Back issues/backpack

[HeyItsSara]

Instead of a tote or duffel, my chiro wants me to carry my library books/snacks/shopping items in a backpack.

I looked on Amazon and was lost. Any ideas of brands to look for?

thanks

 

[Andy M.]

Sara, fit and comfort is most important so I recommend you go to stores and try on different backpacks. Also, check for capacity and how it feels with stuff in it.

 

[HeyItsSara]

so much retail closed near me but i guess i can look around. thanks

 

[HeyItsSara]

Update:

I went to the Marshall's near my office. I found ONE really big backpack and it was FIFTY BUCKS, with a black and white uninspired print.

I unzipped it, to see how the inside looked, and saw a wadded up shopping bag and a pair of socks that were inside out and stuck together. Obviously someone bought it, used it, then returned it.

LOVELY!!

 

[roadfix]

Forget zippers, get a roll top backpack. They hold more, like a large sack, and usually with minimal external pockets and compartments.

 

[skilletlicker]

About 15 years ago I bought this LL Bean bag used, but like new, from a thrift store for $3, I think. Thanks for donating it MSW, whoever you are. I still use it almost daily. It carries my groceries home for instance, and it survived and served me well through a homeless stretch that lasted a few years following the 2008 "Great Recession."

If you are going to buy a new one retailing for ~$50, you should probably plan on replacements every year or two if it gets heavy use. I have other bags more appropriate for backpacking. If you're interested in those look for an internal frame, chest straps, and a waist belt. That kind of bag should fit you comfortably, fully loaded for hours at a time.

 

[Rob Babcock]

It kind of depends on why you're supposed to wear a backpack. If it's at the behest of your chiropractor then I am just guessing it's to transfer the weight to your hips. If that's the case then something with a good, padded hip belt is what you want. A good pack built in to transfer the load to your hips isn't as cheap as a typical book bag. I like Mystery Ranch and Hill People Gear. Osprey is a bit more affordable and still very good at load carriage.


FWIW I am a big hiker, camper and backpacker.

 

[Bitser]

I've read several pieces in which doctors say that lugging overloaded backpacks is a cause of back pain in young people. That aside, first step is to stack up your typical load for weighing and measuring. The pack should accommodate the largest item/stack of items without straining the zipper. The heavier the load, the more stiffness and structure you need. Some failrly small packs have built in plastic frames and waistbelts.

If it's hot, you want a pack that will ride slightly away from your back, so you don't end up sweaty and sticky. If you carry items that provide padding (extra clothes) they should go next to your back, with the stiff things (books, tools, laptop) outboard. Lunches and things that shouldn't get squashed ought to have a spot on top or a separate pocket. Or use a bento box, etc.

We lived in Auckland, New Zealand, without a car and I did most of our shopping with a 1.5 mile walk and a return trudge up a long slope. I used a super-light, unstructured backpack from Go-Lite that I'd gotten when I wrote gear reviews. It was usually stuffed tight enough to ride away from my back. I'd pack cans and bottles in the bottom, then stiff packaging (boxes, cartons) in the middle, with produce and bread up top.

If you try retail shops, take your stuff along and give each pack a real-world test.

Good luck!