Madden Mountaineering Mountaineer

Review Date
February 6, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Jay(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Ann Arbor, MI

Price Paid:  $80.00 at off of ebay

Summary:
Bulletproof pack! Simply the best made pack on the market. Made in the US (no stinky multi-nationals here) 1000 denier cordura throughout, sewn as if my grandmother put it together with her trusty foot peddle machine. this pack has a single aluminum stay, an HDPE framesheet, and two delrin hoops that form an hour glass shape. The suspension is similar to Dana's Arclight series. One of the delrin hoops attaches to the hipbelt trim straps and the other to the load lifter straps. Once I shaped the stay to my back she rode like a dream. I have used it for winter trips and the sleeping bag compartment (which opens like an oven door) holds my winter bag, extra layers and any other lightweight stuff I want to put into it. The top pocket comes off and combines with the waistbelt to form the most comfortable lumbar pack I have ever carried. It even has trim straps to snug it into your lower back. I have the Atubo which was made in 95-96 but has evolved into the Mountaineer. It retailed for about $400, but a backpacking supplier was clearing out old stock and put this on ebay ($80). It was brand spanking new so I decided to take a shot. I fully expect to have this pack for the rest of my life! It is that well made.

Customer Service:
I called Madden and asked if they would honor the lifetime warranty on a pack that was already at least 4 years old when I bought it. They asked if I had bought it new from a dealer, and when I responded yes they said absolutely and directed me to the web site to fill out an online warranty card. The guy I spoke to even went so far as to tell me that while they did not make accessories for that particular line anymore they could have them specially made and sell them to me for what they originally cost. Wow!

Similar Products Used:
Dana Design, Gregory, Kelty, Mountainsmith. Madden beats them all hands down. All Madden packs are on par with the dana overkill packs of old.