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The Guide To Ergonomic Backpacks 

 March 10, 2023

By  Keith Terrell

When you’re someone who uses your backpack often, getting the right one can mean the difference between a day of comfort and a day of pain. Backpacks are reliable accessories that help us take our important gear from point A to B and when you think of everything we’re lugging around it makes sense to invest in an ergonomic backpack to carry the load.

Ergonomic products are everywhere you look nowadays, offering the owners efficiency and comfort where they might have had it before. For backpacks, this means being comfortable throughout the day while you wear your bag, whether it’s for school, work, travel, or commuting.

Girl with an ergonomic backpack.

If you’ve always dreamed of wearing a backpack that felt good or investing in something that was more in line with what your body deserves, the ergonomic backpack could be just what you’re looking for. This modern style of backpack supports your body, is more efficient for carrying your gear, and feels good while it does it.

What Are Ergonomic Backpacks?

Just like other ergonomic products, an ergonomic backpack has been designed to give you a healthier, more efficient and comfortable way to carry around your belongings.

These backpacks differ from others in that they’re been specifically designed to reduce the strain of a bag on your back but also make it easier to carry around your important belongings, whether it’s a laptop or paperwork.

There are a few features you can expect to find in an ergonomic backpack that might not be available with standard styles.

  • Specialized compartments that give you easy access to things as you need them without having to struggle and strain to reach.
  • Weighted construction that keeps the bag perfectly balanced and prevents you from having poor posture thanks to balance distribution.
  • Padded arm straps or waist straps that keep the bag from irritating the skin and causing strain on your body.
  • Can be worn while sitting without causing any discomfort and can be easily removed when they need to be.

There are many different styles of ergonomic backpacks on the market so they won’t all address every issue. However, it’s clear that using standard backpacks just isn’t the smart option any longer and upgrading to something more in tune with your body is.

Why The Wrong Backpack Is Bad For Your Health

Even though people have gladly worn them for years, there are actually many harmful things about standard backpacks. For this reason, the ergonomic backpack has really taken off and is being embraced by anyone who prefers to wear this style of bag regularly.

Standard backpacks are known to alter your posture, and this is particularly true when carrying too many belongings in the wrong shape or size. Once your posture is altered there is the potential to cause damage to the neck, back, and shoulders which can be short-term or permanent.

Another reason for the harmfulness of these backpacks is how they cause you to carry the load unevenly which can make you feel off balance. In addition to being harmful to yourself, you might not realize that your backpack is endangering others due to the posterior bulk. An ergonomic backpack can address all of these issues and more, as you’ll see from its benefits.

The Benefits of Ergonomic Backpacks

When we’re shopping for a backpack the first thing we usually look at is the design, and secondly, whether or not it will fit our belongings. The most important thing that we usually forget to check for, though, is the ergonomic factor a bag has. There are many benefits to be had from choosing the best ergonomic backpack, including:

  • Comfort - The number one benefit you’ll notice instantly from an ergonomic backpack is just how comfortable it is. These bags have been designed with comfort in mind and whether it’s the material used for the extra padding throughout the bags and straps, you’ll notice a huge difference compared to standard styles. 
  • Energy - When you’re carrying an ergonomic backpack you’ll be exerting less energy doing so, even if you have a heavier load than usual. This means if you’re spending the day hiking or traveling around you’re less likely to feel tired all thanks to the ergonomic design of your backpack. 
  • Capacity - Ergonomic backpacks are made for efficiency which means they can carry more of your gear in a smarter way. These bags are full of pockets and compartments that store important accessories like laptops or chargers so that there’s minimal exertion reaching for what you need. This also means they can hold more stuff as they’ve been designed to pack more in.
  • Versatility - Although an ergonomic backpack can be designed for a specific purpose, like holding a laptop, they’re quite versatile in how they can be used. All-purpose backpacks like this are great for overseas travel, the daily commute to work, school, hiking, and camping, so you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

Making Ergonomics Work For You

While we used to see ergonomics only being applied to products in the workplace, there are now many everyday items that come with an ergonomic option. As we wear our backpacks regularly and rely on them to carry so many of our personal belongings each day, it makes sense that this is an ergonomic product we should be investing in.

Backpack on the floor.

Finding a good ergonomic backpack these days doesn’t mean spending a fortune as there are many brands out there dedicated to creating innovative and affordable bags. Depending on what you use your bag for most there’s bound to be something ideal to suit, whether it’s an ergonomic school backpack or ergonomic laptop backpack.

Ergonomics is a continual study and there will always be new and relevant findings that will make them even more enjoyable and comfortable to wear. For now, though, you can rest assured that the ergonomic backpacks on the market will do you and your body well.

Resources:
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About the author

Keith is a one bag traveler and the owner of Backpacks Global. His go to backpack is the Osprey FarPoint 40.

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