Do you love spending time outdoors and exploring what’s around the next bend? Do you prefer to hike to a remote destination? If that’s your jam, then I suggest the Granite Gear Crown2 38-liter backpack. Above all, it’s a great pack.
7 Reasons to love the Granite Gear Crown2 38L Backpack.
- The adjustable hip belt
- Easily accessible zippered pockets on the hip belt
- Removable top lid ‘brain’
- The supportive frame supports up to 35 pounds
- Molded back panel keeps your backless sweaty
- Lightweight – it weighs only 2.26 pounds
- Versatility – remove the top lid, hip belt, or frame sheet depending on your use
Available At:
– Amazon
– REI
– Backcountry
Who is the Granite Gear Crown2 38L for?
- Backpackers with a concise pack list
- Thru-hikers that want a smaller pack that still provides support and comfort
Granite Gear Crown2 38L Review
Have you paired down your backpacking gear to the essentials and a few guilty pleasure items? If so, you’ve probably experienced a backpack that doesn’t ride as well as it could. That’s because you don’t need 58 or 60 liters of space and your gear falls to the bottom of the backpack creating an unbalanced fit. Or, since you have extra space in your pack, you pile in more gear adding unnecessary weight and a less comfortable hike.
The Granite Gear Crown2 38-liter backpack is the smaller brother to their original 60-liter pack. But, is a smaller 38-liter pack large enough to carry all of your gear? Yes! You will have enough room for your essentials. For example, a tent, down sleeping bag, air-filled sleeping pad, stove, food, and extra clothes.
Granite Gear created the 38-liter version of the Crown2 for multi-day backpackers and thru-hikers who didn’t need to carry a bear canister and bring only the essentials to have a great time on their hikes. As a result, the Crown2 38L is the perfect size for me. I can easily fit my tent, sleeping bag, pad, clothes, water filtration, and food for a couple of days in the backcountry.
Adjustable Hipbelt
What I like about the Crown2 is the adjustable hip belt. If you gain or lose weight, or loan it to a friend, you can easily fit the hip belt to a wide range of waist sizes from 26″ to 42″. Also, the pockets on the hip belt are easily accessible. I store my camera and snacks in the hip belt pockets so that I have quick access while on the trail. The DWR zippered pockets are easy to open and close, which is not always the case with hip belt pockets on other brands.
To provide a smooth, supportive ride, Granite Gear created the Vapor Current Mark 2 frame. As a result, it can support up to 35 pounds. My pack rarely gets over 25 pounds, unless I’m going on a week-long trip with a bear canister. Combine their dual-density foam shoulder straps, and dual-density hip belt and you have a very comfortable pack. In addition, the molded back panel of the Crown2 helps keep you less sweaty.
Pro Tip: I’ll loosen up my shoulder straps and let the weight of the pack ride on my hips. By loosening the shoulder straps, air can flow across my back and keeps sweat to a minimum.
Granite Gear Crown2 – Pockets
For the Crown2, Granite Gear added a ‘brain’ – a removable top lid on the pack. Moreover, I love this added feature to store items that I may want quick access to, like my toiletries or a map. Granite Gear did an excellent job on the fit and function of the top lid. Unlike other backpacks with top lids, this one sits perfectly and doesn’t look like an afterthought. Plus, if you are counting grams or don’t need the brain, you can easily remove it!
The front has a large stretch mesh pocket and two webbing straps that can synch down to secure your contents. I’ll typically put my rain jacket or rain fly in the front pocket to dry out while hiking.
The side pockets are large and stretchy, perfect for water bottles and other necessities. It’s also nice that the Granite Gear Crown2 has side compression straps that feed through the inside of the side mesh pockets. That way, you can easily synch down the contents in the main compartment, but the pockets are still easily accessible for water bottles.
The roll-top main compartment is large and roomy – perfect for all of your gear that you don’t need quick access to. To help secure the load, Granite Gear created a smart dual strap with single buckle closure that evenly secures and distributes the load.
What I like about the Granite Gear Crown2 38L is its versatility. If you don’t need the top lip, remove it. You can also remove the hip belt if you have a low base-weight. And, if you are doing a quick strike mission to a peak, you can remove the frame sheet, top lid, and hip belt creating an ultra-light pack!
Dislikes
There are a couple of drawbacks to the Crown2 38-liter backpack. Firstly, the pack only comes in one size and only fits torso’s from 18″ to 21″. If you have a longer or shorter torso, you are out of luck. The good thing is that the majority of people will fit within that torso range. Secondly, and it’s fairly minor, but I find the sternum strap to be a bit tough to connect the male and female ends because the female side is attached directly to the left shoulder strap.
Fit and Sizing
According to Granite Gear, they say the Crown2 38L fits a torso size from 18″ to 21″. At 6’2″ tall, my torso measures 21″, so it just barely fits. However, if your torso is any longer, you’ll need to find a larger pack.
The Crown2 38L weighs in at 2.26 pounds (1,025 grams), which includes the belt, frame sheet, and lid. The 38L is not an uber-light backpack, but it is versatile and comfortable that holds all of your essentials with room for more.
If you have questions about what size backpack you need, or how to properly fit it, be sure to check out our article on Best Backpacking Pack: How to Choose Size, Fit, and Function.
Common Questions
Question: Does it come with the brain (top lid)?
Answer: Yes, it comes the brain (top lid).
Question: What size waist belt comes with the Crown2?
Answer: It comes with the Re-Fit adjustable waist belt which is adjustable from 26″ to 42″ waists.
Question: Can the Crown2 38L be carried on a flight?
Answer: The pack’s dimensions are 22.5″ x 14.75″ x 7″ and most airline carry-on dimensions are 22x14x9. If it’s not overstuffed, you should be fine.
Question: Is the brain (top lid) large enough for extra clothes?
Answer: The brain is approximately 5-liters. I’m 6’2″ and wear size XL. I can fit my base layer top and bottom, my beanie, lightweight gloves, and a lightweight rain jacket.
Question: How much weight can I comfortably carry?
Answer: Granite Gear has a load rating of 35 lbs for the Crown2 38. I typically carry anywhere from 20 – 28 pounds depending on how much food and water I have.
Specs:
- Weight: 2.26 pounds with the hip belt, frame sheet, and top lid (1,025 grams)
- Volume: 38-liters (2,318 cubic inches) 3 inches x 8 inches (.93 cubic liters)
- Dimensions: 22.5″ x 14.75″ x 7″
- Load Comfort Range: 35 pounds (16 kg)
- MSRP: $199.95
- Cost Per Gram: $0.20
Construction & Materials
- Fabric: 100D and 210D Robic High-tenacity nylon
- Shoulder straps: dual-density with load-lifter straps and removable sternum strap
- Hip belt: Re-Fit fully adjustable dual-density hip belt (from 26″ – 42″)
- Pockets: stretch mesh front and side pockets
- Compression Straps: side and front compression straps
- Closure: roll-top
- Waterproof: no
- Rain cover: no
Bottom line:
At 2.26 pounds, the Granite Gear Crown2 38L is my go-to pack for short weekends in the backcountry when I don’t need a bear canister. Therefore, it provides plenty of room, rides comfortably, and at only $199.95, it will provide years of enjoyment.
If you are looking for a lightweight, supportive, multi-day pack that is just the right size, check out the Granite Gear 38L backpack. To sum up, I think you’ll be impressed.
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