At its core, Gregory has always been about creating backpacks - and more precisely, backpack suspension - that lets you concentrate on what it is you’re doing outside rather than the weight that’s on your back.

Now, Gregory’s getting ready to raise the bar a couple of notches in lighter trail packs.

Usually retailers get first crack at seeing all the new technology at the Outdoor Retailer show, where the gear for the next season is debuted each summer and winter. This time, we thought we’d let the Gregory community have the first look as we head into the OR show here in a few days.

The suspension’s called Bio-sync, and what’s unique about it is that Gregory’s designers looked to bio-mimicry to design it, essentially studying the way human tendons work during activities like running, hiking and cycling to create a system that ebbs and flows more with the body’s movements.

So how’s it work? First off, it’s worth noting that this is a suspension designed specifically for smaller, lighter packs that are used in more active endeavors like trail running, day hiking, mountain biking, ultras, etc. Given that it’s for packs with smaller loads, this suspension is much more about having the pack mimic and move with your body than achieving load transfer through the spine and hips, as you want with bigger packs. (more…)