Two backpacks worth lining up side by side. Both are solid; the right one depends on the specs you care about most.
| Deuter Aircontact Core 60+10 | Gregory Katmai 55 | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 67✓ | 64 |
| Capacity | 60 L | 55 L |
| Weight | 5 lb 2 oz | 4 lb 11 oz✓ |
| Rated load | 44 lb | 50 lb✓ |
| Fabric denier | 500 D✓ | 210 D |
| Price | $300 | $290✓ |
| Type | Expedition | Backpacking |
| Frame | Internal | Internal |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Aircontact Core 60+10 in blue, Katmai 55 in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Capacity is shown for context and is not scored, since more volume is a sizing choice rather than better. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full backpack comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
The Deuter Aircontact Core 60+10 and Gregory Katmai 55 take different routes to the same job. The Aircontact Core 60+10 wins on durability, and the Katmai 55 pushes back on low weight and load carry.
The Aircontact Core 60+10 is tougher fabric (500D vs 210D). The Katmai 55 is 7 oz lighter, a higher rated load (50 vs 44 lb), and $10 cheaper. On the default GearScore the Aircontact Core 60+10 leads 67 to 64.
Pick the Aircontact Core 60+10 if you care most about durability, which makes it the better call for rough ground and hard use. Pick the Katmai 55 if low weight and load carry matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The Gregory Katmai 55. It is 7 oz lighter than the Aircontact Core 60+10.
The Gregory Katmai 55. It is a higher rated load (50 vs 44 lb) than the Aircontact Core 60+10.
The Deuter Aircontact Core 60+10, 67 to 64 on the default algorithm. You can re-weight the factors to match your trip.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Aircontact Core 60+10 for durability, or the Katmai 55 for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.