Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

College Student Backpack

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

College Student Backpack

Old 07-17-19, 09:26 PM
  #26  
MAK
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Delaware
Posts: 1,695

Bikes: Yes, I have bikes.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 276 Post(s)
Liked 106 Times in 65 Posts
Take everything you plan to carry and take it to REI. That way you can truly see which bag is most comfortable and fits your needs best. As recommended above, Osprey bags are great and some are bike dedicated with special helmet attachments for off the bike. Osprey guarantees their bags so you'll have no problems for your undergrad and post grad years.
MAK is offline  
Old 07-17-19, 09:53 PM
  #27  
HerrKaLeun
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 1,923

Bikes: Giant Toughroad SLR1 and Motobecane Sturgis NX

Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 900 Post(s)
Liked 231 Times in 168 Posts
This thread started in 2012. If OP hasn't graduated yet I blame the lack of proper backpack.

But for the benefit of others my thoughts;
- I use an osprey hikelite 26 for commuting and it feels great when full
- osprey has the kickstand, which may be good
- definitely get one with good framing and that mesh to protect from back sweating. It really helps!
- there may be more textbook and laptop appropriate ones. But with tablets nowadays less room is reqiired.
- A plug for osprey. If anything breaks, you fill out an online form and attach a picture and they send you spare part. I did that for a hip belt buckle I smashef in a car door and didn't even need to show s receipt.
HerrKaLeun is offline  
Likes For HerrKaLeun:
Old 07-18-19, 09:59 AM
  #28  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,362 Times in 1,381 Posts
Originally Posted by HerrKaLeun
This thread started in 2012. If OP hasn't graduated yet I blame the lack of proper backpack.


I do not know how I noticed this thread and responded to it after being dormant since 2015!

Thanks for telling us about Osprey's support. I did the same with my Ortlieb panniers, and they sent me replacement buckles.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 07-18-19, 10:03 AM
  #29  
metz1295
Full Member
 
metz1295's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Dayton, OH
Posts: 319

Bikes: '97 Cannondale M500; '14 Specialized Secteur Compact; '21 Trek Roscoe 7

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 12 Posts
High Sierra has a lot of great versatile backpacks. I use when for work commuting. My son uses one for high school that has been very durable and has a padded laptop pocket. www.ebags.com has a great selection for great prices. Get one that has a belt strap and a sternum strap. This will increase stability of your pack. Then...important "then"...go to Amazon and buy the Camelbak backpack rain cover. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I use one to protect my clothes when I ride to work. NEVER had a problem when caught in the rain.
metz1295 is offline  
Old 07-21-19, 07:52 AM
  #30  
09box
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 969
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 113 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Green Guru Gear has fantastic bags. I've used them for years in one form or another. Lifetime warranty and made in Colorado.
09box is offline  
Old 10-23-19, 07:57 PM
  #31  
ScoScott
Newbie
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Maybe you can consider NeatPack, but I'm not sure if its capacity is too big for you. It is worth mentioning that it provides a backpack with USB charging. If you are interested in this new type of backpack, you can find it in other brands of backpacks. I mean, if you don't like NeatPack.
ScoScott is offline  
Old 10-24-19, 02:59 AM
  #32  
bpcyclist
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,115
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 451 Post(s)
Liked 364 Times in 227 Posts
Been quite pleased with my Skog A Kust BACKSAK. I got the 35 L size for like 66 bucks. Watereproof PVC with welded seams. Nice padded back support and comfy, strong straps. Sturdy fasteners. Well-made. If water is an issue where you are, it's worth looking into. Nary a drop will reach inside the BACKSAK. I do believe it is a very good value at its price-point when compared to some of the more famous brand names out there. Not sure those are built any better.
bpcyclist is offline  
Old 10-24-19, 09:07 AM
  #33  
Falkon 
No Talent Assclown
 
Falkon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Southern US :(
Posts: 1,319

Bikes: 1984 Ciocc Designer '84, Custom Columbus EL Keith Anderson -- Ultegra/DA 10sp mix, 2019 Trek Checkpoint AL All-arounder

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 87 Post(s)
Liked 27 Times in 23 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
My wife bought herself an Osprey backpack. It's specifically for women's size bodies. She didn't like it, so she gave it to me. It doesn't feel too small on me, but I'm not a very big guy. It has an internal frame which makes the pack feel heavy. But the ergonomics are so brilliant that once it's on my back, the weight disappears. No wonder these things are so expensive. Let's see how it holds up. I'm pretty impressed so far. I have to walk and ride around wearing a backpack with a somewhat feminine shade of purple, but I don't mind.

I had a Timbuk2 backpack until recently. It was very lightweight, but because of that, it was very floppy when not on my back. The floppiness made it difficult to pack. I'm surprised at how much of an inconvenience that was. The pack started tearing after two or three years, so I guess these things don't last long. But I got it at a very good price, so I got my money's worth.
Holy thread necromancy. This thread is from the year I graduated with my degree.

