Gregory Goes There

4 pounds. For years, it was this magical, mythical number. Pack makers from the world around tried to create a pack for overnight excursions that weighed 4 pounds or less. With a fully featured suspension capable of carrying 35+ pounds and a pack that fit like a glove, 4 pounds was no easy task. Gregory’s workhorse, the Baltoro, provided years of enjoyment for many people, but even it never hit that 4 pound mark, despite years of continual improvement.

Well, the wait is over and Gregory has finally cracked the code for a 4 pound pack. Brand new for Spring 2013, the Contour and Cairn are the centerpieces of our line. Weighing in at 4 pounds thanks to some innovative features, the new packs are sure to provide enjoyment for years to come.

The Contour for men and Cairn for women both feature the Response LT™ suspension, a lightweight wishbone wire frame that will comfortably support up to 45 pounds. Gregory’s new MonoBond Architecture™ in the harness provides stable and comfortable load carrying in a thin, lightweight package.

The Contour will be available in three volumes ranging from 50 to 70 liters and the Cairn will be available in three volumes ranging from 48 to 68 liters. All packs feature a highly water resistant top pocket with waterproof zipper and sealed seams, an external hydration sleeve for easy access, a side stash security pocket, quick draw access to the main compartment, a large front shove pocket, twin oversize side pockets, and dual waist belt pockets. The Contour will be available in Graphite Gray, Reflex Blue, and Electric Yellow, while the Cairn will be available in Magnetic Gray, Teal Green, and Hibiscus Pink.

Check out the following video to see the packs in action:

And lest you think that we’re just tooting our own horn about this pack, here’s what the fine folks at Backpacker had to say about it:

Here at Gregory, we spend a lot of time getting outside. We hike, we ski, we run, we bike, we climb, and of course we backpack. We feel that getting outside allows for a rejuvenation of the soul, an opportunity to slow down and disconnect from the daily grind. Anyone that has set off on a trail knows that simple feeling of freedom. Your worries, your focus and your life all become a little simpler. There’s anticipation of what’s to come, what’s around the next bend or over the next rise. There’s beauty in untouched, pristine wilderness kept in a natural state. And for every destination, there’s a trail that takes you there. This is the journey. And we love it.

This feeling of simple freedom drives everything we do here at Gregory.  Sure, because we love getting out as much as anyone, it’s somewhat self-serving. But in the end, you’ll be just as psyched as we are. That’s because we learn from our experience on the trail. We listen to the feedback from fellow enthusiasts. And we are able to build and deliver a better product because of it.

This is our manifesto. We hope you agree.

There’s no better companion than the trail.

It doesn’t care what your reasons for visiting are, it quietly waits and gives generously to those who seek it. It can serve as confidant, counselor and ferocious teacher all at the same time. The trail overflows with discoveries, breakthroughs and epiphanies. Not the least of which is the simple feeling of freedom.

At Gregory, we’ve let the trail inspire every aspect of what we do. And what we create. So you can focus on what matter most. Simply getting outside.

The trail speaks. We listen.

Hello again! My name is Emily Sukiennik (for those of you that are a bit confused it’s pro-nouced Sue-Ken-Nick). I’d like to take a minute to talk about how the sport of slacklining has changed my life. If you are once again confused and aren’t quite sure what slacklining is, I’ll give you the low down: it’s a balance sport originating in Yosemite Valley, California that was founded by a group of rock climbers. As boredom set in on their rainy days at the campsite they strung up their climbing webbing and began balancing on it. The sport is quite similar to tight rope walking in its essence but the main difference is the material used. Tight ropes are made of taught wire or rope whereas slacklines are dynamic/stretchy webbing. Not only is the material different but so is the balancing technique. Slacklining requires no balancing pole which means you must utilize your entire body to stay upright. Also because of the difference in material, a slackline is much more portable. Yay!

