Weekend in the Wilderness

Weekend in the Wilderness

By Rachel Puga

I had the pleasure of taking the Terra 65 on a two day camping trip with one of my good friends.  We went to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness in Hoosier National Forest and did some backcountry camping along Lake Monroe.  It was about an 11 mile hike out to the peninsula and back, mostly along ridgelines but still with some fairly steep inclines because of the loss of elevation as you get to the lake. 

                As the seasoned hiker/camper between us it was my job to load and fit the pack of my partner, as well as teach him all the ins and outs of using a large pack.  In my pack I had the tent, my sleeping bag, and the foodstuffs.  In my friend’s we put her sleeping bag, our clothes, and all the little necessities like headlamps and the map.  This trip reinforced an idea that I’ve had but not had the chance to test in the woods- carry each other’s stuff so you don’t have to stop and take your bag off to get to your own stuff. 

Even just getting ready to go I was impressed with the Terra.  Of course I can only compare to the bag I already have, but it was easy to load, had sufficient pockets in good places to hold those little essentials, and my favorite feature- the side zips so you don’t have to unpack everything to get to the bottom of it.  Overall the fabric seemed sturdier than my bag, although since it wasn’t mine I decided not to hurl it off a ridge to test it.  The only downside with the gear that I borrowed was that the Cat’s Meow just barely fit in the sleeping bag compartment.  When I say barely I mean I had it cinched down as tight as it would go in its bag, and then I had to sit on the Terra while my partner and I wrangled the zipper closed.  I wouldn’t really consider that a huge down side though, I personally prefer down bags and mine would have fit in there just fine, as would, I’m sure, a warmer degree synthetic.

                I was very pleased with the comfort and fit of the bag. I’m sure this is due to my excellent packing and new fitting skills. On the return trip tried to make it uncomfortable by jumping, running, and yes- running into a tree. Despite our thorough field test it stayed comfortable, with no loosening of the straps or shifting of the load.  Overall we were very impressed with the performance and features of the bag, and I’d be happy to recommend it to anyone looking to go on similar trips.