What to Look for in a Backpack for College

An essential item for most individuals is a backpack. They can transport a number of things including books, a laptop, cell phone and a water bottle among other essentials. Today, are all about functionality and versatility. The trick is in selecting the backpack that is correct for you and will meet all of your needs.

The first thing you must consider is the items that you will need to transport in your backpack. If you are only going to carry a laptop, a large multi-pocket backpack may not be what you are looking for. On the other hand, you have to ensure that the sack you are purchasing will comfortably hold all of your necessities. If you are using the backpack for business or travel, are larger bag with compartments is recommended.

Because you will be wearing the backpack on your back, ensuring that it is comfortable is essential. You may want to fill the backpack with weights and try walking with it. Walking up and down stairs may also be necessary. Try moving in ways that you move on a daily basis to see if it causes pain. Back injury can be caused by a backpack that is too heavy or not aligned properly.

Wide shoulder straps are important when it comes to selecting a backpack. These broadened straps will make certain that the sack's weight is distributed evenly. Padding should also be part of the shoulder strap design. Even when carrying a heavy load, the padding should eliminate pain in the shoulders. The straps should be durable and adjusted to prevent sliding.

An individual may or may not be concerned about the number of pockets. For most people, it is important to have a laptop pocket and to ensure that they backpack being purchased will accommodate the backpack will accommodate the size of your laptop. If you have a number of items to carry, pockets will be important to you.

The quality of any zippers or hardware that is on the bag is important. Test them and make sure their functionality is to your liking.

The quality of the construction of the backpack you are purchasing is important. After all, you want this product to last for several years. Do some research on the bag you are considering. Customer reviews are also a great place to get information about the durability, comfort and the construction of your backpack of choice.

These are just a few suggestions for finding a backpack that will meet all your needs and last for years to come.

Arlene is an author that enjoys writing about health and finance. You can visit her latest site at http://backpackzforcollege.com/ where you can find information on Backpacks for College.

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Properly Packing Your Backpack

Proper packing of a backpack could, if one were so inclined, be called a science. To the casual weekend warrior properly arranging your gear inside your backpack might well be an exercise more properly defined as stuffing everything you need into a sack. However, for the gear-geek crowd, the question of how to fit everything you need within the confines of a tubular container is a tantalizing puzzle.

There are as many packing theories out there as there are types of backpacks. Hang around outdoorsmen long enough and you're bound to hear them all. Everyone has their own take on the "correct" method. They include everything from proper weight distribution, using every lash the backpack provides, heaviest items on the bottom, only up the middle, always on top, etc. Everyone that's been using a backpack long enough comes up with their own system that best suits their gear and their sensibilities and they're bound to tell you about it!

Not to be left out, I also have finally arrived at what I feel is a solid and practical arrangement of my gear. After 20 years of backpacking this system is certainly tried and true. Whether it's the best or not, I'll let the critics decide.

Likely before a conversation can begin about how to pack your gear, what type of backpack you'll use should be decided upon. That topic is actually quite involved and is a stand-alone subject needing its own article. For the purpose of this article I'll define the type of backpack you'll be using. A lightweight pack without too many bells and whistles in the 4000-5000 cubic inch range. A top loader with a hood, and if you're so inclined, side zipper access. I've found that a backpack meeting this criteria will suffice for 90% of trips if you're carrying only your own gear. If you're taking kids you'll likely need to bring more gear then a 4500 cubic inch pack will comfortably carry or if you're on a climbing trip and have a very large rack and group gear, you might not have enough suspension on a lightweight pack to support the added weight. Those situations aside, if you're looking to spend a week or two out and you're only going to be carrying personal gear - and that gear is fairly lightweight in nature, then this method will work.

I like to think of the inside of my backpack as having 3 layers which run vertically up the pack. The bottom layer I use for all my sleeping related items. The middle layer has my heavier/larger items and the top layer is mostly food. I start by putting my camp chair shell and sleeping pad in to the pack in a semi-circle. Looking from the top down, these two items follow the curvature of the outside wall of the pack. I then place my tent and sleeping bag vertically into the remaining cavity. I always use a sleeping bag compression sack as I've found without one my bag is simply too large to stuff into this configuration. With those items in place I then stuff clothing items into any of the small remaining spaces. If properly stuffed, there's zero space remaining on this bottom layer. Every available cubic inch is used.

The next layer is composed of my stove, collapsible water container (for camp water), my water reservoir, first aid kit and extra clothing items. Again, every inch of space is used. If we're doing cross-country routes I'll also use this space for my climbing harness and a small rack and extra webbing.

The uppermost layer is primarily shopping bags of food. On long trips we generally only take freeze-dried food along with bars, and other dried items. No cans, no boxes - nothing that isn't easily packed out after we've used it.

In the hood I put my "possibles" bag, rain cover, rain/snow jacket or shell and any other small items that need a home. On one side of the belt I have a belt-pouch which holds my hat, gloves, maps and extra bars for the trail. On the shoulder strap I also have a small pouch which carries the point and shoot camera. On the opposite side of the belt is a water bottle pouch.

To round it all out I have a small pouch lashed vertically to my compression straps on the side/rear of the bag. This holds my water filter for easy extraction. If we're climbing and a rope is needed I put that between the hood and the main body of the pack, all tucked away so it won't snag on branches and the like.

