Choosing the right backpack
Do you need a backpack or will your pant pockets do? If you need to carry more stuff will rocking a backpack cramp your style, If you think a backpack is what you’re looking for then how do you choose the right one for you? It doesn’t seem to be a tough question, but size matters. the pocket organization is a plus, better quality material will last longer. There is also the comfort level with straps and back panel, it all adds up to your preference along with the price, this pack is coming along for the ride with you a lot of the time. It is a question you need to ask, just like picking out outfits and buying shoes, it needs to fit and be comfortable, and has to meet my style. You need to ask, will it work for the many scenarios that I go thru? Then you look at prices, which is another decision you must accept. I have seen some packs up to 400$! and some that are around 30$, and when ordering online you take a chance when you can’t really see and feel it, you can only get some confirmation from reviews and reputation.
I’m about material first, I like a heavy-duty fabric for the long haul. I also like when the bottom of the pack has a heavier-duty material so it doesn’t wear out from constant wear and tear from being on the ground to dragging and throwing the pack around.
When it comes to the straps I look for reinforced stitching and good padding for comfort, I also want to see the padding on the back panel. While the straps look strong and comfortable the bonus would be if it comes with a sternum strap and load lifters. The size of the pack would determine if I would want a hip belt for more stability and comfort, and I am also a big fan of padding on the belt with pockets, along with the option to take the belt off or hide it away in the sleeves of the pack. If you walk a lot you would be surprised how a hip belt comes into play with a heavier load.
So let’s think about pockets real quick, the more the better right? I’m still on the fence about that assumption, I have found myself going from one pocket to the next and still haven’t found what I was looking for. But let’s face it we are at the mercy of the designer when it comes to what they think is functional and what they think is a good size for the pockets or the idea of a hidden pocket in a pocket! You got to be a little clever to make it work. Zippers can be annoying but you need to close things up. I like smooth zippers that don’t catch on fabric, but no promises here, it always happens to me, and why I like the heavier-duty fabric. To be honest, the main compartment of roll-top backpacks has caught my attention because of the fact you roll it and clamp it shut and that space also adjusts with how many or fewer rolls it takes to close it up.
I am also a fan of the big open space of the main compartment (the big dump pouch), just dump your stuff in, no need to force your hand into that small pocket when your pack is puffed out and full. I like the idea of consolidating things in packing cubes for my organization and it’s much easier to grab those pouches in and out than to get into those small places. The water bottle pocket is a bonus and a quick grab pocket on the outside for me, it will be used often. If a pack comes with some kind of daisy chain webbing and/or molle/PALS webbing on it, then this designer gets snaps for thinking that someone may want to add to this pack to make it more functional for their needs. We need our things to get us thru our day, we don’t need to overthink our options of how we get to point A to point B with our stuff. It’s better to carry it on our backs than to juggle it on a unicycle.
Backpacks are popular, they come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, the concept is all the same but so different from one person to the next. So whether you wear it with one strap or two we can all agree and respect the fact that we bring more for the day than what are pant pockets will allow… and some just carry more.
Need to carry more and it won’t fit in your backpack?
Carry it ON your pack
