Blog

I used this pack on a three-day winter backpacking trip to the Lake District and was mightily impressed, Gregory don’t seem to have compromised at all which makes me wonder why all backpacking rucksacks don’t weigh in at 1.2kg or thereabouts.

How much does it weigh?
The sample pack I used had a medium back length and with all the optional components removed it weighed 1100 grams, but you definitely need a lid, there are two options supplied with the pack, the simplest, and lightest, is just 37grams. I decided to take the sophisticated lid with a substantial zipped top pocket and internal zipped pocket for small items. This weighed 120grams, so my version of the pack weighed 1220grams.

The other optional extra is the rain cover which I left at home, its 93grams and my personal attitude to rain covers is to leave them all at home unless you are going somewhere where its going to rain virtually every day. Rain covers don’t keep the contents of your rucksack dry, you still need to pack everything in drybags, so what’s it doing? In my view it's stopping the rucksack fabric soak up water and become heavier – it takes a lot of rain to do this which is why I mostly don’t bother with one.

Is it actually 58 Litres?
58 litres is probably the minimum for a winter backpack, however I easily got all my gear into the Focal 58, so I was impressed by the space. I haven’t measured it but I reckon its true to its volume claim.

How does it carry?
My total load was about 28lbs (13kg) so not excessive and I found the pack very comfortable. Its not surprising though because as soon as I saw it I knew it was going to transfer the weight to the hips well.

First thing to note is the rigid metal frame that supports the load and transfers that weight to a substantially supportive hip belt, it works very well and Gregory have even designed in a mesh back panel that keeps the actual pack off your back allowing airflow and ventilation where you need it most.

The shoulder straps are not as padded as some other packs but I applaud that – if the weight transfer to the hips is effective you don’t need substantial padding on the shoulder straps, and this pack delivers in that respect. There is a chest strap that can be adjusted along the straps to give you the most comfortable fit – this is important as it stops the straps from drifting off your shoulders.

Features?
The Focal 58 has twin zipped pockets on the hip belt – these are essential is a backpacking rucksack and they work well.
Like so many backpacking rucksacks the Focal 58 has twin side stretch mesh pockets on the main sack and one large stretch pocket on the front. I was hugely impressed by the side mesh pockets, they have openings at the front as well as the top enabling you to easily access the contents while wearing the pack. They are really easy to use and ideal for bulky gloves and headwear which came on and off numerous times during my trip.

Furthermore the construction of these pockets and the qualities of the mesh mean I never felt there was a danger of losing items out of the openings, the mesh cuddled the contents effectively.
I was also impressed by the design of the front pocket – it has stretch mesh at the sides and a nylon panel on the front, this means that the pocket volume adjusts to what you put into it but the pocket is also not a weak point when you drop the rucksack to the ground or scrape along a rocky outcrop. The nylon panel provides good abrasion resistance in an area that can suffer serious damage if the pocket is fully mesh.

Inside there is a bladder pocket and exit ports for a tube. There are other features which are in the features listing so I won’t do that here.

Fabric
The fabric seems robust yet light, its not a super light, super thin fabric of the lightest packs but an excellent middle ground between light and strong.

Gregory have done a great job with the Focal 58, if you have reservations about an ultralight pack but still want to substantially reduce your carry weight then the Focal 58 offers that without compromising on features.

Mark Richardson
Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. Read more from Mark Richardson