If you are going on a backpacking trip or maybe embarking on a multi-day adventure, having a comfortable, spacious, and reliable backpack is absolutely essential. However, there are a LOT of backpacks out there to choose from and so identifying the right one can be overwhelming.
Among the myriad of options available, the Gregory Jade 63 is fast earning itself a dedicated legion of fans amongst outdoor enthusiasts for good reason.
In this post, we are going to offer up our detailed, thorough and robust review of the Gregory Jade 63 backpack. We will look at the backpacks specs, materials, and performance. We’ll also examine its price and value for money and throw in a few alternative packs to consider along the way too.
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Quick Answers – Gregory Jade Overview and Specs
In case you are in some kind of hurry (after all life is rather short), let me briefly summarise the Gregory Jade is for you.
The Gregory Jade is an outdoor, hiking and travel backpack designed specifically for women and offering between 28 and 63 liters of storage capacity. This versatile pack is best suited for multi-day trips, features a ventilated back panel, adjustable harness and hipbelt, and a ton of pockets for efficient organisation.
Note that we tried the 63 litre version ourselves and as such, this review will predominantly focus on that particular version as we think its up there with the best pieces of travel and outdoor gear from Gregory.
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Gregory Jade 63 Pack Review – Key Feature and Performance Breakdown
In order to really assess this pack. We broke down its design, key features and metrics.
Interior and Organisation
Overall Storage Capacity
The Jade comes in 28l, 38l, 53l and 66l versions.
As we said earlier, we tried the 63 liter version. This is a pretty generous amount of storage ideal for a few days’ hiking, a camping trip or a bona-fide backpacking trip.
With this amount of storage, you could comfortably pack a small tent, sleeping bag, clothing, cooking equipment, and food with room to spare. If you are headed backpacking then you can fit a good amount of clothes, your toiletries, a few books, a hairdryer and maybe even a compressed, lightweight sleeping bag if you can squeeze it into the bottom section.
Packing is a bit of an art and how exactly you pack will always vary depending on the exact trip you are taking and your own travel style and needs. However, my girlfriend typically takes a 60 – 65 litre pack for long backpacking trips that run for many months at a time. While 70 – 80 litre bumper backpacks are available, these can get a bit heavy and uncomfortable to carry.
Main Compartment
Like most backpacking backpacks, the main compartment of the pack is accessible via a top-loading design and features a compression strap system, allowing for flexible packing. Whether you’re carrying bulky items or want to keep your gear compressed and secure, the main compartment is up to the task. The main compartment is by far the most spacious part of the Jade and is where most of your gear will go. It also has an inner pouch which you could use for a laptop or maybe for books.
Note that in addition to the top loading function, the Jade 63 version also has some front zip access – the front flap zips all the way down and folds back offering an alternative method of packing and accessing the pack.
Top Lid Compartment
The top lid zips open from the back and offers a little extra storage space. Personally I would usually use this space for storing a rain cover (not included) although other options are flip flops, or small electronic devices.
Some view this as a dedicated space for stashing essentials like a first-aid kit, flashlight, or map. As it offers external access, this can be incredibly handy, particularly when you need quick access to these items in emergency situations or simply when setting up camp in the dark or out an a trail mid hike.
Bottom Compartment
The bottom compartment (the space between the inner base and the pack and the main back) zips open from across the front. This space is big enough to fit a sleeping bag or you you could use it for toiletry bag, a pair of trainers/sneakers
Other Storage Options
The Jade 63 also has a front pouch that actually feels big enough to fit a small tent. At the least the pouch would make a good storage spot for a rain jacket or another item that you may need to access while out on the trail.
The pack also has 2 side pouches (good for water bottles or one flip flop per side) and finally, the hip belt has little zippable pockets on each side that can fit pen skives, cigarettes, snacks or maybe a pair of socks.
Carry and Comfort
Unpacked, the Gregory Jade 63 weighs in at 3.48lbs / 1.58kg. This is pretty standard for a backpack of this type and while it is certainly not an “ultralight” pack, it cannot be considered too heavy either. By comparison, my 70 litre (mens) Osprey Aether weighs 4.4 Ibs.
