Hello all! I'm in the market for a new pack and am seriously considering the Gregory Jade 50...

http://www.gregorypacks.com/us/?option=com_gregorypacks...task=overview&cid=90

Any opinions out there on this pack in particular or comments on Gregory packs in general would be appreciated. I've heard they're very comfortable and worth the $$$.

For the record, my current pack is a Camp Trails panel loading pack with a harness which hides behind a zippered panel for airport check-in. Purchased in '98 and is long overdue for retirement. As much as I enjoy the convenience of a panel loader, it looks and wears like a fridge! The Gregory Jade 50 looks to have side access, so finding things in the pack should be easy enough.

I'm 5' 3" with a short torso, so I think this pack will fit well though I do plan on taking one for a test drive before traveling with it.

The Jade 50 is a very good pack, basically a women's specific version of the wildly popular Gregory Z-pack.

It's not super-bomber-durable like many old-school Gregory packs. This is because the pack itself is very lightweight.

The Jade is best for small/medium loads around 20-30 lbs (10-15 kilos). Any more than that, and it wilts.

The side access in the Jades is pretty small, but it's not such a huge pack anyway, so you shouldn't have to dig too much.

This would not be my first pick for a "travel" pack, but is perfect for a woman doing lots of weekend backpacking trips in the wilderness.

Yes! take one for a test drive first. This is a great pack for backpacking... but as a travel pack

- the curved back panel makes packing bulky items interesting.
- the sheer number of straps and doodads can be irritating while travelling

I was recently looking at it in the store and liked the look of it. But it had way too many dangling straps for me. I know they are important for perfect fit while hiking, but I use my pack mostly just for travelling and although I do wear it up to an hour or two at a time, I didn't really want a "hiker" type backpack.