In a move more than a year in the making, Gregory Mountain Products, a three-decade market leader in backpacks for the full range of outdoor activities, will relocate to Sacramento, Calif., in early 2008. The move – and Gregory’s separation from its sister company of 24 years, Bianchi International – will allow it the freedom to operate as an independent brand, focus solely on its mission of building the best backpacks in the world, and be rooted in an area more suited to foster company values, culture and goals, said Gregory President John Simons.

“It’s been clear to us over the last year that as Gregory moves into its fourth decade, we really needed to be a completely autonomous brand moving forward to focus best on our mission. And as we began planning that transition, it also became clear that we needed to be located in an environment that makes the most sense for the brand and the team at Gregory,” Simons said. “After a year-long search, Sacramento was the obvious choice for us on number of levels.”

With access to outdoor activities, a vibrant city with cultural and arts offerings, good schools and two universities, Sacramento makes sense for Gregory as a place that more accurately reflects the values of the company and its employees. It also will help the company retain existing employees and attract new ones, as well as provide a home base that is more in line with employee lifestyles.

Sacramento is located near mountains, rivers and snowsports, which helps the design team more easily test packs and other new products in the environments for which they are created.

Sacramento is considered one of the most sustainable cities in the nation. It currently has 4.2 million square feet of LEED-certified construction. It is also in the process of finalizing a city-wide Sustainability Master Plan with goals for energy independence, reduced use of fossil fuels, improved energy efficiency, incentives for green construction, and better air quality, among others. As a city focused on sustainable initiatives, Sacramento welcomes businesses rooted in economies such as the outdoors. It also has a vibrant business community and provides more immediate access to a major airport for business travel.

Sustainability is an important company value for Gregory, so as part of its move to Sacramento, it is working with LEED-certified architects to design its new headquarters. It is currently assessing ways to employ design components such as reclaimed wood, recycled carpets, reclaimed and refurbished office furniture, and other structural elements, as well as following LEED design standards for things such as air quality, energy conservation and general construction materials.

Sacramento has excellent public transportation, and Gregory’s new headquarters is located near a light-rail system station, providing opportunities for employees to commute without cars. An extensive network of pathways also provides employees the opportunity to commute via bicycle.

A Sacramento headquarters ensures Gregory remains in its home state.

All Gregory employees at its current home base in Temecula, Calif., were offered the opportunity to move with the company. Roughly two-thirds of the staff, including all upper management, the entire design team, and all employees in sales and marketing, will make the move. Company founder Wayne Gregory will continue in his role on the design team. Gregory is actively recruiting for positions created as a result of the move.

Because of the timing of the move, which will commence in early 2008, Gregory will not attend the upcoming winter Outdoor Retailer show, but will return to Outdoor Retailer for the summer 2008 show. Due to missing Outdoor Retailer, the sales team will be placing more emphasis on being in the field visiting dealers and attending regional shows in January and February.

During that time, the sales team will be showing six new packs that are being introduced mid-summer 2008, expanding on the success of Gregory’s popular 2007 Z series packs – the Z55, Jade 50, Z30 and Z22 – which feature back-panel venting via the company’s Jet Stream suspension. These new packs, which all employ Jet Stream suspension, include a Z65, women’s specific Jade 60, Z35, women’s specific Jade 35, Z25 and women’s specific Jade 25.

For more information about Gregory packs, visit gregorypacks.com or call 877.477.4292.

About Gregory Packs

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2007, Gregory Packs has been the longtime leader in expedition, backpacking and day packs. Gregory is world-renowned for setting durability, comfort and performance standard in backpacks. In recent years, Gregory won awards for its pack designs from such diverse media outlets as Backpacker Magazine, Popular Science, National Geographic Adventure, Consumers Digest and Alpinist Magazine. Responsible for many industry firsts in backpacking fit and design, the Gregory research and design team, including company founder Wayne Gregory, continues to lead the way in innovative backpack technology and performance.

