Which backpack is best for high school?

[dmr]

I'm looking to purchase a Tom Bihn bag for my son who is starting high school this fall. First off, he needs a backpack that can carry a great deal of "stuff" back and forth from school. I'm talking books, folders, school supplies, a 1L SIGG bottle, lunch, etc. He will also be using this bag as a portable locker of sorts throughout the day so it has to have some sort of organizational capability. Which Tom Bihn backpack will do all of the above, and then some?

[ozone]

I'd say Brain Bag. It has two compartments. I use the one closest to my back for notes, books, laptop (if thin enough). The other one has lunch and odds and ends. Just be careful that if it fills up and outward enough, the bottom can kind of sag down a bit when it's on your back.

[BJ Nemeth]

I'd also recommend the Brain Bag. It has the most room, and with the two main compartments (and multiple pockets) is the easiest to organize.

[dmr]

Thanks for the input, a Brain Bag it will be. Perhaps a Freudian Slip would help with added organization?

[backpack]

A Brain Bag with a Freudian Slip is indeed a great bookbag.

I think adding a number of organizer pouches will make organizing even more fun, I also think that a quarter packing cube is the perfect size for gym clothes or wet swimsuits.

I wish I had a Brain Bag in high school!

I have one now, it so well balanced, has such adequate cushion on the back and straps and it is a very sturdy item it is the greatest backpack I ever owned.

[Darcy]

Thanks for the input, a Brain Bag it will be. Perhaps a Freudian Slip would help with added organization?

Definitely. I'd strongly suggest the addition of the Freudian Slip to your order. And see this blog post for another great use of the Freudian Slip.

[ratdeau]

My two daughters have a Smart Alec with Freudian Slip. Two years of use and still perfect.

[dmr]

My son's Brain Bag and its accessories came just in the nick of time, the day before school started. The Brain Bag doesn't look much bigger than any other back pack but I was amazed when my son brought back all of his textbooks, there were seven of them, and assorted workbooks, etc. at the end of that day. They all fit in his new backpack with some room to spare! I could barely lift the thing, but he won't be taking that much with him back and forth every day, at least I hope not! Wow! That's all I can say for now, just "Wow!"

[ozone]

SEVEN textbooks? What sort of high school is this? Just kidding... good luck on the new school season... :-)

[pretzelb]

My son's Brain Bag and its accessories came just in the nick of time, the day before school started. The Brain Bag doesn't look much bigger than any other back pack but I was amazed when my son brought back all of his textbooks, there were seven of them, and assorted workbooks, etc. at the end of that day. They all fit in his new backpack with some room to spare! I could barely lift the thing, but he won't be taking that much with him back and forth every day, at least I hope not! Wow! That's all I can say for now, just "Wow!"

The tricky thing about getting a big bag is if you might not be able to carry it after you fill it up. I can see that with the BB and something like textbooks, especially for a high school kid.

I'm starting to find the straps on the BB to be a neat feature. I don't like them from a looks point of view because they aren't professional in my opinion (and I'm already not being professional by carrying a backpack), but they do help make the bag easier to carry and improve the look of the bag when you cinch them down.

[ozone]

Yes... the side compression straps on the BB aren't the most professional looking. However, I always find that at the end of a long day, a guy with buttons undone on his shirt, jacket dragging down on one shoulder, and an overstuffed laptop or shoulder bag - inevitably with the comfort shoulder strap lying the wrong way (always bugs me) and the shoulder strap twisted around a few times - can only look so professional! (Long live the backpack... )