If you haven't purchased Dakine products before, I HIGHLY recommend them! I have found that our family needs gear that can take a serious beating. If whatever we buy is cheaply made, it'll be trash in no time flat. We have three Dakine backpacks in our house. My ten year old has a regular sized one for school and now this one for day outings. Other than the high quality, the real selling point is the lifetime warranty. I've had my pack for four years and my daughter has had her school pack for three. They're both in excellent shape after near daily use. This new one has a little whistle on the chest strap for safety, built right into the buckle. The main thing you jeed to know is that this is a SMALL backpack. Not like those tiny purse ones, but not sized to fit a teenager or textbooks. This would be perfect for 12 and under for a day hiking pack. There is no waist strap, so it is not meant to carry a lot of weight. It is exactly what we needed, however it is important to know that it isn't your average backpack size. It has all the quality and features of an average sized Dakine pack, though. If you're looking for a smaller pack, do not hesitate to buy this. You won't be disappointed.