Citro 24, 30, 24 & 30 H2O Plus Unisex Day Hiking/Hydration Backpack

Backpack review Osprey Manta 24 vs Gregory Citro 24 I narrowed my decision for a daypack with frame and hip-belt with pockets down to these two packs, based on high reviews for both. Manta kudos: has a better back trampoline, pack fully separate from the back. Trekking pole stash while wearing. Built-in rain cover. Adjustable shoulder strap height. Citro kudos: smaller, looks less “over the top”; shoulder straps were more comfortable; more subdivision for storage; larger stretch pocket; easier zippers on waist belt pockets. Equal: side mesh pockets accessible with pack on; both are comfortable, both sit on hips well and take pack weight off shoulders. Both good packs, but kept the Citro. Mainly for trimmer size and better pockets (I prefer multiple pockets, the Manta design was more about one large central storage area). I didn’t prefer (but wasn’t totally against) the Manta’s sideways-entry back panel pocket. The Manta shoulder straps were slightly chafing my shoulders on test loads, so it concerned me that might amplify on actual hikes. I also heard some intermittent squeaking from the Manta on test loads walked around my small house. I really liked the Citro’s pocket setup, lots of areas to subdivide gear, the main storage area had a small separate zippered pouch up top. The main storage is plenty big, but the Manta was bigger. The Manta had smaller and less of the various outer pockets. The back stretch pocket was noticeable smaller than on the Citro. If you don’t like lots of sections and pockets, you won’t want the Citro. I didn’t get a chance to try the water reservoir in the Manta, since I returned it, but even just the connection system for the hanger was easier on the Citro. The Citro mouthpiece worked great, but wasn’t anything special. It looked like the same mouthpiece on the Manta. The reservoir is very easy to access, attach/remove, and fill. I also like that the tube disconnect was up top, unlike my old Camelbak. Both seemed to use the same or similar sternum strap connector, it was minimalist and magnetic (but also had hooks to keep it attached). It can be connected and disconnected one-handed. It worked great on the Citro. The mouth piece stays magnetically attached just fine. And there is also a strap storage hook for the tube when not wearing the pack. The Citro overall felt more like a souped-up day pack, while the Manta seemed more like a toned down backpacking pack. I’m not sure if they both had the same storage volume of 24 liters, but the Manta just looked bigger. It was visibly bigger just sitting next to the Citro. Maybe the Citro was more about the multiple pockets for the volume, while the Manta was more about “one big pocket” design which made the pack need to be larger. And the better back trampoline support in the Manta may have also been a factor. Might have just made it appear larger. I don’t think you could go wrong with either pack. I preferred the multiple smaller pockets approach of the Citro, along with the trimmer profile, the easier to access and unzip waist belt pockets, and the well-engineered water reservoir system. I have to also note that upgrading to a pack with a frame and a hip belt was a worthy investment for my hikes. It’s night and day as far as hauling my gear compared to the Camelbak MULE I am upgrading from. I’ve been using the Citro on multiple extended day hikes, and have been very pleased with the choice and the purchase. I have no regrets, and find that Gregory has put a lot of thought into all the details of this pack.

This is a very good pack. I had been wanting the Osprey Manta 34 for a long time but chose this Citro 30L because it was $50 cheaper. The Manta went on sale for only $10 more ($165) soon after this one arrived so I ordered one and compared them side by side, putting the same amount of gear in each. Results: What I don’t like about the Citro is the extra pockets are very small. Too small to fit a sandwich in. The one on the outside is big enough for a first aid pouch and a couple granola bars, and the one on the inside is about the same. Not at all a deal breaker but I do like more options to keep things organized. In the main part I could fit my tent, light sleeping bag, camp cookware (little bigger than a softball), 1 change of clothes, and a small book. Maybe one or two other small items. On the Manta, because of the larger exterior pocket, the main compartment held a little less than the Citro. But I would still prefer this because the extra pocket on the Manta is roomy when the main compartment is not stuffed full and it has smaller pockets within which will come in handy. The compression straps are far better on the Citro. Better placement and I like that the bottom one does a zigzag to cover more area. The Manta’s straps aren’t completely useless but they are so close to the top and bottom of the pack that they don’t do much good. I had trouble getting them to hold my tent in place on the outside of the pack because they are so far apart from each other. I’ve seen lots of complaints about people unable to use the hip belt pockets while wearing the Manta. I had no issues at all. Do some stretches guys. The Citro hip belt pockets are fine too, just smaller. My iPhone14 Pro fit in it but just barely could get the zipper closed. The Manta was set up perfectly when it arrived so I didn’t need to adjust the torso length but it’s a nice option that the Citro doesn’t have. With that being said, the Citro fit fine as well. Almost too short for me but it worked and I did all kinds of household chores while wearing it during my test. I’m 6’2”, torso about 20.5”. Other perks the Manta has that the Citro doesn’t are included rain cover and H2O reservoir. Conclusion: Both packs are very comfortable to wear and I could do all of my chores with each. I went on a short hike with the Citro and loved it. Had the Manta not gone on sale when it did I never would have compared the two because the Citro was totally adequate for my needs. But at only $10 more I’m much happier with the Manta. Ps. I haven’t noticed the notorious Osprey squeak while testing the Manta. That might downgrade my opinion if it develops but I would probably still keep the Manta over the Citro.

