Gregory Juno/Citro 24 Hydration Pack Evaluate

Backside Line

The Gregory Juno 24 Hydration Pack excels in consolation, match, and hydration efficiency, making it a superb alternative for day hikers, path runners, and outside lovers.

Its light-weight construct, breathable again panel, and adjustable shoulder straps guarantee a snug match, even when totally loaded. The pack’s hydration system is user-friendly, that includes a leak-proof bladder and a robust magnet clip that retains the hose in place. The ample storage, together with deep hip pockets and a keychain hook, permits for straightforward entry to necessities like snacks, telephones, and small gear. Nonetheless, the pack could not go well with these needing intensive storage or a extra customizable match as its single dimension won’t accommodate all physique varieties comfortably. Moreover, the outer mesh materials may put on down over time with heavy use.

Total, the Juno 24 gives wonderful worth for anybody looking for a dependable, light-weight hydration pack for brief outside adventures and average hikes. That’s why it’s our prime choose for the finest hydration packs of 2025.

How We Examined

We took the pack out on a 6-mile winter hike to Skyline Lake by Washington’s Stevens Move to check for consolation and assess how nicely it carried our snacks, gear, and different objects for climbing. We additionally evaluated the convenience of use of the hydration system and examined the pack’s waterproofing below simulated rain.

Consolation & Match

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O is constructed for consolation with padded shoulder straps and a tender, breathable again panel. The match is usually good, however you will need to observe that the pack is designed as one-size-fits-all. Even so, there may be some quantity of adjustability with the shoulder straps, permitting extra leeway for bigger or smaller constructed our bodies. 

It took some effort to suit the pack appropriately however as soon as sized proper, we felt that the pack sat snuggly towards our our bodies. The again panel is designed with a breathable mesh that helps scale back warmth buildup and potential sweat, which was vital as we examined this out in our winter gear. The hip belt was supportive, designed to be tender and cushioned. We discovered each of these options helpful on our 8-hour hike into the backcountry. We carried 10 kilos of additional layers and winter gear, however the weight wasn’t a problem because the padded shoulder straps saved us snug. Particular person match and luxury preferences could fluctuate, however this pack works nicely for a variety of hikers.

Hydration System

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O comes outfitted with a 3L hydration bladder that’s simple to fill and use, making it a standout characteristic. The bladder has a big opening that enables for fast and easy refills, and its design helps forestall leaks. The deal with is slip proof, although not as ergonomic as different bladders with a panhandle, such because the 2L model. After we have been climbing, the bladder’s magnetic clip securely held the hose in place and out of the best way, which made hydration on the go simple and handy. The bladder can simply slide into the pack’s designated sleeve previous to loading the pack, however we discovered it troublesome to slip the complete 3L bladder again into the loaded pack throughout our check hike. Though the June 24 has a aspect exterior pocket, it was too stiff to  maintain a standard 1L Nalgene bottle. We discovered it higher to stow it contained in the pack.

Compartments

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O shines in group with its number of compartments, making it ideally suited for brief hikes or day journeys. For our winter hike, the primary compartment provided sufficient area for a hydration bladder, further winter clothes, and snacks. We cherished how there was a separate sleeve to maintain the bladder safe and out of the best way from accessing our necessities. The hip belt pocket was deep sufficient to retailer our telephone and snacks whereas nonetheless giving us fast entry to them as we navigated the path. The interior group contains mesh pockets, although these can really feel a bit tight when overstuffed, so we ended up not utilizing it. The small prime pocket was nice to carry small objects, however its restricted dimension meant we needed to choose and select what objects to put. We finally solely used it to suit a bar and keys and used the important thing clip inside to make sure security from shedding the keys throughout the hike. 

Hikers who want further space for storing or extra versatile compartments may discover the Juno limiting, however we discovered the inner storage ample for day hikes. Total, the Juno 24 H2O gives nice group for longer day journeys.

Waterproofing

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O gives cheap water resistance. Since Washington hardly ever has heavy rain days, we determined to simulate a heavier rainstorm by testing the pack’s sturdiness below a bathe faucet for 30 seconds. Over the primary few seconds, the pack dealt with it with out points. The zippers have their very own cowl, which permits water to slide off the pack as an alternative of seeping via the zipper like many different packs. Likewise, water didn’t simply seep via the hydration hose gap of the pack. After the complete 30 seconds, the uncovered zippers did permit water to drip via over time, so a pack cowl is perhaps helpful in moist situations to guard your pack contents.

Sturdiness

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O is constructed to final, with sturdy materials and robust zippers that maintain up nicely to common use. The primary compartments characteristic robust, abrasion-resistant materials that may stand up to the pains of day climbing and outside adventures. On our check outing, we didn’t see any obtrusive points with the primary physique material. It by no means snagged, and any grime slid off simply. Moreover, the zippers have been clean and straightforward to make use of, even when the pack was loaded to capability. 

Nonetheless, the mesh materials didn’t really feel as sturdy as the primary physique materials, making it extra prone to snagging. Much like many packs, the Juno’s outer mesh may tear over time below heavy use or publicity to tough environments. In any other case, the Gregory Juno 24 H2O carried out nicely for our winter hike. The stitching and general building felt strong sufficient for years of use. Total, the Juno 24 H2O is sturdy sufficient for typical outside actions.

Weight

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O is a comparatively light-weight hydration pack, particularly for a 24L daypack, weighing simply 1.9 lbs (875g). Different packs we examined with 20+ L quantity weighed over 2 kilos by comparability. When packed, the Juno 24 H2O distributed weight successfully throughout the shoulders and hips, decreasing pressure throughout our hike. Regardless of its slim profile, it carried a major quantity of substances for a winter hike within the Cascades, together with snacks, a number of further layers, and a hydration bladder. The load all the time felt balanced and near our physique, holding us snug on longer hikes. This pack feels sturdy for carrying heavy masses and can carry all of the necessities – even for winter hikes while you may deliver a couple of extra objects to remain heat.

Ought to You Purchase the Gregory Juno/Citro 24 Pack?

The Gregory Juno 24 H2O Hydration Pack is right for day hikers, path runners, and outside lovers who want a light-weight, purposeful, and comfy pack for brief journeys. This can be very snug to put on all day. It excels for these looking for a hydration resolution with nice group, together with easy accessibility to necessities like snacks, telephone, and water. Its well-designed hydration system, snug match, and breathable again panel make it a stable alternative for average hikes, particularly in cooler situations. Nonetheless, this pack might not be the best choice for these needing a extremely customizable match or extra space for storing for prolonged journeys. Total, the Juno 24 H2O gives good worth for these searching for a dependable hydration pack for day hikes or quick excursions.

What Different Hydration Packs Ought to You Think about?

Whereas the Gregory Juno/Citro 24 H2O is our prime choose, you may discover one thing extra tailor-made to your meant use in our full hydration packs information:

Osprey Mira/Mantra 22/24 Evaluate: Although the Gregory Juno/Citro 24 H2O excels in consolation and match, the Osprey Mira/Mantra gives extra group, waterproofing, and assist. Nonetheless, it’s heavier for its dimension.

Gregory Swift 16 / Inertia 18 H2O Evaluate: The Gregory Swift 16 / Inertia 18 H2O gives a extra compact design and smaller quantity in comparison with the Gregory Juno/Citro 24 H2O. It has a greater hydration bladder for probably the most ergonomic utilization.

CamelBak HAWG Professional 20 100 oz Evaluate: The CamelBak HAWG Professional 20 100 ouncesoffers extra inner group than the Gregory Juno/Citro 24 H2O. Nonetheless, it’s slimmer and harder so as to add bulkier objects to its primary compartment.