This post may contain affiliate links.

Gregory Zulu 55 Backpack Review

Gregory Zulu 55 Backpack Review

The Gregory Zulu 55 is a ventilated, adjustable frame backpack designed for carrying big loads with or without a bear canister. Weighing 4 lbs 2 oz, this new version (2023) is about a half pound heavier than its predecessor due to increased hipbelt padding enabling the pack to carry up to 50 lbs, or 10 more pounds than its predecessor. The new Zulu 55 is also made with heavier-duty, PFC-free recycled polyester to improve its durability and reduce its carbon footprint. However, this latest model does not include a rain cover, a feature that was once standard on Gregory’s multi-day packs but has been discontinued on some models to reduce waste, since according to Gregory, many people don’t require one.

Specs at Glance

  • Weight: 4 lbs 2 oz
  • Volume (liters): 55L (65L, 45L, 30L also available)
  • Gender: Male, the corresponding women’s model is the Jade 53.
  • Frame type: Internal
  • Frame Type: Alloy Steel Frame
  • Adjustable Torso Length: Yes
  • Ventilated: Yes
  • Pack Access: Top/Front Panel/Sleeping Bag
  • Exterior Pockets: 6
  • Rain Cover: Not included
  • Load lifters: Yes
  • Hipbelt pockets: Yes
  • Hydration-compatible: Yes
  • Bear Canister Compatibility: While a BV500 can fit horizontally in the main compartment, it makes the side pockets difficult to use and I’d recommend using a BV475 size instead. A BV500 also fits under the floating lid when stacked over the main compartment.
  • Torso Sizes:  (M/L: 18″ – 22″ / 45.7 – 55.9 cm),  (S/M: 15″ – 19″ / 38.1 – 48.3 cm)
  • Hip belt sizes: (M/L: 27″ – 53″ / 68.5 – 134.2 cm), (S/M: 25″ – 48″ / 63.5 – 121.9 cm)
  • Pack Body: 40% Recycled 400D Polyester Ripstop with PFC-Free DWR; Pack-Bottom: 420D Nylon with PFC-Free DWR

Backpack Frame and Suspension

The Zulu 55 is a big pack capable of carrying 50lb loads.
The Zulu 55 is a big pack capable of carrying 50lb loads.

The Zulu 55 is an internal frame backpack with a ventilated, adjustable-length torso. It’s designed to carry heavy loads, up to 50 lbs, including bear canisters if required, so it has a much beefier hipbelt and suspension system than you’ll find on packs designed to carry substantially lighter loads in the 30 lb range. In addition to its steel perimeter frame, it comes with an anti-barrelling stay which is a horizontal bar in the frame that prevents a bear canister from poking you in the back if you have to carry one.

The Zulu frame has an adjustable-length torso, so you can dial in a custom fit, which is quite helpful on larger-capacity backpacks because keeping the weight off your shoulders and on your hips is even more important. The length of the torso is easy to adjust by releasing the velcro yoke that connects the shoulder straps to the frame. Sizing is marked on the yoke so you can keep track of your preferred torso length and adjust it accordingly. The velcro holds firmly when reattached and won’t slip under load.

The torso length is easy to adjust by raising or lowing the shoulder strap yoke.
The torso length is easy to adjust by raising or lowing the shoulder strap yoke.

The shoulder straps are connected to the frame by load lifter straps and are covered by breathable mesh. The shoulder pads are S-shaped, so they’ll be comfortable regardless of your upper body physique, including men or women. The shoulder straps have external sunglass holders and hydration loops, while a sliding sternum strap makes it easy to adjust the strap height depending on your preference and chest size.

The shoulder straps have an exagerated S-shape making them comfortable for all men, regardless of chest size.
The shoulder straps have an exaggerated S-shape making them comfortable for all men, regardless of chest size.

The Zulu 55 is also ventilated with a mesh backing that flows seamlessly over the pre-curved hip belt and gently wraps around your waist. While the area behind the mesh is curved to enable airflow, it doesn’t intrude noticeably into the pack’s main compartment or interfere with packing. The Zulu hip belt has a single center buckle and closes with pull-forward straps for mechanical advantage.

