The Gregory is an expedition size heavy backpack. It is not what you want for a weekend or even longer because of its size and weight. Depending on the frame size, it may not fit you. If I was you, I'd look for a lightweight pack in the 3000 cubic inch range. The Palisade is more than half again that big.

I would look for one of Granite Gear's packs designed for women.
www.granitegear.com

ps. Most of my gear is pretty old. My sleeping bag is about 25 years old, hasn't had that much use and I'd be hard pressed to find a better bag at any price. Lightweight gear tends to be pricey, but not always the case. For example, you can make yourself an alcohol stove for basically nothing-there are plenty of designs around and videos on YouTube on how to make one. Some of the designs don't require more than knowing how to use a pair of scissors, a can opener and how to follow simple directions.


Edited by TomD (01/09/11 03:57 AM)
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