Michael Nies

First, I'm a 6'1", 170 pound guy, a cold sleeper, and prefer to roll onto my side.
This bag replaced my 9 year-old Kelty Cayenne (+20F, Polarguard 3D) bag in 2008 after I woke up shivering despite a hat and thermal underwear on a trip to the Rockies the year before. This is my first down bag and so far I've not been disappointed. First, this is a seriously warm bag. Even when it got down to the mid-twenties at 12000 ft. in the Sierra I didn't need the hood; I didn't even need to zip the bag all the way up while wearing only boxers and a t-shirt. It compresses nicely into a medium eVent compression sack, and mine (a regular) could probably eke into a small with some patience. As many other reviewers have noted, the double zipper allows for venting on warmer nights. The draft collar has a watch/contact pouch and an easy to manipulate drawstring. I can easily roll onto my side and not get a draft even with the bag unzipped. My only complaint is that the drawstring and cordlock for the hood work their way behind my back or shoulder sometimes, and I wake up with an uncomfortable lump under me. That's the only bad thing I have to say about it; after three years of abuse it still lofts up nicely out of the compression sack, and has no signs of wear or loss of feathers. If you're a cold sleeper who likes some room to move, definitely give this bag a try!

I bought my Z65 in 2008, the first year Gregory offered it. From the pictures it looks like they've updated a few things since the original offering (the one I bought), so someone please feel free to correct me if any of what I'm about to say is no longer accurate.

The Good:
--The most comfortable hip belt and shoulder straps I think I've ever worn. Even after three years and many stuffings into my trunk, they still hold their original contours and hug my not-so-curvy curves like they were always meant to. The hip belt is the first one I've used that stays put on my hips. Even with two bear canisters and eight days of food, along with tent and cooking gear, my shoulders were comfy for a backpack through Kings Canyon National Park.
--Lots of compression straps for load stabilization. Put in your stuff, tighten down the straps, and your load will hug your back like a monkey.
--Can be panel or top loaded.
--Lots of air flow. My back still gets sweaty, but it's much much better than my old North Face Inversion.
--Hydration system compatible with pass-throughs on both sides. The sleeve is wide enough for a Platypus or MSR Dromedary system, too.
--The hip-belt pockets are perfect for stashing snacks, a small camera, or anything else you want handy but not in your pants.

The Not-So-Good:
--The side water bottle pockets are nigh impossible to reach with the pack on unless you're a member of Cirque de Sole. They also seem rather weak; the hem on both sides started coming unstitched after my second trip, but that's the only sign of wear on the pack.
--The lid, while detachable, doesn't have a belt for day-pack use.
--Seams are stiched instead of welded.
--Strapping my Z-rest on the side is tricky; does OK on the bottom, though.

Overall a great pack. I can get all my gear for a solo trip through the Sierra, including the mandated bear canister, inside the pack without having to play gear Tetris. While it's not the lightest pack on the market by any means, it handles whatever load you have with ease.

For years I've backpacked with the same layers in the mountains during the summer: wicking t-shirt, Polartec 200 fleece, rain jacket. For my trip to Kings Canyon National Park and a one-day ascent up Whitney last week I left my fleece at home and replaced it with this jacket. I no longer see the need to bring the fleece along for a summer trip. The Compressor kept me warmer in the mornings and evenings than the fleece ever did, and is lighter and more compressible. It seemed to handle wind well (with hat and gloves I was comfy on top of Mt. Whitney), but does nothing to stop water as the previous reviewer noted. The jacket also seemed to handle different temps well just by zipping/unzipping as needed.

Pros: Warm, light, and very packable. Synthetic insulation retains some R-value when wet, as opposed to down. Theoretically stuffs into its own pocket.
Cons: Not water repellent at all. Shell material is a bit delicate; be careful around rocks and pointy things. No pit zips, but adding them would likely hurt weight and compactness. I can't seem to get it to pack into it's pocket, but that may be a user error; it does pack fine in a very small compression stuff sack.
Overall: Great, highly versatile, extra layer