This site uses cookies to provide and improve your shopping experience.
If you want to benefit from this improved service, please opt-in.
Cookies Page.
The Gregory Focal is a bag that offers all of the features that you need while still managing to be lightweight and comfortable.
Gregory says:
The Focal 48 features unmatched comfort and carrying ability, thanks to the FreeFloat dynamic hipbelt and fully ventilated backpanel. With quick-access zippered hipbelt pockets and odor-fighting mesh, this pack can take on those longer voyages where you and your pack become one.
The Gregory Focal is a classic hiking design but manages to offer a range of handy features as well as being very lightweight compared to many other bags in this category. It uses superlight recycled fabrics that make it a greener pack, but despite the light weight nature of the fabrics they are still pretty durable, with durability often being an issue with lighter weight packs the Focal manages to offer both.
One of the most impressive things about the Focal is the back system, which manages to provide a vert comfortable fit as well as good level of ventilation. The FreeFloat suspension and flex panels provide a very good level of support and the ability of the flex panels to move with your body mean that there is never with the pack feeling of balance as it moves correctly to provide constant stability. In terms of ventilation the mesh allows a good level of airflow to help prevent moisture and condensation build up that can cause a cold back when you stop, and the use of Polygiene reduces any odor build up which over time can become unpleasant.
The ComfortCradle Hip belts adds to the overall comfort as it provides a good close fit, but there is no pinching or rubbing against the hips even when the bag is fully loaded so over a long hike the comfort level remains the same. Some of the features that we found partcularly handy were things like the strech pockets on the side which have both a top and side opening so that you can grab a water bottle from them without taking the pack off or doing some awkward reach behind to wrestle it out. All of the drawcords are also very easy to use, making opening/closing the pack, attaching gear and stabilizing and compressing the bag easy.
