Until recently, a backpack was a sure attribute of a traveler, but over the past decades, this accessory has become an everyday accessory for a variety of people. It is now important to choose a good quality backpack correctly for representatives of various age and professional groups: schoolchildren, students, college students, young and not very office workers, tourists, athletes, freelancers, university teachers, and socially active people.
The main advantage of such an accessory is free hands. And if you choose a backpack, taking into account the height and build of the owner, it will be possible to eliminate the second most important problem of hand luggage – an overweight on one half of the body, because of which the spine suffers, because the body is forced to curve to that side, which is heavy with a load in the hands. At the same time, it is much easier to carry even more weight behind your back. 20-30 kg in the hands is almost impossible, and behind the back is a feasible load for most people.
There are many tips on how to choose a men’s or women’s backpack. Of course, the models of these accessories for men and women may differ in size and design, but by and large, there is no significant difference. A shoulder bag with shoulder straps is an emphatically modern thing that does not distinguish between the sexes and does not impose stereotypes. A woman of an athletic build may well choose a large “male” backpack, and a slender young man – a miniature model with rhinestones. This is not something you need to pay attention to when choosing a backpack. And what you need, read our article.
Urban casual backpack
What is the best backpack for everyday urban life and short trips to the suburbs, business trips, or walks in the parks? The most common type of these accessories today is called urban everyday. It has a small volume compared to tourist or sports models – from 20 to 25, less often up to 30 liters. In such a space, standard compartments of a shoulder bag fit:
- A laptop compartment designed for laptops with a diagonal of about 14-15.3 inches, rarely up to 17; this compartment is always adjacent to the back for better safety of equipment
- The main compartment – sometimes there are two of them: in one, you can put a notebook, album, sketchbook or book, and in the other – a small snack: a lunchbox with sandwiches, fruit, a bottle of water
- A pair of compartments for players and headphones, sewn on the outside of the main body of the backpack (now they are less and less common), as well as external side pockets for smartphones and tablets
- Organizer compartment with a special holder in a separate pocket or in the compartment of the main compartment, for various small items: pens, keys, flashlight, wallet, etc.
- Side pockets in stretch material or mesh for a water bottle or even a small thermos; as an option – a special compartment-thermos in some models.
In a good city backpack with a small volume, there are a lot of compartments, so you can quickly select and find even small items. In addition, some modern models are additionally equipped with batteries for charging digital gadgets. After all, even the most attentive of us sometimes forgot to charge our smartphones on time and take the charger with us. Some sports and tourist models are sometimes chosen as a city backpacks.
Other types of backpacks
Depending on the purpose of use, you can choose the following special types of backpacks:
- School workers. Designed for study and work, they are a more convenient and less unhealthy alternative to hand briefcases. As a rule, there are two or three main compartments for documents, papers, books, and notebooks, as well as several additional compartments for small things like pencil cases, keys, business card holders, wallets, etc.
- They are designed for hiking and travel, including in nature. Accordingly, they must contain a supply of food and water, a folded tent, and things for kindling a fire and cooking food on it. Therefore, their volume starts from 30 liters and can reach up to 100. A special case of a tourist type is models for mountain tourism.
- For example, for elementary school and elementary school students. The main differences are in the design: such backpacks take into account the growth and proportions of the child’s body and are designed for the load that the child can really withstand. In addition to school models, there are also children’s universal (urban), tourist, or sports varieties.
- A convenient and physiologically optimal analog of a large sports bag, where you can put your uniform, change of clothes, and sports equipment. In addition to athletes, such models were quickly appreciated by those who often go on business trips. Such products sometimes replace tourist ones – for example, during wild walks in nature.
- A specific variety of universal (everyday urban) backwoods backpack, which is chosen because of their convenience. The sling is thrown over the shoulder and with a slight movement of the hand is turned from the back to the stomach to facilitate access to the contents. Volume – no more than 20 liters, this design will not withstand more. There are right- and left-hand models.
An interesting variety is photo backpacks. With a volume of about 30-50 liters, they are designed for a moderate amount of photo and video equipment: half of the space is intended for general-purpose items. The models will suit amateur photographers, professional freelancers posting raster graphics on stocks, and even tourists who went on a photo trip.
