As good as it gets for a pack of it's size! you'll pay for it monetarily but it's worth every cent once you hit the trails! Durable, well thought out, COMFORTABLE, comfortable, and comfortable! Be sure to go to a good store to have it fit to you properly, including the aluminum center rod--it's key to the fit. For AP backpackers, this has been noted to be the most popular--I guess that people who go months on end want to have a reliable and comfortable pack. Ask for it by name, and there's plenty of cool accesories for it too! Highly recommended, just a little costly.

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I carry Dana Product for no more than 4 years, but as I saw, I tryed and also used another brands; I can severaly recomend Dana Design. I can say that Expensive is what you pay a lot of money and don't satisfied you so much. Dana is the best choice for Technical Climbers, Backpackers and stuff. And be sure that wouldn't never leave you. This backpacks are made to be durable and long life use in the worse conditions. I had a Terraplane Overkill (1000 denier Cordura) and I change it for the 99' Terraplane X cos' it has the new features that I always dream about it. Pockets for my Nalgenes, D2 fabric, new Ice tool loop, etc... I also have a Bomb Pack and a Big Sky backpack. Gentelmans: When I was in the States I had the money to buy ANY pack I like it, and after try it ALL, see it ALL at the outfitters my choice was Dana. They do Custom stuff and I can asure you that other good brands maybe are more nice, tech look, etc. But Dana reunes ALL of them. Let me help you: If you look for fashion, style and good pack choose Gregory. If you look for a new tech style, tough, nice and small backpack choose Osprey. If you want a well made, tough, nice, super tough tech., and more important that nothing: RELIABLE backpack, choose DANA DESIGN. With Dana the only thing that you have to choose, is the collor....

Customer Service

I have been working as a technical advisor for Patagonia Inc. in textil technology. So about fabrics and test I know about it all.

Similar Products Used:

Dana Design Terraplane Overkill, Gregory, Osprey, Lowe, Kelty...

The tarraplaneX is the most comfortable pack I have ever tried on. At first, I was hesitant about spending all that money on just a backpack, but then after traveling many miles to many outfitters, the terraplaneX was the best fit out of all the packs. I've had the pack for a year now, and it's been through the summer heat to the winter's snow. The features on the bag were the second thing that impressed me the most. The only thing that I wish Dana would do is to integrate an internal hydration pack with its own storage place in the head compartment. I had a little trouble putting my bladder in the underside of the head unit. Overall, I have full confidence that my pack will last me a VERY long time.

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I am incredibly stoked about this backpack. There is absolutely no strain on my back when I use this backpack - none. The Terraplane is comfortable and the quality is evident in the workmanship. The suspension design is simple, effective, and elegant. I considered getting an Osprey, but the fit on this backpack is awesome.

Customer Service

Make sure you get your salesperson to bend the aluminum stay to form-fit your back. If you get an accessory for this pack, get the Wet-Rib... I don't know how I lived w/o it before.

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The Terraplane X pack is the best pack on the market in my opinion. I like everything about it - better than any pack I have ever had. The fit is the best - NOT a ""one size fits all"" pack - it comes in different sizes for a more custom fit. Spend the extra $$ and get this pack.

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Simply the most comfortable and best large volume pack I have ever used. Whether you are packing the kitchen sink or just enough for a cold weekend, this pack can't be beat. It handles the small loads comfortably buy compressing enough in the right spots so the fit doesn't suffer. In addition, the hybrid design allowing side access to gear is a great advantage over traditional top loaders. The material is bombproof and I've never had problems with buckles or zippers.
If you can afford Dana and need a large pack, this is the one for you.

I have both a Terraplane and the Osprey Amelia. I would be hard pressed to say which I like most. I am short, so that severly limited my choices to top end bags in order to get the fit I wanted. The Terraplane carries everything I need for short and longer trips. It organizes well and distributes the weight wonderfully. I don't think you can go wrong with the Terraplane - or any other Dana Design backpack.

Customer Service

Wonderful, well informed staff and a relatively quick turnaround for repairs.

I recently purchased the Terraplane backpack. I was looking for a large pack which would be comfortable with heavy loads. Well, I seem to have found it. I love the Terraplane because it has very cushioned, comfortable shoulder straps and hip belt. The deciding factor for me was that the hip belt design is unlike any other pack I have tried out. On both sides of the hip belt there are adjustment straps that pull "upward". This minor adjustment cinches the belt very snugly to my hips. Other bags such as Gregory cinch horizontally toward the hip belt buckle. For me the Gregory did not "snug up" as nicely as this Dana. This unique feature rides the load on my hips and takes pressure off my upper body. It is a great pack. The only thing I do not like is the pack itself is streamlined in it's cut. The Gregory is more of a boxy cut. The result is that it is easier to get more gear in the Gregory and get gear in and out of the Gregory bags a little more easily. All this being said, because of the tremendous comfortable fit of the Dana Terraplane I will put up with small inconveniences.

I bought my Terraplane in 1992 and I am still in love. It is quite simply THE BEST pack I have ever tried. I searched for years to find a pack that is suited to my compact (5'4", 125#), female (um, curvaceous) frame AND able to perform on long trips. The Terraplane is comfortable-no weird chaffing or rubbing anywhere. The simple, elegant design makes minor adjustments a breeze. I am told that there are several good "women's" packs on the market these days but I can't imagine a better fitting pack.
This pack is absolutely worth the price - I never get out as often as I would like but have put at least one thousand backcountry miles on this pack in the past few years and haven't needed any repairs.
Oh, I did make one modification. I added grommets to the shoulder straps so I could use my Lowe wrist rests with this pack. (People who say wrist rests are for sissies don't know what they are talking about.)

I love this pack! I use it at least once a month on backpacking trips, and i havent found one bad thing about it, other than it is alittle big at times. It is expensive but well worth the money. I have been through some bad weather with it and it keeps everything extremely dry also! This pack is great!

Customer Service

never needed it yet!

Similar Products Used:

Camptrails
Gregory shasta (this was also a good pack, but I dont like it as much as my Dana.)