What the experts say

I was rear ended right before finals week one term and was forced to use a small rolling luggage carrier for nearly two weeks as I couldn’t carry my books on my back with a regular backpack due to whiplash in my lumbar and cervical spine. Apart from the excruciating pain that caused for the first several days, it would have really interfered with my healing. Before the next term started, I ordered a BackTpack to be my new solution. In the first three weeks of the term, I had no significant pain that I could link directly to carrying my thirty pounds of books. Then I was rear ended again (I know…). After the second accident, wearing a traditional backpack is simply out of the question. With BackTpack, even after the second accident I’ve had none of the back pain I had come to expect from having thirty+ pounds of books on my back. I’ve even recommended BackTpack to my chiropractor–honestly, these packs should be in every physical therapy or chiropractic clinic in the world so that patients like me can learn about them and acquire them easily.

As a physical therapist with a specialty in ergonomics, I was quite excited to read about the BackTpack and all of the thought and effort that went in to designing such a ‘body-friendly’ product. It did not disappoint. Extremely well made, highly adjustable and so many compartments I need to come up with a system to remind me where I stored everything (much preferable to digging through one big pocket, though!) I am able to walk from one appointment to the next with the weight of all of my equipment evenly distributed across my back and shoulders with my hands free. My physical and occupational therapist co-workers were also quite impressed and immediately began thinking of their patients (and their own children) who could benefit from the BackTpack.

First off, BackTpack’s amazing bag design saved my back and shoulders through medical school! I recommend them to my patients who have heavy things to carry on a daily basis. They work great when bicycling and hiking, and when you hang it on the back of a chair – your books, pens, snacks and water bottles are easily accessible. Second, what a helpful emergency kit suggestion! Saving this to make up my own!

My son was having difficulty managing his backpack, and started complaining of back and shoulder pain after school. We tried the BackTpack and he felt pain-free instantly. He reports that the BackTpack “doesn’t hurt” and its design allows him to automatically turn on his posture muscles and stand straighter when he is waiting for the bus and transitioning between classes. He can carry his school binder, a cellphone, lunch and a few books without any difficulty. It’s lasted over a year in middle school with no signs of excessive wear and tear. It’s been a great investment in both wellness and durability.

I have used a BackTpack everyday for several years now. It’s worn out now and I’ve just ordered a new one. I had two bulged disks and arthritis in my spine AND fibromyalgia (and serious hand issues so I can’t use a rolling backpack); the BackTpack has been a big factor in allowing me the mobility to deal with graduate school. I’m now in the process of getting a PhD in musicology (music history and literature). Carrying large format books and musical scores around a large campus is a daily part of life. With a conventional backpack, my arms and hands would go numb from my thoracic outlets being squeezed, and my back would be in incredible pain. I have absolutely no problems with the BackTpack. Thanks for such an innovative product!

I don’t get any kickbacks from BackTpack, but their bags – I found one in my school bookstore and then bought another online – were my go-to in medical school. I was able to keep lunch, snack and personal items (purse) on one side, and my school documents, computer, and some medical supplies on the other. I moved easily from my bike to my classroom, or to a bus.
I recommend this to my patients who are students.

I really love the new BackTpack 4. The build quality is extremely high, and the built-in waist strap make wearing the bag even more comfortable than previous models. I use the strap all the time, especially when walking longer distances in the schools I serve. Even though I’m carrying a full-size laptop, An iPad, Chromebook, all the cords, adapters, and everything else I need to function during the day, I hardly noticed I’m wearing it.  It took me one or two days of playing around with adjustments, especially the spacing between the bags to get it right, but once I did, the bag is more comfortable than any of your products I’ve used before  Please feel free to use my name and my comments, if you find them useful.  Thank you so much for not only making, but improving this product!

Our hike for the day was 19 miles and I was very pleased that I chose this pack over the traditional backpack/day-pack. I was able to carry my trail-food, water bottles, water filter, first aid kit, camcorder, and still have room for my clothing layers as I donned or doffed them. I had inner enclosed pockets to keep my keys and ID in a safe place. The saddle bags were sinched nicely against my body so there wasn’t any undesirable loose swaying of the packs and to my surprise the packs did not interfere with my normal arm swing. I was able to retrieve my own water bottles to hydrate while I continued to walk. I avoided having thoracic burning pain that I would normally get from hunching over when wearing a traditional backpack. I also was a lot less sweaty in my upper back by having that area “exposed” instead of being under a backpack. I felt the BackTpack was far superior to the traditional day-pack and I plan to wear it on my next two summer day hikes this season.

Dancers are notorious for carrying around bulky dance bags slung over one shoulder causing them to lean to one side. Students often load up their traditional backpacks to such an extent that they must lean forward in order to counterbalance the heavy load of books on their backs. Both of these situations cause poor alignment of the spine and can lead to chronic neck and back pain. The design of the BackTpack is the ideal solution to both of these problems because it allows the wearer to balance the load evenly between both sides of the body, which promotes proper vertical alignment of the spine.EnE
On a personal note, my children ride their bikes to school and they have found that it is more difficult to balance with traditional backpacks, which place the load high upon the back. They prefer their BackTpacks because the load has a lower center of gravity and is balanced from side to side making bike riding much safer and more stable. What parent wouldn’t want that?

After two poor-outcome lumbar back surgeries in four years, I found out on my own how difficult it is to carry possessions in a traditional backpack, purse, briefcase or bag. The BackTpack is just great! I can wear it in the car, keep it on when I sit, load and unload when it’s on, and even carry my laptop without low back pain. I haven’t had any problems with thoracic or cervical strain, and no difficulty changing positions while wearing it. I have already been talking to patients and friends about the BackTpack, because my personal experience with it has been so positive. I hope to get my four children out of their unwieldy backpacks soon, and have encouraged them to try the BackTpack