Torso-Tuned Lightweight Backpacks

Utah-based backpack makers Gregory Mountain Products have a brand philosophy that states that great backpacks should be worn rather than carried, a simple yet all-encompassing attitude that's perfectly exemplified by its updated Paragon range of lightweight backs. Fitted with such novel features as adjustable torso length and a flexible hipbelt that compensates for every stride, skip and twitch of your body in the great and unpredictable outdoors, the Paragon backpacks are well and truly the culmination of generations of hiker and backpacker dreams

Anyone who's ever ventured into the outdoors in search of genuine nature immersion and adventure knows that a backpack is not merely an accessory to carry your belongings, but is effectively an extension of your body. When thoughtfully designed and equipped with the ability to adapt to your frame, your unique movements and the outdoor environment in which you find yourself, a backpack can elevate your experience from painful to pleasurable, and from merely enjoyable to ecstatic.

This is exactly what the latest and greatest range of Paragon lightweight backpacks deliver. Among their suite of top-of-the-line features is the Aerolon adjustable torso, the length of which can be quickly and easily adjusted for a perfect fit. The backpack also comes with adjustable FreeFloat Hybrid suspension that makes use of a pair of flex panels in the lower back that ensure that the backpack doesn't bob around in a jerking motion when you're hiking, but rather flows seamlessly with the natural movements of your body. There's no such thing as walking a straight, flat line when you're out hiking, which is where the flexible panels prove to be a godsend in the manner in which they help you maintain your balance and stability whether you're jogging down a slope, scrambling up a hill or skipping across a slippery riverbed. What's more, the panels are integrated into the hipbelt, ensuring that the comformity isn't restricted to any particular part of your body, making for a genuinely all-encompassing body-hugging fit.

The Paragon backpacks also feature a foam backpanel that is designed to keep the weight optimally close to the center of gravity for the sake of stability, whilst also mitigating contact from the backpack, allowing for airflow and preventing discomfort and rubbing on long hikes.

Incredibly, this isn't where the Paragon's virtues end, but rather just where they begin. Every inch of this backpack seems to have been designed with utter attention to detail and taking into account the feedback of hikers of every stripe. From the zipper hipbelt pockets that allow for easy access to water and your shell jacket to the full-length side zipper and oversized front pocket that let you reach into more substantial storage spaces, the Paragon is designed to ensure that you can grab accessories without having to set the backpack down and rummage through it in search of your belongings.

The designers at Gregory Mountain Products also clearly appreciate hikers' affinity to carry around different sorts of gear and accessories, which is why the Paragon backpacks feature an attachment loop for your trekking poles or axe, as well as molded webbing holders and zippers to help you keep your straps in check rather flaying all over the place while you're on the move.

Now all the torso-tuning, weight-balancing, airflow-inducing and accessory-organizing features in the universe won't stop you from getting thirsty when you're on the move, which is why the Paragon backpacks come fitted with an internal hydration sleeve with the proprietary SpeedClip setup, allowing you to embed the 3D Hydro reservoir for immediate access to drinking water when you need it. The aforementioned attention to detail also includes such features as a secure, sunglass-storing stash on the shoulder harness to an easily accessible sleeping bag compartment at the bottom of the backpack, not to mention raincover that comes with its own zippered pocket for additional storage and organization.

If the list of the exceptional performance and convenience features of the Paragon backpacks leaves you gobsmacked, consider that these backpacks start at a weight of under three pounds. Available in 48-liter, 58-liter and 68-liter variations, the Paragon backpacks are poised to truly redefine this product category, driving home the point that a great backpack is well and truly an extension of oneself rather than a load to carry.