Hilary and I tested these packs on our seven-day backpacking trip across Wyoming’s Wind River Range in August, and although they were a little big for that particular mission, we loved their long-haul comfort.
Testing the Gregory Baltoro 75 Pack. Photo by Hilary Oliver.
Hilary adjusting the Gregory Deva 70 Pack.
This workhorse has tons of features for the obsessively organized (or just aspiring-to-be-organized) backpacker, and can haul some serious weight. Its 75-liter volume (70 liters for the women’s Deva) provided plenty of space for a bear canister and all the gear we needed for our trek.
Hilary uses the rain cover to keep her pack and gear dry.
Here are some nice benefits that surprised this snobby backpack minimalist:
- The rain cover is easy to pop on, has tons of space, and hides in its own pocket that’s easy to reach when the clouds open up;
- Two enormous pockets in the lid, one of which stowed my DSLR camera with a 24–105 lens while hiking;
- Two hip pockets, one of which is waterproof and is just big enough for a mobile phone (which I kept handy for using a GPS app on it);
- A hideaway water bottle pocket on the right hip is easily reachable in any situation;
- The U-zip panel on the back of the pack just below the lid is handy for stowing a rain jacket or other layer to keep it close at hand in changing weather conditions.
Probably the coolest feature, which we didn’t even use on our trip, was the summit pack that hides inside and doubles as a sleeve for a hydration reservoir.
For me, the only cringe point on the Baltoro is its 5-pound, 1-ounce weight, which is a little on the heavy side when you’re counting ounces and only using about 75% of its capacity. I imagine that when it’s full, that extra weight wouldn’t be so much of an issue.
Photo by Hilary Oliver.
At 75 liters, the Baltoro is on the big side for a week-long summertime trip. However, if you want a pack that can do it all for long trips in colder weather where you’re packing a few more layers, it’s perfect. Or maybe I should just pack a pair of camp shoes and another shirt or two next time and take advantage of the capacity.
Shop the Gregory Baltoro 75 Pack or Gregory Deva 70 Pack – Women’s at REI.com.