THis is my first, so I have nothing to compare it to, but it is awesome! I was debating between the 50 and the 60 L, went with this because if I had the extra space, I would bring extra stuff I probably didn't need. Took it out on a 2 night trip in the desert of central Utah and it was awesome. Felt so light on my back, and there was plenty of room for everything! (If not, you can always just strap it to the outside). Ventilation is incredible! My back was completely dry the entire time except for the small spot by my hips. No bruising on either my hips of shoulders. Love all the pockets! The straps are many, but once you get a hold of it, they're awesome. Can't wait to take this out again!
The only thing I would change is at the bottom, there are straps for a sleeping pad. They don't buckle, which would be great for easy attaching. Instead you have to take them all the way out if your pad is bulky and retighten. Not terrible for the only negative!

Bought this for my girlfriend before a 1 week backpack trek through the Sabine National Forest and Indian Mounds Wilderness. Our first night, it rained heavily, had to setup our tent and equipment in a downpour. Both our packs (both are gregory's) kept our equipment dry. Over the course of the week, we ziplined our gear, crawled up hills of mud, waded through numerous creeks and dealt with an onslaught of scorpions. Through it all, the pack kept the gear safe, in tact, clothes dry.The womens version of the Z has more pockets and storage than the mens z55. The only down side is, my gf (a self proclaimed novice at camping) had to do a lot of adjusting on trail to get the most out of the bags comfort and suspension. The bag is also great as a day pack since it compresses down to such a compact size. Tip: the bags bladder pack is located on the very outmost point of the pack, to prevent punctures to your hydration bladder, refrain from installing the bladder til you're almost ready to hit the trail. Store it in a box or cooler upright during transit, and when installing use a piece of cardboard about 10 x 14 in between the bladder and zipper. This keeps sharp objects such as thorns, axes, snapped limbs,etc from poking a hole through the pack and into the bladder.

I bought this pack for my wife before our trip to the Smoky Mt. She had been hiking before, but never for more then one night. This time she needed to carry a weeks worth of "stuff". Plus, as the week went by, her and I seemed to get more and more of our childrens equipment. I was amazed how much gear she could carry. I have always had Gregory backpacks, and have never been disappointed. I was jealous of the amount of outside pockets she had, even more then my Gregory Palisade 80 Backpack. She also liked this too, as she was always taking something out of her back for the kids. And when you get your backpack, take the time to adjust it to your body, this makes all the difference in the world. You can have the best equipment money can buy, but if you don't take time time to fit it properly it will never feel right. She never did any complaining about pack, just the rain... But everything she had did stay dry. Bottom line, this is a great Backpack.

This is my first pack and I love it! It has plenty of room for my gear (which is a little bulky) and it is super comfortable. Little adjustments here and there along the trail have made it that much more comfortable! I would reccomend this pack to any beginner!!