Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions

Free Standard Shipping in the US on orders over $99

Gregory Paragon & Maven Backpacks

details

reviews4

photos0

discussions50

01 / 46

ALL PRODUCTS

Gregory Paragon & Maven Backpacks

Where's the price?

To negotiate the best possible price for our customers, we agree to hide prices prior to logging in.

636 requests

Product Description

Available in a range of sizes suitable for everything from day hikes to long weekends in the mountains, the Gregory Paragon and women’s-specific Maven backpacks are sleek and nimble yet fully featured. Each uses the company’s new Aerolon suspension for comfortable, load-stabilizing support and reduced energy expenditure on the trail Read More

Sort by: Top Conversations

jimbolaya

104

Apr 24, 2017

I just got one of these, and so far, I'm impressed. I usually strive to pack light/ultralight, but when backpacking with my wife and son, I sometimes find myself acting as the pack mule, carrying most of the food and therefore weight. It's for those trips that I got the Paragon 58.
What i I like best about this pack is the way it plants itself in my lumbar. My usual pack (Osprey Exos 48) slips from my lumbar when I go above 25 pounds or so, putting more weight on my shoulders instead of my hips.
Not so with this pack. I've loaded it with more than 30 pounds, purposely overpacking for an overnight trip, it stays firmly planted. I put in about 18 miles so far with the pack, and while that's not a lot, I've already decided it's a keeper.
If you are like me and need a pack to handle occasional heavy loads, or if you're considering (or moving from) a heavier pack like the Baltoro or Osprey Atmos, I strongly recommend you take a look at the Paragon instead. While hardly ultralight, it is lighter than those packs, while still handling loads of 30-40 pounds easily.

View 9 More Replies

heyheynicolep

Jul 25, 2017

My apologies for my slow reply. I was out in the mountains for a while! I honestly don't notice if it vents well or not. It's only the second pack I've ever owned after my Gregory Shasta. I just carried this pack in the Wind River Range and it is very comfortable and carries the load well. The creaking I noticed in the beginning is fading. Sorry I can't speak specifically to the ventilation. I've been on some really warm trips with it and haven't thought to myself "I really wish this pack vented better" so I guess it's not too bad!

charliez

Jun 9, 2018

I have the Paragon 68 and I like it so far, have not tried it in a long hike, but will at the end of summer. I had an Osprey Atmos 65, which I like the number of compartments it has, BUT, it slides from my waist. At the beginning I thought that it was due to excessive weight but it was slipping at the end of the hike, with almost half the weight. Returned it and went with the Paragon.

Vote

Hilwith1L

Nov 18, 2017

I hiked the John Muir Trail this August-September with the Maven 65L. This was my first ever backpacking trip (yeah, when I go, I go big..) and this was also my first backpack, so I spent months comparing and researching brands and models. Months, as in I was on a first-name basis with Alex at REI Arcadia (shoutout to Alex!) and visited the store at least twice a week. But all that crazy obsession/dedication paid off, because the Maven was pretty much my best friend on the trail! This pack is AWESOME!
It being my first backpacking trip, I was having to outfit myself with a lot of gear. While I wasn't quite ready to drop the BIG bucks on truly ultralight gear, I did take the opportunity to find that sweet spot between weight and cost savings. I set modest goals for my big-3 weight, and knew that since I would be carrying a more traditional backpacking tent, camera gear, and a bear can full of 10+ days of food, I'd likely need a pack that could handle some weight comfortably. The Maven was that pack. This pack manages to provide all the bells and whistles as the traditional favorites, while still being lighter weight overall. The suspension and "carry" doesn't feel compromised or watered down. The pack wears fantastically well, and in 225+ miles of walking with it, I never once had a single complaint. Not one. Seriously.
I could talk all day about the fit and features of this pack, but to give you an overall idea of how "worth it" it is (for me)... Through a stroke of that obsessive dedication I mentioned earlier, and some seriously good luck, I managed to get my hands on Gregory Deva 68L at an REI Used Gear Sale. The pack was in brand new condition, only the inner sidekick hydration sleeve was dusty. The price was $99. I had an $88 dividend, making the price $11! I could buy my first backpack for a whopping $11. It was the deal of a lifetime, how lucky could I get? But there was a problem. I had loaded up the Deva, and spent 3 hours walking circles around the store. The Deva was a fine pack, with some awesome features, including a few I missed on the Maven. But something about it just wasn't right. It was like it was lacking a "spring in its step." I knew that the Maven was the better pack, for me, for this trip, and for future adventures. It was lighter, fit better, felt much more streamlined, yet still handled a heavy load like a dream. Only the Maven was full price. Was I willing to pass up an $11 pack? Yes, I was. Because I knew the Maven was well worth it, and it did not disappoint. If you are new to backpacking and dont have all the expensive ultralight gear or anticipate occasionally carrying loads in the 30-40lbs range, I would HIGHLY recommend the Maven!

