ProView – Gregory Women’s Nano 20 Plus Size

I was really stoked to try out the Gregory Nano 20. I don’t use daypacks a whole lot, but I was able to take this cutie out for a walkabout on a local trail and used it for a carry on during a weekend trip.

I like day packs that can fit all the essentials for a day hike including a few extra layers, food, water, emergency kit and anything else I might need that is hike dependent. The fit is probably the most important factor when I look through my daypack selection and I really like packs that have some padding in the shoulder straps. 

Fit/Comfort 

The fit of the Nano 20 was off for my body. The shoulder straps were too long and didn’t fit my body so it created a gapping effect that was awkward. They were also very flat with no padding. I don’t expect day packs to have much padding, but having almost none made it feel cheap. The chest and waist strap were thin and very long, which is great for someone who has a larger circumference in the mid-section, but for me they just flapped in the wind while I walked and created a mess of straps everywhere. 

Look/Style

When I took the Nano 20 out of the box I was shocked at how bright it was. I’ll admit, the bright blue and neon green color wouldn’t be my first choice, but I loved how much it popped in pictures and it would definitely be easy to spot in a sea of earth tones. Plus size people are used to getting clothing and gear made for us in black so having a splash of color was a happy surprise. As mentioned earlier in the fit section, I really didn’t like how long the chest and waist strap were because it took away from the overall look, but that is a small inconvenience to pay for increased accessibility of who can wear the pack. 

Features

The Nano 20 really surprised me on features as well due to the three full size pockets. There was a fully zippered compartment for either a hydration reservoir or laptop/tablet as well as a main and front compartment that were pretty standard for a day pack. I also really loved the stretch pocket in the front. I think the features of this pack were my favorite things about it and I wished it had a better fit. 

Weight/Packability

This day pack is incredibly light at 1.1lbs according to the website. It packs nicely and I did like the different compartments. 

Function/Performance

The fit of this pack was so poor on my body that it really took away from the function and performance of the pack. I was constantly having to adjust it and it just overall didn’t work for me. 

Durability/Construction

The shoulder straps were the most concerning part of the pack for me. The pack itself seemed durable enough but the straps were so thin and flimsy. The waist and chest straps were also very thin and the buckles were tiny. Overall I think there was a big miss on the construction of the pack. 

Friendliness to the Earth

I’ll admit I didn’t know much about Gregory’s sustainability practices before doing this review. In my research I found that they have worked to change their packaging to using more biodegradable products and improve shipping efficiency which results in less reliance on air services for delivering products. Their packs come with a lifetime guarantee and are designed in a way that leans more toward repairs and less toward fully replacing packs when something happens. They are also working on expanding their initiative to recycle packs when people are ready to part with them, reducing the chance of products ending up in a landfill. They also have a statement on carbon neutrality but no data to show. 

The Final Word

I was disappointed with the Nano 20 pack — the shoulder straps were the biggest miss for me with this one. I’ve seen other rave reviews for the pack so it may have just been my body shape. Overall, I don’t see myself using this pack unless I absolutely have to. My recommendation is to absolutely try it on in store before ordering as it a good fit seems to be very shape dependent. 

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