Do college students need a big backpack?

We suggest looking for a roomy bag with plenty of organizational compartments, including a dedicated laptop sleeve (we've also got cool laptop backpacks if you're looking for some). Wide, cushioned straps and back panel padding can help distribute the weight evenly and provide ample back support.



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A backpack with a capacity of around 20-30 liters should be sufficient for 11th and 12th grade students. This size can accommodate textbooks, notebooks, a laptop or tablet, and other necessary school supplies.

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Their capacity lets you carry an extra layer, food and gear for day trips. 21–35 liters: This is the sweet spot for most hiking and travel daypacks. There's enough capacity to hold food, clothing and some extras, like a camera and a book.

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40 liters is definitely big enough for traveling, as long as you're not an over-packer. It's a good idea not to go for an overly large backpack - overpacking can be as troublesome as under-packing.

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Sturdy Backpack Even though you might not do a whole lot on the first day, you should still take everything we're discussing in this post with you. It would be a major bummer to show up for your first day of classes without something just because you thought you wouldn't need it yet.

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If you're going off to college, you will want to make sure your backpack has a padded, protective sleeve for your laptops and tablet. Backpacks with multiple compartments will better distribute the weight of things and help you stay organized than a one- or two-pocket carryall.

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According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, a healthy backpack weight would be 10% of your body weight. So, for example, if you weigh 100 pounds, your backpack can only weigh 10 pounds–not an easy feat for a busy college student.

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A 30L – 50L backpack will be just the ticket. It will be able to hold all your sleeping, cooking, and camping gear you need for trips up to 5 or 6 days.

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A 60-liter backpack is the sweet spot for backpacking trips 5 days in length or less, including packs in the 55-liter to 65-liter range.

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This means it's something you could happily take on a weekend away if you're a light packer, or as a day bag if you need to take a lot of stuff. Another good size for plane travel as well, without any concern with carry-on compliance. Here's a packing list for what you can fit in a 32-34 liter backpack.

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