Archive for the 'Ask George' Category

Ask George: Swapping makes everything better

We like to think we are experts at pack fitting. We also like to toot our own horns, pat our own backs, and spice our own

chili. That said, we get a number of people (usually purchasing online vs. one of our retailer stores) inquiring about component exchanges.

We pioneered the exchanging of components (waist belts and shoulder harnesses in sizes, and also shoulder harnesses in women’s vs. men’s fits) to be able to ‘fit’ most all body types into a pack. (Sidenote: because the hip angles on our backpacking series packs adjust their angle to fit different hip angles, that addresses women’s fit in waist belts.)

For instance, I and a co-worker have the same torso length (just over 18”), but I’m 5’10” he’s 6’2” (not uncommon!). His ‘body’s volume,’ however, differs quite a bit from mine. He is in need of a large waist belt and a large shoulder harness to properly ‘fit’ a pack. A medium waistbelt would not transfer the load as expected, and a medium harness would cause some serious discomfort hauling a heavy load. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Steph
 on January 6, 2010
 in Ask George
. 3 Comments

Ask George: How to put on your heavy loader backpack

When it comes to how you put on a 40+ lbs pack, most people believe it’s best to buckle your waistbelt first. Wrong. Luckily, we have George here to set us straight. You know, it must be really hard being George, the all-knowing backpack tech master, AND a rippin’ skier. Real tough.

How do you put your pack on?

We’re not talking lighter day packs, we’re talking 40 + lbs.  I bet it’s awkward.  I bet you try to buckle your waistbelt first.  I bet it’s not ‘fun.’  Here are a couple pointers:

First, forget the old adage to ‘buckle your waistbelt first’ … that’s right “FORGETABOUTIT!”.  Here’s why:

We’ve all seen it, if not been ‘that guy’ (yes, me too).  Lifting your all too heavy pack – which is always awkward in itself (keep reading)- and attempting to ‘place’ the waistbelt where you want it to sit, and then trying to buckle the waistbelt.  But you are never able to do it unassisted, so you ask a friend, use the hood of your vehicle, lean up against a tree or boulder.  Pretty much anything you can do to get the pack ‘supported’ while you buckle your waistbelt.  Here’s how we recommend to do it:

First to pick up the pack, stand it up (on the ground) with the backpanel facing you.  Place one foot in front of you, and one slightly behind, with your knees bent.  Now you can lift the pack using the grab loop, and one of the shoulder straps if necessary onto the knee in front of you.  That wasn’t so bad.  In this position, you can now ‘slide’ your body into the pack, without having to strain yourself to lift 40 (or more) pounds any higher.  Here’s the important part.  DON’T TRY TO BUCKLE THE WAISTBELT (do you see an ongoing theme yet?).  Instead, give a quick yet firm tug to both shoulder straps simultaneously.  Whoa!  You will note now that your pack is all but in the spot where it needs to be to buckle your waistbelt.  If need be, you can simply shrug you shoulders to ‘lift’ your pack the extra inch or so needed to get your waistbelt to surround your iliac crest.  With a proper fitting pack, you should be able to lift your  leg up until you femur is parallel with the ground without the waistbelt padding interfering.

We recommend tightening the load lifter straps to ‘finger tight’ (to start).  Simply grasp the strap between your thumb and forefinger and tighten until your fingers slip off, that is your starting point.

If you haven’t seen our fit video or fit guide, do check them out as they will go into more detail for ‘fitting’ you pack.

*Spread the word*

Published
by
Lauren
 on December 8, 2009
 in Ask George
. 0 Comments

Ask George: Revisting pack fit

It’s what we do.  One of the most frustrating things for me to see is someone who has an ill-fitting pack.  It seems to be a far too common occurrence, but a few minor things can help to find all-day pack comfort.  And believe you me, I too, was once a skeptic.

I once thought shoulder/back pain, blisters, and sore hips were all a part of the natural progression that is backpacking.  Then I came to Gregory where Wayne ‘fit’ me for a pack, and 40lbs later,  I was an instant believer. I immediately recalled thousands of miles of pain and discomfort and I asked myself, ‘Why?’  It seems so easy, and yet so many get it wrong (myself once included).  We always recommend seeing a retailer for a proper fit and recommendations, but sometimes it just isn’t feasible.  Either way, finding the length of your torso is key. Every brand seems to do it just a little differently, eventhough we would like to standardize this process across all pack brands … it would help everyone.

If you have yet to see our fit video with the man himself, do be sure to check it out.

We measure ‘torso’ from the C7 vertebrate to the iliac crest.  The C7 vertebrate is the largest vertebrate at the base of your neck.  The iliac crest is the very top of you hip bones and not the boney ‘side’ of the hip as many assume.  An inch or more can be all the difference in getting a pack that ‘fits’.  We see this all too often.  “I have a 24” torso, but you only make packs up to 22”, what am I to do?”  Well, my answer to that is measure your torso again, and I’m right 100% of the time (that’s right).  I’ve personally only seen one torso longer the 21” (not to say there aren’t more than one of you out there, and said gentleman, was definitely at least 7’ 4”), and only a handful that are near 21”.  Contrary to popular belief, and one of the hardest things that we try to pass to our consumers is ** Torso length DOES NOT directly correlate to your height **.  My best example is I’m 5’10” and my boss is 6’2”, both of our torsos are just over 18” (making us both a medium torso).  Combined with his hearty waistline, and barrel chest, he too would have thought a large size pack would fit him better. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Lauren
 on November 13, 2009
 in Ask George
. 3 Comments

Ask George: How to choose the right size and type of backpack

One of the most frequent questions/inquiries we get here at Gregory in our customer service department is “I’m going on a trip (of varying lengths) … what’s the best backpack for me?”

