Backpack for College

[SystematicThought]

I need to get a backpack for college. I am really looking at The North Face for a backpack as those are great and have used them for awhile. However, I am open to anything and would like some suggestions (especially from those now in college.)

Anyone is free to suggest though!

Thanks guys

[Sigz]

Unless you have a long commute so that you have to bring all of your shit with you, it really doesn't matter. In any given lecture/discussion you're going to need at most a textbook, notebook, and some printed out notes, and in most cases you'll only need a notebook.

[SystematicThought]

All my classes are in a row with no time to go back to my dorm. Each day I have three classes and an average of 2 textbooks per class which are required each day, or so the professors have recommended. Sadly, I will need one

[cramx3]

I used to bring so many books with me to my classes because I lived a mile away from campus so I couldn't just walk home after every class.  I still use my Easport bookbag, I don't think it matters so much what brand, just what suits you well.

[Sigz]

They require you bring textbooks to class?

[SystematicThought]

They require you bring textbooks to class?

Yeah, they said it's highly recommended and one of the classes is discussions on the text that is assigned so it's best to bring it for reference.

[black_biff_stadler]

They require you bring textbooks to class?

Yeah, they said it's highly recommended and one of the classes is discussions on the text that is assigned so it's best to bring it for reference.

That was a fairly common practice when I was in college too. You can kinda half-ass it here and there and, in some classes, may be able to get away with it a lot but in the end it can cause way more inconvenience than simply murking your lumbar region by carrying an extra 5-10 lbs.

[SystematicThought]

Yeah. My brother is a junior this year in college and says that he has always been thankful to have the textbook with him

[Sigz]

I have literally, in four years of college, never had a class that required you bring a textbook. I mean, you'll get the occasional class that wants you to bring the assigned reading, but those aren't textbooks - just bound readers, printed material, or regular paperback books. Nothing that's a burden to carry.

[cramx3]

I majored in computer engineering so the calc and physics classes always had huge textbooks.

[black_biff_stadler]

I have literally, in four years of college, never had a class that required you bring a textbook. I mean, you'll get the occasional class that wants you to bring the assigned reading, but those aren't textbooks - just bound readers, printed material, or regular paperback books. Nothing that's a burden to carry.

Yes, but not everyone's professors are the same. It's really not helpful to him to restate your own personal experiences when his may differ since he's trying to make sure his purchase is one that'll serve his needs best.

[SystematicThought]

It's really no problem, each one seems to be different because a few of my friends have needed backpacks and others haven't. Different supplies for different colleges, I guess.

I don't want to cause any problems 

[Sigz]

I have literally, in four years of college, never had a class that required you bring a textbook. I mean, you'll get the occasional class that wants you to bring the assigned reading, but those aren't textbooks - just bound readers, printed material, or regular paperback books. Nothing that's a burden to carry.

Yes, but not everyone's professors are the same. It's really not helpful to him to restate your own personal experiences when his may differ since he's trying to make sure his purchase is one that'll serve his needs best.

Well, I'm more just thinking that it's one of those things that colleges tell you before you start that turn out to be complete BS. I mean, I was told I'd be spending something like 50 hours a week doing work outside of class when I started I don't think I could have done that much work my freshman year even if I had wanted to.

But if you need a good backpack, north face bags are great from everything I know. If you don't care about looks, a military surplus store might have a good pack as well.

[cramx3]

I have literally, in four years of college, never had a class that required you bring a textbook. I mean, you'll get the occasional class that wants you to bring the assigned reading, but those aren't textbooks - just bound readers, printed material, or regular paperback books. Nothing that's a burden to carry.

Yes, but not everyone's professors are the same. It's really not helpful to him to restate your own personal experiences when his may differ since he's trying to make sure his purchase is one that'll serve his needs best.

Well, I'm more just thinking that it's one of those things that colleges tell you before you start that turn out to be complete BS. I mean, I was told I'd be spending something like 50 hours a week doing work outside of class when I started I don't think I could have done that much work my freshman year even if I had wanted to.

Yea, usually each college determines how many hours a week you need to work per credit, but I don't think I ever put that amount of hours per credit while I was in college.

[black_biff_stadler]

I have literally, in four years of college, never had a class that required you bring a textbook. I mean, you'll get the occasional class that wants you to bring the assigned reading, but those aren't textbooks - just bound readers, printed material, or regular paperback books. Nothing that's a burden to carry.

Yes, but not everyone's professors are the same. It's really not helpful to him to restate your own personal experiences when his may differ since he's trying to make sure his purchase is one that'll serve his needs best.

Well, I'm more just thinking that it's one of those things that colleges tell you before you start that turn out to be complete BS. I mean, I was told I'd be spending something like 50 hours a week doing work outside of class when I started I don't think I could have done that much work my freshman year even if I had wanted to.

But if you need a good backpack, north face bags are great from everything I know. If you don't care about looks, a military surplus store might have a good pack as well.

I definitely agree with that. Maybe it's the "better safe than sorry" approach in that they'd rather folks be pleasantly surprised that they're capable of getting their shit done in a shorter time with less lugging of books involved than suddenly thinking "Ah shit! I didn't bring my chemistry book and failed that open-book test!"

[SystematicThought]

It very well could turn out to be BS, but yeah, I guess I just want to be prepared and like I said, I don't have time to go back to my dorm after class.

[kári]

Dakine has some great ones.

[Dr. DTVT]

I'd recommend mine, but I don't know what brand it is since i got it free at a conference.  I use it for hauling my laptop and papers around.

In lecture halls, you won't even have room to have out a text book and a notebook.  The only classes where we actually needed the book in class were English classes and Calculus.  They are mostly for your reference outside of class.

Not that it matters to you, but will be telling my students they don't have to bring the textbook to class unless I tell them ahead of time.

[ReaperKK]

I majored in computer engineering so the calc and physics classes always had huge textbooks.

This however I was luckily employed at my university while I was there so I had an awesome badge for my car that let me park almost anywhere on campus. I'd grab a book, go to my car switch out books and be on my way so I never used a backpack.

[bosk1]

Not in college, but I can add this:  Last year about this time, I bought one from Costco because I neede an roomy but inexpensive one to carry books and other stuff.  We use it probably 3 times a week, and it still looks and feel brand new.  No signs of wear whatsoever.  So it is VERY durable, roomy, has a padded laptop/tablet divider in the main pocket, inexpensive, and comfortable.  I saw that they are carrying the same exact backpack again this year, and just bought two more (kids needed them). 

The problem is, since it's Costco, you never know what they'll have in stock.  At the one here that I went to, they only had literally 5 or 6 left as of yesterday afternoon.  I tried looking online, but it's not showing up on their online site, so I guess it's a store-only item.  I believe the mfr. is High Sierra.  $17.99.  bosk1 recommends.


EDIT:  Here it is (but a lot more expensive than at Costco):  https://www.amazon.com/High-Sierra-624594-Cyclone-Pack/dp/B008SDD800/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1344540827&sr=1-1&keywords=high+sierra+cyclone+backpack

Another on Ebay that sold for $16.99:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Sierra-Cyclone-Backpack-Fast-Shipping-/330771748484

[bosk1]

As an alternative suggestion, these are outstanding, but a bit hard to find:

[Adami]

See if any of your books are available for Kindle. If they are, buy a kindle, and just bring that with a laptop.