That being said, I fell in love with the sport in 2009 and am excited to talk about how it changed my life for the better. I was 22 years old, living in Georgia and wasn’t quite sure who I was or what I was meant to do in life. For some reason that I am still very confused about, I had an incredibly overwhelming urge to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. I asked my boyfriend at the time if he would like to join me but he only had 2 years left in school and wanted to finish (and I didn’t blame him). I decided that I just had to go. I packed my bags into my tiny little Saab and off we went (and by we, I mean me and my little dog too). Luckily, when I got to the Bay I stumbled upon a brand new climbing gym that I was eventually hired at; and that’s where slackline and I met. We fell in love immediately and I couldn’t seem to spend much time away from it. I became obsessed with mastering my balance which turned out to be no easy task. I started on a 20 foot long line very low to the ground and as difficult as it was, I just kept trying. During my off time at the gym, I would run over to the slacklines and practice. For some reason I did NOT want to walk away from the challenge. It always felt just out of reach. The first time I walked that line I felt completely elated. I had worked so hard to make it all the way across and I couldn’t believe that I had finally done it. But, now what? I was a little disappointed that I had completed my goal, similar to the feeling of finishing a really good book that you just don’t want to end. I decided it was time to try and turn around at the end of the line and walk back to the start. I had seen the owner of the gym, Damian, do this and I figured it was the logical next step. This process went on for quite some time, me finding a new goal that I just had to complete. It was turning into my motivator, my purpose, my stress relief and even my friend. Eventually I started to get into highlining which added a completely new element into the game: fear. Now, not only was I challenging myself physically but also mentally. I not only had to walk the line but I had to allow myself to! Stepping off of solid ground onto a 1 inch wide piece of webbing is quite possibly the most terrifying thing I had ever done but still, highlining became my obsession. There was something about being utterly frozen in fear but stepping out into the abyss anyway. I felt so full of strength and just knew that I could do anything.

All my life I have been into athletics (thanks Dad for introducing me to them!). But, nothing has affected me as much as this bizarre little sport called slacklining. Since discovering it, being about 4 years later, I feel like a completely different person than I was at age 22. Slacklining taught me how to set goals for myself and work to reach them, no matter how small those goals might be. It taught me that even though things can be extremely difficult, just keep going and eventually, you will get there. There’s no better feeling than reaching a goal after a lot of sweat and tears.  It taught me that the harder something is, the stronger you will be on the other side of it. Slacklining, for me, has been the perfect metaphor for life. When I’m walking, I try so hard not to fall and not to give up because I know that I’m not just fighting to stay balanced but I’m fighting to be stronger. It’s not just a sport for me, it’s a challenge that I’ve been given to strengthen myself as a person. Now, whenever I am dealing with tough times in life I just imagine myself on the line and what it feels like to fight and make it to the other side. I am so grateful to have found the sport and feel so strong because of it. Coming from someone who found that “something special”, it’s out there! You just have to listen to your gut and go find it.

For more on me, check out my website: www.emilysukiennik.com

This is one of the first posts I have ever written, it still holds relevant today:

Pack fit, It’s what we do.  One of the most frustrating things for me to see is someone who has an ill-fitting pack.  It seems to be a far too common occurrence, but a few minor things can help to find all-day pack comfort.  And believe you me, I too, was once a skeptic.

I once thought shoulder/back pain, blisters, and sore hips were all a part of the natural progression that is backpacking.  Then I came to Gregory where Wayne ‘fit’ me for a pack, and 40lbs later,  I was an instant believer. I immediately recalled thousands of miles of pain and discomfort and I asked myself, ‘Why?’  It seems so easy, and yet so many get it wrong (myself once included).  We always recommend seeing a retailer for a proper fit and recommendations, but sometimes it just isn’t feasible.  Either way, finding the length of your torso is key. Every brand seems to do it just a little differently, even though we would like to standardize this process across all pack brands … it would help everyone.

If you have yet to see our fit video with the man himself, do be sure to check it out.

We measure ‘torso’ from the C7 vertebrate to the iliac crest.  The C7 vertebrate is the largest vertebrate at the base of your neck.  The iliac crest is the very top of you hip bones and not the boney ‘side’ of the hip as many assume.  An inch or more can be all the difference in getting a pack that ‘fits’.  We see this all too often.  “I have a 24” torso, but you only make packs up to 22”, what am I to do?”  Well, my answer to that is measure your torso again, and I’m right 100% of the time (that’s right).  I’ve personally only seen one torso longer the 21” (not to say there aren’t more than one of you out there, and said gentleman, was definitely at least 7’ 4”), and only a handful that are near 21”.  Contrary to popular belief, and one of the hardest things that we try to pass to our consumers is ** Torso length DOES NOT directly correlate to your height **.  My best example is I’m 5’10” and my boss is 6’2”, both of our torsos are just over 18” (making us both a medium torso).  Combined with his hearty waistline, and barrel chest, he too would have thought a large size pack would fit him better.

