I bought my first Bomb pack in 1993 and a Terraplane Overkill a year later. I replaced the Bomb pack in 1996 when they upgraded the straps and passed on the Terraplane only because it was a size too large. My Bomb packs were literally used to carry bombs when I was a ski patroller. Years later I acquired a 1996 Bridger, quite possibly the best backpack ever made for summertime loads. Eventually I came across one of the 10th Anniversary Terraplanes signed by Dana Gleason himself and another Terraplane from the mid-90s as well. And then a Stillwater from that era found it's way to our home and wouldn't you know, a prototype Bomb pack from I'm guessing 1989 showed up one day. Oh yeah, there's a Blaze model from the early K2-era (I suspect this might have been sewn in Bozeman) in the garage and a Shadow Peak is on it's way from another hiker who was clearing out their garage. I'm always on the look out for more Danas, particularly would like to find a similar waist pack as the OP but they still fetch a premium.
I think I have 2 or 3 of the Beavertails, a few of the pack cover/ponchos, a wet-rib, and a prized catalog from the mid-90s right before they were sold.
My 1996 Bomb pack was used every day 5 years of ski patrol work and trail crew work in the summer and is still in great condition. Bozeman-era Dana packs are indestructible, infinitely adaptable, and 100% reliable. That Dana still stands behind them is a testament to their quality. Of course they're not for the ultra-light crowd but they'll likely survive a tsunami if necessary.
