Kid’s killer backpacks – what they want versus what’s good for them

Kids’ killer backpacks have to go

What they want vs. what’s good for them

By Tara Tasker and Richard Doherty

KIDS NOWADAYS head off to school lugging all their worldly possessions in their backpacks. Books, binders, shoes, snacks, water

bottles, toys, clothes, deceased amphibians, car parts and the neighbour’s

lawn sprinkler can all end up in little Johnny’s or Judy’s pack. And, most kids

are keen to share the load-bearing duties on camping trips or day hikes.

A group of grade five students in southern Ontario has helped researchers discover how kids typically view and use their backpacks. Understanding backpacks from their perspective is helping researchers at Queen’s University to devise an educational program called “Pack it Light, Wear it Right,” which aims to promote proper backpack use.

The Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA) provided funding, and joined with the Queen’s Ergonomics Research Group (QERG) to research and create an educational backpack design program to improve children’s back health.

Researchers interviewed 120 students to find out what they carried in their backpacks, if the packs felt heavy and what features they deemed important when they purchased them. Students reported the following: • 89% carry their belongings to and from school in a backpack • More than 50% say that their backpacks were heavy or sometimes heavy

• 20% carry non-school related things in their backpacks • Most picked out their backpacks with the help of a parent.

QERG provided the student group with a wide variety of backpacks to gain a deeper insight into what kids wanted in a backpack.

Only a few students indicated that it was important for them to purchase a backpack with good padding and soft shoulder straps. The most important factors were colour and the number of compartments or pockets to help them to organize their belongings. These features did not lead them to choose the more expensive backpacks; many of the more expensive backpacks ranging from $75 to $100 with better suspension systems and load-bearing characteristics were passed over by the kids. A $24 backpack was the clear winner. This might be easy on the wallet, but what guidance can adults offer when it’s time to purchase a backpack?

The OCA recommends that students not carry more than 10 to 15 percent of their body weight. Students should leave unnecessary items at home or at school, and adults should set realistic load carrying limits for camping trips or day hikes.

Parents and children should buy backpacks made of lightweight material with two wide, well-padded shoulder straps and a waist strap. The backpack should be no longer than the child’s torso, which eliminates substituting adult backpacks. A good kid’s pack should have a padded back for extra comfort. Many of these characteristics are not selling points for

kids, so adults need to combine these characteristics with the features that kids look for, like those all-important compartments. And herein lies a not-soveiled message to manufacturers who want to nail down this lucrative pre-teen demographic.

Before buying, try it on. Children should be encouraged to try on backpacks in the store for a proper fit. During the fitting session, you may even want to fill it up with items from the store to simulate walking to and from school.

If you’re overwhelmed by all the detail that goes into properly fitting your child with a backpack, take a hike to your local specialty outdoor shop. Most will have a good selection of quality packs and the knowledge to properly fit your child.

In the meantime, be prepared to watch your pre-teen Sherpa still trying to carry the world on his back. It’s our job to remind them to “Pack it Light, Wear it Right.” —Tara Tasker is a teacher and the creator of www.bonfieldpublicschool.com, a virtual Web site that provides free resources for the Ontario Curriculum. —Richard Doherty (a sustainable communities management consultant) owns an outdoor specialty store.