Gregory is one of the best backpack brands available. Having been in the business for over 30 years, they have learnt a thing or two about backpacking and have developed various backpack suspension systems such as AFS and CFS that make heavy load hauling a breeze.

The Auto Fit Suspension is built into Gregory’s mid-sized backpacks such as the Baltoro 70. Women’s backpacks like the Deva 70 also feature this backpack suspension.

CFS is used in Gregory’s large backpacking packs that will carry the heaviest loads such as the men’s Whitney 95 and Palisade 80 or women’s Deva 85.

Both CFS and AFS feature Gregory’s Auto-Cant shoulder harness design in which the shoulder straps are attached to the backpack frame by rotating triangular panels. This allows the harness to automatically adjust to your shoulder width even when you are on the move giving your upper body the flexibility to turn around more.


In CFS, a pull-tab by your waist is hooked up to a 5-point adjustment, which allows you to change the angle of the waistbelt as it rests on your hips to a comfortable position. When you put an AFS pack on, this hip angle adjustment occurs automatically which helps keep your center of gravity aligned when you’re on the move.

Framewise, the two suspensions differ. CFS is supported by two 3/4″ aluminum stays joined by a horizontal stay. Such a combination gives CFS packs their strength and prevents them from buckling even under extreme weight. In AFS, there is only one 1″ stay which is joined to the load-lifting panel at the top of the pack to give strength and maintain the pack’s shape.

So in summary, don’t get hung up on choosing the best technology. Just think about what kind of backpacking activities you are planning on taking and how that translates into backpack size.

You can simply trust that your Gregory backpack already has the right technology built into it.

The Gregory Z55 backpack is a popular camping backpack manufactured by Gregory Mountain Products. It is a medium size pack that will rest snugly on your back and see you through the toughest of backcountry trails.

True to Gregory’s philosophy, the Z55 is designed to fit the contours of the back, hips and shoulders smoothly and comfortably. Just like a comfy pair of boots, backpacking becomes a lot more enjoyable when parts of your body are not crying out in pain!

As the name suggests, the Gregory Z55 is a ventilated backpack that ‘breathes’. Their innovative ‘Jetstream’ technology ensures that the pack rests on the shoulder blades and lower back allowing air to pass through the gap in between. The shoulder harness and waistbelt are also padded with perforated foam and moisture-wicking mesh to increase ventilation and airflow.

Available in 3 different sizes, the Gregory Z55 backpack spans a capacity range between 51 and 61 litres. The backpack size you choose will depend on your height and the size of your torso. When measuring your torso, make sure you do so from the base of your neck to the small of your back.

Size-wise, the Z55 sits in between the Z65 and z45 both of which are also ventilated models. If backpacking in hot climates is not something you do often and ventilation is not an important factor, then the ‘Triconi 60′ is also a good alternative.

Tried and tested, this Gregory backpack carrys upto 40lbs of weight which is distributed evenly across the hips thanks to the well designed waistbelt. Backpack weight does not increase significantly across the sizes. The small weighs 3lbs 13ozs and the large is just 6ozs more.

Overall, the Gregory Z55 backpack is a solid performer, fits well and will help keep your back dry on the trail.

The Gregory Baltoro 70 backpack is the third largest backpack in Gregory’s ‘Backpacking Backpack’ product line. Built to endure backcountry hikes of several days and more, this winner of the 2008 Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice award has been a long-time favorite amongst backpackers.

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