Along with being sure you are measuring from the correct points, you going to want the right tools.  Know Gregory Fit-O-Matic?  A flexible tape measure will do the trick, as your spine is not a flat surface to measure.  No flexi tape, simply measure with a string or shoelace, and transfer to a ruler.  Be sure you are measuring with a ‘natural’ stance, as if you are walking down the trail…we’re not measuring how tall you are and if you are close to two sizes, chances are you’ll measure into the larger size and get an ill fitting pack.  Right on the border … we always recommend to err on the small side, always.  If you have exactly a 20” torso, we’ll recommend a medium framed pack.  Just over 20”, congratulations you’re a large.

So you have purchased a pack, how can you be sure it fits?  First, check out the video.  Hopefully you have already confirmed your torso measurement, and no it isn’t somewhere between 17” and 18 ½”, as it is a static measurement and doesn’t float between sizes.  Couple things to look for with a pack:

AFS/CFS packs, along with the DenaliPro/PetiteDruPro – be sure you are in the correct slot of the auto cant panel (or where the shoulder straps attach to the back panel), and this adjustment is crucial.

With a pack on, weighted (with at least 20 lbs), you should be able to lift your leg to 90 degrees without the waistbelt interfering (that’s where my hip joint pain came from).  A pack is not supposed to interfere with your natural walking gait, but a pack that is too big will sit too low and do exactly that.

Your shoulder straps should ‘wrap’ around your shoulder, minimal gap.  If you have one, first be sure your load lifter straps are loosened (these are not designed to ‘bring the pack closer to you).  The yolk, or where the straps connect, should be approximately 2” below your C7 vertebrate.  On our fit guide you will note each pack series is designed with a different angle.  These straps are designed to transfer weight solely on to your waistbelt, if you missed it check the post. http://www.gregorygoesthere.com/how-to/ask-george-what-the-hell-are-all-those-straps-for-anyway/

Side note: Purchasing a pack for a loved one or family member, maybe for the holidays?  Save for the rare exceptions (such as adoption, or a Maury Pauvich episode), men will have the same torso size as their biological father, and women their mother, regardless of height.  Don’t believe me, measure your mom/dad/son/daughter/siblings.

Next installment, we’ll talk about the proper way to put on a pack.  Everyone seems to have their own ideas, many look silly doing so, we’ll show you our way.

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we’re thankful for all that we have. Food, friends, health, and happiness. Okay, some booze and a turkey wrapped in bacon never hurt the cause either.

But, as a brand, we’re very thankful for all of the media partners that we work with throughout the year. We’re grateful that writers from publications all over the world enjoy testing our packs and recommending them to their readers. With that support, we can sell our products and again give back to the multiple philanthropic organizations that we support.

Most recently, we learned that the Gregory Cache 22 was selected as Men’s Journal Approved. We think the Cache 22 is a pretty awesome bag and we’re psyched that Men’s Journal agrees. The coolest part is that the bag was actually tested on the road by Mets Pitcher R.A Dickey. Since Dickey just won the NL CY Young Award and travels to numerous cities all year long, he makes a great travel gear tester and we’re even more thankful for this award knowing that it’s been put through the paces by a big leaguer.

Our Baltoro 65 is a staple in the line that continues to be a favorite among many people. Last week, it was recognized with a Top Pick award from Outdoor Gear Lab as the most comfortable and burly backpack. The Baltoro 65 has been reviewed many times and we’re always pleased when an existing product continues to stack up well against newer products from our competitors.

Along with these awards, we’re thankful for all of our colleagues and partners around the world that make working at Gregory such a rewarding experience as well as the beautiful outdoor areas in which to enjoy the bounty that Mother Nature has to offer.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Our graphics designer has a lot on his plate, including a young newborn at home.  But that won’t stop him from growing one of the best/creepiest mustaches I’ve ever seen.  Dustin, we’re glad to have you on board, learn more about him here:

How long have you worked at Gregory and in what roles?

I have been with Gregory since the move to Salt Lake City almost two years ago.  My official job functions include photo, graphics, and video but I also serve part-time as the workplace horror movie aficionado.

