December 28, 2000


What's a good size pack for a smaller woman?

Please help me select a backpack for my girlfriend. She is on the small side at 5-foot-4, 115 pounds. The pack will primarily be used for weekend excursions, though it will on occasion be used on four- to five-day trips. Comfort and quality are top priority. I have found three candidates: A Gregory Forester, a Dana Design Terraplane and Dana Design Swiftcurrent. I really like the Gregory but my girlfriend's torso measurement (15-and-a-half inches) calls for an x-small pack which comes in at a relatively tight 3900 cubic inches. The Terraplane is on closeout ($200!) for a '99 model but only available in a small—a smidgen large for her according to Dana's sizing charts. The Swiftcurrent is also on closeout ($200) for a small/x-small '98 model—apparently the right size for her. Unfortunately I have heard very little about this pack. To further complicate things, none of these packs are to be found locally so she cannot try them on.

— Tony Stewart Mobile, Alabama

Two things can make a trip great or miserable: Boots and packs. If a parka is too big, you roll the sleeves up. Trousers too long? Cuff 'em. Boots that are the wrong size can bring a trip to a screeching halt. And while poorly fitting packs may be a bit easier to endure, it's no fun having a pack that's too wide for the shoulders, too narrow for the hips, or too stiff in the frame sheet.

So beware trying to get a good deal. Mind you, I'm all FOR discounts and closeouts -— it's rare that an item is that much different from it's equivalent from the year before (my favorite pack, for instance, remains the Dana Terraplane I bought nine years ago). But packs have to fit, too. So buying them sight unseen may be a bit risky.

That said, I don't think you run any great risk with these three packs. It's true, for instance, that the Forester is a tad small volume-wise. But realistically, how much is she going to carry? I weigh 160 pounds, and regard a 50-pound pack as a load. Based on her body weight, a 35-pound pack is about the most she's going to want to lug, and that will fit easily into a 4,000-cubic-inch pack.

Dana's Swiftcurrent, meanwhile, is based on the company's Arclight frame, which is a slightly de-tuned version of their top-of-the-line Arcflex frame. It doesn't have quite the load capacity, but it's still an above-average frame, and a bit more adjustable than the Arcflex frames. So I think that would be fine. As for the Terraplane, well, if she can find one that fits, it's gold.

I'd order something, put 30 pounds in it, and see how it feels to here. I expect you'll be able to return the pack if it's not right. And on that basis, try the Terraplane, then the Swiftcurrent, then the Forester. Personally, I think the Terraplane can be tweaked sufficient to fit well, even if it is a bit large.

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