User Review: Dana Design Terraplane X

Reviewed September 23, 2000 by Michael Karaman

Rating:
Design: Internal Frame
Size: 5800
Number of Pockets: 6
Max. Load Carried: 45
Height of Owner: 5' 9"
Price Paid: $450

In short, a great pack.

I'm primarily a trail walker (800 miles on the A.T. and Long Trail), and a long-time owner of external frame Kelty packs. I had to buy an all-new pack for this trip and scoured the Internet to research my options. I narrowed my list to several external frame packs and tried on the Kelty Super Tioga and Dana Designs Terraframe at a local outfitter. The salesman had hiked the A.T. in the mid-'90s using a Terraplane X and talked me into giving it a go (since they didn't have a Terraframe in stock in my size). I spent a week on the A.T. in western Vermont and eastern New Hampshire and loved the way the pack performed. It took me at least four days to get used to packing it differently than my old Kelty, and all the adjustment straps seem to take me 10 minutes longer to get going in the morning, but the end result was incredibly comfortable handling the 35-45 pound loads I was carrying.

I also used the pack to carry perhaps 18-20 pounds for eight miles and noticed that, while very capable, the pack no longer curved to my back since there wasn't enough weight to push into my lower back. I also used the HipLid as a daypack, stuffing a water bottle, two pairs of socks (my feet sweat a lot on a 20-mile hike), a first aid kit and snack food in easily. The hipbelt and hip cinchers did a great job of keeping the weight pretty tight against my hips, although I did have to pull the belt very tight.

I'm still a little concerned about heat build-up with an internal frame pack on a very hot day (80+ degrees), but everything gets hot to some extent and this pack rides great with at least moderate weight.

Save & Share

Where to Buy

Sorry, we couldn't find any online retailers selling the Dana Design Terraplane X. You may be able to find it new or used at one of these sites:

Trailspace Classifieds

US | Canada | UK | Aus

GearTrade

Retailers: Do you sell the Dana Design Terraplane X? List your site here.

Similar Backpacks

Compare
See how the Dana Design Terraplane X stacks up against the competition: read more backpack reviews or more about Dana Design.

Contribute
Have you used a Dana Design Terraplane X or a similar product? Write a gear review.

Discuss
Still have questions? Answers? Opinions? Join the converstation in the Trailspace Forums.