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Hi Richard, Hope you have enjoyed your summer. Below is my FR for the Gregory Baltoro 65. Thanks for the pending edits....
As requested I have added my torso measurement to the review. It's not below but it has been added the report.
Chees,
Duane
http://tinyurl.com/nf2xlzq
FEILD REPORT
|September 27, 2015
During the first couple of months I was happy to be able to use the Gregory Baltoro 65 on a couple of fun overnights that included a short one-night trip and a longer five-night excursion. The first trip was a short 50 km (31 mi) overnight into Waterton Park in Southeastern Alberta. The trail was relatively flat heading to our camp with a longer hike the next day to a local summit and back. Overall the pack packed very well under a light load. I was able to store everything that I needed in the main compartment without hanging anything on the outside. The compression straps cinched easily and tightly making sure nothing moved around and the pack fit snuggly to my back. On the flat trail with a relatively light load the pack performed well and was comfortable.
The longer excursion involved a five-night trip into Mt. Assiniboine National Park in the Canadian Rockies. This trip involved a much heavier pack, with five days of food and supplies. The hike in and out involved 600 m (1969 ft) of elevation gain and loss over 29 km (18 mi) of beautiful alpine terrain. Over the course of the entire trip I put on about 110 km (68 mi) and just shy of 7000 m (22,966 ft) of elevation using the pack either under full load or as a daypack from camp.
During the second trip is where I felt the pack really showed it strips. After the first 20 km (12.4 mi), with a full load (about 50 lb (22.68 kg) ) I noted that I was constantly fidgeting with the pack trying to make it fit better. What was bothering me was the fit in the lower back. The pack seemed to push into me a little causing enough discomfort to make me constantly adjust the straps in order to ease the pressure. This is when I remembered reading about how to customize the fit of the pack. Upon investigation I found a foam shim that fits in the exact spot that was giving me problems. The foam pad, situated just above the hip belt, was easily removed, being Velcroed into the pack. Some minor strap adjustments to refit the waist belt and shoulder straps and I was off on the trail again. The initial result seemed positive but by end of the trip I was fully convinced that this extra shim was the problem as the pack performed very well for the
rest of the trip.
Seeing that the previous five weeks while I was at work was nothing but blistering heat and sun, it was inevitable that it would start raining and continue to do so every day of the trip, at least it was off and on rather than a steady torrent. On the positive side the rain allowed me to use the rain cover in all sorts of conditions, from downpours to light showers. Thankfully the rain cover did very well and kept the pack dry throughout the trip. I also wanted to see how the pack did without the cover so I left it off for a day and I must say the pack is just as water repellant without the rain cover as with.
Overall during the first couple of hikes with the Gregory Baltoro 65 I found the pack very pleasant. The pack fit well, especially when I removed the foam shim. The straps are easy to adjust and did not seem to slip when I was on the move. The support harness was comfortable to wear even when fully loaded with 50 + lbs (22.68 kg). The harness also pulled the pack close into my back making the pack that much more comfortable to wear regardless of the load.
This trip also provided me with the opportunity to use the pack as a day pack. How the pack preforms with light loads for day usage is an important factor for myself as I typically hike into a camp then head upwards to a summit or two. I was fairly impressed with the Baltoro 65 as the compression straps compressed the pack down nicely making the lighter load stay secure in the pack without moving around. The designers were obviously paying attention when they built this pack as the lid actually stay exactly where I wanted it. The centre strap under the lid ensured it did not slide down the front the pack which usually creates an opening at the top of the pack. Everything cinched down tightly and securely making it a very versatile pack regardless of the amount of stuff I was carrying.
The one item that I really wanted to report on was the sticky back pad that is supposed to keep your clothes from sliding up when wearing the pack. This feature, although a small one, is AWSOME! Having my shirt ride up and having to pull it down every kilometer or so is a very annoying thing to have to do. This sticky patch worked like a charm and although a minor feature I must admit someone was thinking about the end user of this pack because this was the first time ever that everything stayed exactly where it should. Kudos to whomever thought of this.
I would be remise to not touch upon the small day/water pack that comes with the pack. As a place to store a water bladder it works just fine. It held my 3-liter water bladder easily and the multiple attachment points kept the bladder in an upright position when full and throughout the varying stages of emptiness. I did take an opportunity to use the small pack on a short day hike of about 5 km (3.1 mi). I will admit that I was not looking forward to using this pack as it looked incredibly uncomfortable so I kept the weight down to an absolute minimum with one litter of water and clothing. Sadly I was not remiss in my trepidation. This little pack is uncomfortable even with just a very small load. Honestly I just cannot imagine when or where I would willingly use it as a day pack. It does not fit enough gear to be useful and being a sack with shoulder straps it is just uncomfortable. I ended up using the ends of the shoulder straps to pull the
shoulder straps off of my shoulders to the centre of my chest and the pack became slightly more comfortable. Even though it was much better than it was I am not sure if I will ever use it as a pack. Great idea just not sure if it really works.
Lastly I wanted to make a couple of general observations regarding the pack. With respect to storage the pack has a main compartment which can hold a significant amount of gear, so far I was able to stuff five days’ worth of food, camping supplies and clothing into it with no problem at all. The top, split pocket, was convenient and easily accessible. The side access rather than the more traditional front or back zips was a nice feature as my wife was able to grab stuff out of the top of my pack from the sides rather than the front or back. Only problem here was that I always got the sides mixed up which resulted in having to look in both sides for whatever it is I was after. The hip belt pouches are of a large enough size to fit a camera, snacks and various other small objects. One is a water proof pouch the other mesh. Thankfully it rained a lot so I was thrilled to be able to confirm that the waterproof pouch was actually waterproof. Using a
water bladder rather than a bottle I haven't tested the storable water bottle holder, I'll try it out next time, but it was a nice to be able to stuff it into the side of the pack so it was out of the way. The cinch cords for the ice ax were also a nice feature as they allowed me to attach my poles and keep them securely anchored to the pack. The front pocket works, holds an adequate amount of gear and is easy enough to access but more challenging to pack when the main compartment is stuffed full. I am not sure if I like the centre zip or not as it is hard to do up when it’s full. The buckles are good, small, and easy to undo and clip in. The draw cord to close the top of the pack is easy to grab and cinches the top down nicely.
Overall for the first two trips the Gregory Baltoro 65 performed very well. It is light weight and the designers really put some careful thought into it. I am looking forward to trying it out on a few more trips to see if I have the adjustments right.
Likes
Sticky pad
Split top pocket
Weather resistance
Cinch cords for ice ax
Dislikes
Secondary day/water pack