REI Co-op Tarn 12 Pack - Kids'
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Get your 5-to-8-year-old ready for the trail with the durable REI Tarn 12 daypack. It features kid-specific comfort so aspiring young hikers will have a great introduction to your favorite activity.
Shop newer version- Make it easy for kids to stay hydrated with water bottle pockets that are quick to access while wearing the pack
- Large main zippered compartment; front stuff pocket with stretch mesh side panels is great for a light jacket; zippered front pocket stores essentials securely
- Padded shoulder straps are comfortable and a padded back panel with built-in airflow channel improves ventilation
- Buckled hipbelt distributes the weight on longer journeys
- Zipper pulls and lash loops double as reflective accents, improving nighttime visibility
- REI Co-op brand is certified to The Climate Label; we actively fund efforts to reduce carbon emissions across our business and support climate projects around the world
| Best Use | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Bag Style | Backpack |
| Frame Type | Frameless |
| Gear Capacity (L) | 12 |
| Weight | 12 ounces |
| Material(s) | Nylon |
| Hipbelt | Yes |
| Reservoir Compatible | Yes |
| Dimensions | 13 x 9 x 5 inches |
| Gender | Kids' |
| Sustainability | From a Climate Label Certified brand |
Better gear is built together
From feedback to field testing, all of our gear is dialed-in by REI Co-op members. Their adventures informed every stitch and detail—making for better, longer-lasting gear.
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My 3-1/2 son loves it!
While I will divulge that I, myself am A faithful Osprey pack customer, this pack caught my eye in the store and was the smallest pack I could find (with a water hydration system compatibility) to fit my little boy. I am not disappointed in the quality or style. I am excited about the stretchy rain jacket pocket on the outside, the waist straps and absolutely LOVE the adorable hiking essentials list and depiction inside the pack. We initially got our 3-1/2 year old son excited to hike solely on the promise he would get to use (this) his "own hiking pack"! He now accompanies us at least once a week for hikes in the Arizona desert.
The kids love it
This is a small pack to get your young one started in the routine of hiking with a pack. We have used these for day hikes, nights at hotels and airline travel. It’s larger enough to fit about as much weight as she can carry, often for not too long if her hydroflask is full! The girls are taking responsibility for their equipment and gaining personal responsibility. There will be a break in period where you tell them to stop blowing the whistle except in an emergency. My 3 y/o has the 12 and 6y/o has the 18. They are in the lower percentile for their ages.
trick your kid into carrying their own stuff
got this for a 3, almost 4, year old so he could start carrying his miscellaneous hiking gear: snacks, water bottle, books, jacket, magnifying glass, etc. all go in and the best part is he wants to carry it. the chest strap makes this bag, because i couldn't keep backpacks without one on him for very long. haven't tried the waist belt yet, but doubt it'll ever be heavy enough to need it. he now carries it to school every day and is excited to put it on and it's big enough that he should have this for a couple more years.
Great little backpack
We bought this backpack for my 3 year old to use as a personal item on planes. It fits a surprising amount of stuff. 2 extra outfits, swim trunks, a hooded sweatshirt, kindle table, small coloring book and crayons, granola bars and trail mix and a few small action figures all fit with a little room to spare. He could easily carry it himself through the airport. My 8 and 6 year olds took turns carrying it while hiking Bryce and zion and carried snacks a camera and 3 liter sized bottles of water easily. It is a great little pack that smaller kids could easily manage. I initially thought it was too small, but honestly after packing it, any larger and it would have been too heavy for them. I'll probably get the next size up for my older kids next year.
Great for small child with Central Line II
In this one I’m showing some pictures. Our grandson is ~2-1/2 years old. This backpack is just slight large, but the chest strap across the shoulder straps and the waist strap keeps the backpack secured so he can be mobile while connected to his CADD Prizm pump and a 140ml bag of lipids. The picture of the open backpack shows the bag hanging from the built in hook.
Fits toddler really well
I bought this for my 2 year old to hold all his things while we travel. I had originally looked at smaller bags designed for his age, but they all seemed to be just too small to fit his things. This pack says that it is designed for children age 5-8, but it fits my 2 year old perfectly! My son is just a little over 36" tall and a little under 30 pounds. The length and width fit him perfectly! Plus he loves the little essentials picture on the inside of the bag :)
great bag for my 2 Y/O
Bought this for my little girl so she could start to carry some of her own gear ( jacket, water bottle, bag of pretzels, and post hike M&Ms for a treat). I used to have to try and convince her to go hiking with me now she asks me to go so she can you her big girl backpack. For these reasons alone it’s the best piece of gear I have ever purchased. But for a actual review of the bag it is a great fit for her she is 38” tall and fits here good. The bag is very well constructed and I can see a couple years of use before she upgrades and hands it down to some else. This isn’t some toy bag it’s a real pack for your little one.
Great backpack!
We bought two of these backpacks for our son (just under 3) and our daughter (4 and a half). We had done a lot of research on children's backpacks and were in general quite surprised with how little most backpacks hold - even though there is all kinds of designs out there. We travel a lot and it absolutely helps to have the kids carry their own snacks, water, toys and rain jackets. The tarn 12 comes with all the features (younger) children might need. So far we haven't even used all of them (like the loops on the outside) but we definitely will since we're moving to Peru this summer. The most important feature might be the chest strap so it doesn't slide off tiny shoulders. The shoulder straps are nice and soft, neither of our kids have complained about comfort. The packs have gotten wet already but stayed dry inside. Our son is only 3' tall and clearly younger than the recommended age. The backpack works just fine but I noticed that if he carries his own water and books maybe he is a bit off balance. Which I think is perfectly fine - at only 26lbs this was to be expected. Our daughter is 3'7" at 35lbs and she can distribute the weight perfectly. I think it is absolutely worth it to get the backpack even for younger children because they WILL grow into it. Until then just make sure you carry their water for example (which you most likely need to do with any other smaller backpacks anyway) and save the money you'd spend on a smaller pack for an outdoors adventure. :)
Great for Little Kids
These packs are awesome for my 2yr old and 4yr old. I make them be in charge of their own things for daytime outings, and the packs hold all the necessities - extra clothes, a lunch, wipes, etc. The water bottle holder works extremely well and is a perfect fit for the kids Camelback Eddie water bottles. My only complaint is that it should come in more colors! Lucky for me, the 2yr old actually likes pink a lot, and he was happy with that color :)
The kids love them!
After doing a lot of hiking this last year, we got these backpacks for our two and four-year-old kids. Though we haven't taken them out on any real adventuring yet, I have to say that they fit the kids perfectly and I love all the little built-in features. Though, had I realized that there was a safety whistle on the strap, I may have waited until there were not so many people in the house to let the kids try it ;) My daughter would not take it off for most of the evening. It will be nice for them to be able to carry some of their things while we go for an adventure next weekend.