A shoe compartment can make a school backpack much easier to use for gym class, sports, dance or commuting. It can also consume a surprising amount of the backpack’s usable volume. The best design fits the student’s actual shoes without pushing books into the laptop area, making the bag excessively bulky or creating a compartment that is difficult to clean.Quick Answer: Measure the real...

A school backpack that also carries gym clothing has to handle soft, sometimes damp gear without sacrificing laptop protection and book organization. The best solution is often flexible space plus a removable washable pouch rather than a backpack filled with permanent sports compartments that add weight every day.Quick Answer: Choose a school backpack with enough main-compartment room for the normal class load plus a...

Schools without lockers force the backpack to become all-day storage. Students may need every book, binder, laptop, lunch and personal item from the first bell through the last class. That can justify more usable capacity, but it also makes load organization, strap durability and weight control much more important than they are for students who can stage materials throughout the day.Quick Answer: Choose a...