3. Love the hiking pole holds. Love the rain cover! 4. Fit well. Getting used to a backpacking pack from a day hiking pack takes a little while. The frame has been redesigned a bit for this year. Once I played around with the straps and tried different ways of packing my gear in it did really well carrying 28 pounds which included my camp chair! My lower back held up very well and I had no bruising or even the feeling of being bruised within the day or couple of days after backpacking so that is really a huge thumbs up. The cons: (again, I am going to make a comparison to Gregory's 2012 Jade 38 in this section. YMMV.) 1. In an effort to shave poundage they changed three things that were very noticeable - all the buckles were smaller and not as robust; the shoulder pads width was reduced and a little thinner; the hip belt width was reduced and is thinner. Honestly, I would have been fine with a bit more weight on the pack in order to have all of these things back to the 2012 standards. Especially the shoulder pads!!! I have had to purchase seat belt shoulder pads and put them on my pack because they just dug a little too much but not super painfully. The hip belt didn't bother me exactly but...why skimp on something so important to the stability of your trip? Jury's out on the smaller, thinner plastic buckles but that's not a real deal breaker. They made a change in the frame but I am not savvy enough to know if this is a better change. 2. On the 38 I have two options for running the hydration hose...one to the right, one to the left. They are located to the side of the main compartment. On the 63 there is a center hole for the hose. OK...but when I tighten down the lid is cinches on the hose line and I was afraid it would cut it off! I think that's a poor design and they should bring back the old one. 3. Shallow hydration sleeve. Really...my 2l. bladder still stuck out at the top and it would have stuck out a LOT if I had a 3l. bladder! I understand that you want to maximize the inner space for gear but the 38 pack's sleeve was nice and deep. Overall, I give it a four star rating but it's a four star with some reservations that I would love to see Gregory correct. I like the pack, I really do, and Gregory does women's designs well so I'm happy with that. I will continue to use it for the season and then decide if I want to return it. So far it's a keeper :-)
Yes , I recommend this product
ColoradoJoy
Littleton. Colorado
Poor fit for small waisted, hippy ladies
9 years ago
I struggle with packs that have a large lumbar protrusion level with the hip belt. Packs like those, and this one, ride up and the hip padding sits on top of, instead of over top of, my iliac crest. This pack also has a long portion of the frame extending down past the hipbelt in the back so it pushed up against my bottom. The padding on the straps and belt is very thin for how heavy the frame is. The hip belt pockets on are super tiny and can't fit a smartphone and don't open one-handed, either. Doesn't seem like 63l of volume but I think that is because the flappy pouches are included in that measurement. Not really sure who would fit this pack or how they would find it comfortable. I certainly did not.
Madeira16
Phoenix, AZ, United States
Not for me
10 years ago
Let me preface this review with my hiking experience. I take 2 backpacking trips a year that last about 3 days and cover 15-25 miles. My average pack weight is 37lbs. I am a plus sized girl and finding a pack that fits my hips is difficult. I was fitted for this pack and bought a size medium. I have been using an old old old REI pack that didn't have an hydration port. I decided to upgrade to this pack and reviewed several Gregorys. I bought this Gregory in May and packed it to about 20lbs for training. I used it for 3 day trip down the Grand Canyon in September. The straps are considerably thinner and have less padding than my good ol' REI pack. Also the hip belt rode very high once I adjusted the straps. I was so uncomfortable with this pack, I almost decided to turn around about 3 miles in. I was able to make it slightly more comfortable on the 8 mile trek out once I lightened the load and wrapped handkerchiefs around the straps for my poor shoulders. This pack is easy to adjust and load. It allows a lot of breathing room between your back and the harness which helps with ventilation. However, I would not recommend this pack if you need to pack more than 35lbs. I would not recommend this pack to any woman who has a bigger hip radius. I have since switched to the REI Crestrail 68 and love it. Happy Hiking!
No, I do not recommend this product
Khanned
Vienna, VA
Great Pack with lots of room for your gear
9 years ago
I tried many packs when looking for this one. The Gregory J63 pack was lightweight, it fit well, and it works well. It holds all my gear and expands for longer trips. Haven't tried the rain cover yet so I hope it works well.
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