School Backpacks

Contents

1. Top Brands
2. What is the difference between a School Satchel and a School Backpack?
3. Advantages of School Backpacks over School Satchels
4. How many liters should a School Backpack have?
5. How heavy should a School Backpack be?
6. How kids should wear the School Backpack correctly
7. Tips for buying a School Backpack 

1. Top Brands

Your child has finished primary school or feels too old for a School Satchel? Then it's time to buy a School Backpack. The backpacks are tailored to the specific needs of growing kids. Some models, like the Satch School Backpack Phantom, have extra skateboard buckles on the front. To help your teenager find the perfect model, you’ll find a wide selection of colours and designs in our online shop. We also know which brands are popular with youth. Among others, we carry School Backpacks from Satch, Eastpak, Beckmann and Coocazoo. Bright patterns or fewer colours? No problem at all.

2. What is the difference between a School Satchel and a School Backpack?

 The distinction between School Backpacks and School Satchels has become much less important in recent years. The difference is that the School Satchel (or also called a "Tornister") has a rather hard box shape, while the School Backpack features a flexible shape. Ergonomically, both options are now very well optimized, but the backpack is especially suitable from secondary school onwards. Why? You’ll find out in the next section.

3. Advantages of School Backpacks over School Satchels

The advantages of backpacks over School Satchels are numerous:
 

• More volume: As kids get older, the number of school subjects and materials increases. The number of daily lessons including lunch break also increases, so you need to consider extra space for meals.
   
• More compartments for storage: The increased demands of school life mean the backpack needs to be better organised. Since more and larger compartments are available compared to a School Satchel, this requirement can be met. For example, lunch and school materials can be kept separate.
   
• Weight: The increased need for school materials and meals already adds weight. A backpack has significantly less own weight than a classic satchel, ensuring that kids don’t carry unnecessary load on their shoulders.
   
• Design: As students grow older, their desire for individuality also increases. Backpacks offer a wider range of designs and colours to meet individual needs.
   
• Ergonomics: School satchels also adapt to the rapid growth of younger primary school kids, while School Backpacks are suitable for growing teenagers.
   

The advantages of backpacks over satchels show that switching is recommended at the latest after primary school ends and the secondary school phase begins.

4. How many liters should a School Backpack have?

You have already learned about the increased demand for storage space in the School Backpack over the course of school life in the previous paragraph. But how many liters of volume do you actually need?
 

Here, ergonomic and logistical factors must be considered:
 

• Body size: In the early years of secondary school, kids often have yet to experience growth spurts. Fortunately, the need for school supplies is still lower at this time, so School Backpacks with a volume between 20 and 25 liters are sufficient. Once growth spurts begin, from seventh grade onwards, there is no hesitation in switching to larger School Backpacks, as these can now also be very well adjusted ergonomically and flexibly.
   
• School materials: Nowadays, some schools in Germany also offer the option to store teaching materials on site. Most are already familiar with the locker system from American high school movies. This naturally greatly reduces the space needed. Often, School Backpacks up to 26 liters are sufficient, while in other cases, depending on the grade, more than 30 liters are often necessary.

Our information includes guidelines. Always consider the individual needs of your kids in any case.

5. How heavy should a School Backpack be?

The empty weight should ideally not exceed 1.5 kilograms to allow for all teaching materials and food for the school day to be added. The 10% rule proves useful as an indicator for total weight: the filled backpack should not significantly exceed about 10% of the body weight. However, always keep the child's build in mind. Especially after growth spurts, the child's back is still developing and should rather stay around 10%, while a developed back with the appropriate build can easily carry over 15% of the body weight.

In any case, make sure that the weight is evenly distributed, preferably centreed. This prevents unevenness that can cause back or shoulder pain.

6. How students should wear the School Backpack correctly

 The School Backpack should be adjusted based on the following four factors: 
 

• The top edge is at shoulder height.
   
• The back of the backpack should lie as close to the back as possible. The School Backpack should not hang to avoid unnecessary strain on the back.
   
• The lower part should, if possible, align with the pelvis. If the backpack extends significantly beyond this, it causes improper strain on the back.
   
• Also make sure that the sides of the backpack do not extend beyond the shoulders.
   

Especially fully packed School Backpacks should not be carried on one side or in the hand for extended periods. During quick room changes between lessons, this is certainly unproblematic, but at the latest on the way to or from school, it is important to avoid too one-sided a load.

7. Tips for buying a School Backpack

Finally, we have summarized a few tips for buying a School Backpack for you: 
 

• As already mentioned, we recommend the first School Backpack between fourth and fifth grade. Due to growth and the increasing need for teaching materials over the school years, you should consider buying a larger model between seventh and eighth grade.
   
• Choose the backpack together with your child. Especially during the phase of increasing individuality, the desire for a say also grows.
   
• The topic of sustainability in School Backpacks is now very important to students as well. In our online shop, you will already find a selection of products that, for example, have been recycled from PET bottles.
   
• With the growing population, the streets are becoming increasingly crowded. This is not limited to cars. Since many people are now switching to bicycles, this also applies to bike paths. So make sure the chosen School Backpack is noticeable and ideally has reflectors for the darker seasons. 
   
• Especially for older students, we offer backpacks with laptop or tablet compartments. The demand for these is increasing, especially in upper secondary schools or vocational schools.