Gear Review: Gregory Palisade 80 Backpack

I have been on 5 backpacking trips of a week or more for the last 4 years and although I'm overall satisfied with the Gregory. I'm going to switch to the Osprey pack because of the hip belt breaking problem. I had it happen on a 80 miler and man did that suck. Hiking with all that weight on your shoulders is not fun. The last straw for me was when I called Gregory to get the broken plastic belts and they never sent them. I called back and am still waiting for a return call.

I have been using 1987 era gear until last year when I slowly began to replace/upgrade my stuff to the newer, lighter offerings available. The first thing I did was buy the Palisade 80 because it was able to haul all my old, big, heavy stuff with comfort and ease. I'm not sure when I'll be fully "ultra light", perhaps never so the Palisade will be my pack of choice until I get there and am able to use a smaller pack. I don't mind th eweight of this pack given the comfort it provides - it is still the least of my worries in regards to cutting weight down.

I have been using 1987 era gear until last year when I slowly began to replace/upgrade my stuff to the newer, lighter offerings available. The first thing I did was buy the Palisade 80 because it was able to haul all my old, big, heavy stuff with comfort and ease. I'm not sure when I'll be fully "ultra light", perhaps never so the Palisade will be my pack of choice until I get there and am able to use a smaller pack. I don't mind th eweight of this pack given the comfort it provides - it is still the least of my worries in regards to cutting weight down.

I purchased an Osprey pack at REI for $240, and then did some research, well after going threw all the specs and even the owners wayne gregory, compared to Mike Pfotenha.. well I think Gregory has more of a passion of making packs designed to fit perfectly, so that being said, and by coincidence.. REI had there awesome "deal of the week" going on with the Gregory Palisades 80 for only 149.93 that retails for 329.00, I bought one for me,and one for my best friend James

Now there has been a problem with the hip belt breaking due to defective plastic, gregory packs are aware of this and will give you a new hip belt that is not defactive, if you bend your hip belt and it turns white or cracks, it is defective! Mine will come on DEC 23, hopefully it is not one of the defective belt

I used this pack this winter in the Adirondacks and Algonquin park. It is beyond comfortable with 60+ lbs in it. I quite literally forget I'm wearing it- all the time, and my friends even had to ask me why I was still wearing my pack around when we were stomping out spots for our tents at camp. You literally have to try carrying a heavy load with it to believe it.

This is by far the best pack I have ever had ( I currently own 5 packs ) It carries large loads very well, I hauled 50 lbs this summer on a 7 day Colorado trip. I just used it on a Winter trip to the Smokys and it swallowed up my bulky down clothing.

I used to get a pack almost every year until a six years ago for a trip to Ireland, I wanted a bag without too much "stuff" on the outside to make using public transportation--not really even for backpacking. I got a Palisades and haven't wanted another bag since--sucks on and becomes a part of you. Cold, hot, short, long, I love this pack pretty much no matter what. Thanks Gregory!