Gregory Border 25 Review

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For the person who travels a lot, finding a good travel pack isn’t always the easiest thing to do.  As many of you know, all packs are not created equal, including travel packs.  I was first introduced to Gregory many years ago when I worked at REI fitting backpacking packs for people looking to get into the outdoors.  One of the things I remembered about Gregory Packs is that they would often fit a lot of different body types and they often ended up being a go-to pack for fit, function, and design.  The new line of travel packs by Gregory is no exception as the Border 25 has a great fit, and the features aren’t too shabby either.

Since I am a work at homer, I almost always have a laptop backpack with me while traveling to the local coffee shop, or when I decide to get a change of scenery and work up in the mountains.  When headed out the door taking my mobile office with me, I carry a few things with me and I like to have a pack that can accommodate the office gear I like to take along with me.

First, I have a 14.1 inch laptop that fits nicely into the laptop sleeve.  The laptop sleeve fits up to a 15 inch computer and has a good amount of padding in case you drop your bag or commonly toss your pack in the car and on the floor.  Next, I have smaller electronics such as headphones, wireless mouse, and a power cord which I like to have a pocket to keep those organized.  In the main compartment, there is one zippered compartment and two padded unzippered compartments for that.  I personally prefer the zippered pockets to make sure everything stays where it is supposed to.  There are also two zippered pockets on the outside of the Border 25 that work well for small item storage.  One of these compartments is meant for an iPad.  It is padded in case you don’t have a protective case like the Otter Box Defender Series, but when not using my iPad I like to use this pocket because it’s easily accessible.

While traveling in the airport, the Gregory Border 25 makes traveling a little easier for most.  To start, the laptop compartment unzips from top to bottom allowing the pack to lay flat allowing you to not have to pull out your laptop.  If you have your hands and back full, the Border 25 also can slide over both wide and normal handles of a rolling suitcase.  I also like that there is a small zippered pocket on the lower side of the pack that is big enough for a passport or an orange.  I have a small complaint with this pocket though because it’s not always easy to zip and unzip.  On the other side of the pack, there is a neoprene pocket that is good for holding a water bottle.

For the person that likes to use products such as backpacks in multiple situations, I found the Gregory Border 25 to work well as a hiking day pack too.  I’ve taken the pack out on 14 mile hikes and found the pack to perform just fine.  There is enough room to store a few layers, a first aid kit, food, and a little more.  It is a little stiff on the back since there is a protective designated laptop sleeve, but it’s not a deal breaker for me.

The style of the Gregory Border 25 is a little plain which works well if you don’t want something too flashy while traveling.  If you like a little flair on your gear, Gregory definitely has some room to liven up this pack for style down the road if people start asking for it.

Overall, I’ve been very happy with the Gregory Border 25 as it works great for the person that needs a solid pack for traveling and for everyday work. For more information on the Border 25 and other Gregory packs, visit www.gregorypacks.com or www.amazon.com/gregory.

MSRP $129