Though there is no single right answer, there are some questions you can ask yourself to help narrow down your choices, in terms of size and features. We categorize our packs by their volume and suspension systems, and therefore by how much weight they can comfortably carry.  So, the best way to start the process of selecting the right pack is by asking yourself a few questions:

  • How many days do you expect to be out?
  • How much volume will you need?
  • How much weight do you plan to carry?

Don’t worry if you’re unable to answer these questions directly; instead, you can use them to set some parameters. For instance, “I’m not sure how many days I’ll be out, but I know less than five days.” Or, “I’m not sure how much weight I’ll be carrying, but I’m going out for two to three days” – and so on.

These principles should only be used as general guidelines, as each trip you take may vary in length and needs.  A cold-weather trip, for instance, will typically require more gear (warm layers) and food for the added calories needed to stay warm.  Many people heading out on guided trips will get volume requirements for the backpack from their guide service (such as, bring a pack 4,000 cubic inches or larger). Some desert locations may require you to carry more water, typically one of the heavier items of a pack.

This all said, here’s an overview of how Gregory categorizes its packs, with the relationship between size and weight, and the typical uses for which people buy these packs. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Dave
 on August 24, 2009
 in Ask George, Hiking and backpacking, Hiking resources and How to...
. 0 Comments

Ask George: What size backpack meets airline carry-on restrictions? … and other tips for backpack-friendly airline travel

Straight from the phone lines, a question we’ve been getting a lot here at Gregory lately is, what size pack works for carry-on airline use? And what’s the cut-off size for having to check your pack underneath the plane?

With pretty much all airlines charging for any checked baggage these days, not to mention the hassle of waiting around for your bag to appear (or not) in the baggage claim, many more people are trying to get by with a carry-on bag for flying.

We’ve also had some folks inquiring about the best way to travel with your pack when you do have to check it, and how to prevent damage when it comes to a particularly insensitive bag checker.

On the first point, within the Gregory line, we can safely say that any pack in the line up to the Z35 or Z35 roll-top, or the women’s Jade 35, will meet the size restrictions for a carry on. The numbers in all our packs stand for liters, so these are all 35-liter packs, and while we can’t say definitively that any 35 liter pack will work for a carry on, in reality, most packs up to about this size should work well if you’re trying to get by without checking your pack under the plane. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Dave
 on August 5, 2009
 in Ask George, Gregory world and How to...
. 5 Comments

Ask George: There’s only one thing worse than an ill-fitting pack …

George has a few opinions.

While there’s that saying about opinions - something about everyone having one? - we thought it’d be worth asking the man behind ‘Ask George’ what’s worse on a backcountry trip than a pack that doesn’t fit right.

And he had an opinion - as well as some advice.

What’s worse than an ill-fitting pack?  Ill-fitting boots. Or at least it’s arguable.  Back when I led people into the backcountry, I noticed one of the biggest mistakes people make when preparing for a trip is buying brand new boots only a few days before the trip.

When picking out your footwear of choice, you might be overwhelmed by the plethora of options. Our founder and spiritual leader Wayne often offers the advice, “fit a pack like a good pair of shoes” (hence our ‘fit’ philosophy). But, unlike a pack, most boot and even some lighter weight hiking shoes require a break-in period.  That break-in period will vary in relation to the individual as well as the kind of hiking boots chosen, as there are so many variations to soles, uppers, materials, etc.  I would allow a few weeks (up to 6) to break in a more supportive boot.

When hiking or training, you may feel pressure points. It is important to stop and treat, in order to prevent the formation of a blister. Let’s not be fooled: even a well broken in, good-fitting shoe can cause a blister in the right conditions.  There’s nothing worse than dealing with a debilitating blister on one of your stank doggies.

So what’s the root cause of blisters? Friction.  You can expedite the formation of blisters with moisture and sweat.  I’ve seen some serious blisters form in a matter of only a few minutes while the repercussions could last hours, if not days.  There are many different and often conflicting ways to go about treating a blister, but there are some definite standards you can follow. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Lauren
 on June 10, 2009
 in Ask George, Hiking and backpacking, Hiking resources and How to...
. 1 Comment

How do you pack a backpack when you’re carrying a bear-proof food canister?

We got a note from Charles recently, who’d seen the ‘Ask George’ post on how to pack your backpack, and he had a great question: How does carrying a bear-proof food canister affect how you pack a backpack, and what’s the best way to go about carrying one of these blocky canisters?

