First Look: From San Francisco, get drunk with the sophisticated design and functional beauty of Boreas backpacks

Boreas, a brand founded in San Francisco in 2010 by a talented backpack designer who grew up in Alaska, is one of the backpack brands that we think are more well-known in Japan. Their backpacks are full of surprise, playfulness, beauty and practicality, as if embodying the cheerfulness and leisure brought to you by the warm climate and rich nature, and the open, enterprising San Franciscan temperament that has been nurtured by the miscellaneous culture (if you take a look at the brand websites in our home country , you'll be sure to get the feeling instantly).

This time we will be covering two of their lineup, including a lightweight backpack in the 30L size that has been highly rated since last year. Not only are they all light and simple, but the impact of the appearance gives you a sense of high level of perfection that you can't imagine.

About Boreas

"Boreas" is where "KIM TAE" serves as design director. It started in 2010 based in the San Francisco Mission Area, where a wide variety of social groups and cultures exist. Items with designs based on outdoor activities will showcase their true value even in the street scene. It has been highly praised for its excellent design, lightweight and functionality, and has established its position as a brand with strong originality, recognized around the world. New insights continue to surprise you in terms of functionality and design.

Founder of KIM TAE Every day I grew up in the great outdoors of Alaska became the origin of my passion for the outdoors. After majoring in product design at university, he joined a famous outdoor brand in 2001. He worked as a design director there and released many masterpieces. He is known as a heretic in the outdoor industry with a strong personality. He is one of the rare and outstanding designers in recent years who have created innovative ideas, such as the new variable rear frame system.

From the Japanese catalog

Main features of each item

Experimental, original, but practical and general: MUIR WOODS 30

The Japanese version is available in Black only (photo is the 2015 model)

Muir Woods, whose name comes from a national park in California, is first eye-catching with its original design that you can see from any angle. It's surprising that this is still milder in the Boreas lineup. However, this seemingly eccentric design is, of course, not merely a eccentric design, and the great thing about this backpack is that the numerous functions that we will explain are simply stored under detailed calculations.

The entrance, which opens wide, is the reason for its distinctive silhouette, allows you to quickly put in and take out luggage.

There is also a pocket inside that can store hydration (notebook PCs).

The side straps not only act as attachments, but also as compression that compresses the pack capacity without losing its shape.

In addition, a huge amount of attachment points, daisy chains, etc. are placed in a way that is inconspicuous, and the simple back of the surface has a storage capacity that is hard to imagine with a typical daypack (but you will need to prepare your own carabiner, strap, etc.).

The front is along the center line, and the back is hidden in the center of the shoulder strap.

The pole and axe attachments are also firmly placed.

Of course, there are plenty of pockets to store small items, allowing even unfamiliar users to pack smartly.

The top left and bottom left photos show the top pockets, the side pockets (top right) and hip belt pockets (bottom right) are lightly stretchable and easy to use.

However, at this rate, this pack is nothing more than a convenient daypack for strolling around town. The biggest point that makes this person feel that they can be used to be fully active even in the outdoors is the high-quality back system (back panel), backed by experience and skill. The interior is a lightweight removable aluminum frame, and the back panel of EVA foam with moderate hardness, excellent fit, breathability and cushioning, providing a stable and comfortable carrying experience even under considerable loads.

A back panel with mechanisms that improve the ventilation of the back, such as ventilation holes, grooves, and mesh fabric.

Perfect waterproof for both outdoor and town use: MONTEREY

Available in two colours: Canyon Blue (photo) and Black

Another lightweight backpack is not absolutely essential, but is a completely waterproof pack that is very useful for some outdoor activities. However, in recent years, commuting by motorcycle and running commuting have become more common, and with the increasing number of students and working adults carrying waterproof backpacks in the city, it seems unlikely that this is a maniacal feature. This pack covers both outdoor and town use. It's not that it's too elaborate on the design and difficult to use, but rather that it's too biased towards functionality and not too unsophisticated. This is a backpack that is typical of Boreas, with a balanced, high quality in terms of "lightweight, functionality, and style." This model is a slightly larger size at 35L (for everyday use), but the lineup also offers a 25L ECHO with almost the same specifications for those people.

The sturdy 210 denier ripstop nylon fabric is waterproofed with TPU coating, and the entrance has a unique roll-top dry bag built into the body, making it impossible to allow water to get flooded at all without using a backpack cover.

A roll-top type entrance with a double layered structure with the outer nylon.

Due to the large capacity of the main compartment, the pockets and attachments are slightly modest. The front has an elastic pocket, a side pocket for storing drink bottles and small items, and a top pocket for storing thin small items (although it's not even spacious) is of course completely waterproof. However, I wanted a pocket for the bottle, as anything can be found on the side of the pack.

The interior features a PC compartment and a reflector print on the front pocket, making it a great piece designed for everyday use and at night.

The sleeves located inside have impact-resistant cushions, allowing you to store your laptop with confidence.

Summary: What kind of people do they recommend?

"Excellent" mountain climbing backpacks tend to have a certain level of design. It's hard to help but feel the magic of the West Coast, where you can create stylish, playful packs without compromising functionality. Designed to fit in with the city and nature, and with plenty of functionality and comfort for hiking, the MUIR WOODS 30 will meet your expectations, especially for day trips and hut hiking, if you're not too harsh on the mountain. This is perfect for those who are just starting to go outdoors, those who want to use it not only when going to the mountains on weekends, but also on their daily lives, or on their travels, and who don't want to wear someone else's pack if possible. On the other hand, MONTEREY can be used for similar purposes and usage situations, except for its "waterproofing". This is perfect for those looking for waterproof backpacks with few options, especially those who are looking for a highly designed design.

Muirwoods 30

Boreas

21,600 yen

MONTEREY

Boreas

24,840 yen

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