Dana Design Glacier

Review Date
May 20, 2002

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 3 votes

Reviewed by: scuttlebutt50(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Hazleton, PA

Price Paid:  $299.00 at Nestors, Whitehall,

Summary:
My old pack left me w/ a sore back, and sore shoulders. I tried on a bunch of new packs, including North Face, Kelty, and Gregory. I liked the Dana best. The others didn't fit right, and the Gregory had a lombard support pc. that was killing my back even at the store! My back and shoulders feel great after a 12-14 mile hike on the AT w/ my new Dana. It feels good while hiking too, no rubbing. Some slight soreness on my hips but that seems to go away after a few hikes, I get used to it. Plenty of room, and I love the large pockets, a big selling point for me. Love outside pockets. Overall quality seems good. I've used it on several overnight hikes now and can't complain much. I'm a mid-weight packer about 30lbs. at most and it handles it fine. I have to admit the shoulder strap construction seems like it could be heavier, seems too thin or something. And although it fits me perfect, it wants to hang over my rear a little no matter how tight I make my hip belt. It's also really priced higher than it should be. All in all, considering how my old pack felt, this one is like butter!

Customer Service:
Haven''t dealt w/ and hope to not have to.

Similar Products Used:
Wolfskin internal frame

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Review Date
March 28, 2002

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: Matthew (Unregistered User) ,  Climber , from Springfield, MO

Price Paid:  $300.00 at Ozark Adventures

Summary:
I bought this pack to replace an extremely old Jansport external when I was finally getting the time to get back outdoors more and started climbing. I've been climbing for a couple years now, using my Glacier to carry everything. If I were in the market for a pack in this size range I would avoid it. It works great if you're carrying 40lb or less loads, but anything past that and the lighter weight suspension becomes apparent. Loaded with a rack, rope, food, water, shoes, etc. my pack routinely weighs in around 50+lbs. A dense load like this also doesn't fill up the pack, so there is a lot of dead space and the pack rides like an unwieldy beast, especially up scrambles. For backpacking trips when the loads are bigger but lighter, it works pretty well. It still has too much sway in it for me though and does not support the load like I want. If you're a climber, I recommend a smaller pack with a stouter suspension (like an Arcteryx Bora 40 or 60lt). If you're a backpacker who likes to carry a lot of crap :) pony up the bucks and get a Dana with the Arcflex suspension, or save a few and buy an Arcteryx Bora 80 or 90 from a Canadian store. One more gripe, no hydration pocket, and the water bottle holders are too shallow to carry a one liter Nalgene effectively. Can't tell you how many times I've chased a bottle down snowy slope after bending over or sitting down.

Customer Service:
Not bad. I had a few questions about pack fitting and they sent me a manual ASAP at no charge, but didn''t answer my question.

Similar Products Used:
Arcteryx Bora 40 and 80

Review Date
January 17, 2002

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by: Ian (Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $300.00 at ems

Summary:
I've had the opportunity to use this on a rainy summer trip up mount jefferson and doing a lot of backpacking around europe. I plan to do some winter camping with it soon.

This pack isn't as serious or quite as nice as the terraplane - but it's still pretty good. Comfortable, plenty big, and a lot cheaper. I wouldn't want to overload it, the suspension doesn't seem overly beefy, and the rear pockets are smaller than I'd like, but it works really well for the price and weight. But with smaller back pockets, a worse hip/lid, and less compression straps, it makes me lust for the terraplane

Customer Service:
Some stitching on the shoulder straps came apart - a worrying problem, but they fixed it no charge no hassle

Review Date
August 8, 2001

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Mike(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Texas

Price Paid:  $299.00 at Whole Earth Provision, co

Summary:
This pretty decent pack that i used
on a 6 month backpacking trip(every day use) I too work in a Mountain shop and I am an experienced pack fitter as well. I find this pack one of the more difficult packs to fit, but when it does fit right it does a good job of getting weight to the hips.

As far as comfort and ease of use it did
well. I found it a bit awkward but it
felt great as the weight transfered well to my hups. The whole concept of the fiberglass frame is superior to most pack frame designs but it is a stripped down version of the much better
Dana pack, the Terraplane. It seems to me that it takes a certain body type to fit well in this pack. I say goto a specialty shop and try it on with weight and you decide yourself.

Customer Service:
Customer service is decent BUT:
Ever since Dana sold the company, pack production has moved to Mexico from Montana. I don't like the fact that
their warranty/ repair department is now out-sourced.

Similar Products Used:
Osprey
Works at Mystery Ranch

Review Date
April 12, 2001

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: Dirk Renner(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Corvallis, Or, USA

Price Paid:  $250.00 at Mountain Gear

Summary:
I purchased this pack for lightweight long distance backpacking trips. I am an experienced backpacker with many multi-month thru hikes under my belt. I have used this pack several times now since I purchased it and it has failed me in comfort each time. I have worked in Mountain shops and am an experienced pack fitter I know that I adjusted this pack correctly. Comfort is the reason I purchased a Dana in the first place. This pack is not comfortable, on each trip I have taken it on I find myself constantly adjusting the fit to no avail. The pack slumps over my rear when even lightly loaded, the shoulder straps slip when wet and demand constant adjustment. I have used other older Dana packs and they have been heavy but extremely comfortable. This one is not.

Customer Service:
Not yet, I am going to see if I can send it back for refund or credit.

Similar Products Used:
Jandd Barad (decent), Mountainsmith frostfire(decent), other Danas(awesome), Northface(bad), Kelty(Bad), REI(good)