Child's backpack - safe and healthy design

filigree_2

A few years ago there was a big campaign to get schoolchildren to use well-designed school bags so they didn't damage their developing spines. They strongly suggested a backpack with two shoulder straps to distribute the weight evenly, not a shoulder bag that drags one shoulder down.

I remember that one company designed a backpack especially for children prompted by the campaign. Unfortunately I can't remember a blessed thing about the company or what it was called!

Can anyone suggest a good make of school bag, or better still tell me where I can find out more about the special bag? I think it might have been called Backsafe or something like that.

Filigree Junior is off to High School this year and I need to kit him out so I'd be very grateful for tips on suitable bags for youngsters.

filigree_2

D'oh - I should have tried Google first!

The charity is called Backcare and here's the link:

http://www.backcare.org.uk/index2.php

Problem solved

Savvy_Sue

Please let us know how well they last! I seem to spend a fortune on backpacks, and I don't buy cheap nasty ones either! We usually go to the local camping shop and buy reasonable ones, padded straps etc etc etc. Have just paid £20 for one, possibly slightly more stylish than the Backcare ones in that it has a pocket and hole for the ubiquitous CD player, but it's only the youngest who would care about that.

filigree_2

We just took delivery of Junior's new Backsafe bag. I'm pleased with it, although obviously it hasn't been used yet so I don't know how rugged it is.

It came with a separate small bag for PE kit and I bought the matching wallet for dinner money, library card etc. The whole thing seems sturdy and it's a sensible rectangular shape, whereas fashion bags all seem to narrow at the top. It also has wide reflective bands for road safety.

I have a feeling that Junior will probably quickly decide he would prefer a trendy bag like his classmates, but for the time being at least he will have to make do with what I choose for him!

ka7e

It's not the design of school bags that does the damage. It's carrying PE kit + lunch box + text and exercise books for up to 7 subjects a day that does! A lot of secondary schools no longer provide lockers so everything has to be lugged around all day, as well as to and from school. My 16 yr old son has had huge welts on his shoulders just from the sheer weight of his schoolbooks. I remember him at 11, refusing to take bottled water to drink in hot weather because it added even more weight, and he could barely lift his bag.

filigree_2

Sadly I have to say that this backpack did not live up to expectation. He's only been using it since September and it already has a huge hole in it! At the moment he's using a cheapo nylon backpack that I got for £5 in Sainsbury's years ago and that's in far better condition. I've emailed the company to complain and they want me to send it back for examination, I'm going to get some assurance first that they will cover the cost of postage so I don't waste even more money on the venture!

I'll post the results of how I get on with the "examination".

Perhaps I'd be better off getting a cheap knock off from the market, at least them if it falls apart after a few months I won't have wasted over £20 on it.

SammyD_2

And can I add to anyone reading to try to make your kids (a) wear the back pack on both shoulders and (b) to carry as little around in it as possible...I have got a twisted spine with consequent periodic backpain as a result of carrying my school stuff round on one shoulder (20 years ago now) - all my books and PE kit etc were in the bag every day. We had no lockers to put things in, and I wanted to be "cool" so did what everyone else did and carried everything on one shoulder. Even then I was still not cool!

I know it is wishful thinking that kids might pay attention to worries like this, but I sure wish I had listened to my parents. HMMM I could say that about a lot of things.