The Zulu’s frame is a 360-degree loop that terminates in the hipbelt behind your hips for excellent load transfer. It flexes naturally when you walk and scramble, providing excellent torsional flex and stability. The bottom lumbar area at the base of the frame is covered with free-floating padding that adapts naturally to your body shape and doesn’t cause any unwanted pressure in this sensitive area. When the pack is loaded, the ventilated mesh wraps gently around your mid back and shoulders, so the pack is aligned with your torso and not pulling you backward as some ventilated backpacks can. The hipbelt wings are also designed to adapt to changes in your hip angle, for example as you scramble, to provide a body-fitting hug that keep the load better aligned with your core muscles.

The Zulu 55 is a ventilated mesh backpack that is more comfortable in hot and humid weather.
The Zulu 55 is a ventilated mesh backpack that is more comfortable in hot and humid weather.

Backpack Storage and Organization Setup

The Zulu 55 is a conventional alpine-style backpack with a floating top lid. The top lid has two zippered pockets, one on top and one on the underside of the lid with a key fob. The floating lid is attached to the pack with four webbing straps and can be raised 4 inches if you need to overstuff the pack and use the extra extension collar at the top of the main compartment. You can also use the lid to hold over-size items between the lid and the top of the main compartment including a BV500 bear canister, since the lid is wide enough to cover it lengthwise: doing this does compromise the packability of the top lid pockets however.

 

The zipper around the front stretch pocket provides panel access.
The zipper around the front stretch pocket provides panel access.

The main compartment can be accessed in one of three ways: from the top through a drawstring closure under the top lid, through a front panel that zips closed around the front mesh pocket, and through a sleeping bag hatch. Panel access is very convenient for travel because you can access deeply buried gear without having to unpack the pack’s contents. There’s also a separate sleeping bag hatch at the base of the pack with an optional shelf in the interior to wall off a sleeping bag compartment if you want one.

The pack has two side mesh pockets that can be used to hold gear or water bottles. The mesh covering these pockets is quite robust and tear-resistant. The front of these pockets has a holster-style opening so you can reach back and pull a bottle out one-handed or replace it while wearing the pack. This feature works best with 1L Nalgene bottles: longer soda and water bottles have a tendency to pop out of the pockets when you bend over or set the pack down on the ground. You can still carry taller water bottles, but you have to position them vertically toward the rear of the side pockets to do so.

The side bottle pockets work best with shorter squat 1L Nalgene bottles and not tall narrow soda bottles, which have a tendency to fall out of the front holster slots.
The side bottle pockets work best with shorter squat 1L Nalgene bottles and not tall narrow soda bottles, which have a tendency to fall out of the front holster slots.

The front stretch mesh pocket is fairly narrow and best used for stuffing coats and other layers into. But it’s not wide or large enough to store a pair of crocs in, for instance. It too is covered with the same heavy-duty mesh found on the side pockets, with a small weave that won’t catch on overhanging shrubs and vegetation.

Finally, the hip belt has two oversized zippered pockets. Both are hard-faced for better durability and water resistance. They easily fit a Smartphone, point-and-shoot camera, or a days-worth of snack bars. They really are huge.

The hipbelt pockets are enormous and can easily hold a days-worth of snack bars.
The hipbelt pockets are enormous and can easily hold a days-worth of snack bars.

Backpack Compression and External Attachment System

The Zulu 55 has two tiers of side compression straps that both close with easy-to-use and glove-friendly squeeze buckles. This makes it a lot easier to secure gear, including snowshoes, to the sides of the pack if you need to carry heavy or bulky objects that won’t fit in the pack bag. You can also carry items between the top of the main compartment and the floating lid such as sleeping pads, tent bodies, or rope coils.

The Zulu 55 has two tiers of side compression straps and sleeping pad straps on the bottom and front of the pack.
The Zulu 55 has two tiers of side compression straps and sleeping pad straps on the bottom and front of the pack.

The Zulu 55 also comes with a pair of sleeping pad straps that originate at the base of the pack and connect to buckles just above the sleep bag hatch pocket. These are not removable straps, but it’s still a nice feature that helps extend the range of this 55L backpack.

The pack has a single ice axe loop on the front with an elastic shaft holder that can also be used to carry trekking poles on the front of the pack. There are however no daisy chains on the exterior of the pack because they’d interfere with the panel access zipper. The only exception to this is two gear loops on the top lid that could be used to hang a solar panel to the top of the pack.

