Lucy Wallace finds the Gregory Maven 55 impressively spacious after rigorous testing – but adds a few caveats to her review.
The Gregory Maven 55 is a great mix of features and low weight, but it does come with a couple of caveats.
Lucy Wallace’s verdict
This pack is impressively spacious for its size and stated volume with a brilliant floating lid.- lightweight
- roomy
- well-featured
- two sizes available
- bulky shoulder straps
- lightweight fabric
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: $194.96 / £220 – available from Cotswold Outdoor Weight: 1646g (S/M) Materials: 210/100D high density nylon, 50% recycled polyester Features: adjustable back system, zipped hip and lid pocket, mesh side pockets, rain cover, internal divider, pouch for hydration system, side compression straps, zipped lower entry point and bottom straps, floating lid Volume: 55l Sizes: XS/S and S/M Women/Mens version: Paragon range eu.gregorypacks.com |
This pack is impressively spacious for its size and stated volume. Its wide design makes packing easy, and it is loaded with generous pockets – mesh ones on the sides and front, plus two zipped pockets in the lid and extras on the hip belt.
The rain cover is stored in the internal lid pocket, which can be a bit annoying if, like me, you use that space for small valuables like car keys. I rarely use rain covers and it’s easily removed. One of my favourite features is the floating lid. It allows you to dramatically expand the pack’s capacity beyond its stated 55 litres, which is great for when you need the extra space.
The Maven is versatile enough for multi-day trips in the mountains, especially if you’re using lighter weight, less volumous gear. The pack comes in two back lengths, which should in theory allow for a tailored fit. The back system is easily adjustable in seconds thanks to a hook-and-loop fastening. However, the fit is where I ran into problems.
The shoulder straps are stiff and bulky and the contouring wasn’t quite right for me, and so were quite uncomfortable. Otherwise, the rest of the harness and back system performed well, transferring the load effectively to the hip belt.
The main fabric is 210D. I couldn’t fully assess durability during a relatively short testing period, but this feels a bit light for a pack designed to carry heavy loads and endure rough use.
Testing conditions
Lucy tested this pack in a variety of conditions on overnight camps in Scotland and Wales. Weights are supplied are from Lucy’s home scales.
This review was first published in the August 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors magazine. Compare it with others in our guide to the best backpacking packs.
