Executive & Messenger Bags Kids Bags & Luggage « Back to Luggage S (Up to 22 inches) View All Clearance »We can't find that Page.Here's what's trending on Polyvore now.Top Sets Created by Our Members Untitled #784 by anacarolinaferraz drowning in the past by hetasdfghjkl ♈Aries♈ by anja-mConnect With PETA Thanks for signing up! Sign up For PETA Living E-News In This Section Search This SectionSeptember is just one week away and school bells are already ringing in the distance – which means it’s high time to start gearing up for the coming academic year. If you’ve yet to stock up on supplies, fear not – we’re offering you a chance to win an amazing back to school bundle packed with over $500 worth of green goodies! You could win a powerful laptop-charging Voltaic Array solar backpack, a stack of 6 eco-friendly Naked Binders, a water filtering Bobble bottle, and courtesy of The Ultimate Green Store, a Laptop Lunchbox and various school supplies!

It’s easy to enter – all you have to do is sign up for our newsletter, like Inhabitat and Voltaic on Facebook, and leave a comment below telling us how you plan to green your back-to-school routine. Our contest ends this week, so don’t delay – enter today! 1. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE > (If you are not already a subscriber.) We’ll be announcing the winner in our weekly newsletter, so if you want to find out who won, you’ll need to receive it in order to claim your prize! 2. BECOME A FAN OF INHABITAT AND VOLTAIC ON FACEBOOK > Just visit Inhabitat’s Facebook page and Voltaic’s Facebook page and click on the “Like” button at the top. 3. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW > Tell us how you plan to green your back-to-school routine this year.The deadline for this giveaway is August 29th. We’ll pick the comment we like best and announce the winner in our newsletter, so make sure you’re signed up! Students are always on the go, and it’s hard to keep a laptop charged while trekking from class to class.

Solar bags offer a smart low-impact charging solution – and Voltaic sets the bar by which all photovoltaic bags are judged. Their new Array Backpack is a cutting edge powerhouse emblazoned with a removable 10 watt solar panel that is capable of charging a laptop! The Array also features a battery that doubles your notebook’s runtime (when fully charged), a padded laptop sleeve, plenty of organization pockets, and 1,500 cubic inches of storage for all of your books, binders, bits, and Bobbles. The Ultimate Green Store carries an incredible selection of eco-friendly products for the home, office and everyone in the family – and this year we’re excited to partner up with them to offer students a great array of back to school supplies! The set includes a reusable bpa-free bento box from Laptop Lunches, a recycled banana paper notebook, a non-toxic petroleum-free Coccoina glue stick (which smells like Italian Marzipan!), and a set of recycled newspaper pencils. Sign up for The Ultimate Green Store’s newsletter here.

Everyone knows that bottled water is bad for the environment, so kick Arrowhead and Evian to the curb and score one of Karim Rashid‘s acclaimed reusable Bobble bottles. These brilliant BPA-free recycled plastic bottles are fitted with a colorful carbon filter that purifies water as you drink – so you’ll always have access to a fresh source of H2O wherever your studies take you. Keep all of your papers and assignments in check all year-long with a set of six colorful Naked Binders and a stack of organization sleeves. stm ranger 13 laptop backpackThese colorful, sturdy binders are made from 100% recycled, 100% post consumer board, and they’re tested to withstand 250,000 flexes without fail – so you’ll be able to use them well into the future. kumo backpack reviewNaked Binders are also 100% recyclable, made in the USA, and nearly all materials used are FSC certified.evoc cc backpack 3l

+ Inhabitat Back to School CoverageTell us about your project and one of our experienced account executives will help find the perfect solution for you.Above all else, the best backpack for you is the one that fits your body the best. One of the keys to finding that right backpack is to get one that is the correct size (e.g., small, medium, large). Your torso length—not your height—is the key measurement. This article gives steps for measuring at home. Your best resource, though, is a pack-fit expert at your local REI store. afton backpack campgroundStore experts can visually assess your unique fit needs and work through them with you.ubp backpack This article also covers how to adjust the fit of your new pack and suggests tweaks to manage comfort as you hike.radian rxt backpack straps

For help in deciding which backpack’s capacity and features will best serve your needs on the trail, read Backpacks: How to Choose. Measure Your Torso Length In order to accurately determine this key spec, you’ll need a friend and a flexible tape measure. Tilt your head forward and feel for the bony bump where the slope of your shoulders meets your neck. This is your 7th cervical (or C7) vertebra—and the top of your torso length. On each side of your body, slide your hands down the ribcage to the top of your hip bones (aka the iliac crest). With index fingers pointing forward and thumbs pointing backward, draw an imaginary line between your thumbs. This spot on your lumbar is the bottom of your torso measurement. Stand up straight and have your friend measure the distance between the C7 and the imaginary line between your thumbs. That’s your torso length. Use Your Torso Length to Find Your Pack Size product pages list torso ranges for each pack size.

