Jun 13, 2025

How to choose a backpack?

1. Capacity and Size: Match Your Loading Needs

Small (10- 20L)： Suitable for short commutes, daily outings; holds laptops, wallets, water bottles, and other small items.

Medium (25- 40L)： Ideal for 1-3-day short trips or student use; fits clothes, laptops, and sundries.

Large (45L+)： Designed for long-distance travel and hiking; ensure the carrying system can support the weight (e.g., backpacks over 50L are recommended to have a waist belt).

2. Carrying System: The Key to Comfort

Daily Backpacks： Lightweight models with breathable mesh back pads to reduce back stuffiness; commuter bags should have cushioned shoulder straps (e.g., thickened foam).

Professional Backpacks：

Hiking Bags： Require aluminum/resin frame support, a waist belt that fits the hip bones (to distribute 60% of the weight to the lower body), and an ergonomic back panel (e.g., Osprey’s AirScape back panel).

Cycling Bags： Honeycomb breathable back design to minimize sweat during exercise.

3. Materials and Durability: Resistance Determines Service Life

Fabric Options：

Oxford Cloth： Wear-resistant and waterproof, common in commuter bags (e.g., Timbuk2).

Nylon (e.g., Cordura)： Tear-resistant, suitable for outdoor backpacks (e.g., The North Face).

Canvas： Vintage style but poor waterproofing; needs a waterproof coating (e.g., Fjällräven Kånken).

Polyester： Cost-effective, mostly used in student bags, but less weather-resistant.

Waterproof Design： Prioritize models with PU coating or waterproof zippers; for outdoor use, choose backpacks with rain covers.

4. Storage Design: Rational Compartments Enhance Usability

Essential Compartments：

Laptop Sleeve： Requires thick flannel protection and independent shock absorption (e.g., ThinkPad commuter bags).

Side Pockets： At least one water bottle slot; some backpacks have hidden umbrella compartments.

Internal Pockets： For keys, power banks, and documents to prevent items from shifting.

Advanced Features：

Dry-Wet Separation Pouch： Special for sports bags, holds wet towels or swimwear.

Quick-Access Top Pocket： For hiking bags to quickly retrieve maps or snacks.

Hidden Anti-Theft Pocket： Inside travel bags for passports and wallets.

5. Detail Functions: Enhance Convenience

Burden Reduction： Chest strap (connects shoulder straps to prevent slipping), waist belt (essential for large backpacks).

Breathability： Back pads with 3D mesh fabric (e.g., Deuter’s Aeroflex system) to reduce back sweating.

External Hanging System： Ice axe loops and compression straps for hiking bags to secure tents or sleeping bags; luggage straps for travel bags.

Purchase Examples and Pitfalls for Different Scenarios

1. Commuter Backpacks: Balance Practicality and Aesthetics

Recommendations： Bellroy Tokyo Totepack (waterproof canvas + hidden laptop compartment), National Geographic shoulder bags (retro design + multi-compartments).

Pitfalls： Avoid overly fancy designs without laptop protection; prioritize trying on (thin shoulder straps cause shoulder strain).

2. Hiking Backpacks: Professional Parameters Matter

Key Parameters：

Carrying System Size： Choose based on back length (S/M/L sizes, e.g., Osprey offers custom fitting).

Weight Ratio： The proportion of backpack capacity to recommended load (e.g., a 60L bag should carry no more than 15kg).

Pitfalls： Do not use "ultralight" backpacks without frame support for heavy loads, as it may cause lower back strain.

3. Travel Backpacks: Compliance and Storage

Compliance： Carry-on size backpacks (length×width×height ≤55cm×38cm×20cm) to avoid checked baggage issues.

Practical Designs：e.g., OSPREY Farpoint 40’s hideable shoulder straps (converts to suitcase mode) and internal compression straps (reduces clothing shifting).

Try-On and Measurement: Ultimate Tips to Avoid Mistakes

Shoulder Strap Adjustment： After adjustment, the top of the shoulder strap should be 2-3cm from the shoulder edge, avoiding looseness or tightness.

Back Panel Fit： When standing, the backpack’s back panel should fit closely to the back, with a waist gap no wider than a palm.

Load Test： Carry 5-10kg items for a 10-minute walk to check for shoulder and waist pressure.

Conclusion

The logic for choosing a backpack is: scenario first → capacity matching → carrying support → material durability → detail enhancement. Prioritize aesthetics and lightness for daily use, and invest in functionality for professional scenarios (outdoor, long-distance travel). It is recommended to try on in-store or read authentic reviews (e.g., Reddit’s outdoor forums, Bilibili backpack reviews) to avoid blindly following trends.