Granite Gear Blaze 60 Review

The Granite Gear Blaze 60 has one of the lowest weight-to-volume ratios in our test, yet it carries heavy loads phenomenally. With all the right pockets in all the right places, this pack is an all-around favorite among our testers.

Comfort

The Blaze 60 has a solid suspension system that can handle almost any gear-packing list. The Air Current frame supports a surprisingly heavy load and has channels for warm air to escape, making it one of the more breathable back panels in our test.

The foam used in the back panel, lumbar area, and hip belt is firm to support the weight of a heavy pack but soft enough to be comfortable. The plastic frame sheet flexes easily to move with your body, but it doesn't buckle under pressure from above, either. This pack feels solid on your back, with no shifting, slipping, or wobbling.

The hip belt does a good job of holding the pack's weight, so your shoulders don't have to do all the work. When we disconnect the hip belt, we immediately feel much more weight on our shoulders, which shows how well the frame transfers the load between the shoulders and the hip belt.

It is worth noting, though, that the shoulder straps and hip belt aren't made with 3D breathable mesh. They have a soft, comfortable mesh face fabric that feels good against your body, but it seems to make us sweat more when it's hot out.

Ease of Use

There's a lot to love about the Blaze 60: extra-large hip-belt pockets, a stretchy mesh stuff-it pocket, large side water-bottle pockets, a removable top lid, and a hidden front-access zipper that runs the length of the pack.

The internal volume of the Blaze 60 is 55 liters. But if you count the total volume, including exterior pockets, the actual amount of gear you can store is much higher than Granite Gear's advertised 60 liters. The hip belt pockets on this pack are among the most spacious in our lineup. We use them for a variety of things we want to keep handy while hiking, such as our phones, granola bars, Chapstick, headlamp, or even a small camera.

The side water bottle pockets are also enormous, easily fitting two water bottles in each. A shock cord cinches up the lip to keep everything inside from flopping around or falling out. The side pockets have so much space that we stored our 750-milliliter pot and a water bottle in one for a good portion of our testing. The stretchy mesh front pocket is narrow at the top, making it a little tricky to access items inside, but it offers a ton of room. We used it for stuffing our rain gear, pack cover, or light layers.

The long, hidden front-access zipper runs up most of the pack's front to the side of the stretchy mesh pocket. Some users will love this feature, giving you quick access to items in the main compartment without having to unpack everything from the top. The heavy-gauge zipper is strong enough to keep items tightly packed against it without bursting open.

The top lid is simple, with a single zippered pocket. While not the largest brain we tested, it easily stores toiletries bags, snacks, and our dirty items bag. For trips when you don't need or want the lid, it's easy to remove, too. Under the lid, the main compartment features a cinch-and-roll style closure with two crossing compression straps to lock the top securely. The lid can also be used as a waist pack when paired with the waist belt, or as a chest pack for even more on-the-go access.

Three compression straps cross the front of the pack to keep the load tidy and are ideal for lashing anything from a closed-cell foam pad to bulky layers or wet socks. Each side of the pack also has three different compression straps, which, again, are great for securing the pack or holding things like tent poles in place.

Weight

We like to compare weight to pack volume to understand how the pack's weight correlates to overall carrying capacity. Normally, the amount of weight a pack can comfortably carry directly correlates with the pack's weight — lighter packs support lighter loads. However, with this pack, that isn't the case. It's a true workhorse when you need it to be, but it can also run fast and light.

Weighing in at a scant three pounds, the Blaze 60 is one of the lightest-weight packs we tested. While it's very light, it's still very durable. The Robic fabric used throughout the pack is both lightweight and tear-resistant. This pack carries well whether you are loading it down with heavy climbing gear or heading out with a fresh resupply of food and water for a long desert crossing on the PCT.

Adjustability

The Blaze 60 is available in three sizes to accommodate short, regular, and long torso lengths. Each size can be adjusted in one-inch increments up to 4 inches: 15 - 18 inches, 18 - 21 inches, and 21 - 24 inches. The hip belt can also be adjusted to fit waist sizes from 26 to 42 inches.

The velcro attachment system makes it difficult to remove the RE-FIT waist belt, but you can remove it to adjust the hip belt size as well. Though the torso length is more difficult to adjust than packs, you generally don't have to adjust the torso length on a pack more than once, so we're okay with that.

Should You Buy the Granite Gear Blaze 60?

The Blaze 60 is a well-priced backpack that's lightweight and comfortable, even when you're carrying lots of gear. Not only is it a solid workhorse of a bag, but it also has a great set of functional features. From beginners to experienced thru-hikers: if you want a lightweight pack that can comfortably carry a substantial load, you can't go wrong with the Blaze 60.

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