For shorter overnight trips in the UK the Focal 48 strikes an ideal balance of weight, durability, and features. It prioritizes comfort, ventilation and lightness while maintaining a decent carrying capacity and plenty of robustness. Tested on various trips in the Scottish hills during spring and early summer, it has impressed us by hitting the balance of what we wanted just right. We love its quality construction, and have only a few minor niggles.

In Use

I have used the pack on multiday walks with lightweight camping setups in the likes of the Trossachs, as well as a more leisurely overnights in the Cairngorms where a heavier pack weight was less of a concern and I could really test its all day comfort and carrying capacity.

Even exceeding the recommended full load of 14kg, I have been impressed with the all day comfort provided by the harness and back system. There is a nice hug-like feel from the hipbelt and lumbar support and the adjustability offered across the harness means I can tweak for comfort throughout the day, although there are some problems with the chest strap I'll come on to. In hot weather, the trampoline system with the breathable mesh padding provides great ventilation and moisture management. 

Overall, I've been very happy with the Focal 48, especially its comfort and durability, which is impressive given its weight. The build quality is what you'd expect from an established manufacturer like Gregory. 

Back System and Carrying Comfort

I chose a medium back length, but a large is also available, as well as a women's version called the Facet 48. Despite exceeding its carrying capacity (around 16kg on one trip), I've been really impressed with the comfort of this 48L pack. For me, this is the biggest benefit, given its weight.

The frame's vertical aluminum and horizontal fiberglass stays work well with the well-shaped and padded hipbelt and lumbar support, providing exceptional weight transfer across the entire circumference of my hips without any hotspots. With the compression straps tightened, the load doesn't sag and makes the pack feel stable even on technical terrain. However, there are a couple of things that may affect the comfort of the pack for you. I need to tighten the waistbelt straps almost fully, so if your waist is narrower than mine (32 inches), this pack might not fit you as well. The chest strap does not stay as positioned if moved lower down on the shoulder straps. Fortunately these have not caused me any issues - but as always, try before you buy if you can.

The trampoline mesh back is nicely curved and ventilated to prevent moisture buildup on my back without compromising the carrying capacity. The harness straps are treated with Polygiene, an odour-control fabric treatment that inhibits the growth of whiff-causing bacteria. However, I haven't fully tested its effectiveness, as the cooler days I've used the pack in so far haven't caused excessive sweating compared to longer trips in warm or humid environments.

Weight and Durability

While not ultralight (~1.28kg on homescales), this pack is lightweight for its carrying capacity, durability, and features. It strikes a good balance between weight saving and toughness, using 100 denier (40% recycled nylon) on low-wear areas like the sides, and 210 denier (45% recycled nylon) on high-wear areas like the bottom, front panel, and hood. This ensures durability while keeping the weight down. The mesh side pockets have some expected nicks from being placed on or scuffed against rocks, but there is no significant damage as yet.

Features

Across the pack you have eight storage compartments:

• The main large compartment with an integrated water bladder sleeve which is accessed by a ergonomic toploading cinchable drawcord.
• Two oversized hip belt pockets, nice for carrying a phone or snacks although these can be hard to close with one hand.
• A good sized front mesh pocket with clip top fits a decent amount of extra easy accessed items or items that are hard to store. A front panel gives this a bit more durability in this high wearing area.
• A top and bottom zipped comparment on the hood, which is floating to increase the storage in both the hood or accomodate more in the main compartment.
• Two side mesh pockets which I have found useful for securing poles or longer items. A great feature of these is that you can reach into them through a side opening for easy access to the likes of a water bottle if you have poor shoulder flexibility. However, be careful because some items you may store here could fall out if not positioned correctly.

Across all of these pockets I've been able to organise my items for maximum and well-organised storage. Additionally all the zippered pockets have nice ergonomic pullers which are easy to use, even with gloves. For additional storage the bottom and side blue compression strap can offer a handy place to fit bulky items like a foam sleep mat. In the underside of the hood, a raincover and an ultralight weather flap are included for use in rain or when wanting to use the pack without the lid.

Summary

My experience with the Focal 48 has been excellent. The standout feature for me is the comfort even at maximum carrying capacity. It strikes a great balance with its lightweight design, durable targeted areas, and versatile feature set that offers excellent adjustability for comfort and storage flexibility. While there are a couple of potential improvements, such as the waistbelt not accommodating narrower waists and the chest strap placement, these concerns haven't affected my personal comfort while carrying the pack. Overall, I'm really pleased with it, and will definitely carry on using it after the review.