Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Gear Reviews The Dana LoadMaster: Best on the Planet!

The Dana Designs Loadmaster Series LongBed.<BR>Pros: Supreme comfort with heavy loads; 6,100 big cubic inches; ten well placed pockets; superb weight transfer; great ventilation; $300 price compares favorably to top-end internals.<P>Cons: It weighs 8 lbs. empty; Dana phased out the frame shelf.<P>The Dana Designs LoadMaster LongBed just may change your mind about external framepacks. One thing is for sure, if you don't like the LongBed, or one of its LoadMaster brethren, you don't like externals. Your loss.<P>But let's be clear. If your loads are under 50 lbs. and you like the ride of internal packs, there's no need to venture into LoadMaster territory. Nope, the LongBed is a different kind of animal. Its specialty is hip crushing, shoulder bending, back breaking 75 lbs.-plus loads that make most internals pull off the trail and puke. When most other packs are giving up the ghost, the LongBed is just coming into its own, carrying god-awful weight with the ease of a forklift on steroids. No other pack, internal or external, carries monster loads as comfortably. It truly is the Load Master.<P>But lots of internals carry big loads, you say. What about the Dana Terraplane? This is true. But no internal transfers weight onto your hips as well as the LongBed. No internal allows you to strap the dense and heavy stuff, like 100 lbs. of boned out elk quarters, high atop the pack to maximize comfort. With most internals, you need to stuff 'em good and take up all the interior space for them to carry right. Small, dense loads end up being bottom-heavy. <P>The LongBed laughs at the dense stuff. Strap it high and hit the trail. Also no internal carries with as much back ventilation as the LongBed. It won't sound like a big deal until you unstrap your internal in sub-freezing weather and find you have a sweaty back! And with a LoadMaster, you give up zilch in comfort. <P>As to specs, the LongBed holds a huge 6,100 cubic inches of gear. The bag fabric is a newly designed, stronger and more abrasion resistant 500-denier nylon. Like all externals, what doesn't fit inside, and I can't imagine what that would be, will strap to the outside or the frame. Top and panel loading options make things easy to access. Ten pockets are conveniently organized for maximum ergonomics. The exterior mesh pocket is great for waterproof necessities like a headlamp, GPS, binoculars, knife, compass, and parachute cord. Behind that pocket is another just right for survival gear, lunch, gloves, spare socks, first aid kit, and your rain parka. The two long side pockets are perfect for rope, 1,000 gram Primus fuel bottles, tent stakes, a Platypus 100 oz. water bladder, ten or so dehydrated meals, and a partridge in a pear tree. The two mesh water bottle pockets on the side bottoms are a great place for your waterproofed topo map and a couple of SafeWater bottles. Add the map pocket on the flap and the interior valuables pocket, and you have a place for everything, including the kitchen sink.<P>Dana's published weight for the large-size LongBed is 7 lbs., 13 ozs. Mine weighs in at a full 8 lbs., but don't be snookered. Shoulder those 80-plus lbs. Strap that full-on Dana suspension tight, and get ready. Cinch the magical waist-trim straps and feel the weight come off faster than Jenny Craig on speed. Now snug up the load lifters and clip the sternum strap, and you're a monster-load humping machine. Just don't tell anyone it feels like 30 lbs. <P>About the only complaint I have is that Dana chose to alter the frame and remove the shelf at the bottom. This shelf was awesome in that it allowed the pack to stand solo, making it super easy to get into while sitting, and was a handy place to lay nasty stuff that you didn't want contaminating the innards of your bag. Dana reps state that a few of the shelves broke when people tried to lean on them too much, but I'm keeping my old frame. I love it. <P>In the end, the Dana LoadMaster LongBed is an external framepack that vies for the title of King of the Mountains with any and all internals. It is by far the best external framepack on the market, and is converting legions of monster-load humpers to the external fold. You may not need one for moderate loads, but if you plan on some heavy meat toting, you owe it to yourself to try one on. <P>You might just become a Load Master.<P> <P>

Rick... I've tried on the Dana External Frames... really, they're THE BEST external frame packs I've ever seen... hands down! Most EF's are torture implements... (ala 1970's)! While heavy, I'm seriously considering buying just the frame for packing out elk. I currently use an old "Trailwise" frame for that chore. Since Dana left my home-town, sold twice, moved to Mexico, lowered quality and raised prices, I wouldn't even consider owning one of their Internal Frame Packs when there are other, better, US and Canadian made packs available (for less $ too). The two top pack makers around right now are (IMHO) Osprey (USA) and Arcteryx (Canada). I currently own three Osprey packs, and wouldn't hesitate to own a few more!<P>Brad

Brad:<P>Dana used to make a LoadMaster that is just the packframe and suspension with a type of strapping mechanism. It's called the Flatbed and they stopped making it in 1998. It sounds like just what you need. If you're interested, let me know and I'll see if I can't get one from one of my suppliers. He may still have a few around. I can probably get an image of it and post it here if you're interested.<P>Let me know.<P>Rick<p>[This message has been edited by RickBin (edited November 02, 2000).]

I don't hace much experience with external frame packs. I tried a Colman Peak1 once and didn't like it. That was years ago. Since I started college I have longed to start backpacking again. One of my friends had a Dana Design Glacier and swears by it. Recently, I ran into an opprotunity I couldn't resist. The next generation Danas are made in Mystery Ranch, which was moving it headquarters closer to the business friendly university. I got a $330 Mystery Ranch "Groove" for half price. It is an extremely comfortable pack that looks absolutely bullet proof. I can't wait to get it in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. It shoudl do fine for us wusses that don't carry more than 50 or 60 pounds. I like the closer ride of the internals. If you like externals, more power to ya. I was just agreeing with the overall superior quality and construction of the packs designed by Mr Dana. BTW, I shook his hand...

My spies tell me THE load carrying champ is a custom model, internal frame pack made by Gregory for the special forces guys. It will carry up to 180 lbs, and is of a modular design.
It has only one drawback. They retail for $1500.
Gregory makes several that easily carry 80 plus pounds at comparable prices to the Loadmaster. The internals work better for me off trail. They are custom fitted and will hold up for years. E

E
I thought I heard somewhere recently that the Dana Longbeds are available dirt cheap, like less than $150??? Had you heard that? Still cannot talk me out of my old Barnie's feighter frame and moose bag.
art

I seem to recall hearing the same thing, Art. Perhaps a search of the backpacking forum, or just posting an inquiry there would work. E

Guys:

http://www.northernmountain.com/vendors/dandes/danasale.html

They have T1's and Terraframes dirt cheap. The've had LongBeds on sale for $99 forever, up until last month, but they don't show them listed today. I'd call them and see if they have any around still. I'd bet they do. They had a ton. Otherwise, that Terraframe is superb as well ... same suspension and frame, different bag.

Rick

I bought one of each last year. They are great. I wish I had more time to wear them out...