Please recommend a good backpack...

[PeterB]

... for holding general stuff; like a daypack. I've been buying the $20 crappy ones in the local Walgreens, but of course they never hold up-- usually rip at the joint of the shoulder strap or where the strap connects at the bottom. I need something with LOTS of compartments and pockets. Also, it's nice to have something where everything is easily accessible... some backpacks make it easier than others.

[dmann]

I have a Jansport that has seen fairly regular use since 1988 or 89! Holding up great but I have no idea if their quality has changed in the past 20 years because I haven't had to buy another.


DM

[graylocks]

LLBean packs last forever and if they don't, they will be replaced for free. my son got a large custom pack for the beginning of the school year but this one has more pockets:



LL Bean book packs

[cbelt3]

Well, YMMV, but I would recommend a side trip to your local hiking / camping store. Jansport or Kelty are still good names. I still have the Kelty rucksack that I used as a bookbag from 1971 until 1982, and as a daypack ever since. That sucker has been all over the planet.

Don't get stuck with having to have a lot of organizing pockets. A few sippered cases inside a general cargo area will do a lot more than a lot of funky little zippered attachments.

Oh, and look at the ones that have a waist band. If you're going to load it up, you may as well put the load on your hips where it belongs !

Finally- I just take the broken ones, flip 'em open, and reattach them to the sack with a double weight of denim from busted blue jeans. So far those repaired ones haven't ripped. And the kids really load them down.

[SteveO]

Second the above. Target is also a good stop for durable packs. I got a couple Ogios there on clearance some six years back for $8 each! These are 2400 cubic inch packs, really nice, super durable and with two water bottle pockets each plus five or six zippered compartments. I took one of these to Germany for the World Cup in '06; it was totally abused and still looks/functions like new. You can also find Ogio packs online very easily.

Eddie Bauer (assuming they still carry these), Swissgear and Coleman at Target also appear to be good packs and are nice looking to boot. These should all be <$50, maybe <30.

[PeterB]

Hmmm... looking at a few of these, a couple other things I should have asked for:

1) Not butt-ugly

2) No butt-ugly logo located on it anywhere, or if there has to be a logo, make it in some way disguisable or barely noticeable, e.g., black on black; if I see another "The North Face" logo, I'm gonna hurl.

cbelt3, the organizing pockets really are a must for me, because I misplace things easily, and need to be able to locate quickly. For this reason, I tend to really like Kensington's stuff... their computer cases mostly, but I might have a look at their backpacks even though this isn't for computer gear.

[samintx]

tARGET CARRIES E. Bauer and LL Bean/Eddie B hve excellent packs. Go to www.ebags.com and these discount places for the brand names and check the prices.

Oh, yes, JanSport as mentioned is good and also the Swiss armyknife people put out good backpacks.

[mattkime]

I highly recommend my Deuter Futura. Its probably quite a bit pricier than you're looking to pay but its worth every penny. It has a mesh frame which keeps the bag off your back and places the weight directly behind your belly button which is exactly where it belongs. My bag has survived a year of bike commuting without a scratch while hauling a MBP and a change of clothes.

[davester]

The sturdiest ones I've used over the years have all been Keltys. The Jansport's are OK, but if you compare them you'll find that Kelty generally has beefier seams, zippers, etc.

[M>B>]

I like Crumpler bags...

http://www.crumplerbags.com/lite/english/products.html