Designed to handle some serious loads, the Palisade is a loadbearing machine. I mainly use mine for winter camping, and longer treks where I can't re-supply for a week or more. If you need to carry some heavy loads, the Palisade is a great option. Very comfortable hip straps really help to bear the load. Also, this pack is highly versatile--you can really overload it when necessary, and if theres not space on the inside, there are about a thousand ways to strap something to the outside. Downside: Heavy, and with such a big volume, I tend to pack more than necessary. Of course when packing for 2, this is a plus.

This is a great pack. I hvae taken it on some recent day hikes just getting in shape for the nig AT hike and this pack has really handled everything quite well. The Osprey I originally ordered did not fit with the vent scape air pocket on my back so this one with the straight back is the best for me and its really comfortable

High quality piece of equipment! Working at camps taking kids backpacking inevitably creates more gear for you to carry. I have been extremely pleased with my Palisade. Handles weight very well over the miles. My only precaution is to not buy this pack large as they tend to come long (mine sits low on my hips).

This is a beast of a pack- this is my expedition pack only. for anything under a week or even two, there is no reason to get a pack that is 6 pounds by itself! but if you are a trip leader and need to carry some extra gear (food, clothes, fuel, etc) this pack is for you- very water resitant, durable, and the padding is great- again a huge pack that is not for everyone and most likely would be more of a bother for anything under two weeks. love the angled side pockets for water bottles and the removable lid. have fun!

I bought this for a winter trip in the White Mountains. I have large shoulders and narrower waist, so in order to accommodate the fit, I got the large. Unfortunately, it was too long top to bottom, and the pack was too loose up top...too much swaying around my shoulders. Fortunately, I was able to return the pack for medium torso length pack and then exchange the shoulder straps for a larger size. Presto! problem fixed.

I was able to cram all of my gear into this pack. The only gripe that I have is that the sleeping bag compartment was too small to easily fit a long sized, zero degree sleeping bag. Yes, I used a compression sack. I was able to get the bag in, but I was sweating on a 10 degree morning to do it.

All around, awesome pack, though.

This is the best pack I've owned. I just used it to summit Mt Adams, which is only a day trip (+/- 12 hours), but I bought it for an Emmons climb on Mt Rainier coming up in a couple of weeks. I've done a number of day hikes with it too, leading up to these climbs. Its very comfortable and distributes the weight well, even when not very full (I've been training with 40-45lbs). The top pouch doesn't sit very tightly when the pack is not very full (even with the staps are pulled to their max on it), so it bounces around a bit. Also, though there are holes on both sides for the straw on a bladder to poke through, there's no little straps on the shoulder harness to keep it close. Its been relatively easy to swing my arm around to grab it (like looking for your octopus in scuba diving), but it would be nice to have it more accessible. Otherwise its awesome!

I have taken this thing out with winter gear and a weeks worth of food and had no trouble packing it. This thing is huge, but it can handle the weight. My back has never felt uncomfortable with this thing.

I took the pack traveling and hiking in Latin America for 9 months and after the first 3-4 months the sleeping pad straps started tearing out, and then both of the plastic braces holding the padding on the waist strap broke on either side and needed to be screwed back in through the internal frame, and one of the zippers broke. if you do a couple hikes a year this pack will last a long time otherwise beware you've been warned good luck.

This is the first pack of this caliber I have ever purchased. I've been on several one-week treks with external frame packs. I was a bit hesitant to go with an internal frame pack because of the hassles involved with accessibility to my gear. Gregory makes it easy. This pack is comfortable and well designed. I've only had it for a month, but I can tell it will last me many years on the trail. Owning a pack this comfortable has me itching to hit the trail with every spare moment I have. I'll return with reviews as I push this pack to its limits on the trail.