A close look at two backpacks buyers cross-shop. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Gregory Focal 58 | Six Moon Designs Swift V | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 66✓ | 65 |
| Capacity | 58 L | 56 L |
| Weight | 2 lb 10 oz | 2 lb 4 oz✓ |
| Rated load | 35 lb | 35 lb |
| Fabric denier | 100 D | n/s |
| Price | $270✓ | $275 |
| Type | Backpacking | Ultralight |
| Frame | Internal | Internal |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Focal 58 in blue, Swift V 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.
Put the Gregory Focal 58 next to the Six Moon Designs Swift V and the trade-offs are clear. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The Focal 58 is $5 cheaper. The Swift V is 7 oz lighter. Their GearScores land within a couple of points (66 vs 65), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the Focal 58 if you care most about price, which makes it the better call for getting the most for your money. Pick the Swift V if low weight matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The Six Moon Designs Swift V. It is 7 oz lighter than the Focal 58.
The Gregory Focal 58. It is $5 cheaper than the Swift V.
They are nearly tied at 66 and 65 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Focal 58 for price, or the Swift V for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.