Monday, August 16, 1999
Buying a backpack
Look for style -- and durability
BY REON CARTER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Form, fashion and function. It's all there in the mind-boggling array of backpacks available for back to school.
Susan Martinez of West Chester recently took her daughters, Lara, 9, and Elena, 7, backpack shopping at Target.
“I'm glad the girls knew what they wanted,” Mrs. Martinez says. “I would've been overwhelmed by all the choices if I had to pick them myself.”
Some 40 million American students carry backpacks and, despite the average backpack's lifespan of three years, 72 percent of students are on the hunt for a new one each year, according to Jansport, a backpack manufacturer.
One of the industry's top growth areas is the backpack that puts less stress and strain on the back. Manufacturers are responding to warnings that students are carrying increasingly heavier loads. Be on the lookout for more ergonomically correct backpacks and rolling backpack designs similar to wheeled luggage.
And as in most things, durability and value are key backpack purchase considerations.
According to the American Express Retail Index, parents will spend an average of $342 per child on back-to-school items. Teens surveyed said they will contribute an additional $113, making the 1999 total $455. This represents a 12 percent increase from the 1998 total of $408 per child.
Initially, Chris Lemmon of Milford balked at spending $40 when her 15-year-old daughter, Jenny, asked for an L.L. Bean backpack.
“Forty dollars seemed steep when I was used to paying $12 to $15 for backpacks,” Ms. Lemmon says. “But then, I figured it was worth the investment since the zippers had ripped off so quickly on some of those cheap nylon backpacks.”
Popular backpack styles for those wanting a hip, edgier look this year include courier/messenger bags. Companies also are incorporating more specialized “lifestyle” features, such as CD player holders and padded pockets for laptop computers.
Here's a sampling of what's available:
• Lands' End Deluxe Collegiate ($39.50) — Made with sturdy Cordura, a nylon fiber popular with outdoor enthusiasts for adding durability, this backpack features a storage area for everything from water bottle and computer disks to a soft-fabric pouch for eyeglasses. Its design and colors appeal to older kids. Lands' End (800) 734-5437; www.landsend.com/kids.
• RAK gear backpacks ($39.95) — These backpacks have a lightweight built-in plastic rack inside the bag that helps distribute weight more evenly along the back to alleviate strain. The backpack can be ordered through CVS drugstores. (800) 708-1653.
• Jansport Jam'n Backpack ($44.95) — This is for music enthusiasts on the go. Made of a sturdy cloth called Ripstop, it has a padded CD player compartment with a secure strap and rubber exit port for a headphone cord. It also contains a special organizer to hold a CD jewel box. Available at the Finish Line, Dick's Clothing & Sporting Goods and J.C. Penney stores; www.jansport.com.
• Contoured Messenger Bag ($48) — For a sleek, sophisticated look, there's this nylon, single-compartment bag with exterior zip pocket, inside mesh zip pocket and pen holder. Available at Banana Republic stores and catalog (888) 906-2800.
• Airtec Backpack ($39.95—
$59.96) - This ergonomically correct backpack was developed by an orthopedic surgeon. It makes the wearer stand up straight and lightens the load by 30 percent, reducing stress to the user's body. The triangular bag has adjustable air-filled cushions that provide lower back support. It's available through etoys.com or Leaps & Bounds catalog. Comes in small, medium and large. (800) 477-2189.
• Utility/Sling Pack ($19) — These ergonomically designed packs have heavy-duty nylon with mesh pockets and Velcro closures along with plenty of pockets and clips to keep gadgets in reach. Carried by GapKids.
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