gregory g pack I’m fond of my Gregory G Pack — for the fit more than anything else. It’s reasonably light at just under 3 pounds, reasonably affordable, reasonably well built, and reasonably spacious. It has mesh around the exterior that holds oddly-shaped stuff — which makes sense in California’s climate after the rainy season’s over. Still needs a pack cover if you get caught in the rain, though.

I came across an interesting comparison the other day at thru-hiker.com between Gregory’s G and the Granite Gear Vapor Trail — which is slightly bigger. The conclusion:

Which pack is better? My own experience with both packs clearly shows the Vapor Trail’s superiority. It is an elegantly simple, highly functional design that adapts easily to any size load. I also suspect that the Vapor Trail is more durable; I’m just not convinced that silnylon is a suitable for packs. The fabric works well in ponchos, tarps, and stuff sacks, but can silnylon seams hold up to the stresses a loaded pack place on them over the long run? The Vapor Trail’s suspension is noticeably more comfortable and well-padded than the G-Pack’s. Finally, it holds more (volume and weight) than the G-Pack, but is still half a pound lighter. The Vapor Trail has earned both its Editor’s Choice award and its place on my back. The G-Pack looks good in the store, but doesn’t measure up in the field.

Admittedly, my G Pack has seen mostly light duty, but if you’re in the market for a pack for your next overnighter, either of these would be a good place to start shopping.