I concur with Eugene's review below on 1 area: The shoulders can get sore if carrying loads above 30 pounds. I use the bomb pack for 1 day technical hike/climb combinations, such as the North East Ridge of Pinnacle Buttress on Mt. Washington (a 5.7 climb 5-6 pitches long, located a 3 mile hike from Pinkham Notch). Carrying all the gear and necessary equipment to the climb can be rough, but once I am climbing with it, I like it alot. It gives me plenty of freedom of movement, and with a light load is quite stable. I also like its' simple design and tough fabric. It could use either a larger lid or water bottle holders.... I give it a value rating of three because of cost, especially in relation to other brands/models, such as Gregory Gravity or Lowe packs.

I purchased a Bomb Pack 5 years ago and have been using it as a day pack since. I intend to replace it with a McHale Zero SARC by the end of April 2000. Since purchasing my first McHale pack, I have viewed all other manufacturers' packs with disparagement. In retrospect I find it interesting that I thought the Bomb Pack to be a great pack when I first purchased it. I carried loads varying from 40 to 45 pounds, which felt relatively comfortable to me at the time. I remember feeling some discomfort along my collar bones and shoulders, but I also recall that the pain I felt was less than I had experienced with any other similarly sized pack at that time.

The bag of my Bomb Pack is well stitched, all seams are taped, and the details of the
fabric are very good. The main bag is comprised of 1000 denier Cordura Plus nylon with a short extension sleeve apparently comprised of two-layer 210 or 200 denier nylon. The attached lid was comprised primarily of 500 denier Cordura Plus nylon. The double layer bottom had an outer layer comprised of 1000 denier Cordura Plus nylon with an inner, differentially cut layer of 420 denier untextured nylon. The fixed lid has a crampon patch manufactured from Hypalon, and there is a Hypalon external flap-pocket. This bag is durable as are all bags in Dana Design's Killer B series packs. The bag had an internal compression strap for stabilizing loads. I found that strap ridiculous for a bag this small and removed (cut) it from the bag.

With a stated volume of 2,900 cubic inches for my size (medium) bag, the main
compartment is the perfect size for carrying small or light items. However, it is not large enough for use as anything more than an overnight pack in very warm weather, unless either someone else helps carry your gear, you strap 50% or more of your gear to the pack's exterior, or you plan to sleep in a cave instead of in a sleeping bag inside a tent. The pack probably would make a good-size climbing pack or ski-patrol pack with one caveat: the pack's frame simply does not control heavy loads.

Although I was impressed with the pack when I first purchased it, that was before I
owned a McHale product. My standard for backpacks considerably increased since then. What I thought was acceptable load-carrying comfort for 40 pounds five years ago, I will not tolerate for 25 pounds today. The pack carries only a little more comfortably than a rucksack. The frame is useless for supporting loads, and the pack stops carrying comfortably when hauling weight in the range of 20 to 25 pounds (combined weight of pack and contents). The single, 6061 series frame stay, HDPE frame sheet, and Hypalon shoulder pad extenders are too weak to control the loads for which the frame components supposedly are designed.

The S pattern of the shoulder pads does not impress me. Does the pattern provide more arm clearance when walking than straight pads? Perhaps a little more arm clearance, but because the frame - - Hypalon and HDPE shoulder-pad extenders - - is so weak the "frame" collapses onto your shoulders or clavicles when loads enter the 20-to-25-pound range. Then your body becomes the pack's frame support. What difference does it make that the harness has multiple attachment points or provides slightly more arm clearance when walking if your shoulders are in pain? Twenty-five pounds is not a lot of weight, and there should be no excuse for a pack's inability to provide a pain-free carry with such light loads.

The hip belt feels relatively comfortable even though it passes around a portion of the pack's frame. Since I rarely carry more than 35 pounds with the Bomb Pack, squeezing the belt so tightly that I have trouble breathing never was an issue. The pack always remains securely in place without having to over tighten the belt, but I wish to emphasize that I attribute this to the relatively light loads I carry rather than to superior pack construction.

I can recommend the Dana Design Bomb Pack as a light-load carrier. If you are
comfortable viewing the pack as a rucksack rather than an internal-frame backpack, then I can recommend it highly for any rucksack-related use. With a comfortable belt and durable bag this pack definitely will endure, but prepare yourself for upper body
discomfort if you expect the frame and harness to control any loads above 25 - 30
pounds.

Customer Service

Please see my review of the Dana Design Terraplane.

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