Bought this pack 3 or 4 months ago, and it is probably the best purchase i have ever made. The pack holds 50lbs very very well (If a 130lb guy, can haul over 1/3 his weight in a pack, you know its a solid fit), has lots of gear loops, and pockets are well placed. All of the straps used to tighten the pack feel very solid, i regularly put my skis on the pack, and it never feels like i will pull the straps off. I have used this pack on many mountain climbs (Hood, South Sister...), and i never feel off balanced by it, nor do i feel rushed on the descents. When packing the pack, you do need to pay attention to where you are placing the heavy items, it is possible to make the pack really top heavy, or weight one side more than the other. But i find that when i pack the pack badly, i can almost always adjust the straps to make it more manageable. Overall a fantastic pack, and i will continue to buy Gregory products because of my faith in them.

This pack has come with me for 2 month long trips to New Zealand, multiple sections of the AT, and much much more. Its held up just fine for the two years I've owned it. The suspension system works beautifully and carries heavy loads. In my book gregory packs are the best.

I bought the Palisade to fill a particular niche in my gear closet. I was torn between the Palisade and the Arc'Teryx Bora 80. I tried very hard to talk myself into the Arc'Teryx. I came down on the Palisade side for two reasons: (1) comfort, and (2) capacity. I do my backpacking in desert conditions, so I don't have much extra padding from clothing. The Palisade felt better on my back and rode slightly better than the Bora 80. It also has a slightly larger capacity. If I were buying a pack for us in a wetter or colder climate, I'd choose the Arc'Teryx pack in a hot second. The Bora 80 has superb waterproofing (it's a big dry bag, and a couple of layers of clothing would probably provide the additional comfort I wanted. And the Arc'Teryx is bombproof. I believe the Arc'Teryx takes the toughness crown between the two packs.

I bought this pack approx. a year ago, and have used it on multiple backcountry trips, and it has been awesome. Comfort, versatility and capacity for week-long to 10-day trips has been perfect. I agree with the post about comparing with the Bora 80. I've used the Bora before, and it was way more bombproof, and was a little easier to access all the gear without tearing everything apart. Saving the hundred bucks was totally worth it for me though. Hasn't let me down once.

I have used a Palisade for three years now and I have to say it is probably one of the most amazing backpacks I have ever used. It handle a 60 pound load for a week and half with out a problem. The outdoor pocket of the bag makes it easy to store rain gear. After three years of use and about 1000 miles of hiking it show no sign of wear. Definitely a good investment

I got this pack about a month ago, in time for a three day trip in the Adirondack High Peak region of New York. With an approximately 40lb load, this pack was very comfortable; Gregory really did a nice job with their methodologies for pack sizing and adjustment. I hiked for years with a friend who used the Shasta model, but I liked the idea of having a front pocket for stowing rain gear, which the Palisade accommodates nicely. Since the pack has an abundance of space, I look forward to using it on winter trips. One more thought: I was impressed by the workmanship that went in to making this pack.