Backpack thoughts

[JoyRigberg]

Hi all. My name is Joy and my best friend Jill and I are planning on starting our Pilgrimage from St. Jean on September 15th - October 25th. Just in research phase right now and am starting to buy equipment. Was in REI yesterday and tried on many packs. The best one for me seems to be the Gregory Jade 38 pack women's. I will be 48 years old and am 5'7" tall. Any thoughts, feedback or comments on that pack from you women Pilgrims out there?

 

[trecile]

Hi all. My name is Joy and my best friend Jill and I are planning on starting our Pilgrimage from St. Jean on September 15th - October 25th. Just in research phase right now and am starting to buy equipment. Was in REI yesterday and tried on many packs. The best one for me seems to be the Gregory Jade 38 pack women's. I will be 48 years old and am 5'7" tall. Any thoughts, feedback or comments on that pack from you women Pilgrims out there?

I actually bought last year's model of the Jade 38 on clearance at REI a couple of months ago. I really like it, but I will probably be taking it back because I found a pack that I like better. It's the women's Marmot Graviton 36. It has a lot of features that I like, and it's almost a pound lighter than the Gregory. Are you a member at REI? If so, they have an excellent return policy. You can try it out and return it if you don't like it. BTW, I am about your height - just an inch taller.

 

[JoyRigberg]

That's great! Thank you, I'll check it out.

 

[SabsP]

Had a Gregory 45 and now an Osprey Talon 33. 450 grams lighter.
Less features than the Gregory but does not bother me, on the contrary.

 

[JoyRigberg]

Trecile does your REI sell the Marmot Graviton women's pack? My doesn't and I can't find it under REI online either?

 

[trecile]

Trecile does your REI sell the Marmot Graviton women's pack? My doesn't and I can't find it under REI online either?

Unfortunately it doesn't. I bought mine from the online store that I linked to, so it doesn't have the great REI warranty. Sorry, I was confusing on that point.

 

[cher99840]

Gregory Jade 34 WM works for me. It is a bit heavier than some but has very good suspension and the 14 to 15 pounds that I carry don't drag on me at all. You and I are about the same height. Was the 38 you tried on a medium @JoyRigberg ?

 

[JoyRigberg]

Hi. I tried the medium. Do you think 38 is too large?

 

[cher99840]

Hi. I tried the medium. Do you think 38 is too large?

No I don't. If it fits and feels good you will be happy with it. My 35 holds all my needs but I don't have much wiggle room. I have to take out the top item or two to grasp something that is packed more deeply. With a little more room it might be easier to pack and unpack. I personally wouldn't go any larger tho.

 

[Jo Jo]

Joy,

Two bits of advice (which are not entirely consistent with each other):

1) Generally, the pack is that last thing you buy. You do not want to carry a bigger pack than you need because it is the heaviest item you will carry. My wife carried a 26L osprey; I carried a 28L osprey. This is only not true if you commit buying a pack in that size range 26-28L as a strategy to force yourself to take less stuff (which, you will want to do).

2)A Jade 38 is almost three pounds. Look at the small American manufacturers. They have the best, lightest gear on the planet right now. You will not find them in REI. Look at Zpacks (what my wife and I now carry--about 1.5-1.75lbs, and that is because we went with the more durable fabric. Cuben fabric is lighter and would last for one Camino), Gossemer Gear, Hyperlight Mountain Gear, Laurel Designs, Elemental Horizons, and ULA. Basically, you can cut your pack weight in half.

This is the part that is somewhat inconsistent: those manufacturers have long lead times, sometimes months. So you may need to order a few now, get them, try them out, returns the ones that don't work. These small manufacturers are all real good at returns/customer service.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[JoyRigberg]

Thanks Jo Jo for that great information! I will check out those other packs. 28L sounds very small, but maybe that's part of my Camino experience to overcome and to seriously minimize. Thx again!