REI Co-op  Tarn 18 Pack - Kids'

Like Majah Flavah mentioned the Tarn 18 version I bought in Nov 2015 is a bit different in design but has been a great pack for my young granddaughter. Note that she is tall for her age and I got it for her birthday. Her "Ducky" came along on the very first hike with the pack on that birthday weekend. A year and a 1/2 later and Ducky still goes with us on adventures. The pack has seen rainy to hot and humid days. It's been sat down in mud while we took breaks and hosed off when we got home. She has even squeezed through rocks with it on and the pack has held. I would definitely recommend this pack.

I bought this bag for myself because I don’t like carrying purses or trying to jam everything into my pockets. I like my hands free. This pack allows me to carry EVERYTHING I would ever need. Right now I have a hydration bladder, a water filtration system, Epi Pen kit, first aid kit, head lamp, Kindle Paperwhite, multi tool, snacks, and all sorts of female odds and ends—gum, lip balm, mirror, lotion, tissue, etc. in the bag. All the little pouches make it easy to keep things organized. I could easily throw in more things for a day hike, like a Mylar sleeping bag, rope, and a hiking first aid kit, among other items. I use the compression straps to run through my water bottle loops. The material is slick, so if your water bottle sticks out beyond the elastic, it will fall out if you bend over or take the pack off. I am not quite 5’4 with a normal torso length. I have to extend the shoulder straps all the way in order for it to fit well. If the pack is heavier, I may shorten it a little. The chest strap has to be in its lowest position to fit normally. The hip straps ride just a tad high, but doesn’t affect how the bag feels. If I need to take off running, I can tighten it down in seconds. I’ve carried this bag every day for several months now and it has held up well. My only concern is the bottom of the bag is not reinforced. I feel like it could get a hole in it or be cut and everything would fall out. This is a child’s bag, so cutting is not much of a concern, but getting a hole in the bottom is.

Bought this for our 6 year old daughter for her forest school. She is outside almost all the time there and needs to carry a lunch, full change of clothes, water bottle, and snack. This holds all that with plenty of room for gloves, rain gear, etc. This is NOT a school bag. It will not hold a ton of books/binders. It is a camping/hiking bag and works very well for that. It has not shown any wear as of yet and have been using it for a couple months daily. We also daisy chained some shock cord on the front for extra stashing.

I bought this for my 7 year old to use on our day hikes and short backpacking trips. It has been a great pack for her! It fits her very well and seems to distribute the weight on her hips properly. She never complains even when we have it loaded down with water bladder, clothes, her crazy creek hex 2 chair and snack..plus some other small items. She can unzip and use the hip belt pockets easily. She can also reach the side pockets when she is using a water bottle but it took a little bit of practice to learn where to reach for it but now she can with ease. I added a rainbow bungee on the front so she can easily stash her hat or jacket if she needs to!

I bought the Tarn 18 a couple of years ago for my 8 year old daughter going on her first Girl Scout hike. We hiked six miles in the rain and the Tarn performed exceptionally. It makes an excellent daypack and at 10 years of age she is still using it for when she goes geocaching or hiking. As LovetheSeattleRain observed, this isn't a Jansport book bag. I don't think the pack is so much small as it was purchased for the wrong use. This is a daypack - it can hold everything your child needs to be self-sufficient and comfortable. Although the current version looks to be cosmetically different from the one I purchased a few years ago, I would not hesitate to buy another one.

This pack is the perfect size for my 6 year old daughter. She loads it up with snacks, her outer layers when she warms up, and a couple of her toys. It pairs nicely with the Osprey Hydraulics 1.5 LT Reservoir.

My son got this backpack when he was 8, now he is 9. This has been the perfect pack for Cub Scout and family camping/outings. It is comfortable and well built. The perfect size for summer camp with the Webelos!

I bought this pack for dog walking. It is just roomy enough to carry all the essentials including water bottles and a towel or extra jacket, etc. An outside front zippered pocket is just the right size for my phone. I’m a small woman and all the adult packs were too long for my back, but this kids pack is just right, All the weight is carried high enough on my back to fit without strain. It can snap around the waist and across the chest for a snug hold which is nice for longer walks. I love it - so glad I thought of looking at kids packs instead of settling for an adult one that was just too big! Kids packs are cheaper, too!

Even though this backpack is designed for children, I find that as a 5'1'' woman, this pack is wonderful. I use it for day hiking trips, travel, and even for my books and laptop when I go to class!! My 13 inch notebook laptop fits inside the pouch where you are supposed to put a camelbak. The straps are very strong, and even if you put a lot of weight in the pack, it feels totally comfortable on your shoulders. I use it every day, but it hasn't worn down much; still looks and works amazing. Just looking at mine makes me happy because I've never enjoyed walking around with something on my back as much as this thing. Definitely get it for your kids, but if you happen to be a petite person like me, then this is also a great backpack for adults.

I am a 5'2" , 100 lb. female and could never find a day pack that was comfortable or small enough for my frame. This one fits me perfectly, and everything I need for day hike or snowshoeing fits nicely. The weight is distributed such that it never feels heavy. My pack is at least 5 years old and is still holding up nicely. Used it through Europe, Costa Rica, and the American West, and it is still going strong.