What are your favorite activities outside of work?

Ski mountaineering, photography, and hanging out with my wife and infant son (not all at the same time… yet). Climbing, triathloning (yes, this is a word), backpacking, and other stuff occupy some of my time, but they are just something to do until ski season comes around.

What is your favorite Gregory product and why?

I have been carrying the new Alpinisto 35 for a little while now, and I love it.  It is a great size for carrying what I need for ski mountaineering or climbing, the side access is key for me to be able to grab my camera easily while out in the field, and the color is RAD!

What is one thing that we would never guess about you?

Here goes… I am an adult male who buys and reads comic books every week.  Yes, I spend far too much money on these picture books than I should, but I just can’t help it.  They are just so good.  Scott Snyder’s run on Batman has been amazing.  I highly suggest you check it out.  The funny thing is that I wasn’t even into them when I was younger.  Nope, I got into comics at the ripe old age of 27.  That’s normal, right?

What’s Gregory strongest brand attribute in your mind?

I know it has been said, but I have to stand by FIT. There is no other pack brand that takes fit as seriously as we do.  I just love the way a Gregory pack feels.  We can do features as well as anyone else in the game, but with a Gregory pack you know it is going to fit and wear well – no matter if you are climbing, skiing, backpacking, hiking, running, biking, whatever in it.

What’s your favorite “Wayneism”?

I don’t know if it is really a “Wayneism”, but I do enjoy how much Wayne loves talking to anyone that is excited about backpacks.  All you have to do is ask and Wayne will then take the opportunity to tell you all about his background and history.  Just be careful… sometimes it can be hard to keep this conversation short.

We talk about backpack fit all the time. It’s in our blood. It’s a big deal because if you don’t have a pack that fits you correctly, you won’t be comfortable carrying it.

Our founder Wayne Gregory has been designing backpacks for over 40 years so he’s learned a thing or two about what makes a pack fit. Among other things, he was the first to design packs in sizes that mimic the user’s torso length.

Check out the video below to watch Wayne explain how to properly fit a backpack and remember, fit is king.

Gregory is huge in Asia. It’s not just a cool brand that gets some minor attention. It is a major player with a significant following of loyal fans and our beloved founder, Wayne Gregory, is a rock star in their eyes. Many Asians are captured by the allure of adventure and by the history of exploration, especially in the American West. Wayne was an important figure in the outdoor culture of the 1960’s and 70’s with his early backpack designs that emphasized fit. This heritage is part of the Gregory brand and design ethos but also continues to propel Wayne into legendary status with many Asian fans of Gregory.

One of Gregory’s main partners in Asia is our Chinese distributor China Outdoor Retailer Association, or CORA. In order to promote Gregory in China, CORA runs a contest each year called “Gregory: An American Original” through the web site 8264.com. (Note: the web sites are in Chinese but Google Translate allows you to read it reasonably well.) The prize for the contest this year was an all expenses paid trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park with Wayne and other members of our staff. For fans of Gregory in China, this was a HUGE prize! Contestants were asked to submit an essay and photos explaining their use of Gregory products and loyalty to the brand. In the end, over 300 entries were received.

After some deliberation, the judges from CORA selected 4 winners. On October 2^nd, 2011, Tingting Yan, Dibao Wu, Jing Zhang, and Gang Zheng boarded a plane bound for Salt Lake City, Utah. Upon arrival, Wayne greeted them at the new Gregory headquarters where they toured Gregory’s facilities, met the staff, took lots of photos and were generally in awe of all things Gregory. They also received a tour of the facilities of our neighbors, Black Diamond Equipment.

After the factory tours in Salt Lake City, and numerous photos to document their visit, the group boarded a van bound for Jackson, Wyoming. A visit to Skinny Skis in Jackson Hole provided the first of many funny cultural moments on the trip. Our Chinese guests were so enticed by the retail prices of the merchandise at the store that they collectively bought about 10 Gore-Tex jackets that morning! The group then proceeded from Jackson Hole into Grand Teton National Park. Here again, the guests were in awe of the prices. Admission to national parks in China is very expensive and the guests took numerous pictures of the admission prices because they are so cheap by comparison here in the United States.