With this configuration, nothing (other than the small water pouch) is strapped to the outside of my pack. This not only gives the pack a great center in terms of weight distribution but not having gear lashed to the outside means I can easily toss my pack, pull the pack with rope, etc. As we do a lot of off-trail hiking, having all the gear on the inside affords a better overall ride. The total weight of my pack hovers in the mid-thirty pound range. Slightly less for short trips and up to ten pounds more for longer trips or with extra gear for climbing.

In a nutshell, that's my packing configuration for the majority of our trips. There's always slight modifications depending on the trip's purpose. If fishing, the pole will be lashed to the outside. If winter camping, I'll have snowshoes/skis and a shovel lashed to the outside. However the basic configuration for all my other gear remains the same. Give it a try the next time you're out. I hope it works as well for you as it has for me.

Check out our Site dedicated to Outdoor Products and Advice - http://gearcollect.com/ or our blog at http://gearrevere.com/

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Beginner's Guide on How to Choose the Right Size Backpack

Once you have decided on the type of backpack you want to purchase the next decision is to know what length your backpack should be. This article will cover the main points of how to choose the right size backpack in length, capacity and support.

Measure Up

Before choosing the right length backpack, you will need to perform the following exercise with the help of a friend.

First locate your seventh vertebra; this is the small bony hump at the base of your neck located between your shoulders. Place a piece of tape to mark this point.

Second, locate the point at the small of your back that is level with the top of your hips and mark that point with a piece of tape.

Now get your friend to measure the distance between the two marked points and note the measurement. Your torso will fall into three backpack categories, small (under 18 in/45 cm), medium (18-20 in/45-50 cm) and large (21 in/52 cm upwards).

If your length is just on 18 in/45 cm for example, then choose the medium size pack as this will allow more room for adjustments. With the length of the backpack now sorted, the next consideration is the volume or carrying capacity of the backpack.

Carrying Capacity

This decision is dependent of what type of hiking you will be involved with. A day pack ranges from 945 to 2206 cubic inches or 15 to 35 liters.

A midsize pack range is from 2206 to 4412 cubic inches or 35 to 70 liters and may be used for overnight camping. Finally the expedition backpacks start from 3781 cubic inches or 60 liters and upwards.

The larger expedition backpacks can carry enough gear to allow you to stay on the trail for many days.

Backpack Straps and Belts

Simple shoulder straps will suffice for lighter loads but for heavier loads choose the wider and well padded shoulder straps to prevent discomfort to the shoulder area.

A Chest or Sternum Strap helps to prevent your shoulders from being pulled back and assists with load distribution.

Upper stabilizer straps do just that, stabilize the upper part of the backpack.

The hip belts of a backpack should cup your hips and when they are tightened should not touch or overlap each other.

Shoulder straps should be secured to the backpack just below the 7th vertebra and near the top of the shoulders. They should be comfortable but securely wrapped around the shoulders with the strap padding not being less than 5 inches or 12.5 centimeters below the armpits.

If you are purchasing a small-sized, day backpack they usually do not have a hip belt but as your load capacity requirement increases so does the need for a hip belt. A hip belt assists in load distribution from your shoulders to your hips.

Make sure the padding of the hip belt is soft and of a decent width to provide comfortable support and that it goes full circle under the lumbar pad and is not just attached to the sides of the backpack.

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How to Test a Backpack Before You Buy

When you have selected the type and the right size backpack, you should definitely take it for a test drive before you purchase.

This article will provide you with some helpful tips on how to test out your chosen backpack before you buy.

Preparation

Before testing out a backpack, you will need to know how much weight you will be carrying. This of course is dependent on the duration of your hiking trip, whether it is day hiking, overnight or three to five-day hiking.

If this is your first backpack purchase, then before you go to the outdoor store lay out all what you would need for your hiking trip at home, then place them in a light plastic bag and weigh them.

If you have a large amount of items then divide your items into smaller groups and then weigh them.

Weight Distribution

Start by loading up the backpack with the test weight items at the outdoor store. All outdoor stores should have weights and fillers specifically for load testing.

These weights may not be ideal but do your best to distribute the weight evenly. Use a load weight near to the weight you would normally carry on a hike.

After you have loaded the backpack, put it to the test by walking around the store, bending over, jogging a short distance, moving from side to side, touching your toes and walking up and down the stairs if any.

Try anything that will assist you in your decision-making. Throughout these actions, the backpack should remain stable and tight-fitting.

It should not feel loose or cause you to go off-balance (that is if it is packed well). Pay attention to the weight of the load, making sure it is being evenly distributed and that no excess weight is felt in any one place.

Good backpacks provide the flexibility to distribute the weight to your hips, lower back and shoulders by adjusting the backpacks hip or shoulder straps.

Experiment by loosening and then tightening the hip and shoulder straps to test the backpacks ability to re-distribute the backpacks weight. Each position should feel comfortable.

These test runs will give you a feel for the backpacks suitability.

Home Test

Inquire if you can try out the backpack at your home, packed with your own gear and return it if it does not meet your requirements.

If you cannot return the backpack, then be certain that it is well suited to your bodies profile before handing over your money or locate an outdoor store that does have a return policy.

Extra Backpack Features

Hydration System

Many backpacks have either built-in water bladders or a designated pocket for a water bladder.

Splash Cover

Backpacks are not usually 100% waterproof so some have a built-in or separate splash cover which is a waterproof cover that you can use to cover your entire backpack. This feature will keep your backpack dry during rain showers, river crossings and provide protection from the early morning dew.

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