I’m carrying an Osprey Manta 28 bought in 2018. It’s too small, kinda heavy, and is quite angular and cumbersome as a carry-on… plus the hip belt is wimpy. My favorite thing about Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee is the fact that the company will repair any damage free of charge. Sometimes I’m in my hiking gear, and sometimes I have to spiff up. Sometimes I sleep on the ground around a campfire, and sometimes I have a hotel and a shower and I can wash my sox. The straps of the Gregory Zulu have been padded and utilize the same mesh material found on the rear for ventilation. The height of the shoulder straps can also be adjusted so you can find the ideal position to elevate pressure or otherwise have it fit as snug as possible during windy weather. At the front of your torso, the FreeFloat Dynamic Suspension system wraps around your waist using a hip belt that pivots with your body.

It boasts incredible ventilation and many useful features. But what really sets it apart from most other brands, including Gregory, is its one-of-a-kind anti-gravity suspension. Hydration sleeve with SpeedClip hydration hanger compatible with Gregory's 3D Hydro reservoir (reservoir not included)Small white sleeve is for your shades, sliding sternum strap is de rigeur these days - Photo: Lukasz Warzecha (lwimages.co.uk) Even though it’s a lightweight model, the Optic comes with fully padded shoulder straps and waist belt. The company’s custom molding hip belt technology is one of its greatest achievements. It allows hip belts to fit perfectly around the hips, making it easier to carry heavy loads. Materials and Manufacture

The Ariel has a classic feature set plus a few extras. There are a couple of attachment points that allow you to carry extra gear, a rain cover, and a large sleeping bag compartment.The tension is achieved by an X-frame which gives the structure and stability to this system. It is visible in the picture. The Syncro impressed me straight away with its high-quality construction and versatile design. It excels in nearly every performance metric. It exhibits all the qualities I’ve come to expect from the brand’s products.