Two backpacks worth lining up side by side. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Gregory Katmai 55 | REI Co-op Traverse 60 | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 64✓ | 63 |
| Capacity | 55 L | 60 L |
| Weight | 4 lb 11 oz | 4 lb 8 oz✓ |
| Rated load | 50 lb✓ | 45 lb |
| Fabric denier | 210 D | 210 D |
| Price | $290 | $269✓ |
| Type | Backpacking | Backpacking |
| Frame | Internal | Internal |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Katmai 55 in blue, Traverse 60 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 Gregory Katmai 55 and REI Co-op Traverse 60 take different routes to the same job. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The Katmai 55 is a higher rated load (50 vs 45 lb). The Traverse 60 is 3 oz lighter and $21 cheaper. Their GearScores land within a couple of points (64 vs 63), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the Katmai 55 if you care most about load carry, which makes it the better call for rough ground and hard use. Pick the Traverse 60 if low weight and price matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The Gregory Katmai 55. It is a higher rated load (50 vs 45 lb) than the Traverse 60.
The REI Co-op Traverse 60. It is 3 oz lighter than the Katmai 55.
They are nearly tied at 64 and 63 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 Katmai 55 for load carry, or the Traverse 60 for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.