Gregory Compass 40L Backpack for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

I've been using this pack every day for a couple of months and I'm pretty happy with it. It carries reasonably well as a backpack, and the cavernous main compartment works great as a gym bag for indoor climbing gear, running shoes, etc. The top compartment is great for small stuff, and the laptop compartment is easy to access and holds a full-size 13" laptop. I occasionally use the separate "wet gear" compartment, but I'd still like the pack even without this. Of the other duffel-bag/backpack combos that I've used (Patagonia Black Hole, North Face Base Camp), this one has the best compression straps and carries best as a backpack. It's a perfect gym bag for a bike commuter. Durability seems good; it still looks pretty much brand new. The main zipper is a nice big one and should last for years.

It's a well thought out hybrid between a duffel and a backpack. Fits perfectly within maximum carry on dimensions, it provides greater access to its contents than a backpack, and there's just enough organization to keep the essentials at hand. My one gripe is that the zipper for the back panel could wrap around the side of the pack just a bit further-- it would help the bag maintain its shape when the main compartment is open. It's not a deal breaker, but it's certainly noticeable when you're carrying a laptop in the dedicated pocket. Quibbles aside, it's a nice travel bag for those of us who loathe checking luggage, and want easier long-distance portage than a duffel typically provides.

I stumbled on this bag while looking for a backpack for my ten-day trip to eastern Europe and Scandinavia. It looked perfect, but I couldn’t find any truly in-depth reviews on it.I love my Gregory “camping” backpack, so I took a chance on it and I’m so glad I did. This bag is incredible. It’s the perfect hybrid between a day bag and a overnight backpackers bag (a size that's surprisingly hard to find). It’s big without being gigantic and fits everything I needed with space to spare. I loved the absence of a hip belt, I’m not climbing freaking mountains, I’m walking cobblestones… It also has a removable sternum trap which I stowed immediately. The top pocket is pretty big and will fit an iPad, kindle, extra battery, passports, candy canes, etc with space to spare, so you don’t have to worry about accessibility. Which brings me to my favorite part about the bag. It’s not top loading. Hallelujah. If you’ve never had the joy of flinging shirts shoes and socks trying to find something at the bottom of your bag you’re lying. This bag has one giant zipper flap that rests on your back when it’s slung. It opens and packs like typical roller luggage, but gives you the option of packing it to the brim or going light and tightening the compression straps. It also has a laptop sleeve that stacks on top of the general access zipper. I thought this would make it uncomfortable but I honestly didn't even notice my Macbook Air. The best bonus was that it was just the right size to carry on for smaller airlines with stricter size limitations like Wizz Air, Air Baltic, SAS, etc. Mind you I didn’t pack it to the brim, and you probably won’t either once you see how much space you have to play with.