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What backpack to get for university

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Hold

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 19, 2010
111
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I will be starting soon and need to get a backpack. Not sure what would be best.

Things I will need to carry:
Some food
Two small bottles of water
13" air and
Some books
Pencil case
calculator
and some other random stuff.

What would be a good bag to get?
 
I know people will get on my tail for saying this but you can never go wrong with The North Face. Mine has held up for 3 years now in rain and snow and it still looks new.

I have the Surge and it has two side pockets for water and a dedicated laptop compartment that is raised higher than the main compartment. This ensures that if you drop your bag down, the laptop won't hit the ground at all.
 
Back in middle/high school, I bought a new backpack every year because they would always blow out. When I entered college 3 yrs ago, I bought a black Northface Surge backpack, and nothing on it has ripped. Maybe it's the fact that I don't carry lots of books in it, but I highly recommend it because it's strong, durable, and remarkably stylish.
 
MusicEnthusiast said:
Back in middle/high school, I bought a new backpack every year because they would always blow out. When I entered college 3 yrs ago, I bought a black Northface Surge backpack, and nothing on it has ripped. Maybe it's the fact that I don't carry lots of books in it, but I highly recommend it because it's strong, durable, and remarkably stylish.
Click to expand...

Woohoo, a Surge user!
 
Personally, I would recommend a Kipling bag. I've had mine since my senior year in high school (1998) and you would never guess it. I have used it on almost-daily basis for the last 14 years and I can't see myself replacing it anytime soon.
 
Unless you're OCD, I wouldn't recommend the surge. It looks good but there are better looking laptops. And it has way too many compartments and little pockets IMO. I would rather not mess with so many zippers and little compartments everywhere so I opted for a less complicated backpack.
 
I got one from Oakley a few months back and love the size and craftsmanship. They make a lot more than shades, and their known to supply many military and police forces with gear. At least take a look before you decide.
 
I'm using a Surge now, but have used a STM Revolution (Medium) and a Power Pack by Outdoor Products (linky) in the past several years.

I started with the Power Pack, which had TONS of room for pretty much everything under the sun. The main compartment was spacious and was very convenient in that it included dividers for keeping books and notebooks separate. Lots of spaces and designated pockets for thumb drives, pens, pencils, calculators, a mouse, etc. This site has a better view of the different compartments. It had two generously size side pockets for umbrellas, water bottles, etc. And the laptop compartment was very nicely padded.

The STM revolution was very nice, and the included rain cover saved my laptop at least a couple of times. That said, the main compartment, specifically for carrying anything more than a single book and maybe a couple notebooks was pretty tight. It's very light and feels very mobile... also has a decent amount of room for pens, pencils and calculator but at the expense of overall carrying capacity. The cushioning in the straps is noticeably thinner and less forgiving than on the Power Pack.

What led me to the Surge however was that the Power Pack would fill up and get very heavy and bulky very quickly. When I downsized from a 13" MBP to a 13" Air, I went with the STM Revolution. However, the STM began to get quite limiting space-wise, so I moved up slightly in size to the Surge. To me, the Surge is a nice compromise between the previous two. Padding in the straps is in between the STM and the Power Pack, with interior space approaching that of the Power Pack.

TL;DR
Power Pack
+ SPACE! Interior organization, very comfortable padding in straps, has designated pockets and slots for all of your computing and class needs.
- Can get bulky, and heavy.
Recommended use: If you're going to be out of your dorm/apartment all day and need a bag to carry everything you need.

Revolution
+ Mobility, rain cover is a lifesaver.
- Space, padding in straps less forgiving for all day lugging around.
Recommended use: If you go the e-book route for text books, would be ideal size/form for biking to and from classes.

Surge
+ Space, without getting bulky. Mobility, without sacrificing too much space.
- At least where I am (University of Michigan), it seems like 50% of the campus has the exact same bag. If you care about things like that.
Recommended use: Compromise between space of the Power Pack, and the mobility of the STM.
 
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Patagonia

This model is what I use. I think the one I have is the older model, but it's lasted me the past year and a half. I've taken it on short day hikes and it's been to 5 different countries with me so far! It has plenty of space that I need for class too. Highly recommend it.
 
Agreed on the Northface packs. I use the Big Shot which is one of their larger day packs and it holds a lot of stuff. It's a single compartment pack so it's just one large compartment to hold everything.

If you want something with lots of compartments, I'd highly recommend the Jansport Odyssey as it has a ton of individual compartments for just about everything.

209026_1_1
 
I went through several backpacks in college. Not that the bag wore out, but the padding in the straps compressed and became worthless. A couple of things to consider. If you are going to carry your bag over one shoulder, buy a bag that is designed to be carried that way. If you bike a lot, you are going to want something that fits you well, be it a courier bag or a backpack. Keep an eye out for end of year clearances on backpacks. Right now is the "premium" time to buy.

I bought a Trager in Grad School. Still have it, still use it 15 years later.
 
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