I have always kinda figured that a pack is a pack. This is not the case with Gregory’s new Z 65 pack. I have been living out of this thing for the last 2+ weeks in Europe and the Z 65 has been very impressive all the way around. From the amount of cloths/gear it can hold to the way it wears the Z 65 is designed to get the job of lugging your stuff around done while keeping you as comfortable as possible. I can’t wait to make these sexy beast my everyday climbing pack.
My two favorite features are the all access front zipper and the Jetstream LTS Suspension System. The front zipper allows you to get all the way to the bottom of your pack quickly and easily to find those socks that you buried under your tee shirts and jackets. This keeps the frustrations of digging through your stuff to a minimum. The suspension system kicks ass for a number of reasons. First, it actually puts the majority of the weight on the pack onto your hips effectively. Many packs try to make this happen, the Z 65 achieves it. This really helped me while hiking around Madrid all day with a 30+ pound load. The second and equally important result of this killer system is the fact that it keeps you from getting the nasty sweaty back. There is a netting system with limited contact points on your back that keeps air flowing (Jetstreaming) between your body and the pack. After several hours of walking with this pack in 90+ degree heat I was surprisingly unsweaty. Big thanks to Gregory for making the Z 65 and making my trip awesome.
All photos from Gregorypacks.com.