To bolster its presence in the Canadian market, Gregory Packs has established a formal Canadian sales program and partnered with CDEC in Cowansville, Quebec, an established distributor for other outdoor product manufacturers, to distribute its products in Canada, Gregory North American Sales & Marketing Director Jim BoisD’Enghien announced this week.

The new program, which will include marketing support for the brand in Canada, will take effect starting Nov. 15, 2007, BoisD’Enghien said.

In addition, Gregory recently hired sales rep Ron Barr of the Outside Group, based in Toronto, to represent Gregory in Ontario and Manitoba. Barr joins Dale Robotham and Jeff Perron of Sasso Vertical Sales, out of Canmore, which represents Gregory in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and Stephane Morin, of Les Agences Stephane Morin, out of Quebec, which represents Gregory in Quebec and the Atlantic Canada region.

“Fully supporting the Gregory brand in Canada means having a program tailored to the Canadian market that incorporates solid distribution, outstanding sales support, and effective brand marketing, and, simply stated, that’s what this is all about,” BoisD’Enghien said.

For more information about Gregory packs, visit GregoryPacks.com or call 877.477.4292.

About Gregory Packs

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2007, Gregory Packs has been the longtime leader in expedition, backpacking and day packs. Gregory is world-renowned for setting durability, comfort and performance standard in backpacks. In recent years, Gregory won awards for its pack designs from such diverse media outlets as Backpacker Magazine, Popular Science, National Geographic Adventure, Consumers Digest and Alpinist Magazine. Responsible for many industry firsts in backpacking fit and design, the Gregory research and design team, including company founder Wayne Gregory, continues to lead the way in innovative backpack technology and performance.

Gregory Packs new Palisade 80 Backpack this month won a bronze European OutDoor Industry Award, a distinction bestowed on the most noteworthy new products at the OutDoor 2007 summer trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

The award, announced on day one of the four-day trade show, was one of 30 given to products with “particularly innovative designs and above-average product quality.” An international jury whittled the winners from a field of 204 entries from 21 countries.

Products in different competition categories were evaluated for innovation, design quality, workmanship, choice of materials, environmental compatibility, functionality, utility, safety, trendsetting character and brand value/branding.

The Palisade 80, a new backpack that shares the name of its predecessor, is one of six new 2008 packs in its backpacking line that Gregory unveiled at the OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen. The pack line will debut in North America at the Outdoor Retailer Show Aug. 9-12 in Salt Lake City.

The Palisade 80 features a reengineered and updated version of Gregory’s award-winning Response suspension system, first unveiled in 2006. The new version, called Response Custom Fit Suspension (CFS) and tailored for packs intended to carry heavier loads, employs an innovative new ratchet system that quickly and easily adjusts the pack’s hip angle to fit its wearer. In addition, it features a thermo-molded back panel that employs newly developed co-molding technology, a new anti-barreling cross stay between the two main stays, clean tone-on-tone design and a variety of other new technology. It is also nearly a quarter pound lighter than its predecessor. As well, all PVC has been eliminated from the Palisade, along with all other packs in the Gregory backpacking line. The same features are found in the new Whitney 95 and women’s specific Deva 85 packs.

Gregory has also released reengineered, lighter-weight versions of its Baltoro 70, Triconi 60 and women’s specific Deva 60 packs for 2008. Those packs employ Response Auto Fit Suspension, a lighter version of Gregory’s Response Suspension more tailored for weekend to five-day trips.

For more information about Gregory packs, visit www.gregorypacks.com.

The lightweight revolution continues with the Gregory Z55. This backpack weighs in at a svelte 3 pounds 5 ounces (medium). It will hold all the gear you need for your ultralight backpacking adventure. Gregory Packs also made sure that you wouldn’t overheat wearing the Z 55 by equipping it with their Jet Stream Suspension. The Jet Stream includes a perforated frame sheet and a mesh back panel in order to promote ventilation. The padded harness and waist-belt also feature moisture-wicking mesh, to keep you from getting all sweaty underneath your pack. Padding in the lumbar region and at the shoulder blades makes carrying your load comfortable while the aluminum stays give you lightweight vertical load support. Get into the Z55 from the top or the side, and load your quick access items, like snacks, your camera, or rain shell, in the external pockets or your waist-belt pockets. Even though the Z 55 is lightweight, it is still made with super durable materials. The 210D High tenacity ripstop and twill nylon will stand up to years of abuse. It comes in 3 sizes: Small: 3,050 cu. in. / 3 lbs. 2 oz., Medium: 3,350 cu. in. / 3 lbs. 5 oz., Large: 3,660 cu. in. / 3 lbs. 8 oz.

