TreeLineBackpacker

The release of the Crown3 by Granite Gear, the successor to the fantastic Crown2 backpack, is enough reason to celebrate on its own. But what about a version that is more eco-friendly, and even customizable? Now you have my attention, and my review:

The Crown 3 60 is an ultra-light multi-day backpack that has been designed with comfort, customization, and organization in mind. The backpack is built around an ultra-light, internal PE (Polyethylene) frame sheet. This is a sturdy yet flexible sheet of plastic that acts as the frame of the pack, spanning from the hips all the way up to the shoulders. The rest of the pack is constructed from a combination of 100 and 210 denier fabrics, with the tougher fabric being used in high stress areas, like the bottom of the pack, shoulders, and weight bearing areas. The pack features a padded foam back panel with ventilation grooves cut in, padded shoulder and hip straps, and is adjustable to fit various hip sizes. There is a removable lid that doubles as a hip pack, two water bottle pockets, a stretchy stash pocket for jackets and such, external lashing points, compression straps, and a large primary interior compartment. The pack weighs just 2.4 lbs (2.58 with the lid), retails for $240, and comes in various sizes, colors, and a women’s specific model.

About that headline: This specific model is the “undyed” variation (not dyed white). That means it skips the dying process to side-step the use of chemicals and processes that can consume huge amounts of power and water, per pack. Not to mention the after effects of dealing with leftover runoff dyes, drying, etc. Skipping the dying process is a smart way of helping to protect the same environment backpackers want to get out to explore, which is why I chose to cover this pack specifically.

What I liked

As the name suggests, the Crown 3 60 holds 60 liters of gear. It’s an ultra-light pack and as such, is ideally suited for sub 30 lb. loads. Within that weight-limit, the Crown 3 is quite comfortable. The frame is stout enough to properly distribute weight from the shoulders to the hips, without creaking or bowing inwards. This helps prevent neck, back and shoulder soreness, as well as improving balance and stability on the trail. That’s not to say the pack is entirely limited to sub 30 pound weights, however. Cleverly, Granite Gear also offers an optional aluminum frame insert that stiffens the pack up, at the cost of a few additional ounces of weight. This allows the carried weight to be pushed higher comfortably. Alternatively, the backpack’s internal PE frame can also be removed to shed weight, at the sacrifice of some carrying capacity. Even the lid is detachable for maximum weight savings. I love this “customize to fit your needs” approach and really wish more companies would put in this kind of effort.

Granite Gear’s history of creating sturdy, high quality packs continues to repeat with the Crown 3. Their tried and true method of using high denier fabrics in a sort of net like exterior wrap holds up extremely well under pressure, while the lighter weight fabrics used for panels and pockets resist punctures, scrapes, tears and scuffs with relative ease. The stitching is impressively consistent, straight, and concise, without extra hanging threads or missing stitching. The high strain areas like shoulder connections are all generously re-enforced and have so far not stretched or shown any signs of tearing. The lashing and compression straps, while narrow, are relatively thick and far more robust than they look. Basically, it is s a pack that is built to last, despite its ultra-light DNA.

Gear organization is good with the Crown 3. It features all the major organization points, with a large interior hat holds items like tents, sleeping bags and food. Smaller, easier to access pockets placed on the hips and the sides of the pack keep water bottles, jackets and snacks handily available at the exterior. There are even small mini organizers stitched into the lid, which is handy for medical supplies, phones, keys and other pieces of equipment that may need to be accessed quickly. External lashing points are helpful for attaching things like foam seats, sleeping pads, or ice picks. It’s all the organization one could reasonably want and provides more utility than most packs at this weight.

The adjustability of the Crown 3 is good for the weight class, but does lack a couple features when compared to heavier packs. The hip belts come in multiple sizes, and should be chosen appropriately to fit the primary wearer. The belts are adjustable and provide about 3 inches of adjustability per size. There is no vertical adjustability, so finding the appropriate torso size is vital.

The pack does include dual chest straps that allow for some fine tuning in how the pack distributes against the body. Load straps help pull the pack in close, while the entire pack cinches down very small to accommodate large or small loads without getting loose and unbalanced. The lid can even be worn across the chest to help distribute weight a little more even, if so desired.

The Undyed option is something I very much appreciated. Not only does it take some burden off of the planet, it also opens up the avenue for custom designs using dye markers and other crafty materials. Think sketching logos, or entire scenes across the pack. Dying the entire pack using natural dye is also theoretically possible, although I’m not sure anyone has tried that yet.

What I didn’t like

The undyed approach does make the pack more prone to staining from dirt, grass and other chemicals. It cleans up nicely, generally, but keeping the “not white” pack clean is going to be somewhat challenging. Thankfully, the bottom of the pack and the main friction points are a bit of a soft gray color, which holds up much better.

With great adjustability comes great excess cordage. When the pack is cinched down to medium or especially small pack sizes, the straps can blow around wildly in high winds, acting like tiny whips. I ended up lashing mine down and even cutting them short in areas to tame them. Minor, but potentially painful complaint. Plan accordingly.

Breathability is just O.K. with this pack. The back panel does allow for some air flow through the channels cut into the foam padding, but can still get fairly sweaty and warm in the hotter months. Luckily, the foam isn’t very absorbent and dries quickly when left to air out. It’s not a deal breaker, but something to keep in mind.

I wasn’t a big fan of the dual chest strap as it just naturally landed in the wrong places on my body. Thankfully, they’re both removable and can be placed in various different positions. So, I removed the lower chest strap and moved the upper one down. For me, this was perfect.

Overall

Just like previous releases of the Granite Gear Crown series, the Crown 3 doesn’t disappoint. It’s an ultra-light pack that doesn’t sacrifice on comfort, organization or durability. The inclusion of features like the optional aluminum frame reinforcement, removable internal frame, improved frame stiffness, and the option of choosing a (mostly) dye free pack are all unique and innovative features that I would love to see other companies pick up on. It’s a pack that can handle long hauls with relatively heavy loads, or fast and light weekend trips, both with ease. It can be a little warm in the summer and the straps can be a little wild, but otherwise it’s an excellent pack with a lot of functionality.

Highly Recommended

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I want to extend a huge thanks to Granite Gear for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help.

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