This year I hiked about 500 miles of the A.T. I wanted to try on my pack with weight in in before buying, so I went to a retail store where I found two main contenders: Osprey Ariel and Gregory Deva.

I loaded each pack, and wore both before deciding on the Osprey. Why did I like it? It looked nicer, it was cheaper, it was lighter, and it held more. I also found the hip belt on the osprey pack to be more comfortable, though I was a bit worried about the chest strap, which didn't feel great against my collar bones. In the end, I figured hips were more important than collarbones.

After 75 miles I returned the Ariel 65 pack for the following reasons:
1. Front mesh panel ripped right out
2. Major bruising of collar bones: weeks after my 75 mile excursion they were very tender
3. Some part of the pack dug into my lower back, causing a scar that I still have.

I upgraded to the Gregory Deva. I liked the smaller size (I still was carrying a pack larger than many thru hikers), the abundance of pockets (Ariel has 1 main pocket and 1 top pocket), and the PADDING.

Deva weighs a pound more, but it is a pound I was happy to haul for 400 miles. Where the Osprey pack dug into my back, Gregory literally put a pillow. The "load lift" straps made the load much more adjustable. Over the course of the day, I would often wear it in two positions, which brought relief for collar bones and back muscles. With the Deva pack, access to my water bottle became an option due to the clever hidden nalgene sized holder. Front access, alone with 2 side pockets and a front pocket made use of the pack more convenient. I no longer had to take everything out to get my sandals or pack cover.

The hip belt was not as good as my osprey hip belt had been, and sometimes it was painful. Some days I would have to readjust a few times to make it feel ok.

I'm 5'6'', apparently with a short torso, as I needed size small in both packs. Gregory's hipbelts are sized according to the size of the pack. The size small waist belt was good for me, but by the end of the hike, it was pretty close to being pulled all the way together. I usually wear size six, not particularly thin for a hiker...skinny girls, especially with longer torsos, should make sure that the belt with get small enough for them.

I bought this pack for my wife and she loves it! We went on a 14 mile overnight trip and it was her first one. The pack was a little uncomfortable at about mile three but with a few adjustments she was feeling better. The sleeping bag compartment is nice becasue you have access to it without moving any other gear. The water bottle pocket is also really handy. There are A LOT of adjustments that you can make to get that perfect fit. Even the torso length has two settings. There are plenty of pockets all over the bag and the front access in addition to the top access is really handy. I highly recomend this pack for all women!

I bought this pack for my wife, who had never been backpacking before. She said it was awesome! It was a little uncomfortable about mile two or three but with a few adjustments, she was fine. There are so many little things to adjust to customize it an individuals needs. The waterbottle pocket was also really handy. Her sleeping bag fit fine inside it's compartment and she even was able to carry the extra weight of the dogs water and food. (I carried the tent). I do recomend this pack for any woman.

My first backpack (so no direct comparisons), but I was very impressed with the comfort and 65-million-way adjustability of this pack. My husband was using an old external frame and I was definitely more comfortable in my pack after 2 days. Good back support. Hip belts rubbed some, but learning to adjust the pack for my load and hike fixed this. Sleeping bag compartment was too small for my bag (a L Marmot stuff sack), but fit my husband's M bag quite nicely. 5 lbs in my daypack felt heavier than 30 in this pack!! :)

Used it for the first time last weekend on a pretty strenuous trip. Very adjustable, fits great, lots more room than I expected. Hopefully will be able to use for a long time. Lot of extra compartments, sits comfortably on hips and was easy to move around in.