Review: Gregory Miwok 18 Liter Daypack

The Gregory Miwok 18-liter daypack is my go-to for day hikes involving more than a few miles. I have been using this pack almost exclusively on day hikes for four years and have put it through a couple of hundred trips over several thousand miles with no significant issues.

It contains enough room and enough pockets to organize the ordinary non-overnight trip. The pack is also frameless since it doesn’t hold much gear, making it very lightweight.

In this pack, I carry my water filter, rain cover, rain jacket, small first aid kit, ice boot spikes if there is ice, and sometimes some extra layers if it’s cold. There is no “brain” or removable top cap pouch that exists, but I don’t miss it for day hikes. The main zipper is U-shaped and provides access to the main compartment. Inside is a zippered pocket to hold my wallet, keys, and other small items that must be secured on my person.

On the front top, there is also a small, zippered, soft-lined pocket that can hold other small items. I typically keep glasses, snacks, electrolytes, or other small items that I don’t need immediate access to.

The water bladder pocket fits nicely inside its pocket against the back of the main compartment. It hangs nicely on a hook designed specifically to hold Gregory 3D Hydro bladders, but it can also adapt to other bladders as there is a sewn-in nylon strap that can be hung on the hook as well. The hose access port is at the top back of the pack, where it can run down either of the shoulder straps for easy access while on the move. It holds the 2-liter Gregory 3D Hydro Reservoir nicely.

Even though the hip belt is much smaller than on Gregory’s larger packs, it is sewed into the pack very well, and there are two hip belt pockets that I use to hold quick-access items like my knife, headlamp, and business cards in a water-tight case so I can spread the word about this blog. The only issue I’ve had with these pockets is that the zipper can be challenging to operate with one hand, so I have to reach across and hold it while unzipping. It’s not too much of a problem, but it’s annoying. I will take some responsibility for not cleaning it enough, but it was stiff before it got salt and dirt on it.

There are also four lashing points on the front to attach extra gear: two on top and two on the bottom, plus an elastic one on the side for trekking poles. Two side adjustment straps help cinch the pack when carrying less gear.

The shoulder straps are padded and have adjustments at the bottom and lift adjusters on the shoulder. There are elastic straps on each strap where I hold my water hose on the right and my satellite communicator on the left. There is also a chest strap if you need it for heavier loads.

The back is padded but lacks the mesh that holds the pack away from your back like the larger Gregory packs, but this being a small pack, I don’t have much problem with that. It does, however, have a less ventilated and well-cushioned pad. Since it’s a small pack, I don’t really sweat much wearing it, except on really hot days. There is some adjustment Velcro in to adjust the torso length a bit.

A carrying strap on the top allows lifting when the pack is off. It doesn’t come with a rain cover, but I picked up the REI Duck’s Back 18-30L Rain Cover cover to fit just fine when it starts to rain.

The stitching on this pack is high-quality, and I haven’t had any issues in the four years I have been hiking with it.