wildyorkie
08-17-2006, 20:13
Have you tried Dana W. Gleason's Mystery Ranch G-6000/-7000 Series (or their
military counterpart, the BDSB) internal frame packs, AND the K2/Dana Design
Loadmaster series external frame packs (either the Terraframe, T-1,
Shortbed, Longbed, or Flatbed)?
If so, I am keenly interested in your impressions concerning the difference
between how these packs felt with respect to load transfer to the hipbelt
and the packs' comfort for trail walking over moderate terrain.
By way of background, Dana's external packs handle load transfer differently
than the G series. Specifically, Dana's Loadmasters featured two fiberglass
poles called "Magic Wands." The tips of these poles were inserted into
holes on the left and right side of the horizontal metal tube second from
the top. See the X-ray view of these packs at http://tinyurl.com/mynwv (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/).
These poles then ran through a yellow, tubular fabric sleeve and went
straight down to the outside of the hipbelt (without inserting into it) and
terminated near where the hipbelt attached to the bottom of the frame
The bottom of the wand inserted into a thumbnail-sized pocket at the end of
a black fabric strap with a buckle to shorten it. In turn, this strap was
connected at an angle to the top edge of the hipbelt towards the front
opening. By tugging on these straps and pulling them through their buckles,
the Magic Wands could be made to bend at their ends by about 45 degrees
forward. As JBrent said on the Backpacker forum, "When the fiberglass rods
are tensioned, the load is literally lifted UP, eliminating any sag
whatsoever. It makes the load feel twenty pounds lighter." See photo,
showing an untensioned Magic Wand in the straight down position:
http://tinyurl.com/rne67 (http://tinyurl.com/rne67)
Dana received a patent for this design on January 30, 2001, which was titled
as an "External frame backpack with flexible harness," number 6,179,188
(related to U.S. patent 5,704,530, January 6, 1998). See,
http://tinyurl.com/n6s4g (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/) (viewing patent images may require using a free
viewer at http://alternatiff.com (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/)).
In contrast to Dana's external packs, his Mystery Ranch G series internal
frame packs do not use Magic Wands. Instead, as Dana's patent, number
6,626,342, titled as "Backpack having a modular frame,"
http://tinyurl.com/ek46y (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/), issued on September 30, 2003, states, "The pack
bag and pack frame are also attached at a centrally located bottom flap.
The weight of the backpack's contents and the tension created by a hip belt
of the backpack cause a concentrated, compression load at the area where the
hip belt connects to the pack frame. Accordingly, this load is transmitted
to the pad of the pack frame and the load is safely and comfortably
transferred to the user's body."
The Mystery Ranch Website @ http://tinyurl.com/gzvue (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/) further explains that
"Extending the five segments of the Cush Lumbar Wrap across the entire small
of your back increases the amount of contact with your waist, distributing
the pressure over a greater surface area, alleviating pressure points."
Here is a link to the only photo on the Web of the five-segment G-series
Lumbar Wrap: http://tinyurl.com/o22a7 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/). In contrast, the hipbelt on the
Loadmaster consists of just three segments - a left and right "wing" and a
lumbar pad on the frame which nestles in the small of your back. It should
be noted that there were some variations over the years in the design of the
Loadmaster hipbelts which affected user comfort.
Thank you.
military counterpart, the BDSB) internal frame packs, AND the K2/Dana Design
Loadmaster series external frame packs (either the Terraframe, T-1,
Shortbed, Longbed, or Flatbed)?
If so, I am keenly interested in your impressions concerning the difference
between how these packs felt with respect to load transfer to the hipbelt
and the packs' comfort for trail walking over moderate terrain.
By way of background, Dana's external packs handle load transfer differently
than the G series. Specifically, Dana's Loadmasters featured two fiberglass
poles called "Magic Wands." The tips of these poles were inserted into
holes on the left and right side of the horizontal metal tube second from
the top. See the X-ray view of these packs at http://tinyurl.com/mynwv (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/).
These poles then ran through a yellow, tubular fabric sleeve and went
straight down to the outside of the hipbelt (without inserting into it) and
terminated near where the hipbelt attached to the bottom of the frame
The bottom of the wand inserted into a thumbnail-sized pocket at the end of
a black fabric strap with a buckle to shorten it. In turn, this strap was
connected at an angle to the top edge of the hipbelt towards the front
opening. By tugging on these straps and pulling them through their buckles,
the Magic Wands could be made to bend at their ends by about 45 degrees
forward. As JBrent said on the Backpacker forum, "When the fiberglass rods
are tensioned, the load is literally lifted UP, eliminating any sag
whatsoever. It makes the load feel twenty pounds lighter." See photo,
showing an untensioned Magic Wand in the straight down position:
http://tinyurl.com/rne67 (http://tinyurl.com/rne67)
Dana received a patent for this design on January 30, 2001, which was titled
as an "External frame backpack with flexible harness," number 6,179,188
(related to U.S. patent 5,704,530, January 6, 1998). See,
http://tinyurl.com/n6s4g (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/) (viewing patent images may require using a free
viewer at http://alternatiff.com (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/)).
In contrast to Dana's external packs, his Mystery Ranch G series internal
frame packs do not use Magic Wands. Instead, as Dana's patent, number
6,626,342, titled as "Backpack having a modular frame,"
http://tinyurl.com/ek46y (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/), issued on September 30, 2003, states, "The pack
bag and pack frame are also attached at a centrally located bottom flap.
The weight of the backpack's contents and the tension created by a hip belt
of the backpack cause a concentrated, compression load at the area where the
hip belt connects to the pack frame. Accordingly, this load is transmitted
to the pad of the pack frame and the load is safely and comfortably
transferred to the user's body."
The Mystery Ranch Website @ http://tinyurl.com/gzvue (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/) further explains that
"Extending the five segments of the Cush Lumbar Wrap across the entire small
of your back increases the amount of contact with your waist, distributing
the pressure over a greater surface area, alleviating pressure points."
Here is a link to the only photo on the Web of the five-segment G-series
Lumbar Wrap: http://tinyurl.com/o22a7 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/). In contrast, the hipbelt on the
Loadmaster consists of just three segments - a left and right "wing" and a
lumbar pad on the frame which nestles in the small of your back. It should
be noted that there were some variations over the years in the design of the
Loadmaster hipbelts which affected user comfort.
Thank you.