Boreas Muir Woods 30 :: From Bogota to Big Jungle

Stepping onto the tarmac in Cali, Colombia I’m immediately greeted by the heady South American atmosphere; a faint melody of a fast-paced salsa beat drums off in the distance. Two weeks solo in Colombia. No plan, even less knowledge of Spanish and with only the pack on my back – the Boreas Muir Woods 30. Viva la Colombia!

Who It Suits

Someone who has an adventure planned but is vague on the details. This bag handles multiple environments, carry-wise and aesthetically. It opens flat which is great for packing and can swallow an impressive amount of gear with its three well-placed pockets. When loaded the pockets remain accessible and functional. At 30 liters it’s a heavy daypack that you can squeeze more than a few days out of.

Who It Doesn’t

Someone who needs internal organization. Additionally I’m a tall guy and this is one of the few packs I’ve reviewed that fits my torso properly. Some could find the frame of this bag a bit big.

In the Carry world, Boreas operates at the forefront of the industry. A carry think tank of sorts with a vision for the future of outdoor equipment. The Boreas Muir Woods 30 demonstrates their progressive pack designs.

“This bag handles multiple environments, carry-wise and aesthetically.”

Experimental but still practical. Simple but not stripped down. A daypack body bolted onto a backpacking chassis. An insanely functional pack that saw me through the gritty streets of Bogota to the deep jungles of San Cipriano.

My journey kicks off in the sprawling Colombian capital of Bogota. Though the last 15 years have transformed Bogota into a relatively safe place, your bag is best kept close to you. Not to worry though, as Boreas’s thoughtful chassis keeps the pack tight and high on your back, making it easy to slip through the crowded streets and squares of Bogota.

I’m 6’6″ (2 meters) tall and well versed in ill-fitting packs. Yet the Muir Woods 30 wears like a glove. Despite the close fit, the Z foam lining the back of this pack kept my back dry. The comfort and ventilation of this pack cannot be overstated. Here’s to hoping that the visionaries at Boreas see the future of the Carry industry full of Z foam back panels and less airmesh. 

From the metropolis of Bogota it’s off to San Cipriano, a village that can only be described as somewhere in North-west Colombia.

“Despite the close fit, the Z foam lining the back of this pack kept my back dry. The comfort and ventilation of this pack cannot be overstated.“

Remarkably, by following the precise directions to jump off the bus bound for Buenaventura on the side of the highway at kilometer 273, cross a rope bridge, then hire a local to take you the remaining way on the train tracks via a motorbike tied to a wooden pallet, the remote and roadless village of San Cipriano gradually materialized through the jungle.

A few days trekking through the surrounding jungles with the Muir Woods 30 made it clear Boreas’s roots lie in the outdoor industry. Though the pack is designed as a daypack there remain nods to more serious backcountry elements. From the rock solid stitching and construction of the pack to the tear and abrasion resistant materials and internal frame, the Muir Woods 30 is just as adept off the beaten path.

The numerous attachment points and hidden daisy chain loops can accommodate anything you throw at the pack – from wet clothes and sandals to camera tripods. Finally, since a laptop sleeve isn’t much use in the Colombian jungle, a hydration pack can instead take its place as the pack is equipped with two access points for bladders.

Just as the relentless jungle is beginning to take its toll, a flight beckons me home. Navigating the security of the Bogota airport with a boarding pass on a U.S. bound plane, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more thorough airport search and screening (read, cocaine). Much to my surprise, the Bogota airport security did not enjoy the discreet pocketing of the Muir Woods 30 nearly as much as I did.

“The numerous attachment points and hidden daisy chain loops can accommodate anything you throw at the pack – from wet clothes and sandals to camera tripods.”

Finally making it onto the plane the plastic lined grab-handle on the pack makes for an easy toss of this bag into the luggage compartment one last time as I wearily slump into my seat. Vamos!

The Good

This is an incredibly comfortable pack. The internal frame and stiff back panel gladly shoulders any load. After a long day on my feet, a pocket full of Colombian Pesos was more of a burden than the bag on my back. The shape of the frame is wide at the top and tapers towards the hips, which works very well ergonomically.

“This is an incredibly comfortable pack. The internal frame and stiff back panel gladly shoulders any load.“

In the functionality department the Boreas Muir Woods 30 is likewise spot on. You’re not left wanting additional space or pocketing, nor unsure what to do with aspects of the pack.

The Not So Good

Though this pack transitioned extremely well from the wet vegetation of Colombia’s jungles and the unpredictability of Bogota’s weather, on more than one occasion I found myself with a pile of wet clothes. This pack could really use a rainfly. In the style department, the hip belt is not detachable. Depending on your fashion sense, this pack may feel too outdoors for an urban setting.

Verdict

Over the course of two weeks traipsing across the intoxicating Colombian landscape, this pack handled the streets of Bogota to the deep jungles of San Cipriano impressively well. What’s more, the design of this pack carried and organized all of my gear, allowing me to divert my attention to more pressing issues, such as Where the Hell is this bus headed to?

Navigating the salsa-fueled rhythm of Colombia, Boreas’s Muir Woods 30 didn’t miss a beat.