Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Dana Designs Tokaloo Day Pack > Owner Review by justin prince

Owner Review--Dana Design Tokaloo DayPack

21 August 2006

• Name - Justin Prince
• Age - 34
• Gender - Male
• Height - 5' 7"/170 cm
• Weight - 160 lbs/72.5 kg
• Torso - 16"/.4 m
• Chest - 40"/1 m
• Shoulders - 47"/1.2 m
• Email - backpackgeartest at oddlimitations dot com
• Tacoma, Washington USA

My usual trips range from 5-20 mile/8-32 km dayhikes or overnighters. My preferred destinations include off trail wanders, scrambles, and great vantages for sunrise/sunset panorama shots. My usual companion is my dog Jeb, a 90 lb/40 kg Lab mix. He prefers class 3 scrambles and loves snow.

PRODUCT INFORMATION:

• Manufacturer - Dana Design
• Year of manufacture - 2004
• www.danadesign.com
• Listed weight - 3 lbs 1 oz./1.3 kg
• Weight as delivered - 3 lbs 2 oz./1.3 kg

• This pack is a 1500 ci/25 L technical daypack. A roomy main compartment and a decently sized accessory/sunglass pocket make up the core of the pack.
• The pack also has a front mesh "shovit" pocket large enough for a helmet or a climbing rope. There are 2 side pockets large enough for 32 oz/1 L water bottles, and a compartment inside that can accommodate a 100 oz/3 L hydration bladder.
• The pack features a very well padded harness and hipbelt, and a sternum strap. Hipbelt adjustments are done by pulling to center, making adjustments on the move trouble free. There are also compression straps across each side, and load lifters for the shoulder straps. There are no pockets or extra gear loops on the shoulder straps or hipbelt.
• The pack reviewed is a size Large, but the stats available online all default to Medium specifications. (It is unclear from the Dana Design website if pack capacity changes with size, or if just the harness changes.)

FIELD INFORMATION:

Locations where the test was conducted - This pack has been with me on numerous hikes in Mt. Rainier National Park, and in various Wilderness and Forest Service areas throughout Washington state. I hike through a range of what the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Description of locations - This pack has traveled extensively on and off trail in brushy, snowy, rocky, and densely forested areas. Mostly mountainous terrain, elevations from sea level up to 7000'/0 - 2135 m.

Weather conditions encountered - This pack has held up very well in a range of temperatures from 40 F/4 C to over 100 F/38 C. The pack has been used in precipitation ranging from drizzle to heavy rain, and even blowing sleet. No snow as of yet, other than being set down on snow banks, etc.

PACK DETAILS from the Dana Design website:

• Fabric: LTD & 420 HT - (LTD nylon – 500d X 1000d combo of high tencity nylon for tear strength and Cordura for abrasion resistance. 420 HT=High Tenacity Denier.)
• Capacity: 1500 ci/25 L (Specs from the Dana Design website for size MEDIUM, this review is for the LARGE version, which seems closer to 1800 ci/30 L but is not confirmed.)
• Weight: 3 lbs, 1 oz/1.5 kg - (Carries like less, suspension holds up really well under typical light daypack loads and then some.)
• Mesh shovit: allows quick access to layers - (There is a hole at the bottom of this pocket to allow for a shovel handle. The top lid for this pocket has a great cinch strap that allows all kinds of items to be securely carried lashed down.)
• Hydration sleeve: allows easy access to water - (Sleeve is fairly well sized, and using it doesn't seem to create an uncomfortable lump in the pack.)
• Weather resistant zippers: for clean entry/exit of outer pockets - (The top pocket is exceptionally well sealed, and both pockets keep rain out very well. The main pocket has an overlapping fabric ridge for extra protection.)
• Side water bottle pockets: provides easy access to water - (These are a bit difficult to reach with the pack on. One nice touch is the fabric loop on the top pocket edge to clip onto a bottle. Another nice touch is an open corner on each of the side pockets, allowing small debris/excess water to drain out.)
• The pack also has 2 sleeping pad/tool loops attached at bottom of shovit pocket. (Adjustable/removable nylon webbing)
• The pack features the Arc Active suspension

