College Student Backpack
#26
Member
Take everything you plan to carry and take it to REI. That way you can truly see which bag is most comfortable and fits your needs best. As recommended above, Osprey bags are great and some are bike dedicated with special helmet attachments for off the bike. Osprey guarantees their bags so you'll have no problems for your undergrad and post grad years.
#27
Senior Member
This thread started in 2012. If OP hasn't graduated yet I blame the lack of proper backpack.
But for the benefit of others my thoughts;
- I use an osprey hikelite 26 for commuting and it feels great when full
- osprey has the kickstand, which may be good
- definitely get one with good framing and that mesh to protect from back sweating. It really helps!
- there may be more textbook and laptop appropriate ones. But with tablets nowadays less room is reqiired.
- A plug for osprey. If anything breaks, you fill out an online form and attach a picture and they send you spare part. I did that for a hip belt buckle I smashef in a car door and didn't even need to show s receipt.
But for the benefit of others my thoughts;
- I use an osprey hikelite 26 for commuting and it feels great when full
- osprey has the kickstand, which may be good
- definitely get one with good framing and that mesh to protect from back sweating. It really helps!
- there may be more textbook and laptop appropriate ones. But with tablets nowadays less room is reqiired.
- A plug for osprey. If anything breaks, you fill out an online form and attach a picture and they send you spare part. I did that for a hip belt buckle I smashef in a car door and didn't even need to show s receipt.
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#28
aka Tom Reingold
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I do not know how I noticed this thread and responded to it after being dormant since 2015!
Thanks for telling us about Osprey's support. I did the same with my Ortlieb panniers, and they sent me replacement buckles.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#29
Full Member
High Sierra has a lot of great versatile backpacks. I use when for work commuting. My son uses one for high school that has been very durable and has a padded laptop pocket. www.ebags.com has a great selection for great prices. Get one that has a belt strap and a sternum strap. This will increase stability of your pack. Then...important "then"...go to Amazon and buy the Camelbak backpack rain cover. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I use one to protect my clothes when I ride to work. NEVER had a problem when caught in the rain.
#31
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Maybe you can consider NeatPack, but I'm not sure if its capacity is too big for you. It is worth mentioning that it provides a backpack with USB charging. If you are interested in this new type of backpack, you can find it in other brands of backpacks. I mean, if you don't like NeatPack.
#32
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Been quite pleased with my Skog A Kust BACKSAK. I got the 35 L size for like 66 bucks. Watereproof PVC with welded seams. Nice padded back support and comfy, strong straps. Sturdy fasteners. Well-made. If water is an issue where you are, it's worth looking into. Nary a drop will reach inside the BACKSAK. I do believe it is a very good value at its price-point when compared to some of the more famous brand names out there. Not sure those are built any better.
#33
No Talent Assclown
My wife bought herself an Osprey backpack. It's specifically for women's size bodies. She didn't like it, so she gave it to me. It doesn't feel too small on me, but I'm not a very big guy. It has an internal frame which makes the pack feel heavy. But the ergonomics are so brilliant that once it's on my back, the weight disappears. No wonder these things are so expensive. Let's see how it holds up. I'm pretty impressed so far. I have to walk and ride around wearing a backpack with a somewhat feminine shade of purple, but I don't mind.
I had a Timbuk2 backpack until recently. It was very lightweight, but because of that, it was very floppy when not on my back. The floppiness made it difficult to pack. I'm surprised at how much of an inconvenience that was. The pack started tearing after two or three years, so I guess these things don't last long. But I got it at a very good price, so I got my money's worth.
I had a Timbuk2 backpack until recently. It was very lightweight, but because of that, it was very floppy when not on my back. The floppiness made it difficult to pack. I'm surprised at how much of an inconvenience that was. The pack started tearing after two or three years, so I guess these things don't last long. But I got it at a very good price, so I got my money's worth.
For what it's worth, I recently bought an Osprey Stratos 34 for bike commuting. I needed something better than my standard backpack. I wanted a hip belt and chest strap. It's marketed as a hiking pack and takes a hydration bladder, though I rarely use it. I have mixed feelings about this pack. The build is stellar, and the suspended back mesh trampoline thing keeps your back from getting so sweaty. I use the bottom compartment that would be for a sleeping bag on larger packs to fit my dress shoes. The issue I have with this pack is there seems to barely be enough room for daily commuting stuff. I barely have enough space to carry my dress shoes, work clothes, lunch, towel, shower gear, and hat. As the temperature here gets wonky in Fall, going from 40s in the mornings to up to 70s in the afternoon, there may just barely be enough room to carry a light softshell, gloves, and baselayer top from the morning. I wore my thicker Condor softshell jacket the other morning and barely had enough room to stuff it in the pack. I then had to pretty much fold and stuff the rest of my dress clothes on top of it. I didn't bring lunch that day, and I don't know how I would fit everything if I had. I don't know if it's the volume or the shape that's more limiting. This pack is more cycle commuting specific in the same volume but barely has a hip belt versus the quite nice one on the Stratos. You would think it doesn't come into play so much commuting on a road bike, but it absolutely does help. The hip belt on the Stratos also has pockets that are perfect for my work badges and headphones.
The ergonomics and overall quality of my Osprey packs has been great. The suspended mesh back with the aluminum stays on the internal frame sheet is just an excellent design, and it pulls double duty as my day hiking pack. I just either suck at packing it well for commuting, or I really need to go back to a bike with a rack and panniers.
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Fällt der Pfarrer in den Mist, lacht der Bauer bis er pisst.
Fällt der Pfarrer in den Mist, lacht der Bauer bis er pisst.
#34
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At least you know where your towel is
As the temperature here gets wonky in Fall, going from 40s in the mornings to up to 70s in the afternoon, there may just barely be enough room to carry a light softshell, gloves, and baselayer top from the morning.
I've got pants and shirts I can cycle in, at least in the morning and all of oct-may. That helps too.
In the depths of the drought a few years ago we had some really cold snaps where it was worthwhile to wear extra lower layers but since we started having rain again it's been warmer.
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Last edited by Darth Lefty; 10-24-19 at 10:39 AM.
#35
No Talent Assclown
I could probably bring and leave brown and black pairs of dress shoes. When I did bike commuting previously, I also basically brought a week's worth of dress outfits folded and compressed in those three gallon bags. I could probably do something like that again. I also used panniers, and I think it's not just a volume but also a shape thing. I'm definitely thinking I can use your suggestions here.
The last few times I've bought warm clothes, I've bought stuff that packs down small. Fake-down puffy jacket, and about to buy some wool thermal stuff. My beloved NF wind wall soft shell is right out unless I can wear it both ways.
I've got pants and shirts I can cycle in, at least in the morning and all of oct-may. That helps too.
In the depths of the drought a few years ago we had some really cold snaps where it was worthwhile to wear extra lower layers but since we started having rain again it's been warmer.
I've got pants and shirts I can cycle in, at least in the morning and all of oct-may. That helps too.
In the depths of the drought a few years ago we had some really cold snaps where it was worthwhile to wear extra lower layers but since we started having rain again it's been warmer.
Thanks for the suggestions. I can probably make better use of this pack and carry less **** every day if I follow them.
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Fällt der Pfarrer in den Mist, lacht der Bauer bis er pisst.
Fällt der Pfarrer in den Mist, lacht der Bauer bis er pisst.
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