– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures

– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

Banner
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures
   

Summer Fun — Granite Gear Crown2 60 Backpack Review

by Lou Dawson August 28, 2020
written by Lou Dawson August 28, 2020
Crow2 60 enjoying Wyoming.

Granite Gear Crown-2 60. Brain lid covers roll top. Note the side pouches. It was an excellent rig for a summer walk in Wyoming.

Backpacking is one of the best ways to train for ski touring in the off-season. Why? Because it’s cardio, it’s legs, and it is fun. You’ve still got time. The western deserts will soon be prime, and good for at least three months yet. North American mountain ranges close up for foot travel earlier, but you still have weeks to enjoy our sublime alpine wilderness areas. To that end, we just returned from a week in our beloved Wind River range. We fished, we star gazed, we fished, we hiked. Thanks to Granite Gear, we had the right harness.

Granite gear was conceived in 1986, and always been our go-to for lightweight yet comfortable multi-day rucks. Louie and I sported their since discontinued Nimbus Ozone during a go-lite style trek in 2005. We still had one Nimbus stored away, but we needed a second pack for Lisa. Enter the latest brilliance from Granite: Crown-2 60.

Continuing Granite’s tradition of making relatively lightweight full-function backpacks, The Crown-2 is essentially a large, basic 60 liter volume sack with a roll-top and removable back-board. Trimmed down for lightweight trekking, without brain lid or backboard, it comes in at a svelte 2 pounds (.9 liters). That’s replete with a fully padded, adjustable waist belt and a lot of features intact.

Check it out in photos:

Not much missing here. Brilliant for a 1 kilo rig.

Not much missing here. In a word, brilliant for a one kilo rig. With the addition of a ski carry system the Crown could double as a winter backpack, but the backboard is a highly breathable — and hot weather comfortable — mesh configuration that would accumulate ice and snow. That’s okay for spring endeavors, but I’d not recommend for the deep of winter. Thus we’ll call this a “three season” item. Note the waist-belt zip pouches — we love those. The photo also shows the full-on harness system, with upper stabilizers ectcettera.

All rucksacks should have two tool loops.  Crown does.

All rucksacks should have two tool loops. Crown does.

Roll top without brain.

Roll top without brain can look messy in real life. In our experience it’s the best way to terminate the opening of a backpack. Optional brain-lid is included, at 2.7 ounces.

The Crown comes in three torso sizes, as well as a female and male version. The waist belt is easy to adjust.

The Crown comes in three torso sizes, as well as a female and male version. The waist belt is easy to adjust.

Plentiful compression straps easily bring the volume from 60 liters down to around 20.

Plentiful compression straps easily bring the volume from 60 liters down to around 20. The pack can thus be rigged for day trips.

We love side pouches.

We love side pouches. Stretch mesh can be a good material for this, but catches on branches and such while hiking off-trail. Solid fabric, as these are, is probably better. A drawstring and clamp cinches the opening.

Our only gripe.

Our only gripe. The side pouches have large holes in the sides to allow buckling and unbuckling the compression strap that runs inside the pocket. There might be a better way to build this detail. Knowing Granite, they’ll figure it out.

Removing the backboard from some packs is a struggle worthy of the weight gym. Not here.

Removing the backboard from some packs is a struggle worthy of the weight gym. Not here. The Crown2 backboard slips out in seconds through a zippered slot. For those of you curious about not using a backboard: we sometimes prefer rolling up our foam pad and inserting it into the main body of the pack, where it takes the place of the backboard, thus saving weight. (The object above the backboard is the easily removed brain-lid.)

Conclusion: We love it. If you’re prepping for go-lite style, you could razor blade another 6 ounces or so from the Crown. But at one kilo with backboard and lid removed, why? We particularly like the adjustable waist belt and the waist belt pockets. Only thing missing is an optional bear-spray holster. (Note that the Crown2 38 is similar, and sleeker for those of you traveling superlight. We recommend either.)
Shop for it here.

A few bonus shots from the wilderness family bliss zone:

My bride Lisa acquires dinner.

My bride Lisa acquires dinner while I sunbathe. Isn’t there a country song about that?

Dinner overlooking Nylon and Pronghorn peaks, among others.

Dinner overlooking Nylon and Pronghorn peaks, among others.

3 comments
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
previous post
Light, Fast, Fun — Black Diamond Cirque 78 Review
next post
COVID’s Impact On Avalanche Forecasting & Awareness

3 comments

Lisa August 29, 2020 - 3:41 pm

Highly recommended! The Granite Gear Crown-2 is perhaps the most comfortable pack I’ve ever used. For the first time, I was able to backpack without constant neck/shoulder pain.

George Reed September 6, 2020 - 11:45 am

Sounds like a good trip with good gear and the family. I would like to hear about your first trip to the Wind Rivers with Outward Bound in 1968 or was it ‘69. I’ll bet your gear was quite different.

Stephen September 7, 2020 - 5:34 pm

Is there decent load transfer to the hip belt, and does removing the backboard kill this if so? (I’m way more interested in getting weight off the shoulder straps than saving a few grams.) BTW, “… a svelte 2 pounds” does not equal 0.9 litres, but I’m sure you know that. 😉

Comments are closed.

Recent Comments

  • Lou Dawson 2 on Ski Touring News Review February 2021 — Backcountry.dot.com, Critters, Shark Tank, more
  • CBlatter on Ski Touring News Review February 2021 — Backcountry.dot.com, Critters, Shark Tank, more
  • Jack on Making Turns and Skintracks at Bluebird Backcountry
  • Paul Diegel on Ski Touring News Review February 2021 — Backcountry.dot.com, Critters, Shark Tank, more
  • Eric Steig on Ski Touring News Review February 2021 — Backcountry.dot.com, Critters, Shark Tank, more

Gear Reviews

  • Skis From the Future — 2021/22 Is All About the Freeride

    February 11, 2021
  • An Education on the Ephemeral Glide — Bases, Wax and DPS Phantom

    February 4, 2021
  • A Carbon Fibre Freeride Boot? — Pierre Gignoux Mountain Review

    February 1, 2021

Trip Reports

  • Celebrating the Low Danger, Low Angle Ski Tour

    February 16, 2021
  • Cooke City in Photos — Montana Trip Report

    January 29, 2021
  • Six Who Dared — Elk Mountains Traverse & Richard Compton Tribute

    January 7, 2021

Totally Deep Podcast

  • Drinking Beer with the Bench Girls — Totally Deep Podcast 84

    February 12, 2021
  • Griffin Post Stays Home — Totally Deep Podcast 83

    January 10, 2021
  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020

Tips & Tricks

  • Warm Toes for Cold Smoke — Tips To Keep Your Feet Toasty

    February 8, 2021
  • The Five Pillars of Skintrack Wisdom

    December 17, 2020
  • 10 Essential Mistakes for the Backcountry Ski Touring Beginner

    December 2, 2020

Ski Touring Stories

  • Envisioning a Friendly, Busier Backcountry — Shaun Deutschlander Q&A

    January 18, 2021
  • Giving Myself the Gift of Backcountry

    January 15, 2021
  • Six Who Dared — Elk Mountains Traverse & Richard Compton Tribute

    January 7, 2021

Newsletter Sign-Up

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • About Lou Dawson
  • Authors Page
  • About
  • Contact
  • Copyright & Legal
  • Website Security

@2020 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Developed by WildSnow


Back To Top

Read alsox

Ski Touring News Review February 2021...

February 26, 2021

Totally Deep Podcast 85 — Serious...

February 25, 2021

Making Turns and Skintracks at Bluebird...

February 24, 2021