The 5 best stores to buy gadget-friendly backpacks
By Phil Hornshaw
As the number of awesome, super-handy gadgets in the world increases, so too does the necessity to carry them around with you wherever you go. But the traditional world of backpacks isn’t exactly helpful in this regard — most backpacks were designed with books and folders or camping gear in mind, and not the needs of folks who want to lug a laptop or iPad around.
But just as technology marches forward, so too do the items that surround technology and make it practical. There are great, gadget-friendly backpacks out there, if you know what to look for and where to look for it. We’re here to help: here are five great stores to grab the bags you need to carry your gadgets.
A bag for every occasion
What kind of bag you need for your gadgets depends, of course, on the gadgets – and where you shop for them also depends on the gadget. There are lots of alternatives among stores that sell great gadget-friendly backpacks, but they differ on specialties.
For example, REI is a great source for outdoor backpacks, and it’s really a great place to find a backpack that can house a camera. Geared toward photographers taking their equipment into the Great Outdoors, the store is brimming with useful knapsacks, like the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW Camera Pack. It’s designed to protect a camera while hiking, and still leaves space for other gear – and it only runs at $160. Plus, REI offers 3 percent cash back.
Meanwhile, if you want a laptop back, you’ll probably want to check out the selection at Timbuk2.com or eBags. Both offer a ton of options for backpacks designed specifically to carry computers, with measurements to make sure your laptop will fit– along with whatever else you need. Timbuk2’s Power Q Laptop Backpack goes for $200, and supports your other, smaller gadgets with a built-in power supply for recharging.
You can find lots more charging backpacks meant for gadgets at eBags, as well, and shopping there can net you 6 percent Cash Back. A number of eBags’ backpacks come with batteries, as well as gadget compartments, that allow users to store and charge items like smartphones while they’re out and about.
Going in a similar direction to charging backpacks are solar-powered backpacks. As you might guess, these are backpacks that recharge their batteries with solar cells on their outside skin. Amazon carries a number, like SolarGoPack’s $150 12,000 mAH battery backpack, or Voltaic’s 1022 Array Solar Laptop Charger Backpack, which goes for $390.
Finally, if you’re shopping for anything gadget-related, it’s worth dropping by ThinkGeek, and not just because you can get as much as 3.5 percent Cash Back on what you grab there. The site’s selection of backpacks includes the Piggyback Solar Powered Gadget Bag for $120 and the Switchback Laptop Swing Bag for $160 – plus they have Chewbacca’s Messenger Bag. You’re bound to find something you like.
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