Stout

Amber 

The Gregory Stout is a down-to-earth backpack. It comes with classic features and is comfortable enough for a medium load over long distances. Compared to the Gregory Baltoro, the harness system is a major downgrade, and it lacks some of the features that help the Baltoro stand out. Although for its price point and design, it is a great pack for short missions in the outdoors. It has simple features that are easy to use and is adjustable to customize the fit for each user. 

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See Our Best Backpacking Backpacks Review 2021

Gregory’s Stout line and the female designed Amber line have been a staple in the hiking market for years. Gregory recently redesigned the Stout and Amber for this season, creating something great. Packed with everything you need and some things you didn’t know you needed, the Stout and Amber would be a great trail companion for your coming adventures. 

The Stout comes in several sizes: 35 L, 45 L, 60 L, and 70 L, and for this article, I will be focusing on the 60 L as it is more of a backpacking backpack and comes with features the two smaller packs do not. The Amber comes in sizes including: 34 L, 44 L, 55 L, and 65 L. The packs are one size from there but come with VersaFit technology to customize the torso length and hipbelts to your body. 

Comfort and Suspension

The Gregory Stout is built using a wishbone internal frame to direct the pack load from your shoulders into your lumbar and the hipbelts. The hipbelts are made with an almost seamless transition from the back panel to the hips for increased comfort and flexibility. 

The back panel is made with 3D Foam to promote airflow and reduce any hotspots while on the move. It is surrounded by a wide cell mesh that runs into the shoulder straps and hipbelt again to increase ventilation on any contact points with the body. 

Using the VersaFit technology you are able to quickly adjust the torso length of the pack as well as the reach of the hip belts for a customized fit. 

Features and Convenience

The floating top lid of the Stout and Amber comes with two zippered pockets, one large pocket on the top, and a one on the bottom that has a key clip and houses the custom-fit rain cover that comes with the backpacks.

The main compartment is accessible by a drawstring top pocket with a compression strap and from the bottom through a large u-shaped zipper pocket that is made for a sleeping bag but has a removable divider for additional storage. The sleeping bag pocket and divider only come with the Stout 60 L and 70 L and the Amber 55 L and 65 L backpacks. 

Along the front of the pack is a stretch mesh pocket that is great for extra layers and is reinforced by a section of more durable nylon fabric. The side of the pack has two dual access stretch mesh pockets for holding water bottles or maps. On the hipbelts are two large zippered pockets, excellent for cell phones, bug spray, or small cameras. 

You will also find tool attachment points along the front of the pack and an integrated safety whistle on the sternum strap. 

Weight and Material

The Gregory Stout 60 L weighs in at a featherweight 3.56 lbs, which is excellent for this size pack. No, it may not make it into the through hiker hall of fame, but it hits the great mark of being under 4 lbs. Made with 210D and 420D high-density nylon along the body and an 840D Ballistic Polyester bottom, you won’t need to look for a grassy meadow to set this pack down. 

The interior of the pack is also made using a 40% recycled polyester lining. I always like to see when companies try to work recycled material into their products, even if they are in limited amounts for now. 

The Bottom Line

I like this pack. It checks all of the boxes I have for a backpacking backpack: dual access side pockets, large top lid, stretch front pocket, and tool attachments. The material is burly and lightweight to keep my knees from buckling on day one of a trek. I can’t even critique the price; at $190 for the Stout 60 L, it seems like a good bargain.

While it doesn’t quite meet the budget backpack qualifications, the bang-for-your-buck value is outstanding on this pack. Whether you are new to the backpacking world or a seasoned veteran who has hiked the globe, the Stout and Amber series is a worthy pack to check out. 

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