What kind of backpack to choose or types of backpacks for all occasions.

Backpack is essentially a unique and extremely useful thing. The convenience of using a backpack is difficult to overestimate and it's hard to imagine any journey without it. Wherever you go you always have some stuff with you and a backpack is best suited for accommodating all your stuff.

And all because the backpack has a number of simple but very important advantages over everything else: placing on the back allows you to free your hands for any action, it is easy to wear, it is comfortable and quite spacious. All this allows you to take with you everything you need and, at the same time, to avoid inconveniences, premature tiredness, and the like. 

In most cases, backpack is purchased for all occasions. It is clear that there is some main reason / purpose that encourages for the purchase of a backpack, but we still use it far not only for this purpose, but almost always. Therefore, the problem is usually the choice of a backpack with an attractive appearance with enough functionality and quality.

From time to time there is a need for a specific functionality that is absent in regular everyday backpack. Just for such cases you need to know what the main types of backpacks are, understand what their features are and what you need to pay attention to when choosing a backpack of each type. It will also help to understand whether you really need a "special" backpack that is different from the usual everyday, because often these backpacks are more expensive than usual and have their drawbacks.

The main types of backpacks are the following:

- everyday;

- sports;

- hiking;

- business travel / trips;

- bicycle backpack;

- camera backpack;

- for specialized works;

- courier, etc.

From the name of the last two backpacks it is clear that such backpacks can be very different and can have very specific functionality, technical and technological features that depend on the purposes and scope of use.

About everyday backpack and its features in more detail is written in the other article on our website, but the main thing that you need to know about is that it does not have a specific purpose of use and at the same time it can be used almost always. It is used for trips, for work, for traveling, just walking around the city and in general - anywhere and anytime. At the same time, such a backpack does not have any specific purpose of use, except that it is convenient to keep your stuff with you using the backpack. Usually, except the main section, it has a secured section for laptop as well as several additional pockets for important and small things. However, there are no specific sections or functional features in most cases, although there are exceptions.

The main difference between a sports backpack from all others is the presence of a separate section for shoes. Separate section for shoes is necessary in order to prevent unpleasant smell and dirt from contact with clean things, towels, hygiene products, etc. Sometimes the main section is divided into several smaller ones, which allows keeping clean and dirty things separately after doing sports, and also allows using one of those smaller sections of the backpack for non-sport-related purposes. Accordingly, the advantage of such a backpack is the presence of a separate section for shoes and dirty clothes. However, this is also a drawback of a backpack. A separate section for shoes occupies a significant part of the backpack, resulting in a significant reduction in the size of the main section. And in this case appear some restrictions on the maximum size of things that can be placed in the backpack. One more disadvantage is that with a high probability you wont be able to use the section for shoes for other purposes due to the smell. One more disadvantage is that sports backpack in most cases due to the lack of free space does not have a special secured section for laptop, which means that you will have to carry your laptop separately Therefore, before buying a backpack, you need to make sure that it really suits you. If you decided to buy a sports backpack, then you should pay attention to the following (except for the quality and appearance of the product):

- presence of a separate section for shoes and dirty clothes;

- possibility to adjust the size of the section for shoes according to the needs;

- division of the main section on smaller sections and / or the presence of additional pockets;

- presence of the section for a laptop (as a very important functional bonus).

Do not confuse the usual sports backpack with a special for particular sports, the latter may have special pockets and sections for inventory, uniforms, etc. Also, its should be noted that the traditional understanding of the "sports" backpack (made on the basis of appearance) has nothing to do with the functional type of "sports" backpacks. The latter is determined solely on the basis of the presence of elements related with doing sports.

Information about hiking backpack will be described in detail in a separate article. But let's just note the main points that distinguish it from others. First of all, this is the size. Hiking backpack has a much larger capacity than other types of backpacks. The reason for this is its purpose - to accommodate everything necessary for staying during a certain time in the hike. The second feature is the maximum reliability - the confidence that backpack itself will not tear up in the most unfortunate moment. The third feature is water resistance - it should be protected from precipitation. Such a backpack can contain a different number of sections and pockets, but it must have small pockets for easy access to the most necessary things.

A backpack for traveling (not for hiking!) is very convenient when you have a working travel or vacation (for hiking in the mountains, forests, etc., there are special backpacks, which were already been described earlier).

The most important parameters of such a backpack are the maximum use of useful space, taking into account the existing limitations in size. Such limitations are, for example, the requirements of airlines for the maximum size of hand luggage that can be taken on board of an airplane. There are other restrictions that need to be taken into account. The size of the backpack for travel should be as close as possible to the existing limitations in size (different requirements may differ between different airlines, but they are usually quite similar), pockets should not be very large in comparison to the backpack, shape of the backpack should not differ too much from the rectangular. With the correct design, such a backpack turns out very ergonomic with big capacity that allows you to reasonably place all things in a backpack.

Bicycle backpack in many respects reminds of the usual everyday backpack. Such a backpack may be of the same volume (up to 20 liters) or slightly larger (up to 30 liters). Backpacks with a volume of more than 30 liters should be considered as hiking ones, although they can be intended for bicycle but there are a number of additional requirements for them, common with the hiking backpacks. Bicycle backpack should be first of all convenient and comfortable. Comfort is especially important, because when riding a bike, the position of the back is generally not changing and there is no possibility to put on the backpack in a different way. Comfortable means that the backpack itself, its pockets and accessories are convenient and easy to use. By the way, about fixation straps and few more things that bicycle backpack should have:

- chest and waist straps for fixing on the body (helps to distribute the load along the back and reduce the burden on the shoulder);

- clearly visible ventilation system (protruding pads + ventilation net) on the back to reduce sweating during riding;

- waterproof cover for protection against precipitation and dirt or backpack made of waterproof material;

- backpack itself should not be heavy;

- backpack should have additional pockets for small items as well as pockets on the straps, where you can place the most essential things and keep them near you (for example, a pocket for a phone on the strap);

- backpack should have a pocket for a bottle of water.

In general, these are all the highlights that you need to pay attention to when choosing a bicycle backpack. There may be other important parameters, but it depends on the travel distance, conditions of the travel, etc. It is clear that the quality of the backpack should be at a high level.

Camera backpack is an indispensable thing for the photographer. The most important features of this backpack are security, reliability and the presence of a well-thought-out organizer. Since photographic and video equipment is expensive, the most important objective of camera backpack is to provide equipment protection. This means that the backpack sides should have an additional protective layer that would protect the equipment from mechanical damage, humidity, temperature fluctuations, etc. in all conditions of the photographer work. Reliability relates to the same thing - it is unacceptable the equipment to be damaged due to poor quality materials or bad sewing. Few things about organizer. A well-designed organizer allows the photographer not only to keep all things safe and in their places but also significantly accelerate his work, because the need to constantly look for the necessary items in the backpack, etc., will disappear.

A well-designed camera backpack have an easy access to all sections allowing the photographer to quickly take the necessary equipment or accessories, while minimally distracting from the work.

Thus, it is clear that all types of backpacks other than everyday have their significant advantages in cases where their unique functionality or features are really needed. At the same time, when these unique features really turns out to be unnecessary to the user then they are likely to become the disadvantages of the backpack, since they will create certain inconveniences: smaller size of the main section or vice versa - too large; fixing straps will simply be "hanging out" if not used; additionally protected sides of the camera backpack will add additional weight, etc. Therefore, before buying a backpack, one need to know exactly the purpose of the purchase, where and when it will be actually used.