Gregory Deva 60 Women’s Internal Frame Pack, $299, REI.com

The Good:  It’s one of the best selling women’s packs. Period. And with good reason.
The Bad: The quick-draw drawstring opening is not quick at all.
The Ugly: At almost six pounds, you’re carrying a heavy load even before you even start packing.

A backpack is a backpack, right? As long as you can fit all of your stuff in it, it doesn’t matter what company makes it or what it looks like. Right? Definitely not right. Aside from well-fitting shoes, I’d argue a good pack is the second most important purchase you’ll make for backpacking trips. Fitting a pack is significantly more complicated than meets the eye, and after trying on a handful of options at a local REI several years ago, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Gregory Deva 60.

I’ve spent ten years with an old, but trusty and mostly well-fitting 60L hand-me-down, but found myself searching for a pack that really felt like it fit me. Gregory designed a number of women’s specific features into the pack, including the Response Auto Fit Suspension System (AFS). The AFS is supposed to help the pack flex as you move and help distribute the weight you’re carrying evenly. After an all-day hike with the pack loaded in Acadia National Park, I almost forgot I had it on. The hipbelt is actually two independent panels connected by an aluminum stay, which further helps the pack move with you. Gregory’s Auto-Cant harness attachment points also helps the shoulder straps adjust to the way your shoulder and neck are shaped.

After a few small adjustments, the cushy curved shoulder straps and hipbelt felt great, even with 30 pounds in the pack. To keep the it from sliding around on your hips, the pack features a grippy, sticky plastic coating Gregory calls ”elastomeric gription technology.” It came in handy; I noticed my old pack would start pushing my shorts down slightly below where they were comfortable after a lot of walking, and not so with the Deva 60. The back panel is curved to let your back breathe a little, but it’s not curved quite enough for me. The pack sits right up against my spine, which isn’t uncomfortable, but does result in my back getting pretty sweaty.

Outside of the fit, the pack feels sturdy and well-made. I love the seemingly endless number of pockets and access points on the Deva 60. I’d never used a pack with anything but a top opening and a sleeping bag compartment before the Deva, but boy does a third access point come in handy. I always inevitably put something I needed right in between the top and sleeping bag compartment access points and have to pull everything out to get it. The Deva has that third access point - a zipper that runs around the entire main compartment - and I can’t imagine a backpacking pack without one now.

I also love that the lid’s zipper faces the back of my head. I can reach in anytime I want without help, and the lid even doubles as a fanny pack. The two additional side pockets are great for stashing anything you need quick access to. And I love that you can disconnect the piece of fabric between the sleeping bag and main compartments.

Though the pack is close to flawless in terms of design and comfort, there are a few things I’d change. The mesh pockets on the hipbelt are great, but chafe my arms a bit when I walk. If they were positioned slightly further back, they’d be perfect. Also, I don’t find Gregory’s quick draw, easy-to-open drawstring system easy to use at all. Pulling the drawstring to close the main compartment is easy, but getting the compartment back open takes work. I’d much prefer a speedlace-style cord lock. And though I like the two side stash pockets, they make it tougher to pack everything in. I found myself needing to stuff shirts and socks in between larger items to fill open space.

Despite the above, the Gregory Deva 60 Women’s Backpack is a great choice for weekend excursions and 2-3 day backpacking trips. I’d recommend it for all adventurous ladies in need of a comfortable, durable pack with plenty of storage space and flexibility.

Editor’s Note: Check out this great REI resource for properly fitting a backpack -DS http://www.rei.com/features/infographics/backpacks.html

 

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