8 Great Backpacks for Back to School
The end of summer means new shoes, new clothes, and — most important of all — a new backpack to lug around all those books and other school essentials. Here are eight new packs that caught our eye for both practicality and general gee-whizziness.
MineCraft Creeper
Remember when summer meant three months with nothing to do but kick a ball around the driveway? Then came Minecraft and “I’m so bored!” was quickly replaced with, “I’ll be right there! Wait a second!” The Minecraft Creeper pack will help ease the pain of your kid’s end-of-summer Minecraft withdrawal, by letting him take a little bit of the game back to school. The pack is padded in 360 degrees, there are pockets for gadgets (with extra padding), and it’s water resistant to keep everything inside safe from the real-world antics of its wearer. $40
OGIO Commuter
With a water-resistant laptop compartment and base, a suspension system to keep a laptop snug and secure, and pockets to hold both smart phone and tablet, the Ogio Commuter does not underestimate the amount of tech today’s kid needs to have with her at all times. It will keep all that gear protected from even in the most adventurous of commutes. And she’ll look spiffy wearing it. Available in black or oOlive, and on sale for $50.
Case Logic Berkeley II
If you’ve ever tried to survive as a student on a big campus, you’ll know why they called this thing the Berkeley. It will hold a 15.6-inch laptop, while another sleeve can carry a tablet. There are accessory pockets to stash phone and chargers, side pockets for water, and room for pretty much anything the day might call for. Because all that’s a lot to haul, the straps are articulated, with an adjustable sternum strap to distribute the load. If security is a problem on campus, the zippers can accommodate a luggage lock. It comes in three colors: carbide, “playa,” and “strato.” $60.
Hedgren Jamm
Pretty, stylish, and sleek, the Hedgren Jamm is a pack you can wear without screaming, “I’m a starving student!” Its slick, well-made exterior keeps this backpack from harshing on the high style of your fashionista’s ensemble. Inside, a separate padded laptop compartment keeps the PB&J away from the keyboard, while still providing room for a day’s worth of necessaries. Comes in red and black. $99.
Backpack of Holding
If you’re a Dungeons and Dragons player, you already know what a Bag of Holding is. For the rest of you: It’s a very useful artifact in the game that’ll hold, well, almost anything. So if your favorite nerd needs a bag, this real-life Backpack of Holding could the thing: It’s roomy, made of brown canvas, has a Velcro-close sleeve for his tablet, and boasts a Chrome d20 badge with “Backpack of Holding” printed on the flap — in case anyone who doesn’t get it. $50 at ThinkGeek.
booq: Cobra squeeze
Don’t let its slim form fool you: This laptop bag has lots of room for your kid’s gear. It’s loaded with pockets: Two on the outside (one for a phone) and five slip pockets and one zippered pocket inside. It’s super padded and will accommodate laptops up to 15 inches. And it’s made of recycled bottles, so your social-activist-in-training can feel good about slinging it on her back. Its slick, shell-like shape and ergo-comfort design might even make you want to buy one for yourself. $195 at booqbags.com.
Bracketron: SmartCord Sling Bag
If you somehow lucked out and your kid goes to a school that’s gone digital, and his books and other school papers all fit on a tablet, maybe he doesn’t need a huge book bag: He just needs something to keep that tablet from getting wet or smashed on the way to and from. (He’ll be one of the few lucky ones who doesn’t end up with student-related back pain.) This sleek little number will pad his tablet, protect it from the elements, and keep his earbuds tucked neatly into a soft silicone pouch. $25 at Bracketron.com.
Case Logic 17-inch Laptop Backpack
Don’t want to drop lot of coin after springing for all those other back-to-school supplies? Here is a basic backpack that will keep that new tech safe and sound, without asking for a pound of flesh into the bargain. An outside, side-zip pocket will hold a 17-inch laptop, interior pockets organize the rest of your kid’s tech, and the main compartment stashes paper and gym shorts. That a lot of high-quality pack for $36.