After hiking in Grand Teton National Park, the group moved north to Yellowstone National Park for the requisite sightseeing stops of the Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Roosevelt Arch, Boiling River, and Yellowstone Lake. For our Chinese guests one of the highlights of Yellowstone was the opportunity to see wildlife including bison, elk, antelope, deer, and many species of birds. This wildlife simply does not exist in China. Each day the reporter from 8264 that traveled with the group posted a daily blog update to the site so that fans back in China could keep track of the group’s adventures and there’s no question that the wildlife was the highlight of many posts.

Another highlight came in the form of meals. For our guests, dishes such as Wild Game Chili, Teton Cheese Curds, Lumberjack Bison Sandwiches, and even Prairie Oysters are not common fare. Needless to say, the menu items and corresponding explanations by our servers provided endless entertainment! Unfortunately, an early season snowstorm closed some entrances to Yellowstone and prevented the group from visiting Old Faithful before wrapping up the trip. But for our guests, early season snow was all part of the experience.

Spending time with Wayne and learning more about the heritage of the Gregory was clearly the trip of a lifetime for many of the contest winners. Their energy, excitement, and willingness to embark on any adventure presented to them demonstrated their appreciation on a daily basis. For Wayne and the staff from Gregory, it was an amazing opportunity to get to know outdoor enthusiasts from another culture and realize how much we have in common despite the miles that separate us. It’s ultimately this passion for the outdoors and fellowship across cultures that keep us all coming back for more.

Gregory backpacks are prize-fighter tough—they can withstand a real pounding (OK, so we’ve been watching The Fighter—great flick, by the way). But once packs leave the ring—or the woods in their case—they require rehab to heal properly. Between trips, follow these few steps to extend the life of your pack.

Wash off the sweat and grime

Salt ranks high on the list of things that can damage a pack, as it can corrode metal and break down nylon fabrics. So, use a mild soap such as Woolite (don’t use detergent), and a soft nylon brush to scrub areas soaked with sweat, such nylon webbing and surfaces that touch your torso. Also use the soft soap and brush to clean the inside of the pack and remove food, dirt and grime as well as spilled materials, such as insect repellent and stove fuel. If mildew appears, it often cannot be removed completely, but Woolite can reduce odors.

Don’t wash or dry in a machine

Washing machines and dryers are harmful to packs. The agitation from a machine can break down fabrics as well as foams in hip belts, shoulder straps and back panels. Also, straps can get twisted in the components of a top-loading washer.  With many clothes dryers, the heat levels are too intense and can break down fabrics and foams.

Store it properly

The car trunk isn’t a great storage space, especially during summer, when a filthy pack can become a Petri dish of nasty things. It’s best to put your pack in a cool, dry place, and hang it if possible. If you leave your pack on the garage floor, standing water or other liquids like engine oil could invade the pack. Also, if your pack is on the floor, mice can chew through the fabric in search of crumbs.

Examine your zippers

Salt and dirt not only damage pack fabrics, but they also cause zippers to fail. Between trips use mild soap and a soft nylon brush to scrub zippers and the surrounding fabric. Also, when you put gear in a pack, don’t overfill it to the point that you must force a zipper to close. This can cause the zipper closure mechanism to splay apart so that it will no longer hold the zipper together. Try to readjust your load or remove something so that it will close without force. Also, if a zipper is open partway, don’t pull on the two sides of the zipper to open it more, because this can damage the zipper teeth.

Car doors and buckles—a bad combination

Most of the time, pack buckles don’t fail in the field. Instead, they’re damaged before people even leave their driveway. When you put your pack in your vehicle, look for any protruding buckles before you slam the door or hatch. A car doors—not Mother Nature—is most often the culprit when a buckle is cracked.

Contact Gregory for repairs

If you need assistance to repair your pack, contact the Warranty Department at warranty@gregorypacks.com.  Or, call the Customer Care Department at 877-477-4292 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time, Monday through Friday). Gregory should reply within 24 hours of your inquiry, except on weekends.

He didn’t make a mistake; he was just making a turn. Half way down a chute on the North East of Teton Pass’s Mt. Glory, my friend Bill was arcing his third, a toe-side to be sure, and tagged a covered rock, tossing him overboard.

