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December 18, 2008
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Is there a female-specific counterpart to my current backpack?
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Briza 75 Backpack (courtesy, Arc’teryx)
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I've been using a Gregory Palisade backpack for week-long trips, usually on
the AT or in the Whites. But I’d like to purchase a pack made specifically
for women. Which pack will provide similar size and features as the
Palisade?
— Kate
Boston, Massachusetts
Do you have a question of your own?
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 Gregory’s
Palisade ($329) is a good pack built for big loads, at 5,100 cubic inches.
But it’s not made for women. And there are packs out there that fill that
bill, including one from Gregory. The Deva 85 is about the same size as the
Palisade but is designed for a woman with a better fit in the hips and
shoulders and a little shorter torso. It also has lots of ways to fish gear
out and lots of places to stuff specific items. So it’s easy to organize
things for a longer trip. And at $329, it’s a pretty good buy.
There are other good packs out there, too. I like the Osprey Xenon 85. It’s
the same size as the Deva, like the Deva it’s designed for women, and it has
lots of good features for packing and organizing. Plus, Osprey is known for
having way-above-average suspension. I like Gregory packs, but I like Osprey
ones a little bit more. About $70 more—which is how much more you will
pay.
Another option is the Arc'teryx Briza 75. It’s smaller than the Osprey and the
Gregory, but these days gear takes up less space, too. I use about 20
percent less volume in a pack (food excluded) than I did a decade ago. And
the Briza is a beautiful pack, with an excellent suspension and top-rate
organization. At $375, the price is about par for a high-end pack.
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