In terms of comfort, the hip belts fasten up snugly and securely and help to spread the pack’s weight very nicely. The pack also uses a “free float” back suspension system that helps keep the pack’s weight from directly hitting your lower back and the mesh fabric means that the Jade won’t feel too sweaty when pressed up against your back.
My girlfriend remarked that the pack felt comfortable when loaded on her back and had no complaints about it – this is despite her using an Ultralight Osprey Lumina for the last 4 years. However, I must point out that she/we have not yet tested the pack on a long hike yet.
Aesthetic and Materials
The Gregory Jade is made from pretty thick, partially recycled nylon fibres. To the touch the material feels pretty hard wearing. The zippers and fastenings also feel good to the touch although some critics have pointed out that the zippers are not as weather resistant as on other packs.
Style
The Jade 63 combines functionality with an appealing, classic hiking pack style design. It boasts a sleek profile and comes in a good choice of colour schemes – the one we tried is in a rather but tasteful lively orange which my girlfriend adored.
Durability and Weather Proofing
Constructed with high-quality nylon, the Jade 63 is both durable and water-resistant. While not fully waterproof, you can count on this bag to weather various outdoor elements – from heavy rain to dusty trails, ensuring your gear stays protected. However, the pack does not come with a fully waterproof rain cover and I would recommended advising in buying one in order to further protect the pack.
Some critics have pointed out that the brighter coloured versions of this pack start to fade faster than the darker versions. However, our pack is still kinda new so I cannot comment on this from direct experience.
Price and Value
Coming in at $249.95, the Jade 63 is most certainly not a cheap backpack. However, the price is pretty much at the lower to mid range for a quality, high performance outdoor and travel pack. The pack offers a good amount of storage, carrying comfort and is designed to last for years of use. As such, we would call the price tag a sound investment in the future for your travel and outdoor needs.
By way of comparison, the REI trailmade pack costs $149 and the Osprey Ariel pack costs $320.
Note that the 28L version of this pack costs $169, the 38L version costs $189 and the 42 is $199.95.
Warranty
Great news – The Jade 63 comes with Gregory’s Limited Lifetime Warranty, a testament to the brand’s sheer confidence in the pack’s durability and functionality. Given its features, durability, and the reassurance of a robust warranty, it offers excellent value for money.
Now, you could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.
So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card! REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉
Buy on REI!Alternatives To The Gregory Jade 63
As we said right at the start, there are loads of hiking and travel backpacks available. In case you want to see how the Gregory Jade (63L version) compares to them, let’s have a look now.
Osprey Ariel 65
The Osprey Ariel 65 is a viable (and I’d say superior) alternative, offering a slightly larger capacity, multiple compartments, and a highly adjustable harness system. However, it comes with a higher price tag and 65 litres could be overkill for shorter trips.
REI Trailemade 60
The REI Trailemade 60, meanwhile, offers similar features at a lower capacity. This pack is ideal for budget-conscious hikers who cannot stretch to the $250 Jade price tag, but value comfort and functionality but do not need the extra space of the Jade 63.
Gregory Deva 60
If you’re a fan of the Gregory brand and looking for a pack with similar capacity to the Jade 63 but with a different design, the Gregory Deva 60 could be an excellent choice. The Deva is a slightly higher end pack and the superior performance is reflected in the price. However, the Deva 60 is kind of on the heavy side for a 60 litre pack.
| Pack | Weight | Capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jade 63 | 3.4 to 3.8Ibs (1.5 to 1.7 kilo) | 63 litres | $249.9 |
| Ariel 65 | 4.2 to 4.8Ibs (1.9 to 2.2 kilo) | 65 litres | $320 |
| Trailmate 60 | 3.5 to 4Ibs (1.6 to 1.8 kilo) | 60 litres | $149.95 |
| Deva 60 | 4.2 to 4.5Ibs (1.9 to 2.0 kilo) | 60 litres | $329.95 |
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Final Thoughts On The Gregory Jade 63
The Gregory Jade 63 is a versatile, comfortable, and durable backpack that can meet the demands of serious outdoor enthusiasts. Its generous storage capacity, coupled with excellent organisational features, makes it a top choice for multi-day excursions. While there are alternatives, the Jade 63 offers a balance of price, features, and capacity that is hard to beat.
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