For what it's worth, I recently bought an Osprey Stratos 34 for bike commuting. I needed something better than my standard backpack. I wanted a hip belt and chest strap. It's marketed as a hiking pack and takes a hydration bladder, though I rarely use it. I have mixed feelings about this pack. The build is stellar, and the suspended back mesh trampoline thing keeps your back from getting so sweaty. I use the bottom compartment that would be for a sleeping bag on larger packs to fit my dress shoes. The issue I have with this pack is there seems to barely be enough room for daily commuting stuff. I barely have enough space to carry my dress shoes, work clothes, lunch, towel, shower gear, and hat. As the temperature here gets wonky in Fall, going from 40s in the mornings to up to 70s in the afternoon, there may just barely be enough room to carry a light softshell, gloves, and baselayer top from the morning. I wore my thicker Condor softshell jacket the other morning and barely had enough room to stuff it in the pack. I then had to pretty much fold and stuff the rest of my dress clothes on top of it. I didn't bring lunch that day, and I don't know how I would fit everything if I had. I don't know if it's the volume or the shape that's more limiting. This pack is more cycle commuting specific in the same volume but barely has a hip belt versus the quite nice one on the Stratos. You would think it doesn't come into play so much commuting on a road bike, but it absolutely does help. The hip belt on the Stratos also has pockets that are perfect for my work badges and headphones.

The ergonomics and overall quality of my Osprey packs has been great. The suspended mesh back with the aluminum stays on the internal frame sheet is just an excellent design, and it pulls double duty as my day hiking pack. I just either suck at packing it well for commuting, or I really need to go back to a bike with a rack and panniers.
__________________
Fällt der Pfarrer in den Mist, lacht der Bauer bis er pisst.
Falkon is offline  
Old 10-24-19, 10:33 AM
  #34  
Darth Lefty 
Disco Infiltrator
 
Darth Lefty's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775

Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem

Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times in 1,366 Posts
Originally Posted by Falkon
I barely have enough space to carry my dress shoes, work clothes, lunch, towel, shower gear, and hat.
That's... a lot of stuff. Are you not permitted to leave anything in your office?

At least you know where your towel is

As the temperature here gets wonky in Fall, going from 40s in the mornings to up to 70s in the afternoon, there may just barely be enough room to carry a light softshell, gloves, and baselayer top from the morning.
The last few times I've bought warm clothes, I've bought stuff that packs down small. Fake-down puffy jacket, and about to buy some wool thermal stuff. My beloved NF wind wall soft shell is right out unless I can wear it both ways.

I've got pants and shirts I can cycle in, at least in the morning and all of oct-may. That helps too.

In the depths of the drought a few years ago we had some really cold snaps where it was worthwhile to wear extra lower layers but since we started having rain again it's been warmer.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17

Last edited by Darth Lefty; 10-24-19 at 10:39 AM.
Darth Lefty is offline  
Old 10-24-19, 11:02 AM
  #35  
Falkon 
No Talent Assclown
 
Falkon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Southern US :(
Posts: 1,319

Bikes: 1984 Ciocc Designer '84, Custom Columbus EL Keith Anderson -- Ultegra/DA 10sp mix, 2019 Trek Checkpoint AL All-arounder

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 87 Post(s)
Liked 27 Times in 23 Posts
Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
That's... a lot of stuff. Are you not permitted to leave anything in your office?

At least you know where your towel is
Yeah, I'm a hoopy frood.
I could probably bring and leave brown and black pairs of dress shoes. When I did bike commuting previously, I also basically brought a week's worth of dress outfits folded and compressed in those three gallon bags. I could probably do something like that again. I also used panniers, and I think it's not just a volume but also a shape thing. I'm definitely thinking I can use your suggestions here.

Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
The last few times I've bought warm clothes, I've bought stuff that packs down small. Fake-down puffy jacket, and about to buy some wool thermal stuff. My beloved NF wind wall soft shell is right out unless I can wear it both ways.

I've got pants and shirts I can cycle in, at least in the morning and all of oct-may. That helps too.

In the depths of the drought a few years ago we had some really cold snaps where it was worthwhile to wear extra lower layers but since we started having rain again it's been warmer.
The softshell I wore the other day was actually TOO warm. Usually it's only good down to maybe mid-40s. The same is not true when you're hoofing it on a bike. I can probably get away with my much thinner and closer fitting softshell jacket over a baselayer when it's even colder. I've had mixed luck with thermal jerseys, especially for the price. Usually, they still need some sort of wind blocking shell for me to not be cursing the cold for the first 15 minutes or so. Right now, I just wear hiking pants over bike shorts (yeah, I'm a wuss and nervous about riding without a chamois) and can add a baselayer or tights when it gets colder and go to more wind resistant pants. I've got plenty of wicking t-shirts and a couple of jerseys. I try to use as much of my hiking gear for commuting as possible so I'm not spending even more money on even more clothing. I can recommend merino baselayers. You'd be super surprised at how warm even a thin one can keep you. You don't need to pay the extra for a cycling specific base layer. I've gotten good ones from TJ Maxx for $8 and from Costco for $15.

Thanks for the suggestions. I can probably make better use of this pack and carry less **** every day if I follow them.
__________________
Fällt der Pfarrer in den Mist, lacht der Bauer bis er pisst.
Falkon is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
killtheaquitted
General Cycling Discussion
14
02-18-15 07:12 PM
kleinsamuel
Commuting
90
07-12-11 09:15 PM
Stanczyk
General Cycling Discussion
13
08-05-10 08:00 AM
serra
Commuting
7
08-02-10 07:07 PM
BikesAreCool123
Road Cycling
29
02-22-10 02:20 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.