Sweat-Free: Gregory JetStream LTS suspension

As backpackers we’ve come to accept the fact that our backs are going to get sweaty, but Gregory wants us to think otherwise. The pack company designed its JetStream LTS suspension system to increase airflow without using a trampoline-style suspension system. Instead, “by using a lightweight, thermomolded framesheet with a hollow aluminum stay that supports the load without adding excessive weight,” nothing touches the middle of your back, which should help keep you cool, according to the company.

While I’ve never used a backpack that actually does what Gregory claims to do with its seven packs using the system, if they pull it off, I’m sold. Each of the packs with the Load Transfer Suspension system are designed to carry between 35 and 65 liters and hold 25-30 pounds, great for an average 3- or 4-day trek or longer if you go ultralight. The Z45/women’s Jade 40 ($190), Z55/women’s Jade 50 ($200), Z65/women’s Jade 60 ($230) and the Z35-R ($180) are all equipped with the sweat-saving suspension starting January 2010. www.gregorypacks.com

—Ryan Dionne