{"id":20663,"date":"2016-09-28T04:00:11","date_gmt":"2016-09-28T10:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/?p=20663"},"modified":"2022-11-11T10:10:46","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T17:10:46","slug":"gear-review-gregory-wander-70-kids-backpack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/gear-review-gregory-wander-70-kids-backpack\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Gregory Wander 70 Kids Backpack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kids Backpack
Gregory Wander 70<\/strong>
$189, 70L\/4,272 c.i., 3 lbs. 10 oz.
One size, adjustable
moosejaw.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a couple of groups of people who often have trouble finding a backpack that fits them and<\/em> functions well: young teenagers and small adults, especially women. Gregory tackles this dilemma head on with the Wander pack series. So I had my 15-year-old son and a woman friend who\u2019s short and slightly built test out the Wander 70 on backpacking and hut trekking trips\u2014and both really liked it. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\"Lauren<\/a>
My friend Lauren wearing the Gregory Wander 70.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

My son, who\u2019s five feet, four inches, a skinny 110 pounds, and has a 15-inch torso, carried this pack with more than 20 pounds inside at times (which represents an appropriate 20 percent of his body weight) on a three-day, August backpacking trip in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains<\/a>; he found it comfortable for several hours a day on the trail. My neighbor Lauren, a five-foot, one-inch, 107-pound woman with a 14.5-inch torso, used this pack trekking hut-to-hut on the (absolutely stunning) Alta Via 2 in Italy\u2019s Dolomite Mountains<\/a>. She carried a max weight of 25 pounds\u2014without completely filling the pack\u2014and her biggest day involved nine hours on the trail with 3,000 vertical feet of uphill and 5,300 feet of descending. She told me, \u201cIt was more comfortable than other small packs I have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/strong>Hi, I\u2019m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside.\u00a0Click here<\/a> to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside<\/a> to get full access to all of my blog\u2019s stories. Click here<\/a> for my e-guides to classic backpacking trips. Click here<\/a> to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.<\/p>\n

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\"Gregory<\/a>
Gregory Wander 70 front.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The Wander\u2019s fit and comfort start with Gregory\u2019s Versafit suspension, adjustable for torso lengths from 13 to 18 inches<\/strong> (33 to 46cm). Good for at least a few years of use for most kids, it will also fit many small to average-height adults with small waistlines. An internal Wire Wishbone frame<\/strong> flexes slightly to move with a wearer\u2019s torso, but retains enough rigidity for carrying loads up to about 30 pounds comfortably<\/strong>\u2014as much as a kid or small adult using this pack should carry. I adjusted the suspension within seconds to fit my son perfectly. (See my \u201c5 Tips For Buying the Right Backpack<\/a>\u201d for instructions on measuring torso size.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many young teens and small women, the hipbelts of adult packs, even in small sizes, are too big for their narrow hips and waists. But the Wander\u2019s Quick-Adjust hipbelt<\/strong> addresses that challenge with movable Aeromesh hip pads<\/strong> that can be positioned to rest on the hipbones of a wide range of smaller waists. As with the hipbelt, the thick, breathable, Aeromesh shoulder straps and back pad<\/strong> help make a moderate load almost unnoticeable.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Gregory<\/a>
Gregory Wander 70 harness.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The top-loading Wander 70<\/strong> has all the organizational features I like in a pack designed for backpacking, without anything superfluous, and plenty of capacity for weeklong trips<\/strong>; and yet, at barely north of 3.5 pounds, it\u2019s light enough for weekend outings<\/strong>. The wide mouth makes packing and retrieving stuff a breeze, and a U-shaped front panel zipper<\/strong> provides instant access to virtually everything inside. The zippered front pocket<\/strong> fits a jacket with space to spare. The mesh side pockets<\/strong> will hold a liter bottle or various small items like gloves and a map. The lid pocket\u2019s U-shaped zipper<\/strong> peels back to reveal everything inside\u2014making contents more visible than you\u2019ll find on most backpacks\u2014and that pocket\u2019s walls<\/strong> keep contents from spilling out. One complaint: The lid is not adjustable and removable<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As in some of Gregory\u2019s high-end adult backpacks, the Wander 70 and 50 come with the Sidekick, a removable, ultralight daypack or summit pack<\/strong> with unpadded, webbing shoulder straps and belt and enough capacity for several pounds of clothing, water, and food. It clips inside the backpack, where it doubles as a bladder sleeve (although there is a sleeve inside, too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here<\/a> for my e-guides to the best first backpacking trips in Yosemite and Grand Teton.<\/h4>\n\n\n
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\"Gregory<\/a>
Gregory Wander 70 side.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Dual side compression straps<\/strong> help stabilize an under-loaded pack, as do the bottom compression straps<\/strong>, which will also secure a sleeping pad, and the top compression strap<\/strong>, where you can also attach a climbing rope or other gear. The pack\u2019s body fabric combines 300-denier polyester and 400-denier HD polyester<\/strong>, while the bottom is made with tougher, 630-denier polyester ballistic fabric<\/strong>. There are ice-axe attachments and daisy chain loops<\/strong> on the front. The pack comes with a rain cover<\/strong>, stored in a zippered mesh pocket inside the front pocket<\/strong>, and even a set of tips on loading a backpack printed on the lid pocket\u2019s underside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designed for youths and small adults, the Wander 70 is built with the same quality and durability found in Gregory\u2019s adult packs<\/strong>, and will last for years, getting handed down to multiple kids. There\u2019s also the Gregory Wander 38<\/strong> ($139) for smaller kids, and the Wander 50<\/strong> ($169) for kids and small adults carrying lighter loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUY IT NOW<\/strong><\/span> You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking this affiliate link to buy a Gregory Wander 70 at moosejaw.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell me what you think.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I spent a lot of time writing this story, so if you enjoyed it, please consider giving it a share using one of the buttons below, and leave a comment or question at the bottom of this story. I\u2019d really appreciate it.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

See also all of my reviews of kids backpacks<\/a>\u2014including another excellent option, the Osprey Ace kids packs<\/a>\u2014and my reviews of kids outdoor gear<\/a> that I like, and all of my reviews of backpacking gear<\/a>, plus my \u201c5 Tips For Buying the Right Backpack<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews<\/a> at The Big Outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Michael Lanza<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kids BackpackGregory Wander 70$189, 70L\/4,272 c.i., 3 lbs. 10 oz.One size, adjustablemoosejaw.com There are a couple of groups of people who often have trouble finding a backpack that fits them and functions well: young teenagers and small adults, especially women. Gregory tackles this dilemma head on with the Wander pack series. So I had my 15-year-old son and a woman … <\/p>\n

Read on<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22661,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[221],"tags":[327,234,2509,319,320,818,2990,2991,318,321,752],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tbo-media.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/06235608\/Gregory-Wander-70-lead.jpg?fit=640%2C452&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Michael Lanza","author_link":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/author\/michaelalanza\/"},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tbo-media.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/06235608\/Gregory-Wander-70-lead.jpg?fit=640%2C452&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paNGJs-5nh","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20663"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20663"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55532,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20663\/revisions\/55532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebigoutside.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}