Computer backpack that won't screw up my neck?

August 5, 2015 8:09 AM

I walk about an hour each way to work, and it's been taking a toll on my neck -- pain while walking, and stiffness that lingers for days afterward. Is there a backpack that'll put less strain on my body?

I've been using this Herschel backpack for about a year and a half. What I like about it is how thin it is -- it limits how much crap I can put in my bag, which keeps me from overloading it too badly. But my neck is still killing me, and it's getting to the point where it's unsustainable.

Is there a computer bag or backpack that I can wear while walking long distances that won't completely destroy my neck?

My bag needs to be large enough to fit
- 13" Macbook Air
- Pair of over-ear headphones in their case
- Wallet
- Keys
- Notebook
- Kindle
- A light cardigan

(I wear my current bag with the straps tightened and the bag snug against my back. If that's not how I should be doing things, let me know.)

If possible, I'd really like to keep this under $200. Under $100 would be even better.

posted by Narrative Priorities to Shopping (18 answers total)

Best answer: I don't know any specific ones, but I'd look into one that you can strap across your chest or even hip, so the weight is off your shoulders a bit. If you're walking that much, I think a day pack that's advertised for hiking would be a good idea.
posted by monologish at 8:11 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have the Black Diamond Agent, which I often use to carry things to work, There is a more minimal version, the Bullet, which might be exactly what you need. It's a pretty minimal design, so it doesn't scream "BACKPACKER OUTDOORS PERSON", but since it is indeed a backpacker outdoors person bag, it's very well designed for walking.
posted by larthegreat at 8:18 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My own experiences with long walks like this, is to echo the above, normal backpacks are not designed for this - they are perfectly fine for short jaunts but they don't have the support built-in like hiking backpacks do for long stretches. You need to distribute the weight - right now the arm straps are taking all the weight, which is directly transferring to your neck.
posted by Aranquis at 8:20 AM on August 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

Best answer: In my experience, something with a decent hip belt helps a ton. Yes, it looks like you're off the the Alps instead of the office, but whatever.

I don't have a particular brand to recommend because what I think you should do is head to a place like REI and try on a bunch of different packs. Bring the stuff you usually carry (REI staff will not think this is strange at all) to put in it and walk around the store for a while. If you are a (relatively!) typically female-bodied person, a pack designed for (typically) male bodies will not fit you as well and will cause discomfort sooner rather than later.
posted by rtha at 8:28 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Agreed that if you must do this, a backpack designed for long distances is best. That said, the way I solved this problem was by leaving my laptop at work during the week (and sometimes on the weekends). I find most of what I want to do at home can be done on my phone or an old laptop (I use Dropbox for all my files), and as a bonus it keeps me from sneaking in work in the evenings when I really want to leave it at work. Obviously this might not be feasible for you for any number of reasons, but if you can swing not having a computer at home (or getting a second laptop that you sync via Dropbox, iCloud, etc.), I can promise it will make your walking commute was more pleasant.
posted by rainbowbrite at 8:28 AM on August 5, 2015

Best answer: I'm a hiker who carries a pack on long hikes and in my experience the kind of pain you are describing comes from too much pack weight being put on your upper body. You need a pack with hip straps so that you carry the weight in your hips instead. Yes it looks dorky but it's what you need if you want to carry that much weight for an hour each way.

When you put on your pack you'll want to first make sure the hip straps are truly lying at your hips and that they are pretty snug. Then loosen the shoulder straps until you feel the weight moving to your hips. You don't want the shoulder straps to be too loose but you should adjust them until you feel the weight distribute. Having a chest strap can also help to keep the shoulder straps in place.
posted by joan_holloway at 8:31 AM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Couple bits of relevant info:

- I'm a cis woman with a narrow waist and otherwise pretty average build, about 5'9" tall
- I work in a shared coworking space, so I can't leave anything there overnight.

This is already really helpful, thank you!
posted by Narrative Priorities at 8:34 AM on August 5, 2015

Best answer: Osprey is my favorite brand of backpacks. They have a surprising range that varies from serious hiking bags to smaller commuter bags that fit laptops and stuff, and they have a range that is also fitted for women. I currently have one of their commuter ones, it has a nice laptop pocket that fits my hulkingly huge Lenovo, as well as a smaller pockets for my Kindle, my wallet, and still has enough space that I can shove some hoodies or jackets in there. It has chest and waist straps.

