Herschel Backpacks And Duffle Bags Are Up To O

Stumped on what to gift someone this holiday season? A Herschel bag is a simple "literally anyone would like this" gift. Think about it: Everyone travels. Everyone visits family and friends. At some point, everyone finds themselves screwed because their cheap duffle bag strap broke before a big trip or their backpack ripped the day before classes started. Herschel is the go-to for durable, minimalistc versions of all of that stuff, and select styles are up to 40% off at Amazon as part of the 12 Days of Deals. We've picked out a few of our favorite sale items, but you can shop the whole selection here. Can we get a high five for every one of these on a college campus? Herschel's mountaineering spin on the classic backpack features two leather straps with buckles. Inside, there's a separate laptop sleeve. The mid-volume size is roomy enough for school stuff or outdoor adventures but small enough to fit under your seat on an airplane.
Only select colors and patterns are on sale, but sale styles include Black/Gold Rubber Insert, Picante Crosshatch, Pine Bark/Black, Abstract Block, Arrowood Crosshatch, Black/Black/Tan, Black/Tan Synthetic Leather, Painted Floral/Tan Synthetic Leather, Polka Cameo Rose, Dark Grid/Black, and Navy/Tan Synthetic Leather. There probably aren't a lot of people who would say no to a new, functional weekender — especially one with a special side compartment for shoes. The bag can be carried crossbody with the padded shoulder strap or by hand with the shorter handles. Only select colors and patterns are on sale, but sale styles include Black/Raven Crosshatch, Eclipse Crosshatch/Black and Light Gray Crosshatch. We're not sure who needs to hear this, but please stop traveling with your toiletries in a plastic sandwich bag. This travel kit from Herschel features three compartments on the inside, including one side pocket that many reviewers use for their phone and keys. It's apparently pretty durable and can stand being thrown around in a suitcase, too.
Some students could also be seen carrying their academic luggage on their backs in squared leather bags, fastened shut with buckles. But by and large students were stuck toting their supplies by strap or by hand. Everything changed when the first lightweight nylon daypack was invented, blowing the door wide open for backpack redesign. Gerry Outdoors claims to have created the very first “modern nylon backpack in existence” in 1967 (the same year JanSport opened up shop). The smaller and lighter backpack caught on among other gear brands, and became immensely popular among outdoor enthusiasts. JanSport, the world’s largest backpack maker, created their own lightweight nylon daypacks around this same time, designs that eventually evolved into the student backpacks we know today. Yowell writes in his book that college students at the University of Washington began to use JanSport daypacks (smaller, lighter versions of heavy-duty backpacking packs) to lug their school-stuff around campus. The campus sporting goods store had been selling the packs with student hikers in mind, but students co-opted them for school luggage as well.
Noting the trend, the school’s sports-shop manager made recommendations that prompted the company to create packs tailored to the needs of students. The trend stuck and spread far and wide, sparking a nationwide movement towards backpacks designed for students and their many supplies. By the 1980s, student backpacks were fully integrated into the checklist of necessary school supplies. Get our History Newsletter. Put today's news in context and see highlights from the archives. While the original student backpack came about organically in response to practical student needs, novelty backpacks that are made mostly with aesthetics in mind have become popular in more recent decades. Backpacks that feature shiny images of favorite children’s TV and movie characters demonstrate the ways in which back-to-school has been commercialized, and is marketed as a fun, sometimes whimsical time for young people. Backpacks aren’t just about the business of carrying things to school anymore. They’re a part of a student’s identity. But things may be changing once again. Now, in an age where schools are relying more and more on digital tools, designers are rethinking backpacks, creating smaller, sleeker bags with compartments for laptops and smartphones built in. Backpack companies are also beginning to sell accessories that supplant backpacks for students of the digital age, such as JanSport’s “Digital Burrito” designed for students who just aren’t carrying many books but need mobile storage for their devices.