Gregory Paragon 68 Pack for Men

2023-03-13T20:00:00

I have tried many packs over the years and this is my current favorite. The main advantage of the Paragon 68 is its adjustability. Both the torso length and the hipbelt sizing are adjustable. This is key for people with non-traditional body shapes. I have a long torso and narrow waist. Most other packs do not fit me. Another pack that does fit me is the Osprey Atmos. I also own the Atmos but rarely use since it is heavier than the Paragon. The Paragon has similar overall comfort as the Atmos, although the Atmos has a more cushy feel. I also tried on the Paragon 58, which seemed to have a slightly better fit, but kept the 68 since the 68 has additional room that I find helpful on long trips or when I am carrying extra gear. This is my second Paragon 68. My old Paragon 68 developed a problem after several years' use - the water bottle pocket on the right side of the pack got stretched out and so water bottles would literally fall out of the pocket when I bent over. I asked Gregory if they could repair this problem. Gregory declined to repair the problem but gave me a nice discount on purchasing a new Paragon 68. It is nice to have a new pack, but I personally prefer Osprey's approach of repairing their packs which is more sustainable. I also own a Gregory Optic (now rebranded as Focal) which was my go-to pack until I lost weight and could not cinch down the hipbelt tight enough. Gregory needs to figure out a way to make the Focal adjustable like the Paragon and they would have a winner. Another suggestion for Gregory is to reconfigure the compression straps and side pockets on the Paragon so that the left-hand pocket works the same as the right-hand pocket where you can access a water bottle while wearing the pack and where the compression strap runs inside the pocket instead of outside the pocket.

JohnV

Originally posted at

2021-05-14T20:00:00

Great pack, however I returned it because I wanted something more durable

hello r.

Originally posted at

2021-03-29T20:00:00

I went from a Squeaky Osprey to a amazing Gregory Paragon. From first hike this pack amazed me. I?m very satisfied and actually look forward to what Gregory Backpacks has in store for future backpacking packs.

Parks

Originally posted at

2021-03-22T20:00:00

Overall,I'm very satisfied with this pack. I've had it for a few years now and it had held up pretty well. The only signs of wear are on the stretchy mesh panel in the front where it must've rubbed on some rocks or something and made some small holes. I've Used this pack for as long as two week backpacking trips and as short as a quick weekend. I've flown with it as checked baggage at least five times. I think it'll last me many more years before I need to start looking for a replacement.

Blownout

Originally posted at

2020-07-12T20:00:00

For starters this is a great family overnight trip bag. My family of 5 packed this full of snacks, bathing suits, change of clothes, pajamas, baby essentials, water, and other random items. This pack is durable, light weight, and easy to carry. The straps are easily adjustable. The many zipper openings give easy access to each part of the backpack. I needed my diapers and wipes at the bottom of the back and was very thankful for the zipper placement so I didn't have to rummage through crazily. We also used this bag for a gold mining day trip and my husband wore it for a good part of the day without being sore/uncomfortable. I will definitely be recommending this product.

Samantha

Originally posted at

2020-07-12T20:00:00

My husband was in the market for a new outdoor adventure backpack and I picked him up the new Gregory Men's Paragon 68L backpacking pack. A few main reasons this pack caught my eye are 1) the adjustable torso and hip belt fit (my husband is 6'3" and an athletic build), 2) the sunglasses quick stow system, he wears RX glasses and is always worried about them on the trail), 3) the key clip because I'm always worried about where the keys are while in the woods and 4) the full length side zipper into the main body of the bag as a quick access point as we are always taking off and putting on layers. My husband is now my Sherpa on backcountry adventures ever since my MS diagnosis so the big pack is a plus for us, that way he can jam everything we think we could need on the trail onto or into this bag and I can carry a day-pack! After our first adventure he found more things he loved about the pack! Number one was the easily adjustable fit of this pack! He immediately customized his fit and was snug as a glove in his new pack. Mentioning a few times while out on the trail how comfortable this pack is and how great the suspension is with about 30+ lbs of gear. The webbing on the back of the pack was comfortable and didn't rub or move strangely on his body while walking and he is looking forward to it keeping him cool on hotter trail days. Another huge plus for us is the zippered bottom sleeping bag compartment with removable divider. The removable divider allows my husband to have more flexibility with what he packs inside the main compartment, fitting in bear canisters and tent poles with ease. We were excited the pack comes with a rain-fly since we live in the PNW, we know this will be coming in handy on upcoming trips. We are now looking forward to hitting the trails and putting in many miles and years on our Paragon 68L pack. #sweepstakes

