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This year’s ‘The Great Outdoor Challenge’ (TGOC) allowed me to take the Gregory Focal 58L rucksack out into the Scottish Highlands, whilst I’d attempted to make it from Plockton in the West to Montrose on the East Coast.

For the TGOC, most look for a pack size between 45 litres (minimalist, certainly compromises to be made on kit) to 70 litres (preparing for all eventualities with a few extra comforts throwing in), and weighing anywhere between 700g to 3kg, a big variance I know…. So where on the scale of size and weight is best for multi-day / thru-hiking is right? There is no one answer that fits all. Yes, you’ll ultimately want to get the lightest pack as possible, however this will depend on the rest of your gear. It takes time to accrue the best, ultralight kit, not to mention expensive, if you’re beginning your journey into ultralight backpacking, you may not yet have a sub 1 kg tent, ultra compressible down bag, etc. All bags come with a max carrying load and with some ultralight bags having a max carrying load as low as 9 kg due to being frameless, you need to have the gear to support choosing a rucksack such as this. Therefore, whilst your rucksack is one of the most important pieces of kit, perhaps leaving this selection towards the end of your kit list, the better the understanding of which pack will work best for your needs. If the rucksack choice comes first, this will bring limitations on what kit is going to fill it.

On to my choice… I knew that my goal base weight was around 12 kg and with water, food, along with anything additional items accrued on my journey (which happened to be the case, as you’ll read later) the realistic max load at any given time on the TGOC could be around 15kg. With this knowledge I surmised I’d need a decent carrying system capable of taking these loads, I also wanted plenty of ventilation as the weather was set to be rather warm and I desired all this for a bag sub 1.5 kg. Enter  Gregory’s Focal, on paper it appeared to be the perfect compromise between weight and a structured carrying system, easily capable of taking my envisioned max loads. 

Once loaded up with all my kit the pack came in at 13kg and the weight felt evenly spread across my shoulders and hips. The weather was set fair for our first few days walking from Plockton, via Eilean Donan Castle, Fall of Glomach and then along the Glen Affric Trail to Drumnadrochit, with temperatures holding in the low to mid 20’s (celsius), and little opportunity for shelter from the sun. The suspended back system allowed for ample air flow and the foam mesh around the shoulders and hips was extremely breathable. This resulted in a dry back, and no saturation of my base layers that can often be a factor when caring a pack in warmer weather. Throughout each day’s walking, taking on plenty of water was key and having easy access to mesh pockets on each side meant I could easily grab my bottle to quench my first without having to ask for help or almost dislocating my arm in the attempts to retrieve a bottle. 

Now that I was a good way into the journey I could give an honest appraisal on comfort…. So far, so good! The hipbelt hugged my waist well and moved independently from the rest of the pack, resulting in little to no friction with every step. The well (but not overly) padded shoulder straps were easy to adjust on the move which allowed me to change the load through the day giving respite to different muscle groups. Inevitably, walking long distances with a pack you will experience fatigue and some discomfort, however I found the  Gregory Focal felt really minimised this from what I have experienced from the many rucksacks I’ve used in the past.

The remainder of the journey allowed me to focus on the practical features of the rucksack… With the already aforementioned easy access side pockets being really useful, it’s worth adding that the capacity of the side pockets are impressive, alongside both water bottles both pockets could accommodate; walking poles, foam sit mat, 2L water bladder, water filter and a fishing rod with room to spare! The hip belt pockets were also very roomy, keeping my ‘to hand’ snacks, phone, compass, wallet and multitool right where I needed them. Even with solid ‘awkward’ shaped objects, I did not feel these through the pockets due to the padding negating any discomforting effects this may have had. One thing I would have liked to have seen with the hip belt, is somewhere for the excess webbing to be stowed. Not a big issue, just a would have tidied up the look. 

I utilised the front oversized stretch mesh pocket for outer layers quite often when the weather was changeable, I particularly like the addition of a fabric panel to give greater denier and therefore protect what was stowed. The floating top lid was ideal for keeping the printed maps along with overtrousers for quick access if the weather really came in. However, one usage I did not envision was the rucksack's ability to carry a 1.5kg stag horn! A brilliant find mid-way through my crossing (ironically near the river Findhorn) there was no question this was to be carried the rest of the way to become a feature on my coffee table (much to my girlfriend's reluctance). The securing strap that runs across the top of the main pack (underneath the floating lid) is ideal for carrying a six-pronged stag horn, a must-have feature for all highland adventures.

Throughout this trip the pack had been put through its paces and looking at it now, it still looks as new as the first day I packed it. The high denier panels through this bag (100D in the body and 210D on the base) can take a real beating without showing any defects/adverse effects to the material. With a robust carrying system, packed full of features and for a weight of 1.3kg, what's not to like about  Gregory’s Focal 58 rucksack?

N.B. Additional unused feature on this trip was the removable floating lid that can then be replaced with a weather protection flap to be used when the full capacity of the rucksack is not needed, allowing you to head out on your adventures that bit lighter.

Chris Futers
About the author: Chris fully immerses himself in many outdoor sports and challenges. Whether it's Multi-day hikes, Rock Climbing, Kayaking, Trail Running or Bikepacking, the allure of the outdoors is his true passion. Chris likes to test himself against the wilds, taking on multiple challenges/events such as the Lakes Travers Trail Race, TGO Challenge and Cycling the Coast to Cost (C2C) to name a few. Having worked and volunteered as a coach/instructor for multiple outdoor sports and pursuits, Chris likes to help others achieve and connect with the outdoors, always eager to pass on his knowledge and experience. Chris is our Customer Service Team Leader, joining the UOG team in 2020. Read more from Chis Futers