Everyone, big or small, has to carry stuff around at some point in their lives. When you're a kid, it's school books, your lunch and your soccer cleats. When you're in college, it's a laptop, a giant water bottle and yeah, probably still soccer cleats. You graduate, you still need to tote around a laptop and some food, and, we're hoping you still need those soccer cleats. Regardless of what you need to bring, you need an easy, comfortable way to carry it all, and we're here to help! Here's our guide to choosing the right backpack (not the most or least expensive one, not the one with a million pockets, just the right one) for you.
Features & materials to look for:
RIPSTOP
Tough, durable ripstop fabric is a good choice for packs that are gonna take a beating and/or get dropped a lot. Great for backpacks that are going to carry a lot of books.
recycled nylon
Recycled nylon or polyster is a great material for breathability and air circulation. Great for long commutes and extended wear.
DWR
DWR (or Durable Water Repellency) is a coating applied to a nylon or polyester material to protect against the rain. Think of it like industrial grade Scotch Guard. A great option for commuters.
Sternum Strap
this strap goes across your chest from shoulder strap to shoulder strap, to provide extra stability andensure an ergonomic fit.
S Straps
An S-shaped shoulder strap creates a more ergonomic fit, which helps ease the weight of a heavy load by holding the pack closer to your body.
cinch straps
Cinch straps along the sides and bottom of a pack are great for a heavier load - they compress the pack close to your back so the weight is distributed more evenly.
KEY FEATURES TO LOOK FOR
High schoolers and college students often have to carry a ton of heavy books as well as a laptop, so weight management is super important. Look for sternum straps, cinch straps and touch ripstop material, as well as a padded internal laptop sleeve. Don't forget the water bottle pocket - an elastic one will treat you best - and an insulated front pocket to store some brain food (that's literal food, in this case).
KEY FEATURES TO LOOK FOR
Younger kids will still need to carry books, but (hopefully) not quite so many massive ones. That said, young bodies develop better with proper back support, so look for smaller scale backpacks (less than 17" tall) with those S-curve straps and cinch straps to keep any weight they do carry distributed evenly (and not just carried on the tops of their shoulders). They likely won't need a laptop, though many schools use tablets now so it's helpful to have a internal tablet sleeve. We love reflective details for added safety, and external bungee cords to strap an extra layer right to the outside of their bag.
KEY FEATURES TO LOOK FOR
If your work commute involves walking, cycling or public transit, you need three things: 1) to carry everything you need 2) to not break your back doing it and 3) to not show up to work feeling sweaty and gross. Look for recycled poly materials and air mesh backs with excellent spine support, and cinch straps to keep your load distributed. Padded internal laptop sleeves are a must, and we love a good front organizer pocket so your keys, wallet, sunglasses are in easy reach. Don't forget mesh water bottle pockets - your doctor told us you need to hydrate more!
TOP BACKPACK BRANDS
