Granite Gear Crown 2

[windknot]

Thanks for providing this in-depth review. My 2014 Six Moon Designs Fusion 65 (39 oz) is still going strong (6 years of intermittent usage), but I'll eventually need to replace it so I've been eyeing the Crown2 as my next probable pack for whenever the Fusion kicks the bucket.

I'm in that in-between category of backpacker where traditional load haulers are overbuilt and too heavy for my needs, but I regularly carry 30-35 lbs so frameless ultralight packs are out. So if I don't want to spend $250+ for a pack that weighs <2.5 lbs, then my options seem to be limited to the Osprey Exos 58 or the GG Crown2 60. The Crown2 comes on sale more often than the Exos 58, so the former seems to be my best option for getting a pack under $150 if I wait around for a deal.

[michaelzim]

Erutan... I'm with Daisy on this one. In my big pack try-out the GG Crown 2 was the most uncomfortable thing I had put on in a long time! I was somewhat flabbergasted at that as was hoping otherwise from the rave reviews and all. I guess all I can say is we are indeed very individual in what gear works and what does not. Glad it was a winner for you!
As a P.S. your generous postings (not just gear) is nudging me to maybe do a: "What new UL type gear has really worked for me" post soon, as I pretty much replaced EVERYTHING last year (after decades with some stuff). I have some very definite opinions about results - from penknives and flashlights to trail shoes and water bottles.
Thanks again ~ Michaelzim

[Harlen]

Erutan... I'm with you on this one. (See how individual all of our backs are.) I've been using and abusing the very same GG backpack as yours for at least 3 full years now- summer and winter trips, and so far, so good. The narrowness you noted does make it a good pack for climbing and skiing; it's the lightest pack I've yet owned- at just under 3 lbs., it saved me 4 lbs. in pack weight alone! Some more of its good points are that the hip belt pockets work easily, and hold much, whereas on my recent trip, my friend was cursing an Osprey pack for the impossibility of opening the hip pockets without great effort. The floating lid is adequate for all the excess tents and stuff that cannot fit inside the pack. I have thought to sew an extension of 6" on to each lid strap in order to accomodate more.
A Bearvault 500 fits horizontally.... Finally, I have no problem with the feel of the backpiece. The only weird thing is that after packing the pack fully, it has an odd shape, arching away from my body, so I put my knee into the backpiece, and pull it into the curving shape I need before putting it on.
On the 8 day trip we just returned from, I stuffed it with 47 lbs. of too much gear, and on the second day, due to Bearzy's limping, I added all of Bearzy's pack full of dog food and books, and brandy onto mine (Bearzy reads and laps up brandy through the night)-- so I had more than 55 lbs. in and on my GG backpack. It's performance definitely suffered from this overload, though nothing tore or broke. These light packs just do not carry big weight as neatly as do the large capacity, heavy old packs, but who wants to carry a ton anyway?

I really hope it proves to be a good pack for you. Lizzie has a new blue GG pack now too, and also likes it fine.

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Climbing trip with GG pack filled with rope and rack on top of the usual.

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Lizzie's new GG pack.

[erutan]

It definitely has a different feel to it, and I can see some either liking or hating it. I feel like it sort of makes me want to have better posture (I'm slouched in front of a laptop a lot of the time) but it's not a bad thing. Out from another 8 day trip and my opinion hasn't changed much - the shoulder straps seem to be conforming to me a bit better, but I do wish they were a little less firmly shaped. The main reasons I bought it was:

1) I carried it around with the max rated weight for 45 min and it felt good. I don't think I would have gotten it blind, and wasn't really considering it at first.

2) I wouldn't have to wait weeks (ULA, Zpacks, etc) and I don't think I needed the Dyneema enough to order a hyperlite from REI.

3) Chatting with one of the more knowledgable workers (Sam) at MMS and bouncing ideas off of him who had been using it for a while.

4) Having the 10% locals / non-contiguous thru-hiker discount was icing on the cake.

Harlen - I agree that the hip pockets are really roomy, and easy to open. At least brand new the DWR coating works well - items inside them stayed dry through a moderately intense downpour or two. The side pockets fit a lot too - having more items easily accessible is nice.

Another nice thing I forgot to mention is that the glorious adjustable hip belt is replaceable. So if it becomes crushed and sad before the fabric gives out I can get a new one.

One downside is that items in the pack can dig into your back if not packed thoughtfully - I was noticing my stake bag once or twice. :/

@michealzim - glad you've been finding my contributions useful. I never really get around to doing real trip reports, but I find the XC passes section very useful so try and focus there to help flesh it out / add bypasses / clarify misunderstandings. There's a few pieces of kit I've really enjoyed recently as well (the lightsmith nitecore NU25 is a great headlamp) - at some point I might do a quick review of some as well. The pack was just fresh in my mind as I'd spent days researching it heh. I tend to stagger upgrades as pieces of gear fail - most of my gear aside from my tents are on the UL side of things, if somewhat conservative on temperature ratings / r values.

[jeremiahkim]

I've had my Crown 2 since the summer of 2017 and have been very happy with it. IMO, the price/weight/features ratio is almost unbeatable. And in terms of bear can, I can fit my Garcia can sideways. I do have a slim/long torso, so it really works for me.

This being the fifth summer, there are definite signs of wear. Both side pockets have small holes where my rod holder/water bottles usually sit from abrasions and the bottom is thinning out in places. Most notably, I've duct taped one thin spot as a precaution. The photo is pointed at where the thinning spot is, and it looks better than most packs I see at REI Garage Sales these days.

I've started to think about what my next pack might be, but I think that this pack still has a lot of life still left.