I purchased this daypack to replace a smaller one in March of 2005. My purchase was based on the Dana reputation, and I haven't been disappointed yet. For such a small capacity pack, I'm constantly surprised at how much gear can be stuffed inside. I've been using this exclusively for most of my hiking trips since I purchased it. The Tokaloo can comfortably carry enough overnight gear for a warm dry night. I feel I'd be pushing it by having to accommodate bad weather gear, etc.. This pack is definitely helping me to hone a lighter pack mindset though. There just isn't room for unnecessary items!

My usual overnight load consists of:

• 64-128 oz/2-4 L of water
• Microlight purifier
• 10 essentials
• tent w/poles
• sleeping pad
• light blanket/serape
• kitchen kit (popcan stove/fuel/titanium pot set/food)
• and maybe some lightweight layering options, extra socks, etc..

The shoulder straps are sufficiently padded, and have not dug in to my chest. The hip belts pull towards each other to tighten up, which allows for very easy adjustments on the move. There are plastic side "bars" vertically placed to help support the hip belts. I'm not sure if they're intended for any other purpose than support. They make a great bandana tie point though!

I rarely have to stop to adjust this pack, unless I need to move something inside of it. I like the way this pack stays put when cinched down and snugged to my body. I do a lot of scrambles, and this pack doesn't shift or make me worry about my balance in rather precariously exposed spots.

The pack fabric has been dragged over rocks on summits, ground against walls in narrow rock cracks, and survived a 40'/12 m slip down a cliff while on me with no damage at all to the shoulder strap bar tacks. The pack has been dragged through various greenery bushwhacking hells, and is still not showing any abrasive wear. The bottom of the pack has acquired some grass stains though. So far, the pack seems to resist leaks or water saturation even when rained on for long periods. I've not yet had the contents get wet, and I have not used a plastic bag liner.

The stitching on the pack is superb, and I've noticed no loose threads or bulging seams. I also appreciate the Dana round stitching dots at reinforcement points. (Not sure if they're stronger or not, but they seem to distribute stress more evenly to me.)

The zippers are easy to open and close, even with the pack loaded all the way. The rubberized coating on the top pocket zipper does an excellent job at keeping out moisture. So much so, that I've been very confident in keeping electronics in that pocket. (GPS, digital camera, MP3 player, etc..)

This pack is hydration bladder compatible, and fits my 64 oz/2 L bladder just fine, without it bulging into my back. The outlet hole is flapped over with a reinforced gusset, so moisture is less likely to find its way back inside. Trying to find a good place to secure the hose can be a pain though. I just run it under the top shoulder strap adjustment. A small loop would be an ideal addition.

The only visible wear so far is to the zipper pull tags on the main pocket, which are fraying a bit. (As these are plasticized to some extent, instead of all nylon, they should last for quite some time still)

This pack will continue to be my first choice for quick, non-technical climbs, or for warm weather overnights. Being forced by the packs capacity to pare down my load to only what is necessary was an unexpected bonus for me. My tendency has been to pack to whatever capacity is available, and that's been a hard habit for me to break. I've managed to bring down my baseweight far enough to not even fill this pack completely now, even for overnight trips that require me to pack in all my water. Which should make longer treks with larger packs a lot less grueling!

Overall, I've been extremely happy with the Dana Design Tokaloo Daypack, and recommend it for general dayhiking.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
PACK PROS

• Roomy daypack
• Great suspension/straps
• Very durable construction, holds up to rough use
• Good water resistance
• Conforms well to my body over most terrain
• Light colored (gray) interior makes it easy to find items quickly
• Roomy front mesh pocket
• Attachment loops on side pockets

• No pocket on hip belt
• Outside pockets could have a slight angle in them to make reaching back for water bottles a bit easier
• No convenient place to secure a hydration bladder hose on the shoulder straps

Reviews > Packs > Frameless Backpacks and Day Packs > Dana Designs Tokaloo Day Pack > Owner Review by justin prince