View 4 More Replies

debmonster

Sep 2, 2018

Hilwith1LDid you use a bear canister on your JMT trip? I'm thinking about getting the Maven 65 for longer backpack trips, especially when I'll be carrying my Bearikade Weekender can. Hard to tell from the dimensions if it will fit with room to spare.

Vote

Hilwith1L

Sep 2, 2018

debmonsterYep! I carried the Bear Vault 500, which fit horizontally in the Maven 65 and had no issues with space. I‘m not positive, but I think the Weekender is similar in size or smaller than the BV500. At any rate you could always orient the canister vertically and it would fit easily.

badlucktv

Sep 3, 2018

Can anyone comment on the ventilation on the Paragon? I'm a hot blooded person stuck in the sunny paradise of Australia and would normally not consider anything that wasn't full mesh (think Gregory Optic or Osprey ZeroG), but this looks tempting.

Brett919

128

Sep 4, 2018

badlucktvI've carried my 58 on some Appalachian Trail and other mountain hikes this summer, a couple weeks worth, in the hot, rainy, muggy Mid-Atlantic area. I haven't really thought of it as being too hot at all, to me it's not bad enough to complain about. One day I had it on for 7 or 8 hours without taking it off. The last day of my last hike my shirt was totally soaked at the end, but the front was nearly as wet as the back. I'll take the extra heat over a pack that holds the weight away from my back though, the Osprey AG packs don't want to change direction with me when I make a sharp turn, and they don't support their listed max weight in my experience. If the AG worked for me I would be using it though, just for the extra ventilation, and the out-the -front water bottle pocket on each side as opposed to just one side on my 58.

badlucktv

Sep 4, 2018

Brett919Thanks for the input, really appreciate the experience - can't beat that.

Allen404

Jun 8, 2018

I recently bought a paragon 58 at REI. wish I had waited and got this deal would have save me about 60 bucks.

papertowels

Jun 9, 2018

Allen404well REI does have free 1 year returns.

Cat_Daddy

Dec 22, 2017

I own and use the 58L Paragon and have tested it on the AT in Georgia. So far, I am very happy. I wanted to like the Osprey packs with the AG suspension, but they never felt right on me. I think they are for narrower framed people. The Paragon felt right in the store with a load and that feeling has carried through on the trail. It’s lighter than the Osprey (almost 5 pounds) at 3-1/2 pounds and that’s before you remove the hydration sleeve/day pack and the lid/brain. My phone fits in the hip belt pocket, but I do wish they were bigger. I’d prefer daisy chains on the shoulder straps over the sunglasses holder. Otherwise, it has met my expecrations. It’s not an ultralight pack, but it is light for a full-featured pack that can carry a week’s worth of supplies itch an impressive suspension system. Also, the lumbar pad sticks to your lower back as intentioned and helps keep the load on your hips.

Fishy_1990

Jun 9, 2018

I'm not sure what is better for my needs, Zulu 40 or the paragon. Any advice??

Wonkwonk

Jul 15, 2018

Fishy_1990You'd have to explain what your needs are.

lha_luke

Jun 8, 2018

I love this pack. I have the Paragon 48 and use it for overnight or light multi-day backpacking, as well as travelling. Tons of great storage and gear attachment, and its super comfortable. Get this pack!

jspiers

Jun 7, 2018

I bought the Paragon 38 for my 3-month backpacking trip through SE Asia. I wanted the biggest possible pack that fits within virtually all airline carry-on limits, and that could also be used for (carefully-planned) overnight hiking trips. I haven't used it for the latter yet, but it performed excellently for my Asia trip. I did notice several other travelers carrying on bigger packs that I had looked at, even though they technically are too large for airline carry-on, but I don't regret my Paragon 38 because it gives me the peace of mind of knowing I'm within the max dimensions, as long as I keep the weight down.

Wonkwonk

Jun 8, 2018

jspiersIs it just the s/m or the m/l too that fits the specs? presumably the large is a few inches taller.

Vote

jspiers

Jun 8, 2018

WonkwonkGood question. I have the M/L and it fits. I probably should specify that if it is packed full, it is technically too tall because the top cover will puff up beyond the end of the frame, but if not full, the frame length itself is within the limits. That said, I have carried it on while packed quite full without any trouble from airlines. It's just nice to know that if I did have trouble, I could probably just pull out clothes from the pack and wear them all to make the pack fit. :)