The crash was silent, muffled by the deep snow. One quick somersault and it was over. He sat right up, leaned back into the snow like any other snowboarder taking a break on a slope. But instead of standing to finish his run, he remained seated. “I think I did something to my knee,” he said. “It doesn’t feel right.”

Three more skiers appeared beside me, one happened to be an ER doc. Together we bootpacked to Bill, breaking trail through the knee-deep snow. “It’s not good,” he yelled down from above, adding, “I can’t afford to get flown outta here.”

I didn’t like hearing that. Immediately my stomach knotted up. How bad could it be? But backcountry self rescue is a different story; there’s no dispatch to call, nobody to back you up with bandages, blankets and a toboggan. The nearest help is potentially hours away, depending on weather and logistical factors.

Personal responsibility is a virtue in backcountry travel, skiing or otherwise. Being self–sufficient is a part of being a good backcountry skier. Having said that, we are lucky. It is mid-morning; temps aren’t that cold (18 degrees F); he doesn’t have a life threatening injury; and we have skilled personnel at the scene. Had Bill and I been alone and not had the invaluable help from these three men, evacuating him might have been more akin to a Greek epic.

It’s official  – Gregory Mountain Products now resides in Salt Lake City and what better place for a pack company to be than here at the foot of the inspiring Wasatch Mountains?

Early morning ski laps in the Wasatch backcountry, along with bike commuting and lunch table chats with our Black Diamond counterparts have already given us a fresh new perspective on pack design and our whole office is buzzing with excitement. The fact that it dumped 3-feet of snow over the weekend is just the icing on the cake.

We had a great turnout at our Ribbon Cutting event last Thursday, and wanted to give another congratulatory shout out to Peter Metcalf for receiving the MountainWest Capital Network 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year on behalf of BD and the Utah outdoor industry later that day.

State local dignitaries, including Utah Governor Herbert, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony to show their support for Gregory and BD, and to celebrate the expansion of the outdoor industry’s presence throughout the state. Kind of a big deal for Utah, which we learned is currently the fastest growing state in the US.

Thanks again to all our friends for showing up last week and for your continued support. We’re all pretty stoked to be part of such an amazing industry and to work among so many talented and fun people here in Salt Lake.

Did we mentioned we got 3-feet of new snow this weekend?

Gregory has a lot going on these days between introducing our Fall 2011 Axis Travel Series, launching our new Spring 2011 packs, and attending trade shows with our new booth — which won a “Best of Booth” Display Award! But one thing that has always remained the same around here, no matter the season or workload, is Gregory’s vision, passion and dedication to our craft and to our loyal reps, dealers and customers. We are committed to creating the best, most comfortable and highly functional packs out there, and our drive for excellence begins with the man behind it all, Wayne Gregory.

Check out this video from Outdoor Retailer Winter Market of Wayne sharing how he got started in this business as a Boy Scout learning how to build his first backpack and where he finds his inspiration.

These guys call our Alpinisto 35 “a great pack for vertical all-season adventures,” and we couldn’t agree more. We designed this pack to be the burly, spacious mountaineering pack you’ve always wanted, with a fit that can’t be beat. What can we say? This bag turned out to be that and more, according to the crew at GearFlogger.com. Check out this review and see for yourself. And believe us, next time you go vertical, you’re going to want to have the Alpinisto 35 at your side, er, back.

To read the full review, click the image above.

Those words are so sweet to our ears and exactly why we do what we do. We spend our time creating packs that we think you can wear, tear, beat the crap out of, and still depend on at the end of the day, and we love it when someone feels the same way. For the crew at Splitterchoss.com, this sentiment seems to ring true with our Serrac 45. See what they had to say below.

In this blog, we talk a lot about our technical packs: the virtues of a perfect fit, how to get the most out of every carefully-placed feature, and the incredible adventures that tend to go along with these packs. This is all helpful information, and central to the heart and heritage of the Gregory brand, but on the other hand, most people don’t spend all day, every day of their lives conquering impossible rock-climbing problems, skiing first descents, or running ultra-marathons. For many people, a technical pack is necessary for a workout or a specially-planned excursion, but where should you keep your stuff the rest of the time?

Gregory wants to be there for you on and off the trail, so we offer a diverse and functional line of lifestyle packs that we call the “Remix Series.” The lifestyle bags range from backpack-style models like the Vibe and the Sequence, to messengers like the Sync, Crossfade and Flip, and accessory pouches like the Scratch and the BPM.

