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The North Face Terra 30 - First
Look
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Price:
£55.00
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Weight: 1050 grammes (one
size)
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Features:
Multi-use day pack with TNT Light suspension system,
30-litre capacity, 59 x 30 x 18 cm , top access with lid,
420D nylon and 1680D Balistics fabrics, X-Bungee storage,
dual daisy chain and tool loops, two side water bottle
pockets, inbuilt hydration campatibility, side compression
straps, Safe-T whistle on sternum strap, lid pocket,
security pocket inside lid pocket with key clip.
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Undramatic but effective.
Back system a tad flexy
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The Concept Modified for this year, the Terra 30 is the
smallest of TNF's Terra hking and trekking packs. At 30 litres in
capacity, it's intended as a multi-use hill and mountain day pack,
the sort of sac you can use for walking, scrambling, a bit of winter
mountaineering maybe and the occasional climbing trip. It's also
available in a women's specific version.
Features If you're the sort of gear fiend who demands
innovation in everything, you're going to be disappointed, mostly
it's just a question of thoroughly proven features, well done. So you
get a reinforced Ballistic base to complement the ripstop Nylon of
the main body, hydration facility and water bottlle pockets, semi
hip-belt with padding, a lid with pocket and moveable Velcro-fastened
ice tool loops on the twin daisy chains.
The new for this year TNT Light back system isn't quite as
explosive as its name suggests, just being three foam islands for
regionalised comfort. The TNT versions on the larger Terras have
added stiffening PE sheets for better load carrying and, in the case
of the Terra 50, an adjustable back length.
One touch we do like on the latest TNF packs, is the Safe-T
sternum strap, which, like those on the Osprey packs, incorporates an
emergency whistle into the buckle, which is neat and effective.
In Action For every Eric Clapton, there are scores of
thoroughly professional session musicians who just do a thoroughly
reliable gig. The Terra 30 is a bit like that. There are no stars and
fireworks here, but equally pretty much everything you want and
expect from a 30-litre mountain pack is present and correct.
It sits reasonably comfortably with the TNT suspension providing a
decent fit and cooling that's no worse than anything else on the
market with a conventional back system. The tall-ish, narrow profile
works well for scrambling and doesn't catch on incomveniently sited
rocks while compression, sternum and hip-tensioning straps allow you
to cinch things up for stability.
We can't fault things like the provision of both hydration system
compatibility and water bottle pockets - do people still use water
bottles ;-) - and twin loops give you winter ice tool options as
well. The compression straps even unclip to stow longer objects like,
erm, baguettes, with minimum hassle.
As a walking and scrambling sac it works fine and the 30-ltre
capacity is ideal for most day outings. It's less happy as a climbing
pack, mostly because the combination of no frame sheet and no
shoulder tension straps make carrying a dense, heavy load like ropes
and rack uncomfortable. Fine for the odd trip, but if you're after a
dedicated climbing sac, we'd look elsewhere.
It's not flashy and it's not particularly innovative, but the Terra
30 is a thoroughly capable and well thought out walking and
scrambling day sac with pretty much all the features most people will
look for. It will also do the occasional climbing day, but the back
system isn't really intended to cope with the heavier weight of
climbing hardware and ropes.
Build quality feels good, but we do think it's a little expensive.
It'd be interesting to see TNF using the EVA foam features in their
hydration pack back sytems elsewhere in their range as well, the TNT
foam is a little on the soft side..
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this product check
out our user review system and post your opinions to the world. If
you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear
forum.
