Gregory Stout 35

Great hiking, climbing, overnight or travel pack. Beautiful design and color scheme. Nice fit and larger than expected.

This is for the large size. First, the pack is larger that I expected, and probably holds more than the stated 35L.  Not a bad thing, but remember this is the smallest in the line-up. 

Second, the color of the bag blew me away – such a nice design...the orange is a little darker, more of a rusty orange, with beautiful blue-green trim including under the lid and the rain cover. The straps and pull cords are of obvious Gregory quality, and the pack's material itself is also very good 420 and 600-denier. No problem with durability.

The fit is ergonomic and comfortable, though not exactly "soft", but it sits well on the hips, lower back and shoulders. The hip belt is adjustable front AND back (Velcro width adjustment). The hip belt pockets are nice and big, and the zips move easily (not snagging which can be annoying) and have nice big tabs. The side pouches are also big and good material, ready for whatever gear you want to put there, and have strong tie downs.

The shoulder straps have the usual load stabilizing straps and the chest strap is adjustable for height. The daisy chain all along the back and lid give tons of lashing options for gear and are equally durable. Pole/ice axe holders and sleeping pad straps round out the outside features, are good quality and function effectively. All good.

Only issue I have is with the hydration compartment and tube routing. First, the compartment narrows a bit as you go down, so putting in a 3L reservoir is a tight fit. Second, the tube routing out from the pack is very small, making it difficult to get the nozzle through. Third, the routing on the shoulder straps, though strong, is a rigid material and not stretchy like some of their other packs. Again, difficult to get the nozzle through.

Gregory is usually pretty good about managing excess strap, having elasticized holders and so on. The bag doesn't have that, which isn't a big deal but it's a feature I appreciate. I don't like having straps flapping all over the place when I'm climbing.

I've come to expect high quality from Gregory, and this pack does not disappoint. It will certainly serve me well for many years to come. Given the price, which is very fair, this should be a best seller.