Each of these versatile bags was built with style and usability in mind, but also with the comfortable and technically sound design that Gregory is known for. The Remix Series bags might not be ready to charge a summit with you, but they will carry a laptop, camera, change of clothes, lunch or anything else you might need with you as you go about your day, and they do it with the level of performance and thoughtfully-crafted features you Gregory fans have come to expect.

For example, the mesh paneling on the Vibe aids in ventilation for those longer bike commutes and the buckle closure keeps the flap secured down and even allows an attachment point for a pair of shoes or easy-access rain jacket. The side stabilizer padding on the Sync holds the messenger in place across your chest, keeping your belongings safely stowed no matter where you’re headed — or how you get there. The BPM is lined with a protective soft fabric to keep your camera safe or other electronics safe, and the cross-body strap allows you to keep your hands free of small accessories.

So whether you’re heading to work, running errands around town, or even looking for a last-minute Christmas gift for an easy-going family member, the Remix Series has something for everyone.

Denali’s always held a special places in the hearts of the folks at Gregory. After all, we make a pack called the Denali Pro, the load-hauler of choice for a lot guides and mountaineers who head up to challenge themselves in Denali National Park.

As well, Wayne Gregory developed a pioneering pack for its day back in the late 70s, called the Cassin, that was one of the first internal frame backpacks. It was also put to the test on Denali. There’s a little route up there it’s named after called the Cassin Ridge …

So it was with particular interest we read in recent weeks about a large fee increase for mountaineers in two of America’s premier national parks. Earlier this month, several advocacy organizations that work on behalf of climbers wrote to the National Park Service about planned fee increases for mountaineering in Denali and Rainier National Parks.

In particular, the fee for climbing in Denali is going up 150 percent – from $200 to $500. On Rainier, the cost for mountaineering is proposed to increase from $30 to $50.

In their letter to Jon Jarvis, director of the National Park Service, the Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and American Mountain Guides Association call out that not only are these huge increases by percentage, ones likely to make mountaineering in the parks a more exclusive activity,

When Wayne first began designing packs in 1977 for his newly formed company, Gregory Mountain Products, he set out to design a product that, in his own words, “must maintain its comfort and stability while effectively transferring the weight of the pack onto the hips during any activity.” At the time, Wayne was frustrated with external frame packs because he felt they did not fit the wearer properly or transfer the weight correctly, two of Gregory’s criteria for building comfortable packs to this day. In fact, Wayne’s first company, Sunbird, which pre-dated Gregory by several years, had built external frame packs (along with some early soft, or frameless, packs).

So when he started Gregory, Wayne believed that internal-frame packs were the way forward in terms of more effectively (read: comfortably) carrying weight. Wayne points to a photo he saw of mountaineer Jim Whittaker climbing around that time. Whittaker was using an external-frame pack, but he’d completely unbuckled the waistbelt – the pack didn’t have the flexibility with its rigid frame to be comfortable with the high steps you take in mountaineering and off-trail travel so he let the weight rest completely on his shoulders.

At the time, there were a few examples of what were then called ‘soft packs’, or packs without the external frame structure, but these were packs that also did not have a framesheet. Wayne felt these were a better solution to the problem at hand, but unless the pack was loaded up completely (which in the process created a frame of sorts), there was basically no frame to this design, and so as soon as you began using up food and water, they too began to sag and thus did not fit correctly or transfer the weight properly.

A few years after he started Gregory, Wayne designed the Cassin which was the answer to his quest for the ultimate fit and comfort in a pack. The Cassin not only had an internal frame, but also 2 bent aluminum stays, which added stability and helped to channel the load to the lumbar area of the pack and out around the waistbelt, taking the weight off of the shoulders. The stays also allowed for more comfort, as they were bent to mimic the shape of a wearer’s back, instead of being a rigid, flat frame. In addition, Wayne used an integrated, triangle-shaped piece of fabric on the pack to attach the pack to the waistbelt stabilizer strap, which helped further channel the weight in the pack onto the hips. That design, although evolved, is still a component on Gregory packs to this day.