I got my Osprey bag at REI, but there are other retailers as well. They don't have a "professional" look (you'll look like a scruffy outdoors-y type), but they're the most comfortable bags I've ever used. I've commuted with my backpack on bike for about 3 years, and when my bag gets worn, I'll be buying another Osprey, no question.
posted by the_wintry_mizzenmast at 8:48 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Have you considered wearing a vest to distribute a bit more of the weight forward?

http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/subindex_mens.shtml#vests

alternatives would be tactical vests (i.e. the police looking type stuff)

Or an armpit type holster?

http://www.techslinger.com/

Another alternative is "hip holster" type setup for your kindle so it goes on your hip / thigh rather than back. Think geek is out of theirs though.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/c616/

Here's a possible alternative:

http://www.amazon.com/NAOKI-LOVE-Vintage-style-Multilayer-Multipurpose/dp/B00Y8QTU58/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1438791336&sr=8-3&keywords=tablet+waist+leg+pack
posted by kschang at 9:14 AM on August 5, 2015

Best answer: The Osprey Quasar and Pulsar series are supposed to be pretty good. They're 'urban' focused, so not quite so hiking focused as their other packs.

Looks like the women's version is called the Questa.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:38 AM on August 5, 2015

Best answer: The only real solution is to get the weight off your shoulders and onto your hips. A backpacking backpack with a hip belt and straps is really the best way to accomplish this. You use the straps to strap everything down so it's as close to your back as possible similar to what you're doing now, then use the hip belt/chest clip to get all that weight onto your hips.

Head into your local REI or backpacking store to figure out what size/kind of bag fits you best, then find the smallest version of that bag.
posted by zug at 9:39 AM on August 5, 2015

Best answer: Yup, get that weight onto your hips. It will make such a big difference. The trick will be that the backpack will likely have more capacity (because hiking packs are generally made to hold bulkier stuff than books and laptops) and you'll have to resist the urge to fill it up.
posted by mskyle at 10:05 AM on August 5, 2015

You can add a waistband to many of the Mission Workshop line of backpacks, if you want something more "urban hipster/bike messenger" looking than "I'll be in the Adirondacks for the next 8 days".

Downsides: pricey as heck, and bigger so you have to resist the urge to stuff. I have the Rambler which is too big for you but the nice thing is that it only gets super big if you expand it, and the non-expanded version is fairly flat against your back. I haven't seen the others in person but they all look like they have that flat, not sticking out 3 feet from your back construction.
posted by misskaz at 10:24 AM on August 5, 2015

Are you certain that it's the backpack and not your shoes, your stride or your posture? (could be multiple of these.) You're not carrying that much weight (~10lbs or so?), so I wonder if you'd benefit more from a physical therapy routine that corrects imbalances in strength between front and back (for example, a particularly poor alignment of the cervical spine - really common among those who work on devices all day long).
posted by vunder at 11:54 AM on August 5, 2015

I've recommended this bag a few times on ask, but it really is great, and after almost 3 years now it's still holding up well. The BBP Hamptons Hybrid. It puts the weight on your butt/pelvis instead of shoulders, and has a hip and chest strap too. I use a 13" Macbook Air for work, and the small fits it nicely. It has the ability to carry a fair bit of stuff, but it isn't annoyingly flappy and weird if it's not filled.
posted by HermitDog at 12:20 PM on August 5, 2015

I absolutely love my Züca Business Backpack. I get compliments on it every week, I used it when I travel as a carry-on, and it keeps me incredibly organized. The zippers are strong, the multiple sections are sturdy, and when I wear it on both shoulders, I feel like I'm not wearing anything at all.

It has multiple interior divider sections (so everything doesn't fall to the bottom or back). There are two outer zipper compartments on the left side with some nice structure (which you can't see well in the photos on the site) and a whole mini-office side panel on the right. There's also a sort of fanny-pack pocket on the front (as if it were riding low on the tummy of the backpack.) It stands upright and pretty much never falls over.

It's pricey, but I've had mine for at least ten years, and it looks like it's brand new.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:00 PM on August 5, 2015

Yes, definitely get something with a chest and/or waist strap. Also, I can't see in the description of you current bag, but does it have a separate laptop sleeve? If not, that can really help. Even in a slim bag the laptop can be jostling too much back and forth. Padding on the back area is also helpful for comfort.

There are TONS of things like that out there. This North Face one looks pretty good.
posted by Crystalinne at 4:28 PM on August 5, 2015

I walked into Target and picked this up (hiking backpack with laptop sleeve, chest and waist straps, and a good amount of compartments) for $37.
posted by deathmaven at 9:08 AM on August 6, 2015