Gregory Facet 45 vs Gregory Stout 70
Quick take: The Gregory Facet 45 costs $10 less; the Gregory Stout 70 carries more (70 vs 45 liters); the Gregory Facet 45 is lighter (2.49 vs 3.77 lbs).
Which one to buy
$10 apart and both with a rain cover and hipbelt pockets, these Gregory packs are built for different loads and different bodies. The Facet 45 is a women's lightweight framed pack: 2.49 lb, a suspended FreeFloat mesh back, rated to 35 lb, in three fixed torso sizes. The Stout 70 is Gregory's men's value hauler: 3.77 lb, a foam contact back, rated to 50 lb, with a quick-adjust torso on one size and a Plus version for larger bodies.
Load and volume decide most of it. If your kit fits 45 L and stays under 35 lb, the Facet carries it with 1.28 lb less pack and a cooler back. If you carry 70 L of gear, a week of food or heavy winter kit, the Stout's alloy steel frame and fiberglass cross stay are built for that, and its warmer foam back is the price you pay.
Fit is the other split. The Facet's XS, S and M sizes don't adjust, so the choice has to be right at purchase. The Stout adjusts within one size but uses a men's harness. Gregory promises a bear canister fit in neither, and the Facet's lid is sewn on, so it can't be stripped down for a summit day.
Gregory Facet 45
For women whose loads stay under 35 lb and who want a light pack with a suspended mesh back and three torso sizes.
Gregory Stout 70
The better fit for heavy, high-volume trips up to 50 lb if the men's harness fits, or its Plus version for larger bodies.
| Spec | Gregory Facet 45 | Gregory Stout 70 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $230 | $240 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Ultralight Pack | Traditional Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 45 L | 70 L |
| Weight | 2.49 lbs | 3.77 lbs |
| Max Load | 35 lbs (16 kg) | 50 lbs (22.7 kg) |
| Torso Fit | Sized XS/S/M; S fits 16-18 in (41-46 cm) | One size with quick-adjust torso; Stout 70 Plus extended fit also sold |
| Material | 100D HD 40% recycled nylon with 210D HD 45% recycled nylon, C0 DWR | 210D 40% recycled nylon with 420D nylon, C0 DWR |
| Back Panel | FreeFloat suspended ventilated mesh with ComfortCradle lower-back system | Breathable foam contact back panel |
| Adjustable torso | No | Yes |
| Ventilated back | Yes | No |
| Raincover included | Yes | Yes |
| Hipbelt pockets | Yes | Yes |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | No |
| Warranty | Gregory lifetime warranty | Gregory lifetime warranty |
Pros & cons
Gregory Facet 45
- ✓2.49 lb with a full suspended-mesh back and a real frame; most packs this light give up one or the other.
- ✓A stated 35 lb ceiling, which is honest for a 100D pack and higher than many ultralight makers publish.
- ✓Tubular aluminum frame with a fiberglass anti-barreling cross stay and HDPE sheet, a real frame rather than a foam panel.
- ✓Rain cover included, in nylon taffeta.
- ✓ComfortCradle lower-back padding and a Polygiene odor treatment on the mesh.
- ✓Three torso sizes (XS, S, M) rather than a single women's fit.
- ✓Covered by Gregory's lifetime warranty.
- ✗No torso adjustment within a size, so the XS/S/M choice has to be right at purchase.
- ✗100D body fabric will show abrasion sooner than the 210D used on the base.
- ✗US pricing varies by retailer, from $229.95 to $249.95.
- ✗The Facet 55 has no sourced US price or weight.
- ✗Fixed lid, so the pack cannot be stripped for day use.
- ✗Gregory does not say whether a bear canister fits.
Gregory Stout 70
- ✓3.77 lb for 70 L is more than a pound under the Baltoro 65 in the same brand, at about two-thirds of its price.
- ✓Gregory states a 50 lb maximum carry weight, which puts the Stout in genuine expedition-load territory rather than the 30-35 lb most mid-price packs admit to.
- ✓The alloy steel frame gets a fiberglass anti-barreling cross stay and an HDPE sheet, so a full load does not round the pack off your back.
- ✓Quick-adjust torso on a one-size harness, plus a Plus version with an extended-fit harness and hipbelt for larger bodies.
- ✓Large zippered hipbelt pockets and an internal hydration sleeve come standard.
- ✓Gregory's lifetime warranty covers it like the rest of the line.
- ✗A foam contact back panel rather than suspended mesh, so it runs warmer than the Zulu or Paragon lines.
- ✗210D body fabric is lighter-duty than the 400D-class cloth Gregory uses on its Zulu and Jade packs.
- ✗Lid removability and bear-canister fit are not stated.
Gregory Facet 45 vs Gregory Stout 70: common questions
Can the Facet 45 handle the same trips as the Stout 70?▾
Only lighter ones. The Facet is rated to 35 lb with 45 L, while the Stout is rated to 50 lb with 70 L. For week-long food carries or winter kit, the Stout's frame and volume are built for the job.
Which one runs cooler on hot days?▾
The Facet 45, with a FreeFloat suspended mesh back. The Stout 70 uses a foam contact panel, which runs warmer than Gregory's suspended-mesh packs on long climbs in the sun.