Comfort/Fit
The Gregory Stout’s advantage in this comfort lies mainly in its light weight; at 3 lbs and 2 oz, it is nearly a pound lighter than the next lightest. It is also a well-build harness, with no seams in the upper or mid back and a good ventilation system running throughout to keep cool air running to the back. There is a small bump in the lower back padding, but this didn’t prove to be an annoyance during testing. The torso length is easily adjustable. 

Storage
The Gregory Stout 75 takes full advantage of its 75 liters of volume with its wide body. There is an optional divider in the body compartment and gear straps on the bottom of the bag which increases its storage potential. There are two entries into the body compartment—a zippered access on the bottom and a cinch closure on top under the brain. There is a mesh sleeve on the back of the pack that keeps rain layers accessible. Between the two lateral buckled straps on either side and the two sets of vertical buckles straps (the gear straps on the bottom and the brain straps on top), the Stout is able to exercise a high degree of compression and expansion to accommodate under- or over-packed loads without shifting. 

Stability
The waist straps on this pack bend at the waist to provide a basic level of pivot, aiding stability. The height-to-width ratio seems about perfect for a backpacking trip’s worth of gear, and the wide mouth makes packing easy. Its balanced center of gravity, plus its expandability, makes this bag easy to pack so that it carries with balance and stability. 

Durability
The buckles on the Stout are made out of plastic, but it is beefy plastic that inspires confidence. The water bottle sleeves on either side of the pack are very large and are made out of a mesh that will snag and tear eventually. The fabric used on the body compartment is thin, but seams are reinforced and well sewn; if there is one area for concern, it’s the thinness of the joint between the shoulder harness and the sliding panel used to adjust the torso length. 

Extras
There are two hip pouches on the waist strap, both waterproof. In an effort to shave a few grams, the Stout doesn’t include a whistle on the sternum strap. There is also a very long water bladder sleeve on the interior of the body compartment. There are two gear loops on the back of the pack, both of which have a small and medium sized loop to attach trekking poles or an ice axe to.