A school backpack (book bag) is something a student uses daily – and choosing a quality one may not be an easy task for any parent. What do you look for? What makes a backpack a “quality backpack"? At first glance every backpack may appear to be strong and long lasting. It is only with usage during the year that you get to know the true story.
As many parents have learned, the pressure to keep up with academics has been increasing with the importance of national standardized tests. This often means more homework – and more books being brought home. Even the size of books increase as each year passes, thus making it heavier for young shoulders. As your child advances through the grades, the importance of shoulder padding in the backpack increases. It is therefore necessary that every parent provides his or her child with a comfortable and spacious school bag.
Here are some good tips to use when looking for a quality backpack:
- It should be spacious enough to easily store all the student’s materials.
- It should have sufficient pockets for non-book items – perhaps even a holder for water bottles or cell phones.
- It should have wide and soft straps to help distribute the weight and make it easier to carry.
- The straps should have high tensile strength.
- The backpack should be double stitched.
- Zippers should be of good quality so they do not rust. (Some days it may rain – and zippers that rust may ruin an otherwise good backpack once winter starts.)
- Handles that are reinforced are a plus. This is often a weak spot for those students who regularly overload their backpacks. Look for extra stitching and backing in these areas.
- The book bag should also look attractive to the student.
If you notice your child using only one of the shoulder straps regularly when using the backpack, you may consider purchasing a sling backpack. These backpacks are designed to be used on one shoulder – and have wider straps to properly distribute the weight. (They are also quite fashionable.)
On the other hand, if the backpack user is also riding a bicycle to school, it would be better to use a two-strapped backpack (and not a sling). This is mostly to help keep the load balanced during the turns.
If you tend to notice that your child’s backpack tends to wear out at the bottom, you may consider looking for a backpack that has a leather bottom. These take a tougher beating and have a better chance of lasting throughout the school year in such cases.
Good quality backpacks are often made of a durable poly, nylon or canvas. These are soft on the body and very strong for carrying heavy loads. It's also important that a book bag is attractive, trendy and appealing to children. Yet, how long they last will depend upon the quality of the materials used and the attention to detail in the manufacturing process.
Taking some time to do a little research before buying a backpack is well worth the investment.
Catherine Silva is the owner of www.duffelbagsnbackpacks.com Also see www.duffelbagsnbackpacks.com/fanny-pack-briefcases.html and www.duffelbagsnbackpacks.com/school-backpacks.html
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