Gender
Gender of the child for whom the product is designed. This point practically does not affect the functionality and equipment; first of all, the design depends on it.
Modern school bags, satchels and backpacks can be produced in versions
for girls,
for boys and
unisex (universal). “Girl” models are distinguished by a rather bright appearance; pink, lilac, light green shades, as well as romantic, fairy-tale and various “cute” motifs are popular in them. “Boy’s” products have more restrained colors, usually in cool colors (blue, gray, green), and the design themes can relate to cars and various equipment, extreme sports, science fiction, etc. The unisex category, in turn, includes quite a wide variety of models - from neutral and restrained to bright and richly designed; however, they all work equally well for girls and boys.
We also note that models for which a certain “gender” is declared can also be designed in a neutral style, and classifying them as “boys” or “girls” sometimes depends only on what the manufacturer himself has decided on this matter.
Capacity
The total volume of the product. It can be indicated both with external pockets and without them (see "Compartments") — this is not critical in this case, because the capacity of the pockets is small and does not really affect the overall capacity. But the external compartment (see ibid.) is necessarily taken into account in the characteristics, since it accounts for a fairly significant part of the volume.
Larger capacity allows you to carry more items inside. On the other hand, for pupils of primary and secondary grades, capacious backpacks are not required, and a heavy load can be harmful to health and normal development. Therefore, the volume largely depends on the age category. Thus, the volume of backpacks (see "Type"), which were originally designed for the younger age group, rarely exceeds 20 liters, and in most cases is less than 15 liters. The same applies to bags, but in their case it is more likely due to design features, and the volume is generally larger — up to 29 liters. Backpacks are the most voluminous — among them models of 25 liters are not uncommon, and in some
the volume exceeds 30 liters. However, the choice of volume depends not only on the age category, but also on the expected amount of cargo. So, a high school student may not need a roomy backpack if the school has lockers and textbooks are mostly stored there.
Design
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Rigid frame. The presence of a rigid frame is mandatory for knapsacks, but can also be found in backpacks. In knapsacks, it is used to constantly maintain the same shape, as comfortable and safe as possible from an orthopedic point of view. In backpacks, a rigid frame is used to protect the contents from impacts, especially side impacts.
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Folding. Models that are able to unfasten to the very bottom and open like a book. Usually, the role of the lock in such products is played by a “lightning” that goes on top and on the sides of the backpack. The folding design makes accessing the contents more convenient and can make loading and unloading and searching for items inside much easier.
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Orthopedic back. The back of a special "orthopedic" shape, thanks to which the load is distributed over the child's back in the most optimal and safe way. In addition, the surface of such backs is usually embossed, which improves ventilation and reduces sweating. Note that "non-orthopedic" backs can be quite comfortable.
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Chest strap. Attachment in the form of a strap with a clasp that connects the main straps of the backpack at the level of the user's chest. When fastened, such a strap keeps the straps at the same distance from each other and does not allow them to “scatter”. This provides additional convenience in the distribu
...tion of weight, as well as a secure fit on the body.
— Waist belt. An additional device in the form of a belt, which, when fastened, covers the user's body in the belt area. Thus, the load is redistributed from the shoulders to the pelvic area, which is especially convenient when carrying heavy backpacks. In addition, such a device provides additional reliability of fixing the backpack on the body.
— Soft straps. In this case, straps are meant that have additional soft pads made of foam rubber or other similar material. Thanks to this material, as well as the increased width, such straps do not cut into the shoulders and remain comfortable even with a fairly large weight, and the load is distributed more optimally than on straps without pads.
— S-shaped straps. S-shaped shoulder straps (when viewed from the back of the backpack). It is believed that this form provides a more rational distribution of the load than the sickle-shaped, and even more so the classic straight line, it gives more freedom to the hands and prevents the backpack from slipping off the shoulders. In addition, S-shaped straps are easier to equip with chest straps.
— Rain protection. A device that protects the backpack (and its contents) from rain, snow and other natural “troubles”. Usually, it has the form of a “hood” or a cover made of waterproof material, which, if necessary, is put on top and provides additional protection. Note that almost any backpack / knapsack / bag is able to protect the contents from moisture to a certain extent; however, for maximum weather resistance, you should still choose models in which this feature is directly stated.
— LED backlight. The backpack is equipped with built-in lighting, which, usually, is represented by an LED strip located in a straight line. On the one hand, the backlight has a decorative effect and makes the backpack itself more attractive to children. On the other hand, it can act as an identification mark, for example, when crossing the roadway, and in general increases the visibility of the child on the road at night
— Reflector. Special reflective inserts, located, usually, on all sides of the product — for example, in backpacks and satchels they are installed on the straps, on the outside and on the sides. Such inserts brightly "flash" in the light of car headlights, making the child clearly visible to drivers in the dark. The features of night driving and vision are such that reflectors will not be superfluous even on a lit street, not to mention darker environments. And in some countries, traffic rules even forbid pedestrians to move at night without reflectors. Anyway, this feature can be very useful from a security point of view.Weight
Empty weight. This parameter has a dual meaning. On the one hand, the lower the own weight of a backpack, bag or knapsack, the less load will be on the shoulders of the child with the same weight of the load. On the other hand, with the same materials, a lighter product is also thinner and, accordingly, less durable.
