The Streamlined, Super-Comfortable Pack That Saved My Busted Back
SHOP $119.99, herschel.com
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I recently got my first-ever massage (not a humble brag, just a sad fact about my life) and afterward my massage therapist asked if I carry a bag on my right shoulder. She was correct: I sling my briefcase/messenger/getting-around bag over my right shoulder—for the last five years it’s supported the weight of all the random shit I carry around New York.
It’s taken its toll. Folks, it’s not good to put an uneven amount of strain on one shoulder. Doctors are very clear: Shoulder. Bags. Are. Not. Good. For. Your. Back. So I immediately did some research and came across the Mammoth backpack from Herschel. I’m now a backpack guy. And I’m never going back (pun absolutely intended).
I don’t feel like a tween going to middle school.
I guess the reason I suffered through the back pain of using a shoulder bag is that I was worried about looking unprofessional or juvenile wearing a backpack. I’m not going to show up at a meeting with my little backpack, looking like I’m going to pull out a trapper keeper and my brown bag lunch. I’m a man, dammit, I put my trapper keeper and brown bag lunch in a briefcase like an adult. But the modern, minimalist design of this Herschel bag honestly looks more professional than the messenger bag I used to carry around. It’s stylish, it’s mature, it’s functional. The black nylon exterior doesn’t show dirt, and aesthetically, it’s the exact opposite of carrying around a Spongebob or Paw Patrol backpack.
SHOP $119.99, herschel.com
It’s extremely comfortable.
Hey, look: I know anything is an improvement from a shoulder bag that was literally destroying my human body, but this bag is legitimately comfortable. It’s a step up from the signature Herschel backpacks, with extra padding on the back and shoulder straps. It also has a less bulky shape, allowing for the bag to fit more comfortably against your back, keeping it from jutting out too far and putting unnecessary strain on your back. It also includes a buckled chest strap to connect the shoulder straps, in case you really need to lock yourself in.
This is a bag for the urban explorer.
Along with the functional design, this is a backpack that you can take from work, to exploring the city, to even a hike in actual nature. If you’re going to work, there’s a mesh pocket in the main compartment that fits a computer, and a smaller compartment for other odds and ends. Despite its unobtrusive look, this is a bag that easily holds everything. (My list, on any given day: lunch, workout clothes, work computer, hand sanitizer, notepads, pens, random jackets, my Switch, a book, an umbrella, etc. etc.)
My favorite feature, though, is an extra compartment near the top where I often store my keys, phone and headphones. Most importantly, though, my life requires a lot of walking through the city—and since New York is prone to sudden, intense rainstorms, I often find myself trying to save everything in my bag as I run through a downpour from the train to my destination. But the nylon on this bag stands up to rain, and it even has a built-in rain cover for when you really need to survive in the elements.
SHOP $119.99, herschel.com
Prop styling by John Olson.
Photography by Timothy Mulcare.
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