In essence, internal frame packs are more flexible, and when built correctly, they channel the weight in them extremely effectively to the wearer’s body. That means that internal frame packs keep the load more centered on your back during situations where the walking isn’t perfect – like rocky trails, steeper terrain, off-trail travel, mountaineering or skiing with a pack on. With Wayne’s internal frame design, he also realized the importance of a lumbar pad as a place for the weight to be channeled to and as a transfer point to move that weight out across the larger surface area of the waistbelt and onto your hips.

Frame sizes were introduced for Gregory packs at this time as well, and Wayne was the first to figure out that your pack frame size directly correlates to your torso length, a measurement from your C7 Vertebrae to the top of your iliac crest. This ensured that if you were measured correctly for a Gregory pack, all of these suspension elements (stays, lumbar pad, harnesses and waistbelt) would sit on your body in the correct location, transfer the load to your hips properly, and so be more comfortable for carrying heavier loads for extended periods of time.

External packs are still made by many manufacturers today, and it’s just like with anything else, some people do prefer them to  internal frame packs. With external frame packs, the load is being carried higher up, on the shoulders, instead of down in the lumbar area. For different body types, like someone with a larger build, this is sometimes a more preferable carry. They are also good for carrying awkward loads, such as firewood. And hunters often seek out external frame packs and remove the bag, so that they can strap quarters of big game, like elk, to the frame for more easy transport out of the backcountry.

You say tomato, I say to-mah-toe – at least we all have options.

And you shouldn’t wear their packs either. So, other than color, what’s the real difference between men and women specific backpacks?

On the shelf, gender specific backpacks look very similar, aside from the color and maybe size. So, what’s the nitty gritty behind the two different designs?

Turns out, there’s no shortage of differences. Women’s center of gravity, shape, and even the way we organize gear in our packs are all different from our male counterparts, so it makes sense that our packs reflect those differences. Gregory makes sure it stays on top of fit and other differences in men’s and women’s packs by making sure it has an extensive panel of women testing its new designs and providing feedback.

In a nutshell, here’s a few key differences that make Gregory’s women’s packs stand apart.

Our shape, in fact, is more appropriate for backpacking than the male body as our wider hips act as more of a shelf, so the weight rests a little more easily on that shelf. Gregory’s women specific backpacks, therefore, have waist belts that either adjust to accommodate women’s hip angles (in the case of the Response and Expedition series packs) or are set at slightly more of an angle to better match a woman’s hip shape (In the case of JetStream, Fusion and Active Trail series packs).

What’s that annoyingly true saying?  The more things change, the more the stay the same. Well, especially if your made out of 6,6 Nylon HT. Not following me? Ya, I’m not really following me either. Let’s back up.

Recently, our Marketing Projects Manager, Stephanie, was camping at the High Sierra music festival and woke up next to a little piece of Gregory’s past, no not Wayne, a Gregory tent! The guy who owned the good looking tent said he bought it from Wayne’s little shop around 1983 and it’s the best tent he’s had ever since.

Wayne designed the tent, a Mountaineer II, out of 6,6 Nylon HT (high tenacity) fabric, which is an extremely sun and abrasion resistant material. Most tents are made from polyester and other nylon grades that deteriorate over time due to ultraviolet light.

Wayne and his friend/partner, Steve Noall, had 3 tent designs which were all made from the same HT material and used Easton aluminum poles. As a testament to the quality of these tents, one of the three designs, the Tahquitz, survived an Everest expedition for 3 months and was the only tent to come back in perfect condition.

The tents were handcrafted with a hot knife and sewed in Temecula, CA. We found an old work book for the Mountaineer II and here is what is said:

Little known to many fans of Gregory Mountain Products in North America, the brand has enjoyed a huge following in Asia for the past 25 years. In particular, Japanese consumers love the quality of the Gregory brand and the lifestyle that it represents. So much so that company founder Wayne Gregory is a minor celebrity in Japan. People recognize him and stop him on the street for autographs. Just ask him.

So it was a natural that Gregory’s first brand/flagship store opened in downtown Tokyo last week, on July 4. Located in the Shibuya area of Tokyo, a popular shopping district for younger city residents, the Gregory store is on a pedestrian-only street, which is also home to Patagonia’s top store in Japan, as well as flagship stores for Burton, Oakley, The North Face, Columbia, Millet and Cannondale, to name a few. The area, as you might imagine, is pretty popular among the outdoors set.