Bottom Line
With excellent carrying capability and a good selection of features, the Gregory Baltoro 75 is the best heavy-hauler in our guide to the best backpacking backpacks. Even when we tested it beyond its rated 50 lb limit, we found it outperformed other models, offering a more comfortable experience at those weights.
The clever inclusion of features also helped win us over. The standout for us was a great side water bottle pocket that can be tucked away when not in use. Whether we were using a Nalgene or a smart water bottle, it was easy to place and retrieve a bottle with one hand which is not always a given on backpacking packs. The large u-shaped zipper on the back also helps for accessing the enormous interior, and we liked the two side zippers that are great for storing maps, headlamps, or lunch snacks. The hip belt and shoulder straps both ensure a comfortable experience all the way up the weight range.
One of the only downsides we found with the pack is the use of mesh on the back stretch pocket. It’s also heavy and expensive. But overall we loved this pack. Most backpackers are better off looking at lighter and cheaper packs that will carry more typical weights. But for those people who need the extra carrying capacity, we think it’s an excellent choice.
How We Tested
During the refresh of our entire backpacking lineup, we took the Baltoro on some preliminary walks on trails in the midwest during the winter. Updates will come with proper three-season testing and a deeper look at this pack.
Quick Specs
Gregory Baltoro 75
Best Load Hauler Backpacking Backpack
CleverHiker Rating: 4.6/5.0
Price: $330
Weight: 5 lb. 2 oz.
Volume: 75 L
Max Weight Rec.: 55 lb
Pros
- Excellent load carrying
- Great water bottle pocket
- Good array of features
Cons
- Heavy
- Use of mesh raises durability concerns
- Overkill for most backpackers
Comfort
The Baltoro is our favorite pack for carrying heavy loads, remaining more comfortable than the competition at those weights. Rather than test the Baltoro with a more standard 30 lb setup, we wanted to see how it would perform when pushed to its limit. Since the Baltoro is rated for 55 lb, we initially decided to try it at 60 pounds since that was the weight limit of its closest competitor. Count us surprised and impressed when it not only handled 60 pounds – but handled it better than the competition. The success here lies in the excellent aluminum frame combined with a comfortable hip belt. The frame felt solid when loaded up, giving the pack and our movement a sense of rigidity when walking. A good frame is only worth something if the hipbelt attached to it is decent, and thankfully the hip belt here is wonderful. It conformed to our body well and managed to direct nearly all the force onto our hips while avoiding any pressure points.
Additionally the rest of the pack comfort is excellent. We loved the huge mesh foam back panel that also avoided any sore spots, and the shoulder straps were supportive and comfortable without digging in anywhere. We think that Gregory intentionally undersells the capabilities of this pack because they want to remain conservative. Although we technically won’t endorse pushing it beyond its rated limits, we can report that it did well.
Features
The Baltoro is Gregory’s flagship product, boasting carrying capacities and weight limits higher than any pack in its lineup. It also includes a ton of features with all of that capability, including some we’ve never seen before.
The most unique – and honestly our favorite – feature is the way that Gregory is trying to solve water bottle access. On many backpacks, the water bottle pockets are simply too high to reach easily while wearing the pack, necessitating asking a friend or taking the pack off to stay hydrated. In a clever solution to this, Gregory has included a water bottle pocket that hangs externally to the main body of the pack, resting much lower than where traditional bottles lie. This pocket can be stowed away when not in use, but we absolutely love the future. It was easier to pull out and put away a bottle than nearly any other pack we tested.
The large u-shaped zipper on the back is also sure to please people who love to access the inside of their pack throughout the day with ease. Especially on backpacks of this size, it can be difficult to unpack everything you brought along just to grab one thing. To help with this even more, there are two zippered side pockets on the Baltoro to keep things even more organized.
The hip belt pockets are large, able to hold more than most other packs. Although, we wish that the zipper could close one-handed. It’s a small nitpick that doesn’t distract from the fact that these might be our favorite hip belt pockets we tested. Continuing with minor complaints, the back stretch pocket is entirely mesh, which we don’t like for durability, but it works very well. We like to use this pocket for storing rain gear for quick access or shoving our insulating jacket away after warming up with it in the morning.
Durability
Made from thick 210D and 420D nylon, the Baltoro is designed to shrug off the hazards of nature with ease. And it mostly lives up to that in our opinion. We weren’t able to stress test this pack to anywhere close to its limits during this round of testing, but there’s only a few things that give us pause here.
The first is the use of mesh on the back stretch pocket. These types of pockets have been popular for years. Recently, however, manufacturers have been moving away from full mesh implementations toward solid face fabrics complemented with more durable stretch materials. The back pocket is one of the areas most subjected to heavy wear, so we were disappointed this pocket hasn’t been upgraded from mesh. It helps that the mesh is at least high quality but it still doesn’t inspire as much confidence as solid fabric.
The side pockets are also mesh – another area where we would like to see some improvement in the future. Especially since Gregory has an excellent water bottle holster on one side, there’s not much need for stretch mesh here. Upgrading to a more durable fabric would allow for stuffing trekking poles or other sharper objects without worry.
Gregory uses fabrics that are 45% and 40% recycled for their 210D and 420D materials, and uses non-PFAS based DWR treatment. We’d like to see these values improve in the future, but the effort here is worth noting.
Ease of Use
Like a lot of complicated backpacks, the Baltoro can get overwhelming to use due to the dizzying array of features. However, it manages to make each feature reasonably easy to use on its own, which adds up to an overall decent experience. That being said it can be difficult to understand exactly what you’re supposed to do with all these features unless you’re experienced with this pack and know how it operates. Users will grow more comfortable with them over time, but it’s worth familiarizing yourself with this pack’s features before taking it out into the backcountry.
One of the biggest usability areas that most backpacks stumbled over is water bottle access. Thankfully, Gregory seems to have solved this with a side holster pocket that works great. Smartwater bottles and Nalgene bottles fit without issue and can be accessed easily. We wish more backpacks had this feature – and that Gregory would introduce it into its other backpacks as well.
Should You Buy the Gregory Baltoro 75 Backpack?
If you’re in the market for a pack that can haul heavy loads, then the Baltoro is our favorite for that task. However, most weekend backpackers are not carrying 50 plus pounds, nor should they. Most people will find a more comfortable experience with a lighter and more affordable pack that fits their needs better. That being said, if you’re the type of backpacker doing heavy hauling, then we can enthusiastically recommend this pack. It’s wonderful to use, comfortable, and should last a long time of use.
What Other Backpacking packs Should You Consider?
If you’re not looking for a heavy gear hauler, it’s worth checking out our full backpacking backpack gear guide to find a pack that suits your needs better.
Osprey Aether 65 Review – The closest competitor to the baltoro is the Aether, which is a more comfortable pack that’s technically rated for a higher weight than the Baltoro. We recommend trying them both on to see which suits your body shape best.
Gregory Paragon 58 Review – If you like the overall style of the Baltoro but don’t need all the features or load carrying ability, then the Paragon should absolutely be on your list. It clinched our editor’s choice award for being the best overall backpack we tested.
Osprey Atmos 65 Review – If you love the Baltoro’s bells and whistles but don’t need the load capacity, then the Atmos might appeal to you. It sports a much lower carrying weight and throws in every Osprey feature.