Torso ranges for pack sizes vary between brands and models, so always check the size chart for any pack you are considering. If you fall between sizes, visit an REI store to try on each size. In addition, because home measurement is rarely perfect, your best fit will always come if you physically try on backpacks. Video: Finding Your Torso Length Measure Your Hip Size While it’s rare for a pack’s waist/hips sizing to be off if your pack size is correct for your torso length, it’s still important to check your hip measurement. You’ll be carrying most of your pack weight on your hips, so good hipbelt fit is critical. To measure your hip size, wrap your tape measure around the top of your hips, hugging the iliac crest you found when measuring your torso length. This line is slightly higher than your beltline, so hipbelt size differs slightly from pant-waist size. to be sure the waist/hip measurement on your chosen pack size is right for you. If not, call your nearest REI store to find out about interchangeable hipbelt options.

Found on a lot of packs, adjustable suspension enables a pack to fit a wider range of torso lengths and to more precisely fit individual users. Different brands use different systems, but most of them are fairly intuitive. If you buy a pack with this feature, torso length is your first—and most important—fit adjustment. If your other fit adjustments don’t seem to work correctly, re-check and reset the torso length. Adjustment straps can’t compensate for an incorrectly set adjustable suspension system. If you're having trouble, bring the pack to an REI store for help. Fit Adjustment at Home Your new backpack has several straps to adjust your load for greater comfort. Your legs have some of the strongest muscles in your body, so the goal is to adjust your straps so that the majority of the load rests on your hips. You have four primary adjustment straps: Start with about 15 pounds of weight in the pack to simulate a load. You’ll also need your friend or a mirror to help you check the fit after each adjustment step.

Loosen all of the adjustment straps slightly before you start. Adjustments happen in two primary phases: The Main Event: shoulder straps/hipbelt The Finale: load-lifters/sternum strap In addition, because fit adjustment is a dynamic process, experienced hikers continuously work to relieve pressure points by fiddling with the tension in their straps (the encore). Put the pack on. Move the hipbelt until the padding hugs the top of your hip bones (your iliac crest). If it sits too low or too high, tighten or loosen the shoulder straps to raise or lower the hipbelt. Fasten the hipbelt buckle and tighten it. Be careful not to overtighten the belt: It should be snug and secure without uncomfortably pinching your hips. Check the padded sections of the hipbelt to make sure they sit on the top of your hips; if not, readjust your shoulder straps and hipbelt. Try different tensions until you find the sweet spot. Belt padding should extend slightly beyond the front point of your hipbones.

You also need at least one inch of clearance on either side of the center buckle: If you have less, call REI to see if a smaller belt is available. Step 2: Shoulder Straps Pull down and back on the ends of the shoulder straps to tighten them. Shoulder straps should wrap closely around your shoulders, but they should NOT be carrying significant weight. If they are, you'll be putting undue stress on shoulder, neck and upper-back muscles. Check to see that the shoulder strap anchor points on your pack are 1 to 2 inches below the top of your shoulders, roughly at the top of your shoulder blades. If not, then either your hipbelt is at the wrong level or your pack’s torso length is incorrect. Vary shoulder-strap tension by tightening and loosening the straps. Learn how to adjust the straps in small increments so you can relieve any pressure points or pain during your hike. Step 3: Load Lifters Load-lifter straps connect the top of the shoulder harness to an anchor point near the top of the back panel.

When tensioned, they should angle back toward the pack body at roughly a 45-degree angle. Don’t overtighten the load lifters! Excess tension that feels great initially can pinch shoulder joints and create discomfort. Strive for snug—not stiff—tension. If you notice a space at the top of your shoulder harness, loosen the load lifters and try again. Step 4: Sternum Strap Slide the sternum strap until it’s at a comfortable height across your chest: roughly an inch below your collarbones. Buckle and tighten the sternum strap to set the shoulder straps at a width that allows your arms to move freely. Avoid the common mistake of overtightening the sternum strap. This can distort the overall fit of your harness, constrict your chest muscles and restrict your breathing. Fit Adjustment on the Trail After mile 10, your near-perfect fit can seem like a distant memory. Good fit, though, requires continuous attention on the trail. Master how things adjust by playing with all of your straps extensively when you first get your pack.