The amount of stuff kids carry in their backpacks is incredible – so much so that there have actually been studies done about juvenile back issues related to carrying too much weight on a regular basis. Proper backpack selection is critical to health and wellbeing yet it is something often overlooked by both parentsand children. Often popular brands or fashion trends drive the purchase decision and functionality takes a backseat.

When shopping for college and school backpacks it is important to look for ones that are well balanced with plenty of stability and back support. Kids of all ages often tend to sling a backpack over one shoulder which can be damaging over time as one shoulder may become dominant or the body may shift and twist to accommodate the burden which is not distributed evenly across the body.

Look for a backpack in a dark color so that dirt and wear will be less obvious; make sure the shoulder straps are as wide as possible to avoid cutting into the back and shoulders. Waist straps are desirable but typically will be ignored by the user; look for ones which can be easily removed. Zippers should operate smoothly – pull tabs help make them easy to grab.  

Have your child try the backpack on over outer wear such as a jacket, windbreaker or winter coat to make sure the backpack will be viable for more than one season. It’s a good idea to make it a weekly practice to clean out a backpack and make sure your child is not carrying around extra weight or unnecessary items – some backpacks become medicine and food cabinets on foot, filled with leftover lunches, sporting stuff and more.