I used this pack for a vacation trip as my airplane carry-on. It holds all the things I might need for a lot of time flying and being in airports. Items I typically carry are headphones, food, raincoat or light jacket, chargers, papers, medicine, etc. I think if needed this would hold enough for a short trip - one or two days of clothing and toiletries. It seems very well made with convenient pockets, including two on the waist band that will hold a food bar. I also strapped a sweatshirt to the outside using one of the side straps and it stayed in place through airports and in the overhead bin.

Plenty of room in the main compartment even with a full water bladder. The hip harness takes most of the weight off your shoulders. Easy to adjust and side mesh pockets are easy to reach when it is on your back. The frame allows ventilation to your lower back. The pockets on the hip belt are very handy however a tad small. If they were slightly deeper a cell phone or small camera would fit, but the side mesh pockets are larger and handy enough. Overall excellent design and quality.

This is a great light weight pack, the shoulders and support against my back are very comfortable on rugged terrain hikes. I have past surgeries on my shoulders, and other packs have always given me issues, this Gregory Pack does not! Hip pockets are awesome for carrying bandaids, small items and such. The water pack when full does take take up room in the pack, however when filling at 2ltr. It works great for a nice 3-5 hike. Only negative, the H2O bite valve has a magnet that sticks to a clip on the pack, which is very weak….

I wanted a larger pack to replace my 22L Camelback for hiking Kilimanjaro. The 30L Gregory Citro was at the low end for the recommended trip size, yet worked well. I might have opted for the 35L, but it did not come with the 3L water reservoir. I've used 3 other water reservoirs, and Gregory's 3-liter is my clear favorite. The detachable hose, easily attached compartment bladder, mouthpiece with magnet, and convenient-sized cap were all ideal. I expect the bladder will also be among the easiest to clean. Perfection would have included an insulated mouth tube. The tube doesn't seem to freeze as easily as my Camelback's. But, it still froze in subzero mountain temperatures. In the main storage compartment, I did manage to stuff 3 jackets along with all of my other gear, which was my primary pack objective. One gripe was the top packet seemed smaller than the Camelback's', making it a tight fit for storing a sandwich, let alone other small items. As a consultation, there is a nice small zippered pocket in the main compartment, that I found perfect for storing a headlamp and car keys. 2 others in our Kilimanjaro group also used the same pack. It served us well for 8 days on the mountain and I'll continue to hike with it as my main day pack.

I bought this on a whim for traveling over the holidays and now I use it everyday to lug things to work. It's very roomy, yet can be cinched down smaller if it's not full. It feels very comfortable even when fully loaded. The suspension system does it's job. The compartments seems to be a good size. My phone can barely fit in the waist pockets, and a water bottle fits securely in the outer side pockets. I have several daypacks for hiking and overnight backpacking packs. This would be a great inbetweener for short bikepacking/backpacking trips, but a little much for a daypack unless you need to bring lots of gear, layers, water, and food.

I'm getting back into hiking (day and overnight) after an almost 10 year hiatus. Although I normally eschew spending a lot of money on something like a day pack, I purchased this one on a recommendation. I'm glad I did. I remember the discomfort that's possible with day packs from my previous hiking days, but this pack was so comfortable it might as well not even be there. I've taken it so far on 3 10 - 12 mile conditioning hikes over rugged terrain, with around 2000 ft of elevation change, loaded at 20 lbs., and I can confidently say that this is the most comfortable day pack I've ever used. The included hydration bag is of high quality, and the magnetic chest strap/mouthpiece stowage is nice. The shoulder straps are comfortable, as is the back suspension and waste strap. Multiple pockets help keep things neatly organized and accessible. So far I've yet to have a single chaff or sore spot from a pressure point from this pack . Can't recommend it highly enough, and I'll definitely be looking to Gregory for my overnight backpack. The only con for me is that only the mantis green color was available, which I don't particularly care for. Can't think of anything else about it that I don't like.