Granite Gear Crown3 60 Backpack

Product detailed description

The Granite Gear Crown3 60 is an excellent alternative to more expensive UL backpacks. With every piece of gear, you always have to decide what matters most to you—size? Weight? Durability? Comfort? Design? Versatility? Simplicity? These features often conflict with one another, and you always have to sacrifice something.

It’s strange, but this backpack scores high in every category! It lacks none of the important features. It’s made of durable Robic Nylon with a water-repellent finish. The designers at Granite Gear really put a lot of thought into the backpack’s design, so all the straps pull in the right direction, there’s reinforcement where needed, and the stitching is sturdy, ensuring it will last you for years. If you remove the lid and the back panel, you have an UL backpack with massive capacity at the price of a classic heavy backpack. Plus, by tightening the compression straps, you can turn it into a compact 40L backpack for a weekend trip.

This is the successor to the successful Crown2 model. In the US, it is a well-known brand, as evidenced by the fact that they are one of the main sponsors Warrior Expeditions  —an organization that helps military veterans suffering from war trauma return to normal life by providing them with equipment and spending money to complete long treks (CDT, PCT,  AT). The first generation of the Crown backpack was also used on the historic first winter traverse of the Pacific Crest Trail by the adventurers “Trauma” and “Pepper.”

On long treks like the CDT, PCT, and AT, it’s one of the most widely used backpacks ever!

The backpack is available in two neutral colors (brown-black and white), which will please hikers who don’t need to stand out everywhere. The white “color” is unique in that the material is not dyed, which reduces water consumption by up to 55% during production! The backpack has a generous 60L capacity and weighs just over 1 kg. It comes in 3 back lengths and in both men’s and women’s versions (the latter has differently shaped straps).

Thoughtful details

There are plenty of features, so I’ll list them briefly: durable (and water-resistant) Robic Nylon 210D material on the bottom and 100D on the body, an easily removable lid (with buckles) that can be attached to the straps using carabiners and worn as a front pocket, a roll-top closure, compression straps also with detachable buckles. A large, elastic mesh pocket on the front of the backpack with two securing straps. Spacious side pockets with drawstrings (easily fits a 1.5L plastic bottle even when the backpack is full). Large pockets on the hip belt. The hip belt can be easily adjusted to fit your waist circumference (so-called Re-fit) – after removing it from the backpack, unhook the Velcro and adjust it so that the pockets fit you well. The pockets are large enough to fit, for example, a Sony RX100 compact camera. The plastic stiffener can be removed from the backpack (no disassembly or fiddling required—it’s out in a few seconds) and just as easily put back in. The back panel will still remain fairly rigid, though it will be harder to adjust the backpack’s balance straps, so it depends on how much you’re carrying. If you remove the lid and take out the stiffener, you’ll end up with a backpack comparable in weight to   Gossamer Gear – Mariposou, but at a significantly lower price.

The previous version of the Crown2 was tested by Tomáš Němec, who compared it to the Exos 58:

“I tested the backpack on a weekend hike in the Křivoklát region and a one-day trip to the Šumava Mountains. I’ll be comparing it to the Exos 58L, which I’ve owned for many years. The backpack has a compact, vertically oriented shape; it doesn’t flare out at the bottom like the Exos does. Thanks to this, the center of gravity sits nicely against your back, and the backpack doesn’t tip you backward or to the sides. When you tilt your head back, the lid doesn’t get in the way. The hip belt pockets are easily accessible and, thanks to the material, water-resistant (they don’t have mesh like the Osprey). The side pockets hold a lot, but if you want to carry a larger water bottle while walking, it takes a bit of gymnastics—the Exos is better in this regard. What I really liked is the roll-top closure. If you go without the lid, accessing the backpack is a matter of seconds. The last important thing is the shoulder straps. The Crown2’s are pleasantly firm, but they could be a bit wider; if you load more than the recommended 15 kg, they’ll be less comfortable than on the Exos. The best in this category GG Mariposa – the most comfortable backpack in our lineup.”

Three back lengths: Short (38–46 cm), Medium (46–53 cm), Long (53–61 cm)

You can purchase an aluminum support bar  which increases the backpack's load capacity by approximately 4 kg.

Granite Gear Crown3 60:

• Roll-top closure.
• Removable lid and back panel.
• Large, elastic mesh pocket.
• 2 side pockets with drawstrings.
• Compression straps.
• Large pockets on the hip belt.

Technical Specifications:

• Weight: 1204 g (size S), 1254 g (size M), 1323 g (size L) – including back panel and lid.
• Volume: 60 L.
• Dimensions: 52 x 27 x 20 cm (size S), 58 x 27 x 20 cm (size M), 64 x 27 x 20 cm (size L).
• Optimal load capacity up to 15 kg.
• For torso length: 38–46 cm (size S), 46–53 cm (size M), 53–61 cm (size L).
• Waist circumference: 66–140 cm.

Materials:

• 210D and 100D Robic nylon.