Gregory Mountain Products has set a Retail Price of $189 for the Z55 Backpack

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Gregory Packs was the top backpack manufacturer named by Backpacker Magazine subscribers in four out of five categories of a recent survey titled “What we know about Backpacker Subscribers’ Backpacks.” The survey, which was mailed to Backpacker subscribers in 2006, asked them to rank brands of backpacks. Gregory was the top brand named in four categories that asked subscribers to rank brands based on the following criteria: ‘most comfort,’ ‘best performance,’ ‘most advanced technology’ and ‘leading brands of backpacks.’

Backpacker subscribers ranked between 11 and 14 different brands in each category of the survey, which also concluded that more than 95 percent of its readers own at least one backpack, and that 17 percent plan on purchasing a new pack in the next 12 months.

The survey, conducted for Backpacker by Erdos & Morgan, invited 1,000 paid U.S. Backpacker subscribers, selected on a random basis, to participate. It was mailed to participants and 454 completed surveys were mailed back to Erdos & Morgan.

For more information about Gregory packs, visit www.gregorypacks.com.

The Gregory Deva 60 has been Gregory’s best selling backpack for the past 5 years. This women’s specific pack is designed for multi-day trips and hauling loads up to 45 lbs. In 2006, Gregory gave the Deva a face-lift to make it even more appealing, with a new female specific suspension, loads of organization and increased capacity.

The Deva 60 has been stocked with great storage/organization options. It seems as though there are exterior zip pockets everywhere - one on the front of the pack, two on the left side of the pack and one on the right side of the pack. There is a stretchy mesh open pocket on the left side with two zip pockets and another stretchy angled bottle holder on the right side with the one zip pocket. Twin gear/ice axe loops and quick-release sleeping pad straps finish of the exterior detail. Inside the pack, a “pouch” can be formed via an internal draw-string on the top of the pouch. This is a great place to stash your rain gear. There is also a removable hydration pouch with a hydration port tucked under a small flap on the right side of the pack. Towards the bottom of the pack, there is a false “bottom” which covers the middle portion of the pack interior and creates a partial separate compartment at the bottom of the pack. Accessing the interior of the pack is a snap with three different ways to get at your gear. There is a two-way dual zipper which zips from the center at the front bottom of the pack, another front two-way dual zipper which zips from the center about 3/4 way up the pack and lastly, a draw-string opening at the top of the pack.

Let there be no doubt that the Deva is designed for carrying your gear in comfort. The women’s Response Suspension System pivots to self-adjust its waistbelt to your hip angle while simoultaneuosly pivoting to mirror your body as it moves. The precurved shoulder straps and waistbelts are cushioned and supportive, and obviously cut for a women. The narrow ventilated back panel, also specifically designed for women, helps move moisture away and keep you cool. The Deva 60 comes in 3 sizes: X-Small: Volume: 3500 cu. in., Weight: 5 lbs. 0 oz., Small: Volume: 3700 cu. in., Weight: 5 lbs. 3 oz., Medium: Volume: 3900 cu. in., Weight: 5 lbs. 6 oz.

The Gregory Deva 60 Pack for women is Gregory’s best selling pack for good reason. Order one and you’ll soon find out why for yourself.

Gregory Mountain Products has set a Retail Price of $250 for the Deva 60 Backpack

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Eastern Mountain Sports currently has the Gregory G Pack on sale for $89. That’s 40% off the suggested retail price of $149, for a total savings of 60 Bucks! This price is only available at EMS.com until 5/14/07. Click Here To Buy The Gregory G Pack at EMS, winner of Backpacker Magazine’s 2005 Editor’s Choice Award.

