I’ve been a rabid Dana Designs fan since I started climbing in the early 1990s. I have a late 1980s Bomb Pack for which I traded a beloved Lowe Contour Mtn. 40 (another all-time favorite pack), and I also have a Hoodoo Spire which has seen serious use as a day hiker.
I was lucky enough to pick up a nearly mint condition Kletterwerks pack at a recent estate sale. It’s the clear precursor to my Dana Bomb pack – a tall and narrow toploader, with a trim profile and excellent load cinching abilities.
Also, it was designed by the same person – Dana Gleason founded Kletterwerks in 1975, Dana Designs in 1985, and is now at the helm of Mystery Ranch.
I’m excited to use the Kletterwerks pack. It’s super lightweight, being completely frameless in the vein of a Jensen/Rivendell. I’ll be sliding a piece of closed-cell foam in the back panel pocket and hitting the trail this weekend. Since you might not be able to come along, here are a few more Kletterwerks packs I’ve skimmed off of the internet.
Working as a wildlife biologist in the late 70’s these packs were my mainstay. Sadly I just had to part with them when they finally gave up their coatings. Wonderful stuff.
-BB
love the rust color on old gear.
My mom used to make those packs with dana – a founding employee, and I was danas first second generation employee when he started dana designs… ANYWAY, I’m always looking for a vintage kletterwerks bag like the top one shown… Where do you find yours?
I have a early 1980s Kletterwerks backpack I am looking to sell. I bought it in Bozeman from the downtown shop. They sewed a custom top pouch for me. It is in pretty good shape. Please contact me via email at larseski at Hotmail dot com if you are interested. I can send photos.