The new school year necessitates a re-up of most school supplies: new notebooks, new binders, new homework calendars. But your backpack sticks with you for a long time. For this reason, your choice of baggage is not simply a practical decision, but rather a semi-permanent style commitment. Are you a traditional two-strapper? Or do you cross-sling, messenger-style? Pick the wrong one, and you'll be spending the next couple of years with an uncomfortable accessory that clashes with your overall persona (unless, of course, something accidentally destroys your bag, like a pair of rogue scissors).
These fashion decisions aren't easy to make. Remember that time you were convinced it was cool to have your portrait taken with your Cabbage Patch Kid? Looking back, that was a little weird. But at the time, you thought it was awesome. That's the problem with the whole "hindsight is 20/20" thing. You only know you made a poor choice long after you've had to deal with the consequences.
The bottom line is: Think twice before you choose your backpack. It could change your life in a number of ways, both obvious and unexpected. So to help you out in the monumental decision, we've come up with a detailed list of things to consider before strapping on your new pack:
The Back Factor
A two-strap backpack, when worn properly—with the heaviest items sitting at the small of the back—can be comfortable and will help reduce back stress and injury.
A messenger bag can also be comfortable, and it makes you look hip and active (like a messenger!). It's true that years of carrying a heavy load might leave you with one shoulder slightly higher than the other. But when that happens, simply alter your stride so that you favor the opposite side of your body, and no one will notice.
The Social Crutch Factor
When you're talking to your crush and are starting to feel all fidgety, a two-strap pack offers an easy solution for both hands: the thumb-tuck.
When you're talking to your crush and are starting to feel all fidgety, a messenger bag offers an easy solution for only one hand: the single thumb-tuck. This leaves your other hand in the awkward position of fidgeting with itself.
The Organizational Factor
Two-straps packs have all sorts of pockets and compartments, making it easy to organize your life. Your iPod fits in a separate pouch from your pens and pencils, keeping the screen protected. And sometimes there's even a mesh sidepocket for your water bottle.
A messenger bag also lets you organize, but only along a horizontal plane. This makes grabbing the right textbook easy as you can see the spine, which has the title on it. However, non-rectangular items like pens, pencils, and waterbottles are left to mingle freely.
The Accessibility Factor
With a messenger bag, if you need to quickly grab a pencil because you're running late for your next class and need to slide in and begin taking notes just as the bell stops ringing, all you have to do is swing the bag around, reach down, and grab.
If you're running late and need to quickly grab something out of your two-strap pack, good luck. You have to take off a strap, do that whole weird under-arm hold thing, and try to find what you want without being able to see inside. Be careful! Don't stab yourself with your compass.
The Nap-sack Factor
If you're looking to catch a few zzz's (NOT during class, of course), a messenger bag stuffed with a sweatshirt makes a great pillow. After all, it's already shaped sort of like a pillow.
If you're looking to catch a few zzz's (NOT during class, of course), the dome-shaped two-strap can also be stuffed with a sweatshirt for some measure of pillow-like comfort. However, the series of small pockets projecting out from from the large central pocket might throw off your balance. So this is more like a very lumpy pillow.
The Fashionable Factor
If you're going for a cool-guy, slacker look, the messenger bag is the way to go, especially if you opt for canvas or worn leather. It is also the way to go if you want to look like a chump.
If you disregard the back factor (above), the two-strap pack allows you to affect a youthful slouch when worn low and loose. You can even accessorize with patches for personalization (but we suggest you don't go overboard, or you'll cross into hippie-dippie territory).
The Locker Factor
Even when a messenger bag is stuffed to the brim, you can usually find a way to slide it into your narrow locker.
When a two-strap pack is stuffed to the brim, it's like trying to stuff a basketball into a mailbox: it ain't gonna happen.
So which do you prefer? The classic two-strap or the messenger bag?
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