Backpacks – Gregory Z55 Backpack – Ideal Weekend Pack
Backpacks Overview
To get the most pleasure from your particular chosen trip whether it be just a day’s hike or a more adventurous multi day camping experience you will want a comfortable and convenient way to carry your supplies regardless of the quantitly you are taking.
The difference to your experience will depend on the backpack you choose in regard to the length of your trip.
BackPacks, of course, come in many shapes & sizes. There is a pack to suit everyone from the many brands that are available. Women’s packs and men’s packs provide a wide range of options of accessories and materials they can be manufactured from. Being a novice can make the choices a little overwhelming.
Okay, where to start?
A few things to consider when purchasing your pack:
What type of trip are you doing?
A one-day hike? An over-nighter? Two to three nights out or perhaps a week or longer?
A small pack, as previously mentioned, is all that will be required to carry necessities if you are only hiking for a day’s outing. Considering overnighting? Then allowance for extra items is necessary. Such things as a sleeping bag, if you’re not staying in a hut a tent will be needed, something to cook with and eat on and of course extra food. Unless you will be totally reliant on nature’s broad-leaf plants for your toileting requirements you will likely want to throw in a roll of toilet paper. (A word of caution here that sometimes it pays to test plants on the back of your hand in case of irritation 
)
With all these things to consider Gregory backpacks are great packs to look at.
A detachable lumbar pack or smaller pack is worth considering for shorter day trips if your overal trip is several days in length.
About the Gregory Backpack:
Being the first company, as sited on the GregoryPacks website, to incorporate a variety of waist belt, harness and frame sizes to suit most people, the Gregory backpacks make carrying heavy loads easier due to their focus on comfort.
The Gregory brand provides over two dozen different models of backpacks in sizes from small to large and for both women and men, so you are likely to find just the right pack for your requirements.
The main varieties are: Mountaineering packs, Backpacking packs, Ventilated hiking packs, Technical day packs, Active trail packs, Winter packs and Lifestyle packs for everyday use.
All packs have multiple storage compartments and some can be either ventilated or non-ventilated.
With the many detachable parts the weight of even the heaviest eight pound packs (as weighed when empty) can be greatly reduced.
‘Backpacker’ voted the Gregory Z55 Pack as the best all-around weekend pack.
Sizing Gregory Backpacks: An important step to choosing a mountaineering or backpacking pack is selecting the proper fit.
To do so, you can follow these steps:
Measure your torso and choose a frame that is right for that length. Large packs are recommended for a torso of more than 21 inches in length and small packs for torsos of lenghts less than 18 inches.)
Put the shoulder harness in the correct slot, based on the length of your torso.
With 20 pounds evenly distributed into the pack, try the pack on your back.
Tighten the waistbelt and the shoulder straps.
The pad of the waistbelt should be positioned right where the hip and pelvis meet.
The waistbelt should touch your thigh when one leg is bent at 90 degrees from the thigh.
The armpit is where the shoulder harness’s curve should be.
Tighten the shoulder straps only enough to feel a little tension, leaving two inches loose at the bottom of each.
If it’s not easy to do any of these steps then it’s likely the pack is the wrong size.
Gregory backpacks are worth your consideration.