Gregory Zulu 30 vs Black Diamond Distance 15
Quick take: The Black Diamond Distance 15 costs $0.05 less; the Gregory Zulu 30 carries more (30 vs 15 liters); the Black Diamond Distance 15 is lighter (0.73 vs 3.04 lbs).
Which one to buy
Walk or run? That question settles this pair before price does, since both are listed at $200. The Distance 15 is a vest pack for trail running, skimo and fast alpine days, and its vest harness exists to stop the load bouncing at speed. The Zulu 30 is a framed hiking pack with an adjustable torso, a pivoting hipbelt and a suspended mesh back, and owners use it for big day loads and minimalist summer overnights.
For anyone who hikes at walking pace, the Zulu is the better buy by a wide margin. It has twice the volume, a 40 lb load rating, hipbelt pockets and a torso range of 16-22 in, though the US version comes without a raincover. Owners say it carries 25-30 lb comfortably. The catches: the mesh bows into the bag so it packs smaller than 30 L, owners find the bottle pockets angle awkwardly, and at 3.04 lb it is heavy if your day kit is light.
The Distance 15 weighs 0.73 lb and has no frame, no hipbelt pockets and no published load limit. Its sizing runs by chest measurement, and vest harnesses fit a narrower range of bodies than normal straps, so trying it on loaded matters more than usual. What it gives back is a Dynex-blend shell that resists tears on rock and ski edges and a shape that holds when partly empty. A walker pays a premium for running features they will not use, and a full mountain day in changeable weather outgrows 15 L quickly.
Gregory Zulu 30
For hikers whose loads run toward 30 lb, want hipbelt pockets, and might stretch a day pack into a summer overnight.
Black Diamond Distance 15
Only worth it if you move at running pace, on trails or skis, and your fast half-day kit fits in 15 L.
| Spec | Gregory Zulu 30 | Black Diamond Distance 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 | $199.95 |
| Rating | 4.4★ (70) | 4.7★ (11) |
| Type | Daypack | Daypack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Frameless |
| Capacity | 30 L | 15 L |
| Weight | 3.04 lbs | 0.73 lbs |
| Max Load | 40 lbs | Not specified by the manufacturer |
| Torso Fit | Adjustable 16-22 in | Sized S/M/L by chest: S 26.5-33.5 / M 31.5-39.5 / L 35.5-44 in |
| Material | 40% recycled 400D polyester ripstop with 420D nylon | 87% recycled nylon / 7% PE / 6% recycled polyester body |
| Back Panel | FreeFloat suspended mesh | Dynex body material |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | No |
| Ventilated back | Yes | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | Yes | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | No |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, original purchaser | Black Diamond Practical Product Lifetime Warranty against defects |
Pros & cons
Gregory Zulu 30
- ✓The 30L size with a real frame bridges day hiking and ultralight overnights — owners call it the most versatile size in the roundup.
- ✓The FreeFloat pivoting hipbelt moves with your hips, which reviewers credit for comfort on 15-mile days.
- ✓Suspended mesh ventilation matches the Stratos while carrying more.
- ✓The adjustable torso plus padded, pocketed hipbelt gives full-size-pack fit features in a daypack.
- ✓The clamshell-style main opening makes packing far easier than top-tube rivals.
- ✓Carries 25-30 lbs comfortably, which the 22-26L class can't.
- ✓Gregory's lifetime warranty backs it.
- ✗At 3.04 lbs it's heavy if you only ever carry 10 lbs of day gear.
- ✗Bulky for travel — the frame and mesh don't compress into luggage.
- ✗The mesh trampoline bows into the bag, and 30L packs more like 26-27.
- ✗Bottle pockets angle awkwardly for one-handed grabs, a recurring gripe.
- ✗The suspended back stands the load slightly off your center of gravity on scrambles.
- ✗Overkill (in price and features) for casual walkers versus the Hikelite.
- ✗The hipbelt pockets are on the small side for big phones.
- ✗Fewer US retail touchpoints than Osprey for trying sizes.
Black Diamond Distance 15
- ✓11.6 oz for a pack with a genuine vest harness is very light.
- ✓Dynex blended into the shell adds tear resistance well beyond plain nylon.
- ✓Vest-style construction keeps the load from bouncing at running pace.
- ✓Black Diamond's alpine pedigree shows in the attachment points and simplicity.
- ✓Small enough to disappear under a running pack of layers.
- ✓Widely available with a mainstream brand's warranty and returns.
- ✓Holds shape better than soft running vests when partly empty.
- ✓Well suited to skimo and fast winter days as well as summer running.
- ✗$200 for 15 L is one of the steepest prices per litre of any daypack on this site, shared with the Women's Distance 15.
- ✗15 L is genuinely small for anything beyond a fast half-day.
- ✗No frame or support structure of any kind.
- ✗No published maximum load, though the construction implies very little.
- ✗Vest harnesses fit a narrow range of torsos well.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets, unusual at this price.
- ✗Not a general-purpose hiking daypack despite the price.
- ✗Overkill for anyone not actually moving fast.
Gregory Zulu 30 vs Black Diamond Distance 15: common questions
Is the Distance 15 a good hiking daypack if I want something light?▾
Not for most hikers. It is a frameless vest built for running and fast alpine days, with no hipbelt pockets or load rating, and walkers pay for running features they never use. The Zulu 30 carries far more in comfort.
Will the Zulu 30 bounce if I try to jog with it?▾
It isn't built for running: a framed pack with a suspended mesh back holds the load slightly off your spine, which is exactly what a jogging stride turns into bounce. If you jog or skin uphill fast, the vest harness on the Distance 15 is the design that keeps a load still.
Which one is easier to get a good fit in?▾
The Zulu 30, with a torso adjustment covering 16-22 in and a padded hipbelt. The Distance 15 comes in chest-based S/M/L sizes, and vest harnesses suit a narrower range of torsos, so try it on with weight in it.