Rear straps over the sleeping bag hatch let you carry a foam pad or tent body.
Rear straps over the sleeping bag hatch let you carry a foam pad or tent body.

Comparable Ventilated and Adjustable-Length Backpacks

The number of ventilated and adjustable-length backpacks available today is quite small, as you can see below.

Make / ModelWeightWomen's Version
Osprey Atmos AG 504 lbs 5 ozOsprey Aura AG 50
Osprey Rook 503 lbs 8 ozOsprey Renn 50
Osprey Aether AG 654 lbs 15 ozOsprey Ariel 55
Gregory Katmai 554 lbs 10 0zGregory Kalmia 50
Gregory Zulu 554 lbs 2 ozGregory Jade 53

Recommendation

Weighing just over 4.1 lbs, the Gregory Zulu 55 is a great pack for multi-day trips or overseas travel, with a variety of organization options and access methods that make it easy to pack and extract gear. It has a comfortable and lively backpacking pack with a back-hugging ventilated and adjustable frame. While its integrated mesh back panel and hip belt are comparable to Osprey’s AntiGravity (AG) suspension system, the Zulu is substantially lighter weight than the AG packs and has a less intrusive ventilation cavity that doesn’t pull you backward or interfere with packing the main compartment. But the thing about the Zulu 55 that really stands out for me is how natural it feels when you strap it on, especially the hipbelt. It doesn’t slip, at-all, and doesn’t create a lot of pressure on the hips, even when you pack really heavy. The new Zulu 55 is a keeper. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: Gregory donated a backpack for review.

SectionHiker is reader-supported. We only make money if you purchase a product through our affiliate links. Help us continue to test and write unsponsored and independent gear reviews, beginner FAQs, and free hiking guides.

9 comments

  1. I played with old 40 & 65 (no old 55 on hand) and new 45, 55, 65 at EMS for a few hours. The new one has much nicer fabric. Likely just be my body but preferred the carry of the old ones with about 30 lbs, YMMV. (at 71 and 135lbs can’t do 50 lbs nowadays).
    The REI member sale was on at the time so price difference was close enough not to matter. OTOH without the 3 oz rain cover mine weighs 3lb 8.36 oz. Saving a few ozs, a few bucks, & fit me better beat out nice fabric; I ended up with the old one.

    Bear Canister
    I wanted to replace a 20045 Aether 60 and specifically hoping to fit a Backpackers Cache horizontally. I set the bottom about 1-1/2″ below the the upper side straps. Tighten those a bit to keep it afloat. It slightly interferes with access to the shovit pocket, not enough to bother me. Can still access into the U pocket. I haven’t noticed an issue with the side pockets you mention but that may be what I use them for (water and tent poles). Bonus is the front “U” zipper makes it easier to take out in camp.

  2. Thank you, Philip, for the excellent review. I am wondering how much heavier the backpack will become in rain given the absence of a pack cover.

  3. really nice pack good to hear the good info on it>

  4. At least they’re not including the rain cover with your donated review-model like they tried to pull with the new Baltoro. Leaving it out, and claiming people don’t use raincovers is an embarrassing take by Gregory, especially this summer. Add +$40 more to get the raincover.

    It looks like shrinkflation also hit the sunglass stowage bungee that used to be on the left shoulder strap. Looks like they removed it altogether. Probably added $2.50 to the manufacturing costs. Funny, you heard nothing but positives about this feature from people when reviewing older packs. I often use it to keep the inReach mini from flopping around.

    I’d still consider a Gregory Pack, but they have been losing value lately with their cost cutting decisions while at the same time raising prices.

  5. It looks like the shoulder strap suspension is very similar to my older Baltoro 65. The hipbelt pockets on mine are insufficient. I’ve a very hefty fellow and my Baltoro fits nice and snug and carries forty pounds like a boss on knarley wet trails..

  6. I like the pack, especially comfort but the hip belt is too big for me. I wear 32-34 waist pants and I have to pull the straps all the way and there is still some slippage. With 38 lbs I start feeling it on front of my shoulders as my belt slides down. Misleading measurements

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Solve *