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Gregory Juno 24 Backpack Review

Gregory Juno 24 Backpack Review
The Gregory Juno 24 is a ventilated women’s daypack with an integrated mesh back panel and hip belt that cups your hips and torso like a second skin while keeping you cool and dry in hot and humid weather. Unlike many smaller backpacks, the Juno 24 has a fully-featured hip belt with large hip belt pockets and a wire perimeter frame so it carries like a much larger pack, but won’t slow you down. For an extra $20, there is also a Juno 24 H2O version that comes bundled with a 3L hydration system.

Specs at a Glance

  • Volume: 24L
  • Weight: 1 lb 15 oz
  • Gender: Women’s
  • Type: Internal frame
  • Ventilation: Yes
  • External pockets: 5 + main
  • Torso sizing: one size: 14”-19”
  • Waist sizing: 27”-45”
  • Max recommended load: 20 lbs
  • Pack body: 210D Honeycomb CryptoRip Nylon / 420D High Density Nylon
  • Pack bottom: 420D High Density Nylon

Gregory Juno 24 Backpack

Comfort
Weight
Suspension
Features
Adjustability
Sizing
Durability

Great Ventilated Daypack

The Gregory Juno 24 is a sweet little pack that's great for day hiking. The ventilated suspension is super comfortable and effective when it comes to keeping you cool and drier on the trail. There are plenty of pockets to keep you organized and the construction is very durable.

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Backpack Storage and Organization

The Juno 24 has a U-shaped top zipper that provides easy access to the pack’s main compartment
The Juno 24 has a U-shaped top zipper that provides easy access to the pack’s main compartment

The Juno 24 is a panel-style daypack with a U-shaped top zipper that provides easy access to the contents of the main compartment. It easily holds all of the gear I need for a day hike including my first aid & emergency gear, plus a couple of clothing layers and rain gear. The main compartment has a hydration sleeve with a large port at the top for the hose that allows you to run the hose to the left or right.

There is a small pocket on the outside of the pack, on top, with a key clip. It can easily hold a few items that you might want quick and easy access to like insect repellent, sunscreen, or snacks. There is also a small mesh, zippered pocket near the top inside the main compartment. This is another great place to securely store small items you want to squirrel away so you don’t lose track of them during the day.

The side water bottle pockets are made with a sturdy mesh and are large enough to hold 1L Nalgene bottles. Reaching and returning any water bottles from the side pockets while wearing the pack is difficult. It can be done, but it’s a bit awkward and I’d recommend using a hydration system with this pack instead or just buying the Juno H20 Hydration Bundle.

The hip belt pockets are quite big which is really nice on a pack of this volume. They will easily hold snacks, a cell phone or small camera, or any number of other small items. A lot of daypacks of this volume only have webbing straps for hip belts, so this is a nice upgrade in functionality.

The Juno 24 has large hip belt pockets which is nice touch on a pack of this volume
The Juno 24 has large hip belt pockets which is nice touch on a pack of this volume

The Juno also has a stretch pocket on the front, which is good for stuffing loose layers like a rain jacket or hat.

External Attachment Points

The Juno 24 has a system for attaching trekking poles on the front of the back on the sides of the stretch pocket. It’s a simple webbing loop and bungee attachment, but it gets the job done. If you wanted to carry a sit pad too, you’d have to stuff it into the front stretch pocket.

Backpack Frame and Suspension

The Juno 24’s ventilated suspension system is the secret sauce that makes this pack such a winner. The back panel consists of suspended mesh that’s fully integrated with the hip belt which is oriented for a proper female fit. The 3D cradle hip belt is padded and covered with the same breathable mesh on the back of the pack while the belt webbing has a generous length.

The Juno 24 has a ventilated back with suspended mesh to keep you dry when hiking.
The Juno 24 has a ventilated back with suspended mesh to keep you dry when hiking.

It’s pretty darn comfortable and it moves with you quite well. I’m a fan of ventilated packs, especially ones that combine the back panel and hip belt into a seamless unit.  I used to be skeptical about whether significant ventilation really does anything, but it does. It won’t keep you from sweating completely in all conditions, but I believe there is definitely an improvement.

The Juno 24 is designed for women with female-specific shoulder straps and a hip belt
The Juno 24 is designed for women with female-specific shoulder straps and a hip belt.

This pack also has a women’s specific perforated shoulder harness covered with the same mesh as the hip belt. It also has a sternum strap with an integrated whistle and a hydration clip on the shoulder strap. The left shoulder strap also has a bungee designed to hold sunglasses which is a handy feature. If you only like to wear sunglasses in the sun and want to take them off as soon as you hit shade, it’s nice to have a convenient place to put them without taking off your pack.

Comparable Women’s Daypacks

Make / ModelSizingRaincover
Osprey Tempest 20Adjustable
Deuter Speed Lite 22 SLFixed Length
Deuter Trail 28 SLFixed LengthIncluded
Osprey Sirrus 24AdjustableIncluded
REI Trail 25Fixed LengthIncluded
Mystery Ranch Scree 33Adjustable
REI Traverse 32Fixed LengthIncluded
Gregory Jade 28AdjustableIncluded

Recommendation

The Gregory Juno 24 is a sweet little pack that’s great for day hiking. The ventilated suspension is super comfortable and effective when it comes to keeping you cool and drier on the trail. There are plenty of pockets to keep you organized and the construction is very durable. I also own a Gregory Jade 33 that I like a lot, and the Juno 24 feels pretty similar on my back. The color choices are orange, grey, and a muted aqua color called Spruce Blue. I personally like that Gregory’s women’s pack colors have migrated away from the pinks and purples and are more neutral now. The Juno 24’s H2O version has some slightly different colors available. If you are in the market for a hydration system, the package deal may be a good choice for you.

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Disclosure: The author owns this backpack.

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About the author

Wanda Rice has been backpacking since the late 1980’s. She has climbed the New Hampshire 48, the New Hampshire 48 in winter, the New England 67, the New England Hundred Highest, and the Four-Season 48. Wanda also teaches for the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Mountain Leadership School, the AMC New Hampshire Chapter Spring and Winter Schools as well as the AMC NH Winter Hiking Series. She leads day and overnight trips for AMC NH year-round and loves mentoring new leaders. She is a gear junkie, a self-proclaimed Queen of Gear Hacks, and loves sharing her tips and tricks with others. Wanda lives in southern NH and is looking forward to moving closer to the mountains in the next few years.

3 comments

  1. I am looking at the Jade 33 and the Juno 30. I will be doing several lengthy day hikes. In your opinion, since you own both, which would you suggest? I have tried on the Gregory Jade 38 and loved the hugging feel and support. Thank you in advance!

    • If you like the Jade 38, I’d just get that. 38L is a bit big for a day pack, but it’s also a good size for more ‘extreme’ day hiking so you can carry layers, extra food, and water. The 33L is also a good option. It really just depends on how much gear you plan to carry.

  2. found your reviews really helpful when searching for a ventilated daysack lately – thank you! Gregory doesn’t seem to be well known in the UK for some reason so it was reading various reviews and comparison pages which led me to stumble across them and at last, the kind of bag I was after existed! Pleased with the Juno 24 so far.

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