Houston, we have a pack!

It was a pretty epic hunt.  After casually hunting for several months, and then more vigorously as the spring months get closer, shopping the wares of 7 different EMS and REI store locations in 3 states, I finally have a pack!   Turns out, not only did I need a women’s pack, but my torso length measurement (done and redone at EMS) actually falls just short of the target range for even the women’s size XS packs.  That was a challenge.  Some brands, like Osprey, don’t make a size XS, ruling them out immediately.  Retail stores also don’t favor XS packs, for the same reason car dealerships cringe when you try to trade in a car with a manual transmission.  They know they’re going to be stuck with it in inventory until just the right tiny little backpacker comes along.  I had tried on kids’ packs, but the hips belts and sternum straps didn’t fit as well, and they didn’t have the kind of capacity I was looking for. 

Ultimately, we narrowed it down to two:  the Gregory Jade 50, and the Gregory Deva 60.  The Jade is lighter, has an airspace on the back panel, and fit extremely well; the Deva is more of load monster, and has a killer suspension system that feels a little heavy when the pack is empty, but prevents you from noticing, for the most part, when the pack is loaded.  It was a tough call, and I think either pack would’ve served me well.  I favored the Jade because it just fit me so well, and the airspace on the back is wicked awesome, end of story.  And at 2 lbs., 15 oz., it was like carrying a knapsack.  I favored the Deva because the internal capacity was greater — I prefer to carry gear in the pack than lash it to the outside, because it stays more steady — and it had more pockets for organization, heavier nylon fabric, and there was no trip I’d ever plan that it wouldn’t haul enough gear for.   It was the pack to end all packs (and it fit my back).

We had located an XS Jade pack in Newark, DE, and an XS Deva in Wilmington, DE… so Sunday afternoon of Presidents’ Day weekend while visiting the southernmore parental units, we roadtripped to the First State.  I saw the Jade first at the Newark EMS, tried it on, loved it, and bought it, figuring that if I liked the Deva better, I could just exchange it at the Wilmington EMS.  After checking out the Deva, I was so indecisive that I called for a coffee stop, and told Chris (he of more backpacking experience than I) to elaborate on how he’d make the decision between the men’s equivalents of the two packs — the Gregory Z55 (lighter weight) and the Baltoro (load monster), both of which I’d had him try on so he could help me decide (we also had him slated for a new pack at the conclusion of this season anyway).  He waxed philosophical, which quickly melted into puppy dog eyes that even Guinness can’t match.   By the time we left Dunkin’ Donuts, lattes in hand, I was convinced that I had the right pack in the car, and also, that we couldn’t leave Delaware without a pack for Chris too.  We drove all the way back south to Newark, and picked up the Z55.  So now, at 5′2 and 6′2, we’re going to be carrying the smallest women’s size and the largest men’s size of the same pack design.  (I got the prettier color though!)  It didn’t hurt that we rocked the tax-free Delaware shopping, and for the first time in a while, I loved how young I apparently look:  the clerk gave us the 15% off college student discount.  SCORE. 

We plan to debut those babies Memorial Day weekend in the lower range, getting at least four high peaks:  Lower Wolfjaw, Upper Wolfjaw, Armstrong, Gothics, and if we’re feeling really badass (read:  not dead tired), Sawteeth for #5, as well.  Stay tuned!