EMS.com offers flat rate shipping for only $5.95 and one of best guarantees in the business. If you are dissatisfied for any reason and have your original store receipt or web invoice, they will exchange or repair the item in question or provide a full refund.

The Gregory Palisade has the capacity and feature layout ideal for those seeking comfort and superior load support at a great price. This classic internal-frame pack features a slim fit for comfort and mobility on weekend or weeklong backpacking trips on or off the trail. New for this year, Gregory complimented the top and bottom entry points with a zip-through front pocket that provides additional access to the main pack body. They also modified the packs top pocket with a split skirt, allowing the lid to form over the pack and fit better.

Gregory equiped the Palisade with their patented “Cant” systems; contoured shoulder straps with the Auto-Cant system adjust automatically to varying trail conditions and the Adjust-A-Cant waistbelt offers 3 angle settings for a truly customized fit. The Palisade comes in 4 sizes, the specs of which are as follow (fits torso / fits hips / base volume / weight):

X-Small: 14-15.5 in. / 22-28 in. / 4,350 cu. in. / 71 liters / 5 lbs. 12 oz.
Small: 15.5-17.5 in. / 22-28 in. / 4,850 cu. in. / 79 liters / 6 lbs. 3 oz.
Medium: 17.5-19.5 in. / 28-34 in. / 5,100 cu. in. / 84 liters / 6 lbs. 7 oz.
Large: 19.5 - 21.5 in. / 34+ in. / 5,550 cu. in. / 91 liters / 6 lbs. 14 oz.

When fitting the Palisade pack, remember that Gregroy offers 4 different sizes of shoulder straps and waistbelts so that you get the absolute best possible fit. So even if your torso size falls in the medium category, your waist may be a small, and so on. Although on average, you’ll be fine with the default sizing.

The combination of comfort, durability, functionaility and price have made the Palisade one of Gregory’s all-time best sellers, having been on the market now for over 15 years. If you’re on a budget but still want a great pack, you will be more than happy with the Gregory Palisade.

Gregory Mountain Products has set a Retail Price of $299 for the Palisade Backpack

Buy This Pack Online Right Now @ MooseJaw.com - Use exclusive coupon code 22111 for 11% off full priced or 6% off on-sale backpacks and gear at Moosejaw!

Do you own this pack? Please add your comments to this review below.

Pack tester concludes: “I didn’t think any backpack could ever fit me comfortably until I strapped on an Escape series pack.”

What do the world’s first single-engine private business jet, the largest geothermal housing complex ever built and Gregory’s new Escape series backpacks have in common? All were chosen by Popular Science as 2006 winners of the magazine’s “Best of What’s New” award, denoting the best technological innovations of the year. Gregory Packs won its award in the recreation division for its new Response Suspension system.

“I didn’t think any backpack could ever fit me comfortably until I strapped on an Escape series pack,” wrote Tom Clynes, who tested the pack for Popular Science. “Within the first half-mile of my hike, I was eagerly helping with my partner’s load.” The secret is the Response Suspension System (see photo), which incorporates auto-adjusting shoulder straps and an independently pivoting hip belt that allow body and pack to move autonomously.

This design also allows adjustment on the fly based on how much the load moves independently of the wearer’s body so it can be tailored for different hiking situations – on trail and off trail.

About Gregory Packs: Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2007, Gregory Packs has been the longtime international market leader in expedition, backpacking and day packs. Gregory has become world-renowned for setting standards for durability, comfort and performance. Gregory has won awards for its pack designs from such diverse media outlets as Backpacker Magazine, Consumers Digest and Alpinist Magazine.

The Gregory Escape Series includes the Baltoro, Deva 60, Triconi, Wingate, Maven and Pingora backpacks.

For the entire article on this award and other Gregory Pack Press Release visit the Gregory Packs Press Page.

Official Gregory Packs web site: www.gregorypacks.com.