Megan

Originally posted at

2020-07-05T20:00:00

good

Robert

Originally posted at

2020-07-04T20:00:00

My husband and I decided that on our son's first back country camping experience I would carry him in our child carrier with my water and our son's things. Everything else, I mean EVERYTHING else, would have to go in my husband's brand new Gregory Paragon. We decided to get the 68 liter model because this trip would be anything but ultralight for us. My husband has been using his same trusty, well-loved external frame pack since 1998, so getting him to switch it up was the first obstacle on this trip. Now he's so glad he made the change. When the pack first arrived (much sooner than expected thanks to Gregory's fast shipping) he was fawning over the design and features. He was excited to see the belt pockets and how the belt was curved to form to him. He loved the idea of the sunglasses holder on the shoulder strap. Most of all he loved the sternum strap. It has adjustable height along the shoulder straps, includes an integral hose clip for your water bladder and best of all (in his opinion) has an emergency whistle in the buckle. It took several attempts to pack it correctly since the majority of the gear space is one big pocket. After packing it, his only critique was that he wished there was an angled bottle holder on both sides. That would have made it easier to pack/use on the trail. Because of how we had to pack it, he didn't get to try out the angled bottle holder. After the hike was done my husband gave his final thoughts: those belt pockets are unbeatable. They are located perfectly on this pack to be easily accessible and roomy enough to hold what you need. It is nice that top pocket is large and dual chamber to keep easy access to items you may need quickly, so they don't get lost in the main chamber. It was comfortable and not overly hot. We did hike on a rather warm day and the back panel kept him from getting excessively sweaty. The strap contours were good and kept him comfortable through the whole hike.

Jeff

Originally posted at

2020-06-30T20:00:00

Honestly I have nothing bad to say about this backpack. I do a lot of hiking, hunting, scouting and fishing and this backpack has been so useful since I purchased. I have used it several times already and let me tell you, it is the most comfortable backpack ever. Everything is adjustable to your own likeliness. There are many compartments to store in items. You can definitely use this for small game hunt like rabbits and birds without any problem. I like how it is adjustable around the waist and chest which gives it a more comfortable feeling. I have a backpack that I have used on all my hunts and it is very uncomfortable around the shoulders, this backpack definitely is an upgrade and I'm so glad I purchased, everything that I had inside this backpack was not heavy at it since it was all spread around the backpack.

Jessica

Originally posted at

2020-06-17T08:51:30

Great pack! It's super comfortable and really hugs the body. One thing with the new version is they removed the day-pack sleeve in the water bladder reservoir...a little bummed about that since most packs out there have some sort of day-pack option and I like summiting or day-hiking with minimal gear. Everything seems to be well-built. I'm coming from a 2008 Kelty coyote so this was a bit of a downsize, however, it's really lightweight in comparison. I did have a hard time fitting my cold-weather gear into the pack. I'm talking just the basics (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, water bladder, and bear can). All of my gear is a bit older and by default, bulkier: My bag is a Kelty Dualist 0 Sleeping Bag: 0 Degree ThermaDri that I pack into a compression sack, I use the REI air-rail pad, typical platypus 2-liter bladder, and a classic black bear can. The sleeping bag didn't fit in the lower compartment without removing the divider. Once that was in, I put my pad and bear can in. I was left with no room to put my down jacket (also in a compression sack), and Arcteryx shell let alone a change of socks, underwear, and thermals. I know most don't pack for cold-weather, but I do a lot of winter trips, so the gear is bulky. I'm just giving this sample so you know what to expect. It has nothing to do with the pack's quality (thus the 5-stars). After realizing that I cannot fit my normal gear, I decided to ask my brother who has updated gear if I could borrow it. All of his updated gear packed down to at least half the size of my older gear. So, if you're considering this pack then keep in mind your gear may need to be updated to fit. His gear was an REI Igneo in a compression sack (so small!), a Klymit static-v pad, bear vault half can, and the same bladder. After packing all of this, I was able to also fit my change of clothes, down jacket, shell, and thermals along with my stove, gas, pot, and 10 essentials. I put my water filter in the front pouch and a collapsible fishing pole and bear spray in the one side water bottle holder that isn't reachable while hiking. I put a Nalgene in the other water bottle holder and then strapped my tent to the outside bottom. We hit a snow storm the first night of using this pack and I was stoked to have a rainfly that came with the pack. It saved me from having to pack a trash bag and try to get it in and out of a trash bag while freezing cold. The rainfly held off the snow on everything but the back/waist belt as expected. Overall, I recommend this pack for warmer summer/fall backpacking. If you have new gear that is warm for winter then you can probably make it work for a winter/spring trip, too. Don't expect older bulky gear to fit.

ALEX K.

2020-06-08T20:00:00

I bought my daughter the women's version 2 years ago. When I had the opportunity to buy my first new pack in 20 years, I knew this was the one. It has not disappointed! #sweepstakes

Rev

Originally posted at