This is an especially pertinent question, given that some national parks are requiring backcountry travelers to carry bear-proof food canisters, and whether or not you’re required to do so, they’re a great option for keep your food safe and not habituating bears to human food (which can make them aggressive toward people), especially when you’re traveling in areas where there aren’t a lot of trees from which to hang your food (ie. above treeline or in places where tall trees don’t grow).

Here’s what George had to say:

Carrying a bear canister can definitely be cumbersome, and adds an element to think about when packing a pack, but can absolutely be a key thing to carry, and we often do here in the Sierra Nevada.  Carrying one of these canisters will add volume, often requiring you to use a pack with a little more volume as a consequence. 

When I carry a bear canister, I typically am unable to carry a lightweight pack (such as our Z55), and will typically need a more traditional pack (such as our Palisade 80).  Even the good-sized Baltoro 70, although it will fit most bear canisters, will be rather tight with a few days worth of gear (especially if it’s cold and you’re carrying a lot of cold-weather gear). One thing I do to create space is carry most if not all of my food items within the canister while on the trail.  This will help keep food organized and save space.  Bear canisters are also a good way to store trash, though you may want to keep separate from food for obvious reasons.  Continue reading >>

Published
by
Dave
 on May 8, 2009
 in Ask George and How to...
. 5 Comments

Ask George: Your pack needs love too (or, preventative care for your backpack)

In Backpacker Magazine’s March issue, its annual gear guide, there’s a good segment on fitting and taking care of your backpack. Gregory customer service guru George McCloskey is quoted in the piece saying “never put your pack in a washing machine or dryer.”

You might laugh. That may seem obvious to some folks out there.

But George has pretty much seen it all.

Here’s his list of top preventative tips for keeping your backpack healthy.

•    Wash your pack periodically (like outside, by hand, with warm or cold water, not hot water), especially after a long trip or before you store it for the season. You can use a nylon brush to loosen dirt and debris on and in the pack, but don’t scrub excessively. You can use a mild soap like Woolite or Nikwax Tech Wash, but never use other chemicals, soaps or detergents.

•    Make sure your pack is completely dry before storing it, whether from washing it or coming back from a rainy trip. Water can cause mildew and corrode zipper sliders. After washing your pack or coming back from a wet trip, let it air dry completely in the shade. You can fill it with newspaper to help absorb any interior moisture.

•    Store it in a dry place (obviously) out of direct sunlight. UV rays break down the coatings on the fabrics.

•    Make sure to release the tension on the load-lifter straps that attach to the shoulder harnesses before storing your pack. Same goes for the waist-belt stabilizer straps. If you leave the tension in them, it will crease the harnesses/waist belts over time.

•    Store your pack with any cinch cords open and all compression straps loose. Leaving tension in cinch cords breaks down their elasticity more quickly, and leaving compression straps open helps prevent fabric creases.

•    If possible, store your pack in a place where it isn’t exposed to extreme temperatures, especially on the hot end of the scale, which breaks down fabrics more quickly.

Published
by
Dave
 on April 15, 2009
 in Ask George, Backpack tech and How to...
. 4 Comments

Ask George: Field repairing backpack holes, seam splits and thoughts on popular culture

In our final installment (at least for now, we’ll probably think of something else) in our Q&A on backpack field repairs with George, Gregory’s customer service and warranty jack-of-all-trades, we take on holes, seams and … popular culture.

George, what can you do about a hole or a split seam out in the backcountry?

Again, as in the situation with repairing a zipper, dental floss or strand from some parachute cord can get you out of pinch by using them to sew up a hole, a tear or hole a seam closed until you get out of the backcountry. Another thing to consider is carrying a patch kit that you could use to repair a hole. Many people carry a patch kit for their inflatable mattress, and that can serve double duty and be used to repair smaller holes in your pack as well. Seam Grip and duct tape are other things I’ve seen used to make field repairs. Seam Grip can actually work for longer-term repairs on smaller holes. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Dave
 on March 18, 2009
 in Ask George, Backpack tech and How to...
. 0 Comments

Ask George: how to field-repair a backpack zipper

Gregory’s chief customer service and warranty man-with-a-plan George not only knows a ton about backpack field repairs and backpack maintenance, he also has an impressive collection of eyewear.

Continuing our series on the most common backpack field repairs and how to be prepared to deal with them, we asked George about addressing a blown-out zipper:

So George, zippers …

Yeah, along with buckles, they’re another moving part that tends to wear more quickly than other parts of a backpack. They’re number two on the list of things we get repair inquiries about.

What goes wrong with a zipper and what can you do about it out in the field?

There’s a couple things that can go wrong, and either way, having some lightweight parachute cord and/or some dental floss in your pack is a good idea. They don’t weigh much and can help you address several scenarios. Again, the vast majority of people never have a problem, but it’s always good to be ready for one when you’re out three. You can use dental floss or a strand from some P-cord to sew a zipper shut, using either a needle, a knife or a multi-tool (which are other good things to either have in a first-aid kit and/or to carry in your pack) to create the holes to run the strand through. Continue reading >>

Published
by
Dave
 on March 12, 2009
 in Ask George, Backpack tech and How to...
. 2 Comments