July 20, 2009
New York Times

Weighing School Backpacks

By Tara Parker-Pope
Laura Pedrick for The New York Times

Last year, my daughter’s school backpack got so heavy, she would sometimes just drag it behind her rather than hoist it onto her shoulders. Backpacks with wheels are too bulky for her locker, so next year I’m thinking about buying an extra set of textbooks to keep at home.

In its latest rating of the most durable school backpacks, Consumer Reports has conducted its own survey to determine how much weight kids are carrying as a result of overloaded packs. The researchers visited three New York City schools and weighed more than 50 children’s backpacks. They found that kids in the 2nd and 4th grades are carrying about 5 pounds worth of homework and books. But once kids reach the 6th grade, the homework load gets heavier. On average, 6th graders in the study were carrying backpacks weighting 18.4 pounds, although some backpacks weighed as much as 30 pounds.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child’s backpack weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of a child’s weight. Consumer Reports recommends keeping the weight closer to 10 percent of a child’s weight. But one Texas study found that most parents don’t check the weight of their child’s backpack. According to Consumer Reports:

Children can suffer low-back pain, too, says Dr. Orly Avitzur, a board-certified neurologist and medical adviser to Consumer Reports. “A heavy backpack is a strong contributor to low-back pain in children,” Avitzur says, adding that carrying a heavy pack for long periods of time, carrying it on one shoulder instead of two, and climbing stairs while lugging a heavy load can exacerbate the problem. Girls and shorter children are more likely to have back pain from backpacks, due to their smaller stature, so it’s important to find one that fits well.

The magazine goes on to recommend the best backpacks for kids, and even breaks down the recommendations based on a child’s height. The highest rated pack was the Lands’ End FeatherLight backpack for $40, which starts out 15 percent lighter than the other packs it sells. The magazine said the backpack scored high for its rain resistance, safety features and construction quality.

To learn more about all the backpacks, see the full report at ConsumerReports.org. And for more tips on choosing the best backpack, read the guide from the American Academy of Pediatrics.