Picking a college backpack can be a daunting task. I mean what to even consider? In the following ultimate guide, you will find everything you need to know about how to pick a college backpack.
1. Style of the backpack
For us here at College Clarified we believe that your college backpack is kind of like your car in shoes in a way. How so? Well, your backpack will non verbally communicate a lot about you to your professors, other students, and your friends. In a way, it will be part of your brand along with your outfit. That is why besides the obvious element of the functionality of the backpack it is of huge importance to consider the visuals of the backpack and what it communicates about you. Are you looking for something clean and minimalistic? Or is it something classier? How about an elegant leather backpack that makes everyone feel as if they were around a campfire? Whatever design of the backpack you will choose, it will influence how you are going to be perceived by others around the campus and so one of the key questions to ponder is, “Is this consistent with who I am and what I am communicating to others about myself?” If it is not then you have a red flag and even if the functionality of the backpack is aligned with your needs, we strongly advise against buying such a backpack. Not only you would not enjoy wearing it long-term, but it would also communicate some attributes about you that you don’t wish to be communicated. For example, if you’re not really aiming for a casual vibe but rather for something cozier, hang in there because your backpack might be out there (as in our guide on leather backpacks).
Besides all of that, it is also helpful to think about how the backpack will fit in with your closet. Do the colors and the material go together with at least half of your closet? Or would it be just a few pieces of clothing? If you have a favorite color like red or blue, there are plenty of backpacks out there that you can also find in our guides here. One thing to consider with those types of colors, though, is to make sure that they are not overpowering your closet or on the other hand, if your closet is not overpowering the colors and style of the backpack.
2. Organization of the backpack
With that in mind, let’s dive into our second element of how to pick a genius college backpack. Yes, as the title suggests, it is the organization that we are going to be talking about. While this element can be quite underestimated especially when some people search for the perfect design piece, it is just the organization of the backpack that will save your life on your rougher days. Coming to your class late and needing to pull out your laptop quickly to start writing notes about the lecture ASAP? Well, if there is a dedicated laptop compartment in your backpack that you’ve known about forever, you will be able to pull your laptop out of the backpack just fine and will get started on the notes just fine. Or think about the last time you were thirsty and were fishing for your water bottle in the endless myriad of your things inside the backpack. Yeah, we hate that too- that’s why we so appreciate backpacks with dedicated water bottle compartments so that we don’t need to get lost in our backpacks trying to find our water bottles.
How about that weekend trip to the town to check out what’s around and also to have a picnic in the park downtown with your friends? Sounds like quite a while not only for you but also for your phone. Don’t you just hate that when you’re out and your phone discharges? What if something serious happened and people can’t reach you? Well, if your backpack has a built-in USB port into which you can easily plug in your power bank, your phone can be constantly charged even when you’re out.
As you can imagine there are endless scenarios like this and the combination of different kinds of organizational elements that you will need will vary. However, here at Clarifying College, we believe that these are today’s minimum requirements for any college backpack that you’d choose:
- A Dedicated laptop compartment
- Main compartment for textbooks
- A Compartment for accessories such as your phone and wallet
- A compartment that will fit in your snack or lunch and a water bottle
As you get these essentials out of the way then you can start looking for some nice-to-haves that will differ based on your needs and preferences. For example, some of those nice-to-haves are:
- Built-in USB port for a power bank to charge your phone
- Secret pockets to store your valuable belongings such as your wallet or phone
- A luggage strap that allows you to attach the backpack to the luggage handles for more convenient travel
- Dedicated water bottle compartment
- An extra padded back of the backpack for increased comfort of your back
- Backpack handle up top for the backpack to be carried conveniently if needed
- A hybrid option of the backpack that can easily turn into a briefcase if needed when attending for example a part-time job meeting
- Water-resistant material that makes sure that your backpack will not get soaked in more adverse conditions
3. Durability of the Backpack
Oh yes, the chances are you might have been waiting for this one! When it comes to the durability aspect of the backpack there are several factors that are vital to take into account. Will you be attending college in a climate where there is a lot of rain? How about its ability to carry a lot of items at once for multiple days if you go on a weekend trip with your friends? And what if you bumped into a wall or accidentally fell down with the backpack will it tear?
As you can imagine, the scenarios where your backpack will be tested are endless and so figuring out what to prioritize exactly might be a tough cookie. Thankfully, though, there are a couple of key essentials that will help you get pick the right backpack that will last throughout your college days.
First, check out what the backpack is made out of. Does it have any water-resistant properties? The key things to look for in here are whether the backpack is made out of synthetic fabrics or rather more durable organic types of fabric. If you are looking for a leather backpack, pay close attention to whether the leather is genuine or if it is faux leather that looks like it but ultimately doesn’t have the same anti-wear and tear properties.
Another thing to look out for is the backpack’s ability to carry items. If you have a chance to check the bottom of the backpack if it is supported with more than just a fabric, it will help you tremendously to figure out what kind of stress the backpack would have on your back. That is not the only thing you’d be able to figure out, though! Another important thing you would find out because of this is if the backpack gets deformed once you’re carrying a bit more and that is definitely something to look out for. Of course, you want to have a backpack that gets this covered and you’re able to have it for a long time!
4. Price Tag of the Backpack
The final thing to consider as you are going through your decision process is the price tag. Determine ahead of time what is your budget for the backpack so that you’re not wasting your precious time on seeing items that you know in the back of your head are not really an option for you. What we firmly believe in here at Clarifying College when it comes to college backpacks is that it is an investment for multiple years and the price tag should resemble that. That is why we recommend having your backpack budget start from 50$. We understand that this might not be realistic for everyone in the midst of student loans, part-time jobs, and trying to figure out life with their roommates. That is why we’ve included in our backpacks guides also some budget options that cost as little as 20$ that can serve you for a long time if you take good care of them. Ultimately, your backpack will be with you almost everywhere where you go while at college and that is why we believe it is worth prioritizing on your budget as opposed to for example the silverware or the food containers you’ll be getting.
Well, and there you have it! This was our guide on how to pick your genius college backpack that will stick with you throughout your college years. We hope that you will pick the best one and because of that, you can check our backpack guides here where you will find the best college backpacks out there ranging from cute pieces all the way to classy ones. These guides cover red, yellow, blue, and many more backpacks!