Everything You Need To Know About Backpacks

We have all seen backpacks but just what are they made from and where do they originate from. Although people had been carry packs around on their backs for many years it was not until the 1910's in the USA was the name backpack introduced. Prior to the introduction of the word these types of packs were more commonly referred to as either a knapsack or a packsack, whilst in Britain these were referred to as rucksacks. The word rucksack derives from a German word "der rucken" which actually means back in English. In some other countries they are known as haversacks whilst the British Military Forces refer to them as Bergen's. This name originates from the manufacturers name Bergan and in most cases you will find that the frame is external to the pack compared to those used today by hikers, mountain climber etc.

However today the backpack is actually more often seen being used by students as a way of carrying all the equipment and materials that they need for school or college each day. The one main difference between this type of backpack and those use for hiking etc., are that they do not contain a rigid frame, plus will have far fewer pockets on them. Also a lot of these types of backpacks come with safety features including reflective panels so that the wearer can easily be seen especially at night when traveling to and from school. Many colleges and universities today now sell their own backpacks which have been emblazoned with their logo upon them. In order to prevent any form of serious injury to the wearer these packs come with shoulder straps that are well padded and the back area of them has been reinforced to help counteract the weight of the heavy books that many students will need to carry during the school day.

People will generally use a backpack when they need to carry heavy loads for any extended period of time. The reason for this is that a person's shoulders are actually better suited to bearing any time of additional weight for extended periods of time than the hands are. Such backpacks as the Osprey Atmost 65 and new ultra light version which is ideal for extended hiking trips are extremely useful. They allow a person to carry weights of up to 70kg's easily as it allows for most of the weight to be offloaded onto the padded hip belt so this then leaves the shoulder straps to do the job of actually stabilizing the load whilst being carried. Not only does this mean that someone is more able to carry heavy loads comfortably, but with any type of backpacks now available it helps to improve a person's balance as well as making them much more agile as the weight has been placed nearer to the center of their own body mass.