Having just gotten back from rocketing around New England, I am reminded how much the travel backpack matters.
Home base was Connecticut, and from there we did day trips to New York City and Rhode Island, plus a two-night excursion to Maine with a stop in New Hampshire on the return to CT.
Anticipating these day and overnight excursions, we brought along backpacks that we’d bought before a trip to Switzerland and Germany.
Every time we’d do an excursion, family members were responsible for packing and carrying their own backpack. This does three things – first, it lightens the load on mom and dad, second, it teaches our kids planning and organizational skills, and third it gives them a sense of ownership over the excursion which helps to keep their anxiety in check.
Let’s be honest though, purchasing travel backpacks for a family of five is not cheap, so we bought these bags intending that they would play a double role: travel bag and backpack for other purposes, e.g., school, extracurricular activities and sleepovers. And now that the new school is starting, I’m glad we did.
We’ve bought various travel backpacks in the past and have learned from our purchases and experiences what works best for us. Here are six considerations as you think through your backpack purchases:
Size of the backpack – What worked best for us were three packs that would also work for our kids for school and other activities – 14 inches to 18 inches in size, with computer compartments – and two larger bags for mom and dad (18 inches and 21 inches, expandable). One other note – we didn’t look for the biggest bags – they needed to be versatile so we can use them for different purposes, but none of them will be big enough for a summer of backpacking around Europe.
Size of the kid – We have tweens and teens, so they can use a little bit of a bigger bag than a smaller kid could but still need a pack that’s smaller than for an adult. A kid 10 or under might consider a 15-inch pack.
Pockets/compartments of different sizes – Pockets rock, IMHO – we like pockets for computers, shoes, clothes, toiletries, charging cords, drinks, etc. And my daughter insisted on buying organizers for her pack, of which I was initially skeptical, but I have to say, they worked incredibly well, considering she struggles with things exploding out of her bag and throughout the room.
Material and padding – Waterproof and stainproof materials are a must for us – that would be largely polyester and nylon – and padding on the back of the pack and throughout makes it more comfortable for the carrier.
Style and distinctiveness – We bought backpacks that each had some distinctiveness – so that we knew which one belonged to each of us (Jeffrey’s is green, Jack’s is blue, Emma’s is lavender, etc.), but also so that they would be somewhat distinct from some of the more popular backpacks on the market, in the event that there’s ever any confusion over a non-family member’s pack. Each backpack also had to look good from each of our kid’s perspectives, so they’d want to use them on our travels and at other times.
Charging ports – Each bag has a charging port just in case of a drained device battery emergency.
I wish you as stress-free a back-to-school shopping experience as possible!