User Review: Dana Design Astralplane Overkill

A magnificent piece of gear for hauling multi-day to expedition-sized loads without drama. Buy this pack, then stride down the trail past the lightweight fanatics who snicker at your enormous load, confident in the knowledge that you're carrying 50 pounds probably more comfortably than they carry 30. Plus, your Astralplane will be around long, long after the lightweight parachute cloth packs have disintegrated (I can't imagine the abuse it would take to injure the Overkill model's all-1000d Cordura construction)...

I find the enormity of this pack a boon to my packing style--everything in the packbag: Thermarest (folded), tent poles, sandals, kitchen sink. Just a personal preference--I don't like having things dangling from the outside of my pack. The large vertical pockets on the front of the pack are perfect for keeping raingear and trail necessities handy. The hipbelt is without equal. Despite others' claims against them for weight and a potential failure point, I like the long slash zips along the sides of the packbag for easy access to my tent when it's raining.

Finally, if you are one who has had a rough time getting a good fit with your pack (largish guys like myself especially--I wasted time with four other 'adjustable' packs that never carried right with anything over 40 pounds, despite my endless tweaking), do yourself a favor and strap on a Dana pack. You will, as I did, recoil in horror at the price initially, but I believe you'll find the superiority in comfort/durability of this pack worth every penny.